Did they then not create “original art”?

Art is a subjective expression of the artists feelings, thoughts and ideas.

Regardless of what tool, technique or method is used, it is the creative process that still comes from the artist’s free hand and human brain. The creative process is a series of aesthetic decisions made by the artist and the final outcome is the original result of the totality of the artist’s decisions. The more creative the process, the more original the art.

The question now becomes “to what DEGREE is this art original?” Because this question is never black/white.

Because we live in our environment and are saturated by imagery every day, we cannot help but be influenced by our environment. We are also exposed to other art and artists every day in our guilds, groups and classes. As humans we are ALWAYS being influenced by what is around us, it’s the nature of our being. Whether we consciously know it or not, these influences are shaping our work.

By the strict most conservative definition of “original art” there is almost NO art that is truly “original” because all the influences in our lives lead us to create each piece. What we think of as a “creative thought” is really several past experiences clashing together in our neurons and our brain spits out this tangled web of past experiences which we interpret as “creativity”. Just about everything that we all do is “derivative” of our past experiences and influences.

What do I believe? I believe it’s the creative process that defines the originality of the art NOT the tools or techniques used.

I’ll post some of these thread painted quilts to my blog here soon, but I wanted to get the word out that Freestyle Machine Embroidery is a great reference book for thread painting quilt artists!

You can purchase Freestyle Machine Embroidery on Amazon for less than the cover price.

I start with a high quality digital camera (at least 10 mega pixels) so that I can get large high definition (HD) quality images. I take my photos at the highest setting to get the largest image possible. I prefer a camera that is small enough to carry with me in my purse. You never know when you’re going to find something that is a perfect theme for an art quilt!

I then digitally manipulate the photo. Because I’m already a highly technical computer savvy person, I have a lot of training in this area. However, even a person with limited computer skills can use tools like Photoshop Elements to digitally manipulate their photos. My goal in using this software and in creating my art quilts is NOT to simply print the photo large-scale and as-is. I spend a considerable amount of time manipulating each photo into a work of art. I probably spend as much time making the photo into a an art quilt as most other fiber artists spend piecing their quilt top.

I then send my photos out to be printed onto 6oz cotton (slightly heavier than the normal quilter’s cotton). I print all my work at FabricOnDemand.com. If you want a lighter weight cotton (4.2oz) you can print your art quilt at Spoonflower.com. Prices are comparable.

I then proceed to sandwich the art quilt in a normal manner and then thread paint the quilt. I am happy to say this process produces the art quilts that I love, and I plan to continue using this process going forward. I am happy to have found a method that blends my experience with computer technology with my love for art.

How is this possible?

One of my favorite books, Art & Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time, and Light (P.S.) by Leonard Shlain, discusses how this is possible.  There are very few true revolutionaries in any medium. A revolutionary is someone who can step completely outside their envionmental influences to create something that has never been done before.

Take, for example, Giotto di Bondone (1276-1337).  Giotto is the first recorded artist to paint in perspective (three-dimensionally with a vanishing point). Up until that point, all known artists painted in two-dimensions (flat with no vanishing point). Physicists and mathematicians did not even invent the ability to graphically plot 3-dimensional space until the 1360s — well after Giotto died!

Within just a few decades, almost all artists has incorporated the concept of three-dimensional work into their art.  These artists “derived” from Giotto’s revolutionary discovery and incorporated it, into their own unique style.

This derivation of the influences happening around us is not something that we should be ashamed of as artists.  By adapting techniques created by others we advance our medium collectively.  We derive, make it our own, then influence others.  It’s highly probable that this “other famous artist” and I both were influenced by similar experiences and thus our work looks similar but not “the same”.

At first I was put off by the comment comparing myself to another artist. And then I realized – if my influences where similar to that other artists, then I’m proud to say that I’m taking risks and advancing my art. I know I’ll never be a true “revolutionary” like Giotto, but I do create some pretty great art!

Check out Art & Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time, and Light (P.S.) by Leonard Shlain if you want to read about the true revolutionaries in art throughout history. It’s a great read.

When you are sewing a dark and a light fabric together, do you ever get that overlap of the dark fabric that shows through the light one? Never fear, a serger will create create a perfect cast seam that captures that dark with the light fabric and won’t let it show through.

Many people believe that the bulk of the thread from a serger will cause bulk within their seams. This is not the case. Serged seams lay very flat and don’t add any unnecessary bulk.

Sewing a perfect binding onto the quilt is also very easy. With the differential feed on the serger, the top, batting and backing go together perfecting with your binding and encase them all within a clean crisp edge. Finishing your binding around this crisp edge makes for a perfect finish to your quilt.

Learning to use a serger can be daunting since there are so many moving parts and threads. However the serger manufacturers offer many videos online these days that show you how to thread and use the machine. Always check the website of the manufacturer for new how-to information.

If you are also going to be using your serger for sewing clothing, you might want to invest in a 5-thread serger. A 5-thread serger will give you the nice finished overlock seems that you see on t-shirts. A 4-thread serger doesn’t provide this capability.

If you aren’t sure you want to invest a lot of money into a serger since it will be your second machine, consider the Quantumlock Serger by Singer® (14T967DC). This 5-thread machine has all the bells and whistles needed to sew wonderful quilts and garments. It also comes at a price much lower than other brands. It’s a great machine from a good manufacturer and will give you many hours of wonderful sewing joy!