I just completed this piece that feels a little oriental to me. I used a stamp that I won on a give-away from Ruth Powers website. Instead of my usual intuitive freehand quilting, I used a pattern board with a spiral square. When I finished, my thought was, that anyone could have created this piece, because it doesn't, " look like me." This makes me wonder if there is the same level of satisfaction for people when they use patterns or stamps that they have not created? How do you feel that it is your own work?
I am a long arm quilter who quilts only my own pieces. I did a few customer pieces when I first got my machine, but in truth, finishing someone elses work, does nothing for my own creativity. I feel that my pieces have to be totally my own, based on my own drawing, from my own photo, from my own imagination. Do other people feel this way?
Years ago, I stopped using any image in my work that wasn't my own, so I totally understand how you feel about that. I got so obsessive about it, that I will no longer use commercial fabrics in my work, either- I dye, stamp (my own hand-carved from original images), paint, silk screen and DSP all my own fabric, too, and soon I guess I'll be thowing hanks of thread into the dye baths, too...
ReplyDeleteHi Judy,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for trying something different. I belong to the Fast Friday Fabric Challenge where I am usually stretched right over my head. However, I bet you learned a lot. I also think it has an oriental flavor.
Wishing you JOY on your journey,
ann
Judy, thanks for letting me see what you did. I like it and have to say that the colors you use and placement are different from what I would do, so it is interesting. Regarding using images in one's work, I see a continuum that goes from using commercial stamps to using only one's own stamps. I think people fit in different places of the continuum. Like one of your other commenters said, I mostly just use my own dyed fabric and just a little commercial. I have found that I can use my stamps in many ways, from suble to bold.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing me what you did. I hope you will enjoy using it again or share it with another artist friend to see what they come up with.