Anyone who has looked at my body of artwork as displayed on my website will probably have noticed that I have taken a new direction with my work in the last year or so. This is mainly in the way of developing a new theme. I want to capture some of the child-like wonder of small children discovering the world around them. As a mum I get to appreciate again the many small things which children find so wonderful, but which we as adults tend to take for granted (such as bubbles popping, water dripping, caterpillars crawling and clouds drifting).Portraying this in my quilts has meant a lot of experimenting with how to depict children, especially as I would like to stay with the techniques I have been using up till now (machine piecing and quilting with some printing in the background). I don't want to produce photographically real images, but also don't want the figures I portray to appear too sweet or too cartoon-like. While I have already made several quilts depicting children, I am still working with different ways to portray them in my quilts.
At the same time, I wonder if part of the reason why I am spending so much time playing and experimenting with ideas is because I am a little bit shy about venturing into this new range of quilts. I have so much positive feedback and success with my 'eucalyptus' quilts that moving on from those makes me a little bit apprehensive. How will they be received? Am I able to portray more complex ideas as an artist, or should I be staying with a theme and style that I know works?
Anyway, I suppose you might wonder where this post is going... Yesterday I received news that my most recent major artwork 'What does YOUR family look like?' has been accepted into Art Quilt Australia '09. I am very excited about this as it gives me some of the confirmation I was looking for, for my 'childhood' quilts. Actually, what I feel is almost relief - I really want to pursue this theme further into a solo exhibition, but wanted to be sure that what I have in mind is also accepted by others as 'good art'. Now I feel like I have been given a bit of a go-ahead for all those ideas I have in my head and in my sketchbook. So be prepared for a flurry of cutting and stitching in the next months (that is, if I can drag by growing belly and iron-deficient legs upstairs to cut out the next quilts)!!
6 comments:
congrats on getting accepted! now just give me a bit of time before your solo exhibition to save up some money and free up some wall space ...
I've been fascinated by the glimpses of your new work and am thrilled to hear you have been selected for the Art Quilt Australia exhibition. Congratulations!
That's fantastic news! Will they put a pic of the quilt up on their website? Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually I'm curious about something....I literally have no brain when I'm pregnant- how do you find your inspiration/flow of ideas/output goes?
Lucy, I'm curious too - about the "no brain" thing... :) Don't worry, I can guarantee that Ruth is very normal when it comes to having "pregnant brain"! Inspiration seems to slow to a trickle, output returns to normal, and generally the household has that pregnant feeling about it... if you know what I mean.
What great news!
It is really nice when something you created is accepted for an exhibition - it gives you a bit of a lift that other people might also be interested in what you create, rather than the talent you believe you have just being all in your head! I understand completely!
Congratulations on having your quilt accepted! I really enjoy reading your blog and watching how your work is developing, particularly your childhood series. I love your quilts and look forward to seeing more in the future.
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