Lalla

I’ve looked to see if this has been discussed elsewhere, and didn’t find it, so forgive me if (I’m a total newbie here) I am going over old ground. Perhaps, in any case, it’s ground worth going over again if it has indeed already been covered?

And this is not just for so-called ‘art quilters’, really it’s to do with any creative enterprise and quilting is certainly that.

I guess I wonder if others come across the technique-pursued goals that can sometimes stymie artistic freedom and inventiveness? Here’s what I mean: I, like I’m sure most of us here, love learning new techniques, and thrive on constantly pushing my own envelope to be better at those techniques, adding to my quilting ‘vocabulary’. My problem is that I can very easily get bogged down in the technique itself such that it takes over to the exclusion of any originality. Looking back over my work I can see the eras of each learning curve, the various appliqué eras, trapunto, quilt-as-you-go, straight line quilting (huge thanks to Jacquie Gering!), learning proper binding, mitred corners and all, flying geese...well, the list is endless, isn’t it. And it’s just that always-more-to-learn aspect that makes quilting so endlessly interesting. But it can grind any originality to a halt, too, if one isn’t careful, it seems to me. Does anyone else agree? Does anyone else suddenly think “What am I doing here? Yes, I may have become really good at a particular technique, but in the end that can only serve us well if we use it well, can’t it?” It’s true that one can look at a brilliant piece of quilting and marvel at the sheer expertise, but if that’s the only thing that stands out about it then somehow something might just be missing, perhaps? I once had a run-in with someone who’d overheard me say that I had a new exhibition coming up, and this person said “I do find that so-called artists usually have such poor technique”; I said in response that I sometimes wished I had less, and could just hurl myself into something without worrying so much. I can get back to the not worrying stage after a while, having learned the technique and earned, I believe, the right to break some rules, but it can take time. I’d love to know if anyone has any thoughts on any of this, though perhaps I’m the only one who fusses about such things!! For me, the way out of what can become a real cul-de-sac, is to open a huge and wonderful book I have on the quilts of Gees Bend and remind myself of simplicity, functionality, and the dynamic individuality of these gorgeous creations.