Marion Barnett is a textile artist, an author, a milliner, a creative coach and has several blogs. She makes it seem effortless to maintain such a busy life. Marion has faced a huge obstacle in her life which could have easily defeated her. I think you will enjoy this interview with an amazing woman, artist, author, milliner, creative coach and blogger.
The first time I laid eyes on Frieda Anderson’s work, I was instantly in love with her work.What a feast for the eyes! The colors, the designs, the quilting, words can’t describe this wonderful artist’s quilts.
You see her work everywhere, magazine covers, articles, books. You can hardly open a quilting magazine without finding an article featuring her. And for good reason, she has perfected a style that is bright, fresh and contemporary.
I love the economy of her style, it reminds me of Asian art. Not in the sense of the subject matter. It is the elegant simplicity. She has put exactly what needs to be into the composition, anything more or anything less would lesson the work.
Frieda dyes her own fabrics, the backbone of her quilts, fabulous intense colors. She shares her in a number of excellent books, ones that you will want to own if you are considering dying your own fabric. Her blog with useful information and help as well..
I think you are going to enjoy this interview with Frieda Anderson.
1-For many new artists it is difficult to find their own voice and not simply emulate those whose style they admire. Your style is uniquely distinctive, what has helped you to develop your own voice & perspective?
I think there are many factors that help an artist find their own voice. First you need to learn your craft and be able to do the things that you can visualize. I have sewn since I was a young girl and that has helped me to be bold when it comes to making my quilts because I am not afraid to try a new technique or push my own abilities. Having said that I think it is more than acceptable to stand on the shoulders of those who have come before you. If there is a technique that you want to learn, take a class from someone who teaches it, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, learn from the best and then take that in the direct you want to go in.
You also need to do LOTS of work, explore lots of avenues and settle on things that really appeal to you and then make things all the time. Designer Bruce Mau says, “If you like it do it again, if you don’t like it do it again.” Good advice on many levels. If you have made something and when you are done you look at it and think I should have done that, then make it again and do that.
I make what I want to make, not what other people want me to make.
It’s Good To Be Green
2–How have you handled the business side of your career?
The business side of my career has grown gradually, which I think is a good thing, it allowed me to grow with it. It is probably the hardest part of what I do, because I have no training in accounting or book keeping or business. I ask lots of questions of other people in the same situation as me and see if something they are doing will work for me as well. I also belong to several professional groups, PAQA, Professional Art Quilters Alliance, and SAQA, Studio Art Quilts Associates. Both of these groups are designed to help you promote yourself as an artist and to help you network with other artists like yourself.
I try to stretch myself with marketing ideas all the time. I also vend at several shows a year and that helps with exposure to the quilters as well as to do lots of face time with quilters to know what they want and are looking for.
I write articles about what I do and submit them to magazines several times a year. I keep my webpage current and have a daily blog that showcases my work and techniques.
3-What has been your proudest accomplishments to date?
Several of my quilts have won major awards and that always feels great when your peers acknowledge your work, but I think what has made me the proudest are some of my designs that are innovative and different. They may not have won awards but I feel there are good and I am happy with the finished project.
4-What do you do for fun [besides quilting]?
I like to knit socks, I garden a little bit and my husband and I like to go “antiquing” so I can collect tatted hankies. He looks for furniture and other items. When ever we are traveling we always seek out the antique malls.
5-Who or what has had the most influence on your work?
My first influences were Amish Quilts and I still love them. The use of color and design is very exciting. I love the simplicity of their work and dramatic color choices that often happen in the older quilts.
I go to art exhibits and art museums as much as possible and I love to go to bookstores and just browse around. I read about lots of different kinds of art and artist.
6-How would you describe your quilting style?
Free Form, not only is my machine quilting free form but my quilts are free form. They develop organically, usually from images of nature that I see every day.
7-Describe your self in 5 words.
Simple, determined, kind, caring, easy going
8-What has been the biggest obstacle in achieving your success?
Myself
9-Besides your obvious talent, what do you feel has been the most helpful in achieving your success?
