Overcoming Creative Blocks

Dervish

 Last week I wrote about some of the common blocks to creativity. This week I thought I'd list some of my favorite ways to overcome them. Here are my top four.

Do Something

The simple act of entering your workspace can spur ideas. Begin by cleaning or straightening. Pull out items from your stash and play with them. Hang up works in progress and brainstorm next steps.  You might want to keep a list of things to work on when you find yourself with no inspiration.

Daily Practice

Just as you need to keep your muscles active to prevent atrophy, you need to keep your creative “muscle” in shape. Make a goal of doing at least one creative thing every day. You might want to begin a visual journal or come up with short activities you can do to exercise your creativity.

Play

Allot time each week or month to try something new. It might be a new technique, a new medium, a variation of something you already do. The idea is to expose yourself to new things, which often opens the mind and brings in new ideas. Make sure you keep in the spirit of play and avoid judging the result.

(The photo above is a piece I created while playing with textured gel mediums and acrylic paint. I really enjoy working with them and now I incorporate them into some of my fiber pieces.)  

Idea Journal

Our best ideas always seem to come when we least expect it. When do you get your best ideas? In the shower? In bed at 4 in the morning? On the way to work? Develop a system to capture those ideas. It might be a notebook you carry with you, it might be an app on your smartphone or tablet, it might be a tape recorder. It’s great to have a stash of ideas to look through for inspiration.

 
What is your favorite way to overcome a creative block?

Read more strategies for overcoming creative blocks.

If you could use some help in overcoming your creative blocks, join me in my online class, Re-Discover Your Creative Self.  The materials are now available online and you can sign up through the end of February. Work at your own pace and join in the class discussion if you have questions or want to share your thoughts.(For more information, visit my website.)

More "Now Points"

Last summer I spent a month working on some compositions that were inspired by a quote. (Time is not a line, but a series of now-points. -Taisen Deshimaru)

I was drawn to that quote because it is a good reminder that we should focus our energies on each moment as it comes. That is all we really have. I see it as a hopeful message, because it doesn't matter what we did with our "now-points" in the past.  Each moment is an opportunity for redemption.  An opportunity to treat others with compassion, to take a step toward our goals, to live in the manner we desire. 

I created numerous medium-sized pieces to determine my approach for two longer pieces of art cloth (9 ft x 3 ft). The ultimate goal was a juried exhibition for the Art Cloth Network. I finished my two pieces just in time for the deadline.

Now Points: Journey

Journey, detail view

Journey may look somewhat familiar.  I created a smaller piece as a study and wrote about it in a
previous blog. 

Now Points: Converging Paths

Converging Paths, detail view

The first piece was accepted into the exhibition, Interpretations. Later this spring, we'll have photos of all the pieces that were accepted into the exhibition available to view online.

Public Art San Antonio

San Antonio is a wonderful place to live as an artist. (It's great even if you aren't an artist.) It offers numerous programs that support the arts. One of these programs is the Public Art program. This program is responsible for both permanent and temporary exhibits. The temporary exhibit program has expanded over the past few years and showcases local artists' work in public buildings throughout the city.

I have the honor of being one of the artists chosen for the 2013 temporary exhibit program. Other participating artists include:Jane Dunnewold, John Dyer, Andrea Huerta, Norma Jean Moore, Sabine Senft, Luis Valderas and James Woodard.

Last night the city held a small reception for the artists to show us the exhibits in the City Hall and Municipal Building. The artwork is exceptional and it really adds warmth to the public spaces. The lighting wasn't the best for photography, however they will eventually be posted on the PASA website, http://www.publicartsa.com/ Below is a photo of two of my pieces, located outside the city manager's office.

What types of public art programs does your city offer?

Screen Printing with Stencils, Part Two

Last week I showed you some of the screen printing stencils I created with interfacing and acrylic paint. Today I have photos of stencils I created using resists. I use resists on silkscreens quite often. It is a great way to do deconstructed or breakdown printing, because as you apply the wet medium, the resist breaks down, changing the pattern as you work.  That can be a disadvantage, however, if you want a particular design and don't want the breakdown to occur. That's where the stencils come in.  I thought it would be a good way to create a design that can be used indefinitely. The resist is applied to the stencil. When it dries, paint is applied over the open areas. Then the resist is washed off, leaving behind a pattern.

