Rollin', rollin' rollin' like a river

There is a spiritual side to creativity. Sometimes we have to step into the stream and flow with it to see where it will lead. But you can’t just step in, you have to be ready for it, you need to be open to it. I am not quite sure where it will lead, but I think I am just about ready to follow that creative stream.

In this first week “without a job” several wonderful, helpful, thoughtful friends and family members have made suggestions. Some of these suggestions have been way out in left field, but now I feel like I can recognize the direction I need to take. A dear friend asked me to join with her in a co-op gallery. She is a watercolorist, and I make small art quilts as well as jewelry. When she made this suggestion, it felt right. Now I have all these wonderful ideas swirling in my head and I can hardly wait to get to my quilt studio. Stay tuned!

Now, I would like to introduce you to an amazing artist who is just joining the blog-o-sphere: Catherine Davies Paetz. She works in precious metal clay and enamels. Her first blog-post is about mandalas and meditation. Check out her blog and website and give her a warm welcome. It was Cathy who reminded me of the spiritual side of creativity – I will certainly be following her blog.

Proving Myself

Friday we had our Taxes done and it was a harrowing experience.

I know, I know . . . everyone hates to do their taxes. Well, let me tell you that as a clergy household and with me working part-time teaching at University and part-time being an artist, and this year also being an author, this was the worst ever. A bunch of the expenses I was hoping to deduct didn't pan out and we ended up having to pay a pretty penny . . . money we had set aside to pay for our trip in May to Amsterdam.

What's more, I felt I had to justify myself. The preparer asked about my art quilts saying with a smile, "Are you sure you don't make blanket-type quilts?" Fortunately, I had my laptop with me and fired it up to showed her all my art I had recorded there. I showed her my Reluctant Accomplice quilt . . .
I showed her my presentation quilt . . . (to which she said, "that's -- interesting.")

I showed her two of my larger quilts (48"x72"), one a contest quilt in an international competition (finalist out of 900) . . .and the other, a commission . . .

and a published piece (Quilters Newsletter Magazine December 2004) . . .

and what was most lost on her was the direction my art is taking now -- art jewelry. Hopefully it will be better next year. In the meantime, I'm proud of my portfolio. My question for you is, "Have you ever had to justify yourself or your art?" Tell me about it, I want to know.