People who have gone before me and shown me the path to follow. Friends that are also in this business and are sharing and kind and a desire to achieve the success that I want. Believing in your self is a big part of being success. 90% of success is just showing up. I work everyday in my studio, I go to work at 7 in the morning and work until 5 or 6 at night, often later after dinner as well. This is my JOB so I have to be diligent to put in the time.
10–In creating a new work, what part of the process do you enjoy the most?
Picking the colors. I really love color and working with it. It is the most joyful part of my day, dyeing fabric and seeing the beautiful colors emerge on the cloth. I dye a little every day that I am home. I use my own hand dyed fabrics in my work and often am experimenting with color combinations.
11- Do you tend to have a detailed plan worked out before starting a new quilt, or do you work “on the fly”.
I do both, but I have to have an idea to start with. Sometimes I will just play with the fabric and wonderful things will result. I find it hard to have the time needed to just play. You have to be willing to fail in order to be successful and you have to be determined and not give up when things don’t work out they way you thought they would. Some of my biggest success came from failing and trying again.
12-Do you find it difficult to balance your quilting career with your personal life?
Not really. My family is great, they know that I am booked out a year or two in advance and will always ask me my schedule before making “family” plans. I feel blessed that I am able to do this as a career and hope to be able to continue to travel and teach until I am ready to retire. I just taught at the NC quilt symposium and Suzanne Marshall was there teaching. She shared with us that she is 72 years young and still loving this job.
One thing that Ann Brauer knows is color, in all it’s glory! She knows the ins and outs of color. it’s properties, the shades, and hues. She knows the exact colors she will use in any one of her quilts. How does she know the perfect combination of colors? Ones which look better together than individually.
Did she learn that somewhere? I think she just knows, it’s an inner color sense.
In any case,I know what I like and Ilike her work, it’s stunning.
Am I a fan of Ann Brauer? You betcha I’m a fan, If you’re unfamiliar with her work, which I find to hard to believe, after one look I think you’ll become an Ann Brauer fan too.
I know you will enjoy this reblog of an interview I did with her several years ago. Enjoy the master of color and design, Ann Brauer.
1-You’re obviously a creative person, what led to your choice of fiber as the creative medium for your art?
That one is very simple although a bit of a story. I grew up around fiber–specifically the quilts that my grandmother made. Although I never thought I could make a quilt, I loved to work with different fabrics and in fact probably drove my mother crazy having her drive me to all the fabric stores within sixty miles of our home so I could look at the different fabrics available. I was very lucky because in the adjacent town, there was a store where the owner would go into New York once a year and purchase cutaways and remnants from famous designers. I did lots of sewing–made my ow n dresses, costumes for the high school musical, etc but never a quilt. Eventually I quit sewing because I was not wearing any of the tailored clothes that I enjoyed making.
By training I am actually a lawyer. As a lawyer Ihadmy own company that did research for other lawyers. I would drive everyone crazy because I had to write out the arguments by hand and cut and paste them before I could figure out how to win cases. At one point I had a roommate who made quilts. I realized if I made quilts I could buy fabric. I loved the patterns created when I pieced even simple patterns together. Soon I ran out friends to give the quilts to and began selling them.Shortly thereafter I decided to move from Boston where I had been living to western Massachusetts and see if I could support myself as a quilt maker. The rest is history.
2-What keeps you inspired and motivated?
I love working with the different fabrics and colors. Each quilt that I make inspires me to make another one. Usually I have far more designs in my mind than I have time to make them. I am inspired by nature and the emotions that nature causes me. For instance in this piece–endless fields–I was inspired to create the feeling of the prairies where the land seems to go on forever.
Last Light
Wildfire by Ann Brauer
3–Who or what has had the most influence on your work?
My grandmother is the most obvious influence. She was quite the character–spunky and opinionated. She made a quilt for me when I was born which had pieces the size of a postage stamp. It was and still is a wonderful quilt made with so much love and care. For her quilts were her chance to express herself as a person and show her worth in what must have been a difficult life. She not only made quilts for the beds in the house–some for warmth and some for show–but she also made a quilt for the closet of the guest bedroom. This quilt was too special to ever be used but I am sure that she brought it out for every guest to see. The stitches are so tiny and even–after she took her work to the local quilting bee, she would come home and take out their stitches .
