Which Came First

The destination cannot be described;
You will know very little until you get there;
You will journey blind.   T.S. Eliot

Creating art is a process. Working in a series seems to open up creativity streaming in from multiple directions. While there are parts considered foreground, and others that are background, it has become very apparent during the making of my “Little Metals” series that one can never tell which comes first.


When you start creating,
which come to you first?

The answer is "it depends," sometimes I find a beautiful embellishment that needs a wonderful background to set it off. Other times it is fun to sit down with a bunch of fabric and let it spontaneously create wonder-filled background quilt pieces that get my mind spinning up various shapes that may ‘be perfect’. Sometimes its a combination.

 

When working on the ‘Little Metals’ pieces I find myself working in both directions at once. I note shapes that come to mind in my sketchbook, but right alongside might be ideas and sketches for backgrounds that might be Fast-Piece Appliqued, painted, or improvisational pieced. All begging for some special copper enamel piece.

I am loving how this process of working in a series seems to work from either direction.

Are you thinking of working on a new series --- have you found some recent inspiration from a special color, mark making, stitching in a fun new way, or some other idea just spinning in your head?

When nothing seems to spin do you have things you do to kick start everything?