Thursday, March 7, 2013

it was in an art history class in college that i learned an important little bit about myself.  i remember the moment. almost casually. the discussion was about materials.  and that artists have a visceral connection to their materials.  i knew that.  but i'd never heard it said.  i knew that i needed to have paper and paint around me.  that i would feel lonely and a little lost without brushes and colours and sketchbooks.   i would dig into my materials like a meal.  i would stare at them, enjoy just seeing them piled before me. little tremors of joy.  and that has always been my drive.  the process and the love of my materials and tools. canvas and linen in rolls.  stretched on wooden frames for painting.  then i started finding fabrics i wanted to paint on. strange gothic fabrics that would carry the texture through the paint. and that was the beginning of my fabric collection.  buying it because i loved it.  and incorporating it into the work i did then.  
now the materials drive me through this latest incarnation of what i make.  it isn't art in the same sense as painting was for me.  but i approach the making of my quilts in the same way.  no rules.  no directions.  i leap in and let the materials carry me away. and i love the materials hard.  i think this energy is palpable in the physical delight that the quilts are.    

7 comments:

  1. Your connection to and love for your materials--fabrics, and what you produce--quilts, comes through beautifully in your words and your work. There is life to my Miss Havisham quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was thinking of her today. Thinking of doing a farmhouse version of her grays and creams. And I thought of you with your winter of books and cats and miss havisham!

    ReplyDelete
  3. "little tremors of joy" is lovely phrase. And I think you are happy person who came to fined what you really love in your young stage. Now I can say I forget passing time when I compose tanka poem, but it took a long journey for me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Artists have a visceral connection to their materials...what clarity and wisdom. What a wonderful memory and an essential learning. I love this post. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love what you do and how you do it, the passion I understand completely, with my failing sight I feel my passion slipping as well, do you suppose that's natures way of protecting me for the day I no longer paint, ,
    I just love your passion,

    ReplyDelete
  6. what an amazing way you have describing this wodnerful feeling Annette! I have always felt the same about my books. I needed them around and loved them the same way... Well I stil do!

    I enjoy your writing very much : )

    ReplyDelete
  7. The words "art history class in college" brought back so many memories. What a wonderful post. You always say it so well. Jake hitch hiked to the campus this weekend to see friends but it wasn't long before he hitched back. He is moving home on Tuesday to save on rent while he works on paying off his school loans. I can't wait to have him home!

    ReplyDelete