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Monday, August 5, 2013

Creative play

    I get questions about how I come up with ideas for the watercolor wall hangings.  Many times it is from a photo, a postcard,  or something I tore out of a magazine that gives me a direction to go.  It might be right out my window, or in the garden.  Inspiration might be seen in the shadows of a tree or from light streaming through branches.   Or lastly, it may just happen!

   Remember this re-discovered UFO from last month?  I was determined to create something with it.....but as it was just too small or odd shaped.  I liked the way the color swatches were clumped, but it was just an odd arrangement.  So I did a little playing around with it....turning it in different directions to see how the view changed.




   I put it up on the design wall, closed my eyes, and then only glanced at it.  Close the eyes again and think about it.  The only position I liked was with the dark on the bottom and at the right hand side.  I had the impression of cascading water.  Impression is the key word for what I saw.
    I began adding squares to blend and enlarge the side I had.  The center light area just developed from there.   I worked in a bountiful blooming area on the left, but did not let it get too dark.   Once it was fused and sewn together, this is the base background I had.  All it needed was a little personality.








    A little thread painting---more creative play time---and a dragonfly emerged.









   I added some stems by couching down some braided cording and adding purple leaves.  The purple leaves balance the cluster of purple squares at the top to my eye.
I've added a border and done the quilting.  Once it is bound I will give you the full view.

  Insight:  Take time to let your creative  vision happen.  

So what does your creative mind's eye see today?   Take time to play and let it happen.
Happy stitching.

7 comments:

  1. They are beautiful! I love your color wash pieces.

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  2. This is wonderful - love how you share the process.

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  3. I love your process. That is just what I do when I am painting. I put it up on the easel, and keep turning and stepping back, looking through squinted eyes....and wait to see the magic appear. Way far back in my blog is the story of my Dad doing the "seeing" for me.

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  4. I knew you would create something lovely!

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  5. It's beautiful! Those blues really spoke to me the first time I saw it, I love how you saw water. I do the same thing without a design wall, lay it all out on my bed and literally peek at it.

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  6. I like to let my quilts guide me through the process, I'm never quite sure what I will end up with. I was the same when I used to paint too -- so much more rewarding than all those years of slavishly following other people's patterns in knitting, cross-stitch, embroidery and folk art because I didn't know any better!

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