An everyday walk is my solace to the troubles of the world right now. I try not to let the weather deter me…sometimes its 4-5 blocks in the neighborhood, other times a jaunt further from home. I leave my phone at home so I’m not distracted, letting my mind wander and mull over projects or ideas that are percolating. The photos above were captured on such wandering walks and creatively altered in my studio.
When I started my art practice 25+ years ago, I set out a framework for my process. I established four elements that guide my design - color, texture, pattern and tone. And one of the primary sources of inspiration that I identified was nature…that hasn’t changed in 25 years.
Over the last months, I’ve been fascinated with the images I see from an airplane window - that is when the skies are clear and I have a window seat. Flying over central US farm fields have been intriguing to me…the patterns of the acreages, the design of the waterways as they slice through the earth, the variety of hues in land, water and sky.
I recently started a series of expanded scrap fabric collages…larger in size and more complex…still incorporating found objects but wanting to add in paper ephemera as well.
Above are two photographs that I took on two different plane trips…and below is the start of the collage influenced by those photos.
I’m taking a textile art class in Santa Fe in a couple of weeks. My plan is to expand this idea of natural elements influencing my design and being open to whatever insights I discover. It’s been freeing to create without any concern for the end product - no deadlines, no expectations, no mistakes. And the beauty of using fabric and thread…it can always be ripped apart and reconstructed if I want to go in a different direction.
Below is another collage piece that I’ve been contemplating…laying it out and considering options. That is a real butterfly that I’m using…the beauty and intricacies of it are exquisite…a challenge to incorporate it into this composition, but I look forward to tinkering and figuring it out.
And one more note…a friend of mine on Instagram has started a site where she posts the most calming nature images with soothing words of wisdom…feel free to give her site a look - https://www.instagram.com/water.trees.sky/
