Friday, July 3, 2009

Feeling unpassionate, or maybe that's dispassionate...

but definitely not impassioned, about this challenge.

Aaaaaargh!

I simply cannot think of a thing that doesn't seem overwrought, cheesy, sleezy or X-rated. Rather than trying to depict the actual emotion I am now mulling over "things" or activities or people who represent passion in some way. Hmmmm. I copied a bunch of images of Flamenco dancers into a file. I think my viewing of "So You Think You Can Dance" (which, BTW, seems to be the ONLY decent thing on TV this summer) has me thinking along passionate dance lines. But 12" is awfully small for a whole Flamenco dancer, especially if she has her arm up over her head. I'm telling myself, "simplify, simplify" but passion does not seem easy to simplify.

I am imagining that you who are more abstract minded are probably well into this, flinging paint and sequins and angelina, passionately at your piece. I am stuck and haven't even started anything.

7 comments:

Diane Perin said...

I am having the same problem you are, Terry. I love the image of people flinging paint and angelina fiber passionately, though!

Brenda said...

Terri, I'm right on your wavelength! Flamenco dancers also inspired me and I tried very hard to simplify the silhouette but I think I went too far!

RainbowCatcher said...

How about just the skirt? I can see layers of meaning attached to the layers.

Terri Stegmiller said...

I'm struggling with this theme as well. I have actually made a quilt, but now that I look at it, I'm not so sure it speaks of passion.

Karen said...

I made one also, in the bright reds, oranges and yellows I've seen here and when I stuck it up under my other pieces, it lines up perfectly with my rocking chair, which is reds,oranges and yellows! Oh well, not sure what I'm going to do.

mathea said...

How about a close-up? When you talked about flamenco dancers, the image that came to mind for me was just a flamenco shoe surrounded by a froth of twirling skirts.

Pamela Priday said...

Ohhh.... I know the feeling of "stuckness". Looking at these two dancing, they may be passionate but they definitely dont look like they are enjoying it. Maybe this contradiction is part of the problem in coming up with an image that works well for your quilt. Perhaps if you take time out to let ideas arise in your mind - that give you feelings of pleasure as well as strong passion - this may help. The association of these two forces make me think of two hands coming together, a young child's and an older person - where the passion is gentle but vital.

I hope these thoughts help you to make a start, gently but with passion! I look forward to seeing what develops.
Cheers from Sydney, Australia,
Pamela P