4-Are there any contemporary quilters or quilt artists that you specifically admire?
There are a lot of quilters whose work I admire and marvel at–Tim Harding, Michael James, Judith Larzelere, Jeanne Williamson, Regina Benson, Erin Wilson, Wen Redmond. I also look at other works in fiber on a regular basis including the embroidery of Natalia Margulis, the rugs of Meg Little, the baskets of Kari Lorning and Joanne Russo, the felt of Rene Harris. The collage of Laura Breitman to name a few.
5- Has the recognition and acclaim effected you as an artist?
OK–I will be honest. I love recognition. I want more. Recognition spurs me on to further push myself to create the best possible quilts. And yet I do not work just to get recognition. When I try to make a piece just to get noticed usually the quilt does not work. When the quilt just happens then often I have a stronger piece. For instance rainbows of summer is a quilt that occurred to me. The colors seemed to just happen. I knew from the start that it was a winner and sure enough it was selected as a Niche fina list.
6-What has been your proudest accomplishment to date?
Oh there are so many of them. I would say my proudest accomplishment is that I have supported myself making art quilts for nearly thirty years!!! Not many can state that. In terms of specific pieces I would of course go for the series of quilts I made for the Federal District Courthouse in Springfield, MA–the quilts I made for the Lodge at Turning Stone in Verona, NY–winning an Award of Excellence at the Baltimore Craft Show. I love seeing my work in place and knowing that the quiltis indeed right.
7- What do you do for fun?
I love my garden. In particular I love the day lilies in my garden. I am a proud member of the American Hemerocallis Society and even dabble in spreading pollen to create new day lilies. I also love to be outside–hiking and boating
8- What advise would you give an aspiring quilter who is just starting out?
There is so much advise I would give. Probably the most important would be to master a technique or a style. I was very lucky when I began because I would get orders for six small quilts in the same design and specific colors every month. By learning the effect of colors and fabrics on one particular design I learned a mastery of the commercial fabrics that I use. With this mastery came the ability to make the changes that made the work my own. I would also suggest learning to listen to the reactions of others to your work. I know that sitting in my booth at the craft fair I can learn when my work is communicating what I hope for and when I need to work on it. There is something very powerful created by working in series. This allows each quilt to guide the selection for the next quilt and helps you define your own style. These are several quilts that I have made in the same series.
9-How would you describe your quilting style?
My method is very simple–it is a quilt as you go process. I am trying to create work that captures the essence of fabric art but also transcends the medium. My quilts are contemporary abstract landscapes that rely on color, commercially available fabric and the traditions of quilt making to create vistas of my imagination. The power of the quilt comes from the combinations of fabric that I use and the care I take in designing very simple concepts that are instantly accessible and then gain added meaning the more when looks at the quilt.
10-Describe yourself in 5 words.
Smart, focused, determined, sincere, kind.
11-What have been the biggest obstacles in achieving your success?
The biggest obstacle–the need to earn money–has also been my blessing. By always having to stay focused on creating work that will sell while also knowing that I needed to justify internally the decision to leave being a lawyer to become a quilt maker, I had the freedom and determination to push myself to make the best quilts possible while also realizing that if I did not l like the quilts I was making, I could support myself doing something else.
When thinking about a title for this interview, I came across the title of one of Lisa’s 2008 exhibitions, “Investigating Boundaries”.
In describing her work, Lisa has used terms like abstract contemporary textile art and textile painting. It is almost 2011 and Lisa Call continues to investigate the boundaries, her work is expanding the boundaries between traditional quilting and art.
Lisa has described her work in this way,“I design and create vivid geometric abstract contemporary quilts. Some people call these things art quilts, or studio quilts, or fiber art, or studio art quilts or any number of other terms. I prefer the term “quilts” but it conjures up images of our grandmother’s quilts.
And while traditional quilts are beautiful, they aren’t what I make, so I’ve added the term contemporary to better define my choice of art media. Whatever you want to call them, quilts are my passion. My goal is to become the very best artist possible and so I spend most of my free time making art..”
