I always remember someone at the local fiber guild saying “we don’t want quilters in this group, they have their own group”. I felt pretty miffed at the time, but there is a tendency when you’re into something as big as quilting to be quite homogenous and homoartistic in your contacts and colleagues. I think it does us no good, however. We don’t learn about art as a whole (I’m always amazed by quilters who’ve never heard of very well known painters), and they don’t learn about us. It’s also so much fun to be mixing it up with other –ers! (like paint-ers, and jewel-ers and pott-ers).
So I joined a plein air painting group! One thing I learned is that it’s so lovely to be outside on a cool September morning…something I never do with my sewing machine! especially not in the middle of a field of sunflowers…how many of you have dragged a machine into a field??? not many, I’ll be bound!
And here we are staking out our patches, most people crouched under the big oak tree for shade…
Some “old timers” bring truck loads of gear! These painters can be worse than quilters!! I’ll never forget Violet and Connie (veteran workshop takers) dragging in about 100 large bags of fabric for the Nancy Crow class at Arrowmont! (and that was before NC required it!!).
some like to stand up…some prefer
the comfort of a folding chair…
critique time!!One nice thing about painting is you can get from the blank paper to the critique in the space of a morning….this poor lady did not know I was going to put a photo of her bottom on the internet!! Beware if I’m behind you taking pictures!!
And this was my picture…I incorporated several different views into one, something I’ve been trying to do with the quilt designs too so this was a great exercise in composition and design.
and then of course there’s the post critique refreshment at the local hostelry!! These plein air painters have it all worked out! There IS a lot to be learned from joining an all medium art group!!!
If you have been, thanks for reading! I look forward to meeting some of you in a field one day!! And please do write with stories of fraternization!! Elizabeth
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5 comments:
I love fraternisation. It is one of my goals...at least to get people from different sewing disciplines talking to each other. Our group is growing really well because of it. We have someone who studied how to design carpets (like your pub carpet with lions, etc?) we have embroiderers, felt makers, weavers/spinners, traditional and contemporary quilters, dressmakers, book makers (not bookies), and so on.
Now we have been asked to put our recent exhibit in the gallery space in the new studio home of a group of painters and sculpturers. So, maybe some of them will decide to join in!
well why not?, we invited the town mayor to our private view and now she is showing up to meetings just because she is 'interested in that sort of thing!' She asked if she should wear her chain again the next time. I told her she could if she wanted, but if she wanted to come as Gill Bloggs she was still welcome. Okay, she said. I will!
Sandy in the UK
Violet and Connie (Love.)also bring the good energy (like you).
we formed a smaller "Art" group spun off of a traditional Quilting group...we do EVERYthing...because we CAN!!!
Anything someone has a yen to do or try...we all dive in the deep end of the Art Pool...we have a fabulous time together and I count these 4 other women as my close and very dear friends...
I was a painter before I became a quilter... all I can add is AMEN! And I love your field of sunflowers.
I agree completely. Cross fertilization is very productive! Over the years, I've been a graphic artist,, photographer, painter, silversmith, quilter and now a fiber artist. I can find common ground with just about anyone and am genuinely interested in whatever they are doing.
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