Sunday, March 14, 2010

Artist Identity Crisis


For years I have made crazy quilts. I love them. I love everything about them. Making them, looking at them, touching them. If I could hear them or smell them I am sure I would love that, too. They are the original mixed media fiber art.

A few months ago I found myself drawn more and more to mixed media of a more contemporary nature. Those strange raggedy little fabric collages. Highly textured and passionately colored canvases. I took a calligraphy class with Lisa Engelbrecht and became enchanted with making marks on fabric. I learned about Lesley Riley's TAP, and now I want to transfer images to everything. I have two art journals and love painting and collaging in them.

And I have no desire to work on crazy quilts right now. How can this be? It is my passion, for goodness sakes. I am having the hardest time letting go and following what my heart is telling me. I should finish that big quilt that I have been working on for three years. I should finish all the other crazy quilt projects that I have in the works. I should be designing new crazy quilt projects.

But I don't want to do any of that. Will someone please give me permission to make what I want when I want so I can let go of this guilt?