The convention finished today with some great work from my dedicated, highly skilled students but Blogger insisted I switch to the new account and for some reason won't post my pictures. I will try again later...maybe I have to do something to Picassa or switch back to old Blogger.
All that aside this has been another great conference and another visit to one of my favorite cities on the planet. Tomorrow begins the long journey home and a fond good-bye to Melbourne. Had my last dinner at the Jarrah House....they gave me a free bag of shrimp toast and wished me a safe trip home. Sigh...when will I get to delight in the joy of their cusine again.
While in Melbourne, I have been reading notes from two of my favorite books.....The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. Neither of these books are new but I continue to go back to them from time to time and just read the pages where they open. Looking through my notes, I was struck by a common thread: craftsmanship/skill. They both share the same philosophy. If you have technique finely honed, inspiration will come. Without skill, the ideas you have can never come to fruition. They both agree that the better you are at technique the better the finished work will be.
As quiltmakers, we would call Pressfield and Tharp the "quilt police." In their venues, they are considered genius, professional and models for their contemporaries. Just something to ponder since I can't post pictures. See you soon back deep in the heart of Texas.
Things are getting more and more eccentric at Casa de la Swain. Changing styles in my textile work, falling in love again with painting and photography...and then there is the ever illusive quest for continuing creativity through working with Eric Maisel. Still on the road teaching, posting now at the Ragged Cloth Cafe and taking the pledge to keep handmaiden up to date.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
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February
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- The Fat Lady Sings and Blogger Fumbles
- Street Sculptures along the South Bank
- A couple of Treats from the Borrowed Tools class
- melbourne night life...story to follow
- Fish 'n Chips
- A Few Bits of Local Culture
- Melbourne Day 2
- Australia Day One
- Late Night Ramblings
- Not Like I Don't Have Anything to Say
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February
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1 comment:
Dear Gabrielle,
speak to me as the frustrated artist that I am...I'm all about skill/technique at this point in my process...I get these ideas and images rolling through my head but cut myself short out of uncertainty of how to execute them. Sometimes I think the answer lies in taking local classes at the quilt shops but that seems like a waste of time because I'm not working on MY designs...I was able to take a week long workshop last summer that focused on technique with the main focus of developing one's own unique designs and it was over the top energizing and effective for me...but what can you suggest for the in-between times?????
Signed,
Frustrated in KY :)
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