A little warning: the process is not for the faint of heart. Depending on which resists you use, it can be difficult to wash the resist out of the interfacing. I found flour paste and mashed potatoes particularly difficult to remove. It is also more time consuming than just applying paint to the interfacing. Depending on which resist you use, it can take 2 or three days to complete a stencil. Not good for those who want instant gratification.

If you want to try this yourself, two things to keep in mind.  First, the thickness of the interfacing does matter.  I prefer medium weight. Very thin interfacing becomes fragile when wet and tears easily.  Heavy weight interfacing absorbs so much dye or paint that it is hard to get a good print. Second, you may need to use several coats of paint to completely block the interfacing. 

The first stencil was created by applying flour paste resist with a spring whisk. The areas which had the flour paste become the open areas that the paint or dye goes through.

Flour paste resist

For this stencil, flour paste was applied to the entire piece of interfacing. Then a wire whisk was pressed into the flour to remove some of the paste.

The last flour paste sample I created is shown below. I applied flour paste to the entire piece of interfacing, then used a window chamois to remove some of the flour paste. The three stencils form a nice suite, don't you think?

Soy wax is a bit easier to wash out than flour paste. The stencil below was created by stamping the wax on the interfacing with a square sponge.

It is a bit difficult to see the above design in the sample, since it was created with several layers of stencil screen prints.

This stencil is one of my favorites, although it took forever to get all the mashed potatoes washed out. I applied instant mashed potatoes over the entire piece of interfacing. When it dried, the potatoes cracked into large chunks.

. 

Have you tried  interfacing screen printing stencils? What were your results?

In a Creative Slump?

 Post-holiday blues got you down? No motivation or ideas flowing your way? Been away from your art so long, you aren't sure how to get back into it? You aren't alone! I've been in a creative slump on and off for the past 4 months. I've been through this before, and I know how to work though it.  So when it came time to plan my online classes for January, I jumped at the idea of teaching a creativity workshop.  I relished the opportunity to go through all my books on creativity and review all the techniques and tricks I've learned over the years. I knew that by sharing these techniques with others, it would motivate me as well.
(You can read about my success story in the last paragraph.)

A good place to start is to become aware of what is blocking your creativity. A number of things can cause you to lose touch with your creative side.  Below are some of the most common.

Stresses of daily life

Who doesn’t have stress in their lives?  A certain amount is expected.  However occasionally something happens to kick up the stress levels – troubles on the job, a sick loved one, financial issues. It is normal to feel disconnected from creative thoughts at these times. However this is the time when you most need a creative outlet.

Negative thoughts

Even the most positive among us occasionally thinks “I’m just not creative” or “Who am I kidding, I can’t do this”. It's easy to let those thoughts take over and to give up on creative pursuits.

Perfectionism

Some people put enormous pressure on themselves – either to complete things in an unrealistic time frame or by feeling that everything they create has to be a perfect. The harsh truth is, not everything you create will be great.  (This is still a problem for me - I want everything I create to be a masterpiece. Ha!) Probably only one out of 10 pieces will be really great. One or two may be awful and the rest of them will be good or acceptable. Putting on the pressure stifles creativity. Allowing yourself to fail puts you one step closer to something really good.

Attachment to a specific outcome

It’s hard not to have any expectations, but they can blind us. I visited an artist’s studio years ago and saw a beautiful ceramic urn she had created. I commented on how much I liked it and was told it was destined for the trash because it didn’t turn out the way she wanted. All she saw was failure, rather than seeing the beauty that was there. Just because a piece doesn't meet your vision doesn't mean it is worthless.

Fear

Fear is a big creativity killer. People are afraid of lots of things – of what others will think, of trying something new, of failure. And fear often disguises itself, so it may take a bit of probing to determine the underlying fear.

What are your biggest creativity blocks? 

