Hi First name / friend!

 

Happy Friday! On Wednesday night the group gathered for a live Zoom Q+A to speak to Sarah's From Paint to Pattern surface design course. We talked about everything from our individual creative processes, to what it takes to stand out in this industry. There were so many gems taken from that conversation that we wanted to share with you all today. 

make all the art that you can.
 

You don't have to love everything you make, and in fact it's a great sign if you're making "bad" art. Anyone making and sharing art is likely only sharing a fraction of their work; it isn't all audience-worthy. So much of the process is just following your own curiosity, experimenting, and giving yourself new ideas. Figuring out what excites you, and doing that again and again. Working out the kinks. It doesn't all have to meet your standards of a polished final piece.

 

I really love the idea of hundred day projects. As a recovering perfectionist, they help set my expectations for not judging my work too soon. I have no business being opinionated about my work on day 12 or day 20 when there are still so many days to go. When you push yourself through a longer series like that, you will be amazed to see your own voice emerge.
 

As much as I believe in practicing, I also believe in resting. There have been so many times when I have been hard on myself for not doing enough, or practicing enough, or pushing myself enough. In hindsight, these were rest periods where I was filling my well. You can't always be outputting art. You have to take in inspiration and make space for reflection, and let the back of your brain do some of the work while you do something else.  You will come back to your work later, feeling refreshed. You can trust yourself to grow even when you're not actively trying.

 

It’s been a bit of a rough time to try to break into the quilting fabric industry. There was that surge of enthusiasm for sewing during COVID, but it sort of faded and then the industry was beset for a while with manufacturing and shipping delays. There has been some attrition and it feels like the industry is just starting to find its way back. But on the flip side, the internet has created better opportunities for others to find and connect with your work, and also resulted in more transparency in getting products manufactured. There are so many small businesses designing their own textiles and using print-on-demand and small batch manufacturing and making exciting and delightful clothing, accessories, homewares, etc. If I had to do it all over again right now, that is the direction I’d go in. For those primarily interested in creating yardage for others to sew with, there so many paths you can take on your own doing hand printing and digital printing. Those who have a really specific voice and style can really be themselves and find their people. There is ALWAYS room 

for great fabric out there.

Your own style can be hard to see sometimes, but it's there! 

 

There’s a lot of talk out there about an artists’ style or voice, and I think it’s something that you can’t always see on the inside. I've definitely struggled with that myself. Sometimes I feel like I don't have a style, but others see can it! I also think style is something that can grow and change, depending on influence. My big advice is when you’re out there, looking at other people’s art for inspiration don’t just take it in and try to copy it or emulate it, but really examine it. Say, “Okay, what's really working here now? How can I apply this to my work and make it special?” Take those things that are working and try to apply it to your art and take it to the next level. As part of my practice for my own work, I am a mood board queen. I really wish there was a job doing mood boards because it would be my dream job! But there is really something special about that process for me where I pull in all kinds of photos of inspiration and color and design and then use that as a platform where I start sketching. I love to keep color and design eye candy around me as well. It really fills the creative soul! 

 

I grew up in a very bohemian, kind of crazy household without a lot of structure. I think it took me a really long time to realize that even a creative life requires a lot of structure to thrive. And so when I look at my younger self, that's one thing that I see for sure - not understanding soon enough that structure will actually really help me. I am VERY much a multi-disciplinary artist. I'm a designer for Ruby Star Society. I also make ceramics, and paint, and try to accumulate as many hobbies as possible. My path has been very winding and long, filled with sewing, photography, and all the crafty things. Having some structure though has provided me with focus. I think there's a part of me, being an artist, that didn't accept that for a while, but it's very true.

 

 

My advice to people is always to lean into your wonderful unique weird self and to make the art that spins your gears. I am 5’1” and I love bats and metal music and quiet time to myself and at the same time I’m also super bubbly and excitable. I used to think that no one would ever take me seriously because of all of my varying interests and personality shifts. I have over the years figured out how to love and embrace all of the aspects of myself instead of fighting it. I think part of being a creative in this field is a lot of lonely solo work, and you can really forget that there are people out there who really appreciate the work that you do, even if it feels different than what you see most prevalent in the industry. To me, there is so much room for “off the wall” stuff and there will always be a niche of people who will love and appreciate that about you. They need to see it being done in the world to know that it's possible for them too.  

We had such a great time talking with students that night! It always brings us joy to hear from those who enjoy our work and are exploring their own creative path in this industry. There is also something special about connecting with individuals who share that same spark of excitement when it comes to the creative process and how it can differ so much from one individual to the next. But we all know the feeling and it's so comforting to share the experience together. We can all learn from each other, and that is so magical. We hope you enjoyed reading some of the takeaways from our time together!