I think you are going to enjoy the observations and insights of Lisa Call.
1-Your work has received so much recognition, what lead to your choice of fiber as the creative medium for your art ?
I came to making art at time when I was making traditional quilts. They naturally fell together. I have explored other mediums but they don’t provide the same tactile experience that fabric does – direct manipulation of the materials with my hands. I miss the hands-on process when painting or drawing. It just doesn’t feel the same. I also think fabric is much more flexible and versatile than many other choices, something I appreciate. I use exclusively 100% cotton woven fabric and love the inherent grid in the woven structure of the material. It appeals to me on a basic level that I can’t necessarily explain, it just feels right. 2-What keeps you inspired and motivated?
I love creating, I love sewing, I love writing about my art and I love sharing my art with others. That keeps me motivated to keep making art, to keep on blogging and to keep looking for exhibits.
I’ve try to appreciate the world around me and to take several inspiration dates every month, be it to museums, galleries, performances or hikes outdoors to enjoy nature. Getting out into the world and experiencing different things inspires my creative thinking.
3–Who or what have had the most influence on your work?
It wasn’t until I took an intensive 7 day workshop with Nancy Crow in 1999 that I found a quilt making methodology that was right for me. With improvisational piecing techniques I am able to refine my design throughout the entire construction process, each seam sewn and each shape cut requires me to consider the proportions and design of the entire composition. In that way Nancy has been the biggest influence on my art.
In addition her professionalism and motivation are inspirational. 4-Are there any contemporary quilters or quilt artists that you specifically admire?
Nancy Crow, Sue Benner, Deidre Adams 5- How has the recognition and acclaim effected you as an artist?
My successes have given me confidence, which allows me to trust myself more. Paradoxically, the more recognition I receive, the less I look for and need it. Although I am always honored and humbled when I do receive acclaim.
I find that more and more, inner strength is what fuels me, but that inner strength was build upon previous accomplishments.
6-What have been your proudest accomplishments to date?
Having my artwork printed on the cover of the Quilt National catalog was pretty cool. 7-What do you do for fun [besides quilting]?
Hang with my kids (they are the best teenagers ever), yoga (it’s my sanity and serenity), reading, gardening, walking, hiking, theater, ballet, cooking, dining out, enjoying time with friends.
8-Share with us something funny that has happened to you recently
I recently got a new kitten. Pretty much everything she does is funny. 9-How have you handled the business side of your career?
I’m very focused and take it seriously. I created systems to keep it running smoothly. I write about the business of being an artists on http://makebigart.com 10- What advise would you give an aspiring quilter just starting out?
Be true to yourself and find a way of creating that makes you happy and the feels right. 11-How would you describe your quilting style?
Abstract contemporary textile paintings. I strive for simplicity and spareness. 12-Describe yourself in 5 words.
Creative, Focused, Dedicated, Quiet, Caring 13-What have been your biggest obstacles in achieving your success?
Time
14-What do you think has contributed the most to your achieving your sucess?
My energy, drive and motivation. I put in the time needed to become really good at what I do.
There is no end to the list of talented fiber and quilt artists. It is unlikely I’ll ever run out of artists that I’d like to interview.So, I’ve chosen one of my personal favorites; Tracy McCabe Stewart.
Her work is impressive. She stands out in a field with so many outstanding artists, that’s not an easy thing to do.
Her unique approach to art is natural, and it’s organic . Her use of color knocks my socks off. There is an hint of an Asian flavor to many of her pieces. These are things that make her work easy to identify. I like her work very much and I know that you do too, for her to have achieved the measure of success that she has.
When you check out her web site and blog you’ll see an impressive list of awards and kudos. But mostly, you’re going to fall in love with her work, if you haven’t already done so.
So here is the talented artist, Tracy McCabe Stewart:
Here’s my artist statement:
My work centers on the patterns, colors and textures of the natural world. I am drawn to the decomposition and evolution of objects: spring growth, the erosion of land by waterways, corroded metal, the destruction of wood by insects, fungal growths; the record left from the interaction of objects, elements, creatures, and cultures through their cycles of destruction and rebirth.
