Are You An Artist?
Do you consider yourself an Artist? So, what is an “artist”? There are many different definitions and nuances when it comes to deciding what an artist really is. Can we be so bold as to claim to be an artist? I think “Yes”!
But let me explain myself a little more. Traditional, easily recognized examples of famous artists include Van Gogh, Picasso, and Michelangelo. These are recognized historical artists because they created painting or sculptures. That definition also includes those who create pieces of writing, music, dance or any other type of creative products. Are quilts or fiber art pieces creative products? You bet they are!
I want to broaden the definition of Artist to include someone who is skilled at what s/he does, or someone skilled at a particular task. A person who does anything very well, with imagination and a feeling for form or effect is an artist. LinkedIn defines an artist as “… a person who can take something they see within and physically manifest it with their own hands for others to see.” Can you see yourself in that definition? I hope so!
Whether your skills are related to quilting or art quilts or not, we all have something that we can feel passionate about and something that we do well. Maybe we can create great tasting things in the kitchen. Perhaps we have a true talent for writing, in any of its many forms. You could have the talent of taking wonderful photographs with your camera lens. Perhaps taking chaos and getting it organized efficiently. Or, you could be great at solving problems, finding innovative solutions to them. Aren’t you an artist then, based on the broader definition?
Hopefully we are all on our own personal creative journey and, even better, an artistic journey. According to the artistsnetwork.com, a personal artistic journey is “how artists explore and transform their ideas, the evolution of their practice over time. Their visual form will change or be altered as a result of the exploration of ideas, subject, and mediums.” I want to stress the “over time” aspect. No one is born an artist. It takes work. It takes focus and dedication and perseverance. It is growth at its finest.
Too many times we compare ourselves to others and sell ourselves short. We should be looking at our own creative journey, reveling in our own growth based on exploration and practice. and it takes time and effort.
Look back at when you first started quilting and/or sewing. You got better with practice and learning through experience and experimentation. You learned from others as well as your own works. You applied lessons learned.
We obviously do better when we get excited about something and want to learn more about it. There is an investment of time and effort. There can be frustration but, if we remind ourselves, there is always progress. Maybe only a little, maybe a lot. Lessons learned are invaluable to our learning process. Sometimes they can be more powerful than successes!
I don’t know about you, but there are times when I need to remind myself of that very fact. We need to be kinder and gentler to ourselves as we learn. We need to give ourselves permission to play and make mistakes so we can learn. We need to recognize our progress in our personal creative journey, whatever that may be.
Next time I cover creativity, I will discuss the importance of nurturing your creative journey and suggestions on how to do that.
If you are ready to focus on learning to use pigments on your fabric in you work, but have been unsure how to begin, perhaps I can help you!
My next 8-week Get Pigment Confident (GPC) Challenge starts next week, January 22. I still have open spots in the group. Come join us! Our initial team Zoom meeting is Saturday, January 22, 2022. At that meeting we will decide when we want to do our group Zoom calls.
This is a great way to kick-start your adventure in using pigments to color on fabric. I consider this 8-wk Challenge your “initiation” into the world of coloring on fabric using pigments. I created this training using a very flexible format to fit into a busy lifestyle. There are three components to it:
- Educational Content. Accessible in my web-based App, Pigment-Patchwork.passion.io. You can view it anywhere, anytime as long as you have an internet connection.
- On-line Accountability Group. Private, secure, and on-line with access anytime, anywhere you have an internet connection. You can post your project photos, ask questions, exchange ideas and get to know the others in your Challenge group.
- Weekly Zoom Team Meetings. Here we can share victories, ask questions about the assignments and talk about coloring on fabric using pigments.
So invest in yourself and come play with me! Fill out this Application form. From there, you can schedule a no-obligation Zoom call with me to explore this option for you.
Do you know of someone else who may be interested to learn as well? My 8-week challenge to gain confidence using pigments to color on fabric would be a great opportunity to learn and create with a friend.
Here is another testimonial from one of my GPC Challenge participants:
