Question of the Month, Jan's reply

Here is Jan's answer to the question, "How did you get started making your art?  What steps led you to where you are, what you are creating now?"  All art shown in this post created by Jan.

My earliest memory of needle work was sitting at my grandmother's knee, being taught to knit.  Also, my mother drew around animal shaped cookie cutters on muslin and taught me the basics of embroidery.  I did a lot of embroidery on clothing in high school, I made my own clothes too.

  I believe my first real steps towards becoming an artist were fueled by an article by Bird Ross in Threads magazine.  She told how she created raw edged garments with wild fabrics.  I had to make one, I still have that first bolero style jacket but I have made many many more since then.  I began to sell them and eventually I was ending up with so many fabric scraps that I decided I should make quilts and so I did.

That first quilt I  also still have, and I moved into making fiber art wall quilts, and now am into more mixed media and needle felting.  My main passion involves color and thread in some form or other, but I make good use of beads and various paints and pens to supply color too.

 I think being involved in this Stitch n' Bitch group for the past 9 years has really helped keep me on track and fueled my passion as an artist.  These women are always so positive and cheerful, as well as talented, I don't know if I would be as focused without their continued support.  Thank you, my friends!

Question of the month, Karen's reply

Today we have Karen's answer to the question, "How did you get started making your art?  What steps led you to where you are, what you are creating now?"  All art shown in this post created by Karen.

GOOD QUESTION,JAN. I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER A TIME I DIDN'T LOVE TO DRAW,COLOR AND MAKE THINGS WITH PAPER. WHEN I WAS IN FIRST GRADE I REMEMBER DRAWING AN AIRPLANE ON THE CHALK BOARD, AT SCHOOL, WITH COLORED CHALK. IT WAS MOSTLY RED AND MY OLDER SISTER ,SUE, WHO WAS IN THE THIRD GRADE,SHOWED IT TO THE TEACHER AND ALL OF HER FRIENDS. EVERYONE COMPLIMENTED ME AND IT WAS LEFT ON THE BLACKBOARD FOR ALL TO SEE. I WAS VERY SHY BUT AT THE SAME TIME THRILLED TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR MY ARTISTIC ABILITIES.

FROM THE BEGINNING WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO COLOR AND DRAW AND HAD PLENTY OF PAPER AND MATERIALS AVAILABLE AT HOME TO CREATE THINGS. WE WERE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO MAKE CARDS FOR OUR GRANDPARENTS AND RELATIVES AND ALWAYS TOLD MAKING SOMETHING YOURSELF WAS WAY MORE SPECIAL AND THOUGHTFUL. OUR DAD SOMETIMES DREW THINGS,MOSTLY COWBOYS, OR COLORED IN WESTERN COLOR BOOKS AND I ALWAYS ADMIRED WHATEVER HE DID.

I TOOK AS MANY ART CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL AS I COULD AND TOOK A FEW CLASSES AT PORTLAND STATE FOR A TERM OR TWO. ALSO MY DAD AND I WOULD OCCASIONALLY TAKE AN ADULT EDUCATION  ART CLASS TOGETHER  AFTER I WAS MARRIED AND HAD CHILDREN.

MY SISTER LYLA AND I HAVE ALWAYS MADE GREETING CARDS TO SEND TO EACH OTHER,AND TRIED MANY ART PROJECTS TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS.WE HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ALL ART SUPPLIES AND LIKE TO GO SHOPPING AT THE BIG CRAFT STORES. I'VE NEVER CONSIDERED MY SELF A REAL ARTIST BUT JUST SOMEONE WHO LOVES ART AND ALWAYS DABBLES IN IT FOR MY OWN SAKE AND PLEASURE.

NOW THAT I HAVE MORE TIME,THAN WHEN I HAD MY KIDS AT HOME, I AM HAPPY AND THRILLED TO HAVE FOUND OUR WONDERFUL ART GROUP AND TO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO BE A PART OF IT. I HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY NEW AND DIFFERENT PROJECTS. I'VE ALSO ENJOYED SEEING SOME OF MY WORK ON OUR BLOG AND HAVE EVEN BEGUN TO THINK THAT MAYBE IN MY OWN WAY, I TOO AM AN "ARTIST"

 

Question of the month: April's reply

Today I am posting April's reply to the question of the month which is, "How did you get started making your art?  What steps led you to where you are, what you are creating now?"  The above picture shows April being very polite and pretending like she likes the little sock monkey someone gave her.  All the art in this post was created by April.