I capture these images in photographs and use the pictures in the initial stage of design or use them as direct material in my pieces. I use my own surface designed fabrics in my work. The spontaneous nature of surface design often leads my creative process. I work intuitively: drawing ideas from the material at hand and expanding from there. I include natural objects in my work: stones, bark, fossils, metals, as well as ancient maps and writings; documenting their travel through time.
1- What – inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated?
I really go though phases with my creative inspiration. I am always inspired to make something, but it might be dyeing fabric one month, quilting another, gardening, or taking photographs in another month.
I guess the consistent part of that is that I am constantly inspired by the natural world and the life cycle within it. I am also very interested in the interaction between human made things and their erosion within the natural world; rust, peeling paint, etc. I love that crusty aesthetic.
As for motivation, I have learned to give myself room for all of these interests, rather than feeling that the only work that “counts” is fiber art work.
2-Where do you get your ideas?
I am always fascinated by the idea of translation: translating a natural form like a piece of bark into a fiber piece, translating a form from one artistic discipline to another, combining all of them. I am usually sparked by something that I’ve seen outside; a shape or a texture. It simmers for a while and then I get some harebrained idea about how I want to express that inspiration. I’m off and running from there. I have had some grand failures with this method and some art pieces I thought turned out pretty well.
3–Who or what have had the most influence on your work?
I hate to sound like such a broken record, but being out nature is my biggest influence. It’s my main leisure activity, my spiritual connection and the inspiration for almost all areas of my life. I also love to travel and am quite inspired by architecture and history of the places I’ve been lucky enough to visit.
4-What do you do for fun [besides quilting]?
I am currently learning to sail. I took a trip with my husband around some of the Scottish Isles a few years ago and have never forgotten how different an experience it was to approach them from the sea, rather than land. I would love to do a whole lot more of that in my future.
I am really into travel. I love to explore the art, architecture, history and food of places. My husband is Scottish and my daughter has been living in Asia and is about to return for another year there. They have both given me great places to visit and explore.
I love animals. I am the adult shoving the little kids out of the way at the petting zoo and pulling over to pet the horse in the field. It can make me rather embarassing to to be with:-) I also have two dogs and spend a fair amount of time in their company. 5-Share with us something funny that has happened to you recently
We had been having printer problems with both our printers. My husband had fixed them and I had plugged my laptop in to print a document. The printer didn’t work. At this point, I was beyond any problem solving and started brushing up on my cursing skills. My husband later showed me I had plugged into a loose USB cable, attached to nothing. Thankfully, he waited enough time to show me to make it funny.
6-How have you handled the business side of your career?
I am lucky enough to not be relying on art to put food on the table. I do try to post somewhat regularly on my blog, maintain a website and do shows. I am less involved with galleries than I once was. I am in a transition right now with marketing and sales. I’m not quite sure where I’m going to be putting my energy in the future. I am exploring what works for my art and what the best way of marketing my art may be.
7- What advise would you give an aspiring fiber artist just starting out?
I would advise you to try to find your own voice.
Take classes that are about learning a process, rather than completing a project in the style of the teacher.
Take classes in other media.
I began my arts career in music. I then moved on to metal working and then ceramics before starting to work in fiber Each of those disciplines gave me a fresh eye for looking at things and another perspective for solving design and construction problems in a piece.
I first learned to trust my ideas in other media I’ve worked in. Fiber art has a whole traditional history which can make it less comfortable to go in your own unique direction. I don’t mean that there is nothing to be learned from making pieces from historical patterns, but it’s a different journey. In all art there is a nod to what came before, but I think in traditional quilting can be more restrictive than that. For me, it would be much harder to try to find my artistic voice. I had an advantage coming into fiber from other media, rather than trying to transition from traditional quilting into art quilting.
8-How would you describe your style?
Textural, abstract, universal. meditative.
9-Describe yourself in 5 words.
Goofy, sincere, pragmatic, curious, passionate.
10-What have been your biggest obstacles in achieving your success?