If you could use some help in overcoming your creative blocks, join me in my online class, Re-Discover Your Creative Self.  The materials will be available online beginning Tuesday, January 29 and you can sign up through the end of February. Work at your own pace and join in the class discussion if you have questions or want to share your thoughts.(For more information, visit my website.)

Now for the rest of my story. As I began to develop the workshop, I found myself becoming excited and energized.That energy extended beyond class development and into my work.  The end result - I've been waking at 6 every morning full of ideas for a new piece. Next week I'm taking a week long independent study at Art Cloth Studios, so I'll have all week to follow through on my ideas.  I can't wait!

Read my blog post about strategies for overcoming blocks.

Communicating Through Cloth

 

Many cultures have developed methods for creating cloth that imparts meaning through woven patterns, printed designs and embroidered imagery. I've become particularly interested in adinkra cloth, which originated in Ghana. Adinkra is a technique in which symbols are stamped on the cloth.  There are hundreds of adinkra symbols, each with its own meaning. When the symbols are stamped on the cloth in the traditional grid pattern, the cloth created has its own unique message. Adinkra cloth was traditionally used for funerals. “Adinkra” essentially means a message to one whose soul has departed. The family of the deceased works with an adinkra artisan to choose symbols reflecting the life and the qualities of the individual who has passed on. Once completed, the adinkra cloth is worn by the family at the funeral.

Over time, adinkra has begun to be used for other rituals, including weddings and baby naming ceremonies. Today in Ghana, adinkra symbols are common on everyday artifacts – signs, pottery and clothing. While commercially printed fabric with adinkra symbols is readily available, hand-stamped adinkra is still used, particularly for sacred rites and rituals.

Traditional adinkra cloth from Ghana

 The traditional process of creating a hand-stamped adinkra cloth is very time consuming. The ink is created from the bark of a locally available tree, the badee. Adinkra cloth is typically made up of several long panels sewn together. The adinkra symbols are created with stamps made from a calabash gourd.

Visit the link at the end of the post for a detailed description of the process and to see photos of adinkra artisans at work.

Below is an adinkra cloth created for a newly married couple. The symbols represent love and devotion, cooperation and interdependence, united hearts and the presence of Spirit.

This is a baby quilt created for one of my grandchildren.  The symbols represent wisdom and creativity, learning from the past, strength and humility, safety and security and reconciliation.

Below is a silk prayer shawl. The symbols represent faith, the presence of Spirit, eternal life, and the soul.

If you would like to learn how to make your own adinkra cloth, join me for my online class or my 2 day retreat.

The online class allows you to work at your own pace in your own workspace. The workshop files are available beginning next Tuesday and you can sign up through March 1.  Learn more

The retreat provides a hands on opportunity to explore adinkra cloth in more depth.    Learn more

For more information about the traditional adinkra process, visit http://iweb.tntech.edu/cventura/Adinkra.htm

Screenprinting with Stencils

I've been creating a variety of stencils to use with a blank silkscreen.  I haven't done it in awhile and forgot how much fun it is! My goal was to come up with imagery for a new series. I learned about using interfacing as a stencil from Jane Dunnewold. The basic idea is to apply acrylic paint to the interfacing to block out a pattern.  Then you tape that to the back of a blank silkscreen. The paint or dye, when pulled through the screen, will not go through the areas that are painted. It is a convenient way to create a silkscreen without dedicating the screen to one image.

I also tried lutradur as an alternative to interfacing.  It is more open, so it doesn't work as well, although I did get some interesting patterns from it. I also used window sheer fabric. Below are some of the stencils I created and the corresponding print. I'll post part two (resists on interfacing stencils) once I get the photos taken.

Acrylic paint brushed through lace

Acrylic paint brushed through lace

Acrylic paint brushed through lace on lutradur

Acrylic paint brushed onto sheer polyester fabric

If You Create Art Cloth, Here's A Great Opportunity

I've been a member of the Art Cloth Network for four years. I have found that the opportunities for community, conversation, inspiration and sharing of techniques and resources has benefited me both personally and professionally. We limit our group to 30 members and when membership falls below that, we open up to new individuals. The Network is now accepting applications. If you are interested in joining our group, please read on for more information. You may also email me if you have questions about the group.

