Thanks to all your encouragement, I stuck with my inchie quilt. The other ideas just didn't come together. I created the background for the quilt with silver painted fabric and gold metallic thread for quilting in honor of the song "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." The inchies I received from a swap at FiberArtBits last summer, with a couple Christmas inchies thrown it to fill out the grid. The artists that I exchanged with are Kate North, Gill Boughton, Gretchen L Van Nostvand, Gwyneth Green, Emily Randall, Steph Winn, Barb Hill, Priscilla Stultz, Ella More, Lorraine Strohkirch, and Diana Becka. I also added a few of my own inchies that I traded. The swirling, spiralling quilting lines are for the chaos of each of our lives, while the grid is the touch of structure that ties each of our lives together, our passion for fiber art. I am so grateful for the community of artists that I have meet on the Internet through Twelve by Twelve, blogging, and exchanges. The supportive environment has helped me to grow so much as an artist and gain confidence in my work.
I was really surprised at how hard this challenge has been. I was plagued by distractions and other obligations, along with inspiration that I just didn't have the skill to carry out. In so many ways, I think, this has been symbolic of my life operating in a community. My life becomes overburdened by the urgent within our family and the important tasks of reaching out in community are put on the back burner. At other times I have grand desires of working toward making a difference in the community, but don't have the knowledge and skills bring them to fruition. This challenge has been an eye opener for me to learn about myself.
I'm glad you decided to go with your inchie plan. I really do feel this conveys a great sense of community with fiber artists from all around the world.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great sentiment you expressed with this. I think we all have these feelings of being overwhelmed at times
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you used your inchies, too. They really were a great resource for a piece about the fiber art community. And Nikki, I really understand your lack of inspiration. I tend to find that it hits me every year in January or February, and I'm not sure why -- whether it's post holiday fatigue or what.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are over your feeling of having "cheated," because you didn't in any way. This is a beautiful expression of a community and you've expressed it with perfect intent. The background and the quilting and the grid support your concept well. And it's a nice bonus that it's brought you insight as well.
ReplyDeleteYour idea was a good one, and the resulting work looks great.
ReplyDeleteThis theme has really forced us to think. And I understand very well how overburdened you must feel sometimes.
Oh my goodness, Niki! I just want to hold this one in my hands and look at each inchy and touch them. Nice texture.
ReplyDeleteNikki I am so glad that you went ahead and contributed this quilt to the challenge as it really does embody the theme of community beautifully. Funnily enough, it also reminds me of a box of really expensive chocolates. Either way, like Gerrie, I want to pick up each inch and savour it!
ReplyDeleteMe too! I want to study each one. Great job Nikki! I can really understand your feelings and you've done such a thoughtful job in expressing them. I think there are many times in our lives when we feel inspired but find ourselves unable to bring that inspiration to fruition whether it's in our art world or other aspects of our life.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hope you no longer feel that you "cheated"because you DIDN'T. You have made a very successful quilt that represents the theme honourably and beautifully. I have to confess that I haven't really understood the attraction of inchies *gulp* but after this quilt I am finding them rather appealing! To be able to share in the creative lives of so many others is a blessing. Look at all those little touchstones!
ReplyDelete