art – Page 44 – Joni Beach

October 19, 2011October 22, 2011

Studio on the Porch~

Today I moved my studio to the porch in order to take-in the beautiful autumn colors just over the railing, as well as the warmth of a bright, sunny day. Last week it was very chilly here in Virginia’s mountains and was a reminder to get the chimney cleaned and the fireplace ready for the winter! But, today was warm and breezy and I was drawn to work on the porch.

As the leaves rustled in the breeze, birds were noisily arguing, and in a distance a lawnmower was grinding, I got some of the quilting done on the Lifeweaving #3 wall-hanging. With the woven strips, it wasn’t clear whether the pins would be enough to hold the top together while sewing. But, so far so good–and a tiny zig-zag stitch seems to cover the raw edges well. It will require slowly working from the middle out, toward the sides, and in sections.

The afternoon light faded quickly…also, tomorrow may be rainy, so the porch may not be as inviting then…but for today it was perfect!

October 11, 2011October 19, 2011

Flow~~~

In art, as in life, experiencing a state of flow can be very exciting and great motivation in moving toward one’s goals.

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In Flow

[click to view You-Tube video of Csikszentmihalyi on Creativity, Fulfillment, & Flow.]

~In Flow your activity matches your skill level–mismatches equal boredom if too easy or anxiety and frustration if too difficult.

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Lost in Time

~We lose an awareness of time…our focus and concentration is on the creative process and task at hand.

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Go With the Flow

~It includes patience and an easy, gentle pace…but also the failures, frustrations, impatience, and rebellions! (Make Your Creative Dreams Real, by SARK)

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Optimal Experience

~ In the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi discusses that creativity and being in flow contributes to an optimal human experience. When our activities are balanced between being a challenge but within our skill level, we enjoy a state of concentration and a sense of well-being. I think of it as a chance to test myself––in a fun way!

* Today in the studio I will be quilting a wall-hanging–When do you experience being in Flow?

If you have the time, I’d love to hear your thinking! (To Leave a Comment–click below…) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How To Get Outside Yourself (everydayintensity.com)

October 6, 2011October 7, 2011

Playing @…In the Studio!

After posting about goals, discouragement, and motivation, I want to keep you posted of my time in the studio–playing @ with new ideas, experimenting with different methods, and a push to create, create, create.…

Here is a finished wall-hanging that is a gift for someone special:

I liked the style and colors of these squares that were found at a favorite quilt shop…The three were joined together with sashing and gold corner squares. After layering with a backing and batting, I quilted in-the-ditch around and with-in each block, and then used free-motion quilting to add motifs in the gold squares and sign my name & the date. Then, threadpainting was used to highlight the steam, whipped cream, and a few other details…

I’m centering and attaching this small art quilt by the top corners to an stretched canvas. It is Sea Images #1, which usually hangs in my husband’s office. This will give it a stage of sorts and more presence in the room as visual art.

Also, Lifeweaving #3 is coming along!–Layering the backing and batting and then basting the strips in place…more to come soon on that.

*FYI!! A great book for creative motivation is Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day, by SARK… For Fun & Inspiration visit her at www.planetsark.com.

~Hope you are enjoying your time this week as you strive towards your goals–don’t forget to have fun with the process!~