I think the biggest obstacle has been my attention span! Seriously, I think that my interests are diverse and that means I don’t always spend the time I need to on any particular aspect of my craft. To be a master at something one need to be a bit obsessed; have that laser focus. My interests are spread pretty far and wide.
As I mentioned in earlier posts, I want to interview the quilters who I have the highest respect and admiration for. I am thrilled and elated to offer this interview with Diane Gaudynski. When looking at her work you can’t help asking yourself ; ” How is this quality of quilting perfection possible on a machine quilted work?”.
The name Diane Gaudynski brings many thoughts to mind; award winning quilter, author, teacher, lecturer. She has accumulated a long long list of prestigious awards and honors.
Her 2 books are amoung the best books available on machine quilting with a domestic machine.
In 2002, Diane’s work was included in an international exhibit in Japan, appropriately titled 30 Distinguished Quilt Artists of the World. I heartily agree, Diane certainly has earned her place in the top 30.
I have a long list of amazing quilters who I would love to interview on my blog. Talented, interesting people, who I know other people would enjoy reading about as well.
But the obvious question is would they agree to be interviewed on my little blog?
Well there’s one thing for certain, I’ll never know if I don’t ask.
I began sending emails to some of my favorite quilters, requesting an online interview. One name at the top of that list was Karen McTavish. Karen has had a huge impact on my quilting, and judging from the many accolades and awards she’s accumulated, other’s too.
When I sent an email to her, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting a response.
So you can imagine my surprise to see the name Karen McTavish in my inbox. I thought, “That was so nice of her to write back personally to decline my interview”, but when I opened it -gasp- she had agreed to it! This was from THE Karen McTavish, not a sweet little 70-year-old lady who is a greeter at WalMart named Karyn McTavish.
Karen McTavish has rocked the quilting world with her traditional whole cloth machine quilting techniques . And what quilter hasn’t heard of McTavishing?
Karen is an Award Winning Longarm Quilter, Author, Instructor, Speaker, Judge, representative for APQS and APQS dealer. Her work on Wholecloth/Whitework quilts, Shadow and Color Trapunto, Scrollwork and Victorian Feathers is legendary.
She is best known for developing her signature technique McTavishing and techniques which replicate traditional hand-quilting using a machine.
As an author she has written some of the best books on machine quilting out there, books that you must own; Whitework Quilting, The Secrets of Elemental Quilting, Quilting for Show, Mastering the Art of McTavishing, and coming in spring 2011 -A new pattern book http://www.onwordboundbooks.com/products1.html
A friend and I attended her trunk show and demonstration a few years ago. We were already Karen McTavish “groupies”, well since technically a groupie follows her idol from show to show, we couldn’t afford to be official groupies, but we were groupies in our hearts, let me tell you that!
We expected an amazing & informative presentation and we weren’t disappointed..
But what I didn’t expect was Karen the person. This woman is interesting, witty, humorous, thoroughly entertaining. She has a big personality that matches her big ole talent! You can’t help but like Karen the person as much as the work and talent of Karen McTavish.
She’s not your stereotypical quilter. She seems to be full of contradictions, from her long dark dreadlocks to her tats of ornate heirloom Victorian feathers to being the lead singer in her own rock band. She’s young, exciting, interesting and refreshingly non-conventional. Her contradictions make her the talented artist that she is..
I don’t think Karen would be comfortable with all this gushing on. So. I’ll let you read on for a wee glimpse into Karen McTavish the person, and the quilter. Karen graciously sent some very personal photos as well. Enjoy!
1-What inspires you to create and how do you stay motivated?
Music. Music. Music.