Our group is focused on art cloth and its specific surface design techniques and approaches.  This includes making lengths of cloth, rather than just small samples or fat quarters. While some of us also make art quilts or mixed media work, as a group we focus on art cloth. Please read the information about art cloth on our website and look at examples, to make sure that you are interested in this field.  Only those artists who submit examples of art cloth that meet this description will be considered for membership.

We meet as a group every 9 to14 months in different regions of the United States, usually between August and October. Since these meetings are critical to our growth and vitality, we require attendance at two out of five consecutive meetings. Your membership will begin with the first meeting you attended. Members bring and discuss their work at these meetings, and share other professional concerns and opportunities. Previous meetings have been in Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Florida, California, Georgia, Arizona, and New Jersey. Only applicants who can and will attend the next meeting will be accepted into the Art Cloth Network during this membership call period. That meeting will be in Evanston, Illinois from September 19^th – 22^nd, 2013. Full details about the conference and this financial commitment will be mailed to those extended a membership invitation.

We also produce a new exhibit annually, with a call for entries each year. Since opportunities for showing art cloth are limited, this is an important membership benefit. Members are required to enter three of five calls for entry in order to maintain their membership status.
 

The current deadline for membership applications is March 15, 2013, and you can send in your application materials at any time prior to the deadline. You will be notified by April 15, 2013 whether your application has been approved. 

Send a request to jeanne@jeannesisson.com in order to receive detailed information and application instructions.

No Words . . .

My heart is aching over the tragedy in Connecticut.  No words can describe what I'm feeling or make the pain go away for those affected. So I've turned off the radio and tv and am sitting in silence, holding thoughts of peace and love.

Image courtesy of Sura Nualpradid, freedigitalphotos.net

Time Off

I've taken this month "off".  Partly because my workload has decreased considerably and partly because I was so busy this fall, I needed some down time. But I haven't been sitting around eating bon-bons (just a few holiday rum balls). I've been knitting (and knitting and knitting . . .) holiday gifts.

I took up knitting about two years ago, but haven't really done much. Living in a warm climate, I only knit between November and March. My first few projects included a baby afghan and a scarf.  I discovered that I get bored on long projects, so I thought my days of knitting were over.  Then I discovered neck warmers. A lot faster to make than a scarf, and a wonderful fashion accessory. They are also a great way to try out new stitches.  I like to think of them as my samplers.

Last year I made numerous neck warmers for my friends and myself.  So when it came time to make Christmas gifts, it seemed like the obvious choice. Below are a few of the things I've made over the past month. 

I also like to make hats - pretty quick and easy and great for the kids.

And even though I vowed never to make another scarf, I discovered the knitting board, which means I can knit up a scarf in no time.  I even decided to tackle an afghan again.

 

I'm running out of time - only two weeks left.  And still so much more to knit!  

Three Dimensional Texture - Acrylic Medium

In previous blogs, I wrote about different ways to create dimension on cloth. Today, I'll focus on the use of acrylic medium.  There are a lot of products out there, from plain gel medium to gels with texture, such as sand, fiber and even lava. Acrylic medium is essentially the carrier used in acrylic paint, but the thicker varieties allow one to create patterns that are raised from the surface of the cloth.

I began experimenting with the variety of mediums a few years ago.  I was intrigued by the three dimensional aspect.  While I like to create faux texture on cloth with dyeing and printing, the concept of creating a raised surface appealed to me.

Here are some detail photos of cloth that incorporate gel medium.

 

These gels and pastes can be applied in numerous ways. My favorites are to use found objects as re-purposed stencils and to use tools to scratch into the wet medium. For more detailed information, check out my article, Raising the Surface, in the latest issue of InStitches e-magazine.

View the first entry in this series - hand stitching.

Crazy Makers

In Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, she talks about crazy makers.  These are people who, for a variety of reasons, make you crazy.  They sap your energy, add to your self-doubts and generally make you miserable. I've known my share of crazy makers over the years, but I've recently begun to wonder if we are our own worst crazy makers.

