Today a friend asked me to join a challenge posted on FaceBook for the members of an Art Quilt Group. The challenge is to post three photographs of one's quilts each day for a week. I accepted the challenge even though I cannot complete it, and my inability to complete it is because I don't have enough "art" quilts for 7 days . . . not even enough for 3 days!
So why did I accept a challenge I cannot fulfill?
I thought it would help me figure out why I have so few. So the following will be my usual thinking-while-writing, my not quite stream of consciousness approach to problem solving. If I can stay out of my way, I might have some answers at the end of this entry.
First, in no particular order, some things I know about myself and quilting:
- I am not a fast worker
- ideas may come immediately upon inspiration
- ideas may come slowly
- the time between idea and completion of a quilt can be weeks or years
- I work well with a specific date - deadlines
- I know each quilt will require a lot of thought and hours of work
- I question my ability to put my ideas into fabric - can I sew well enough?
- I question whether my idea is worth the time and effort - and money! involved
- One idea I have delayed a very long time over because the pattern requires real experience and facility in stitching and because the fabric is so special
- I am good at excuses; there are always other, easier projects that "need" to be done
- I am afraid
Some other things that have an impact:
- my painting takes a good deal of my free time
- my painting is subject to some of the same issues listed above
- family, friends, and home deserve my attention
- daily chores demand time
- I am good at excuses; there are always other, "necessary" things to be done
Doing something like this certainly isn't easy, and it certainly isn't always pleasant. However, two things worked their way to prominence during this exercise that have an aura of truth.
First, I make excuses. Second, and harder to admit, I am afraid. Now that I know perhaps I can begin to deal.
you are not alone on the excuses and afraid fronts. Who wants to put a lot of time and money into a project and have it fail? The thing is - no project is a complete failure.. If nothing else we learn what didn't work.
ReplyDeleteYour stitching is better than "good enough." And I know that head of yours is full of ideas. Pick one !!
It's funny that you and Mary Ellen both latched onto excuses and being afraid. Is that a human trait of all who try to create? Those are the two that really resonated with me. I have no excuse for tying up capital since I have all my paints and paper. But if I could conquer those two problems, boy, would I be creating!! (Not that the world needs what I create.)
ReplyDelete