Specifically:
Mouth of the Architect, Rage Against the Machine, Since the Flood, Silverchair, Russian Circles, Oh, Sleeper, Norma Jean, Nights Like These, Neurosis, Martyr A.D., The Mars Volta, Lamb of God, Korn, Every Time I Die, Ekotren, Seven Year Existence, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Dead to Fall, Converge, At the Drive-In, American Head Charge, Alcest, Maynard James Keenan, Patti Smith, Blue Water Dance, Tiger Blue Death Squad, Rodrigo y Gabriela, DevilDriver, 36 Crazyfists, Pantera, The Distillers, Deftones, Chevelle, Cult of Luna, A Perfect Circle, Atreyu, August Burns Red, Cowboy Junkies, The Cure, Eddie Vedder, Elliott Smith, Husker Du, In Flames, John Frusciante, Killswitch Engage, Muse, Apocalyptica, Queens Of The Stoneage, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Serj Tankian, Static X, System of a Down, Tool, Slipknot, Straight Line Stitch
2- How do you keep your work fresh and interesting ? I never copy quilting designs or get inspiration from the quilting industry. I draw everything from my mind. All my work is original work. My work is inspired by things outside the quilting world. I am greatly inspired by elements outside the genre of quilting. I will either be completely outside the box of tradition, or I can be completely comfortable inside that traditional box of quilting. I actually am more comfortable in the traditions of quilting. This is my comfort zone. Traditional quilting has clear and distinct rules and guidelines that I can follow. It feels very easy for me to be a traditional quilter and stay within those comfort zones. I would much rather quilt a traditional quilt, than quilt a non-traditional quilt.
3-Where do you get your ideas for designs?
I tend to lean on Traditional designs that have “feathers” then add a scroll or whip to the stem. Then go from there in the space that I am allowed to move. I usually draw the design on paper first, then light box the design directly on to the quilt top.
4–Who or what have had the most influence on your work?
I was so isolated when I started – I had only library books as my source of teaching. I would say my teachers were “dead hand-quilters”. No one told me that I couldn’t do what hand-quilters were doing on a longarm quilting machine. I just tried to do what the “dead hand-quilters” were telling me to do in the old decayed library books that I picked up in the library.
5-What do you do for fun [besides quilting]?
I sing vocals in a band locally. I work with other women in a sewing group of survivors of domestic abuse which meets weekly in my studio teaching them how to piece quilt tops. I raise my 5 year old son. I work in my studio as much as I can on my own projects which is nice.
6-Share with us something funny that has happened to you recently:
Good things happen to me. I get stuck in the bad things all day long. I focus on the bad things. I believe in Karma. I am not a big “God” girl. I believe in Spirituality. When I am working on a quilt – for example. I go into Karma mode. I am always worried that something “BAD” will go wrong on the quilt- so I go into Karma mode- big time. I start donating to NPR, I buy the dude behind me in the McDonalds drive-thru line a burger, and drive away. I do random acts of kindness all day while I am working on the quilt – trying to build up as much Quilt “Karma” as possible. Because nothing can go wrong while I am working on the quilt. If I am asked to change a tire, while I am working on an important quilt, I will do it, to build up the quilt “Karma”. I am doing crazy acts of kindness for weeks all because I believe it will help this quilt.
If I am not quilting something amazing or important ..I would say.”sorry buddy.You are on your own.do I look like I know how to change a tire?”. See? I really am not a nice person.
7-How have you handled the business side of your career?
I learned as an Quilting Instructor how to help other longarm machine quilters overcome the phrase: “But my customers won’t pay more”. This has been very rewarding. Helping other longarmers learn to charge more for their work – it’s very rewarding to help them learn the process.
8- What advice would you give to someone just starting out?
Practice Practice Practice, of course – I didn’t – I practiced on customer quilts. But the best advice is to do your own thing. Do what feels right. Overcome all the nightmares, you will screw up. I did. And get thru it. Get over the fear..we all have fear. Get to the other side. This is the best job in the world! It’s perfect for the single mother – this is why I started quilting in the first place. And believe me – I was NO Quilter when I started quilting.
9-How would you describe your style?
Ridiculous. I don’t even brush my hair. Are you talking about my hair?
10-Describe yourself in 5 words.
Loud, QuiltxCore, Hardcore, Protective, isolated
11-What has been your biggest obstacle in achieving your success?
Too many Non-Smoking Hotel Rooms, Inability to hear very well due to many rock concerts, Not enough Starbucks on every street corner.
I have a long list of amazing quilters who I would love to interview on my blog. Talented, interesting people, who I know other people would enjoy reading about as well.
Barbara Harms Fiber Art & More