A fellow artist was relating a story about a really exciting speaking opportunity that will give her work exposure to many fine art galleries nationwide. She was relating her story about the ups and downs of how it all came to be.  Along with that was the adult artist's version of the daisy petal game "He loves me, he loves me not." In relating her communications with the event organizer, she waffled back and forth between "They like my work, they hate my work."  During the "they hate my work" periods, she interpreted slow replies and other glitches as lack of interest in her work. Don't we all do that at times - project meaning or intention on another's actions based on our self doubts?

The same day that I heard her story, I had a discussion with another artist and my "he loves me not" voice kicked in. I found myself reading all kinds of negative things into the conversation.  When I got home I tried to figure out what was going on.  I realized that, based on my history with that person, she probably did not have mean intentions.  I just read something into her words that wasn't there. My insecurities came out and colored the way I heard her comments.

Have you ever experienced this?  How are you your own crazy maker?

It's Not Too Late . . .

You can still sign up for my online workshop, Visual Texture: Resists from the Pantry, which starts today.

It's a great way to try something new in the comfort of your home on your own schedule. Each week you can download the lesson and work at your own pace. The lessons are detailed and provide complete step-by-step instructions. You'll also have access to a "classroom", in which you can ask me questions, talk to other participants and upload photos of your work.

oatmeal resist

You will have an opportunity to work with oatmeal, rice baby cereal, grits, flour and sugar resists. Each week you will create one to one and a half yards of resist-patterned fabric. (or more if you want to!) Each lesson also includes a video demonstration and a bonus project that incorporates your beautiful fabrics. The first lesson provides information on adding color with fabric paints and washing out the resist. The pdf guide includes detailed step-by-step instructions for mixing each resist, numerous techniques for applying the resist, and lots of sample photos of cloth created using resist techniques.

Working with resists is kind of like magic – you don’t know the end result until the resist is washed out. See the magic for yourself!  Sign up at www.joggles.com.

Print Paste Update

My print paste experiment has been in place for three months. My theory was that the Print Mix from ProChem had additional ingredients that gave the paste a longer shelf life than print paste made from scratch with sodium alginate and urea.

I had been checking the paste weekly until a month ago.  There wasn't much to report at that time. Both the print paste made from scratch and the one made from ProChem's print paste mix were about the same consistency.  However both were thinner than when I started. When I checked the paste yesterday, there was a noticeable difference. The print paste made from sodium alginate was much thinner than the ProChem mix.  It was still usable, but definitely on the decline.

The results weren't as dramatic as I expected. I did the experiment because it seemed like my print paste (made from scratch, not Print Mix) went bad very quickly - within 3 weeks. Yet, this batch lasted for three months. So now I'm not sure if it's a time perception issue, or if my real-life approach of leaving the print paste out of the fridge for a few days after using affects the shelf-life. If I really want to know, I guess that means another experiment!

Finding Meaning in Cloth

Some of my work is created with intent and with a specific meaning in mind. These pieces are generally about something for which I have strong feelings. Other pieces are created more serendipitously and find their meaning when complete. I hate to admit it, but I do favor the pieces created with intent.  Maybe because not only have I put myself into the cloth through the physical creation, I have added emotional energy as well. And I find it affirming and fulfilling when the cloth is used in a manner that enhances it's meaning.

A good example of this is an experience I had this weekend.  I had an opportunity to present one of my pieces to an inspiring woman, Reverend Jane Spahr. Reverend Spahr is most well known for her work as an advocate for the LGBT community within the Presbyterian Church. She spoke at a local church, which wanted to present her with a liturgical stole.  That's where I entered the picture.  The minister purchased a stole from me and I had the honor of presenting it to Reverend Spahr at the service Sunday morning.

The stole (pictured above) was created using a variation of the design from a piece of artcloth  I created a number of years ago. The title of that cloth was We Are One and my intent was to represent community and connection. As I listened to Reverend Spahr tell her story, I was struck by how appropriate that message is to her journey. 

That's what my artistic journey is all about - connecting with other's emotions, hopes and dreams through my cloth.  I can create all the pieces I want and enjoy the process, but the true meaning of the cloth comes out when it sparks the interest, imagination and emotion of another.

Ahhh . . . Vacations

I've taken a long vacation from my blog.  I didn't realize how long until I saw the date of my last post.  I took a two week vacation in early September.  And you know what happens when you go on vacation - you have to work extra hard the weeks before and after.  So . . . no blogging. But vacations have to end sometime, so I'm back.

My vacation was wonderful.  We took a driving trip to visit friends and family.  I really needed that time away.  And I'm pleased to say that the vacation peace-of-mind is still with me.  I feel more relaxed and less stressed, even though I faced a mountain of commitments on my return.

I normally keep my blog dedicated to surface design matters and leave out the family stuff.  Please allow my small detour to show photos of our tie dye day.  Part of our vacation was spent with our grandchildren and I thought they might enjoy playing with dyes.  (Gotta start them out young, right?) Their mom came up with a great idea to make a reading tent, so we dyed several sheets.

They had a great time, although a t-shirt might have been better because of their short attention span.  I can't wait to see the finished reading tents!
  

Flour Paste Resist or Sourdough Starter?

I absent-mindedly left a cup of flour paste resist in my studio yesterday and woke up to 2 cups of a frothy, foaming liquid. This is the second time this week I've done this.  I must have a subconscious craving for sourdough. I wonder if it will still work as a resist?

A Change of Heart

I'm trying something new this fall - teaching online classes.  I thought about doing so two years ago, but the perfectionist in me asked "How could this be of value without face to face interaction?"  A few things have contributed to my change of heart.  I have come to recognize the power of connecting and communicating online. As I have become more involved online, I have developed friendships with people that are more meaningful than I would have thought possible. Sure, nothing can compare with being together in person, but when you can't do that, online connections are great.

I have taken some online classes and I like the self study aspect. It's great to be able to fit something into my schedule and not have to worry about being in a certain place at a certain time.  And the cost is also a big draw.  I can take an online workshop with a well known instructor for a lot less than going to a workshop in person (plus no travel costs!)

So, I'm taking the plunge.  This fall I'm offering two classes: a version of my resist class that focuses on resists from the pantry and a class on African inspired cloth, which focuses on the use of adinkra symbols.  You can read more about the classes on my website. If you are thinking about giving an online class a try, I'd love to have a few friendly faces in the inaugural group!

Three Dimensional Texture - Needle Felting

I'm always a bit behind the latest trends.  Needle felting is no exception.  I remember when the needle felting machines became popular a few years ago.  My friend has one and she let me play around on it.  It was fun, but I always felt so out of control - it moved so fast! I never tried anything substantial with it and none of my small play pieces amounted to anything.

Let me start with a quick description for those who haven't tried needle felting. It's a way to add texture to a fabric or bond two fibers together using special barbed needles. It is typically used as an alternative method of felting wool without water, although I use it a bit differently. Essentially you place roving, yarn or fabric on top of another piece of fabric, press through both layers with the tool and the barbs in the needles cause the fibers to intermingle.  I haven't tried it on wool, although my understanding is that the nature of the wool fibers creates a strong bond between the two fibers.  On cottons and silks the fibers can be pulled apart.

Last year I decided to try again, this time with a hand felting tool. The one I have uses five needles.You also need a felting mat or something to place behind the bottom layer to cushion the needles. I have used thick upholstery foam and foam kitchen mats (double layer).
 
I only have two two samples of my work, so I've also included the work of Leila Reynolds, a local artist who does a lot of work that incorporates felting.

Flow, detail

I used the felting tool to add texture to the blue strip of silk.  Repeated punching of the silk with the tool created holes and small runs, which resulted in a nice pucker-y effect.
  

Flow, 40" x 36"

The Edge, detail

On this piece, I was trying to re-create the fibrous look of a palm tree where the palm frond fell off. Several colors of cotton roving were felted to the silk background fabric.

The Edge, 40" x 16"

Needle felting on rusted silk, by Leila Reynolds

Needle felting on silk shawl, by Leila Reynolds

Needle felted hat, by Leila Reynolds

Needle felted hat by Leila Reynolds