I don't know why this was such a hard question for me, but it sure was.  My Dad is a graphic artist,  my Mom is an avid cross-stitcher, my eldest brother does some artistic welding, my sister is exquisitely talented with paper cutting, and my little brother plays the guitar by ear.

So basically I always grew up thinking they were all so talented and I couldn't do any of those things, so I just assumed I wasn't artistic.  Lots of different craft interests kept me busy over the years...macramé, scrapbooking,  eraser carving, stamping, calligraphy, and then one day making clay Christmas ornaments.   I was always a 'starter' of projects, but would rarely finish something. . . just move on to the next thing.(but only after buying every possible thing that went with that craft, of course.)  About 15 years ago (or more, maybe) I got to know Jan better, and she encouraged my daughter, Amber, and I to make some clay beads.  Then we made a yard art hanging wind chime-type-art piece out of clay and beads.  It was so fun! 

  After that we started our Stitchin' B group, and it has been so encouraging.   In 2000, Jan had made a bulls-eye quilt, and told us all how easy it was, and that maybe we could try it as a little challenge.  Well, I'd had only one HORRIBLE  experience sewing in high school home ec, so I was quite apprehensive (as you can imagine.)  Well, after much encouragement from 'my girls', guess what I called my bulls-eye quilt.....FINISHED!  Yep, that's right!  I have FINISHED on my wall proudly displayed in my hallway.  It was the first project  that I  EVER had actually finished. 

We have made all kinds of things, and my fellow S&B'ers ALWAYS say the kindest things to each other.  Even if we don't care for the other's art (I mean maybe the subject matter, or the style, or colors) we can honestly say how much we appreciate the time, effort and artistic expenditures that have gone into it.  I absolutely LOVE Tuesdays, and look forward to them every week.  Can you believe that?  It's wonderful!  I don't just feel like a person who crafts anymore....I feel like I'm an artist!  And that's because of my fellow Stitchin' B'ers.  They are so encouraging.  I love them!

 

As to what I'm working on now, well....a whole load of different things.  I've finished three advent calendars for my grandkids & daughter last week, made a boatload of Christmas cards, finished two fresh fir Christmas centerpieces today,  have a baby's cootie cover in the making, with a calendar challenge and a tag board challenge waiting for me to work on and get finished before another week goes by.  What would I like to get started on?   I want to make more beaded broaches, get my studio organized AGAIN, maybe knit up some washcloths (and in my wildest dreams make two-in-one-pair of knitted socks.  Mostly I just can't wait for the next challenge that my fellow S&B'ers will present to me.  It's always a challenge and it's always fun.

    Bet you're sorry, Jan, that you asked me these questions?  Didn't know you were gonna get a novel, did ya? 

    Love,  April

 

Question of the month: Pinky's reply

This week we feature Pinky's reply to our question of the month, "How did you get started making your art?  What steps led you to where you are, what you are creating now?"  The photo above shows Pinky eating red velvet birthday cake at Joan's house.

"April is the reason and Mary too. We all went to Aprils and made 20 cards. That's the first time I had ever done anything like that before. I found I wanted to keep going and I started collecting bits & pieces of stuff for cards."

"I don't know that you could call mine art, but it certainly is fun and being with you all is the best !  I think you all had a part in it. April , though, showed us how to make the cards. I probably would have never come up with that."

Love-

Pinky

Above is the cigar box Pinky recently altered.  I think it is beautiful and quite elegant. 

Question of the month: Mary's reply

(Mary, all dressed up, nowhere to go!  We were having a dye workshop.)

We decided to start a question of the month feature on our group blog and our first question is:
How did you get started making your art? What steps led you to where you are, what you are creating now?
Mary sent her reply first, so here are some photos of Mary, her art, and her words.

(Above is an early wall quilt Mary created using a leaf stamp and discharge paste)

When I was young (20s), I didn't have a whole lot of money to work with and began making Christmas presents. I enjoyed it so much that it branched out from sewing to beading to drawing to dough art to making Christmas wreaths and swags...

(Above is the Roy Rogers homage collage she recently created) 

I loved making and creating, but often did not have the space for it, so I worked on fairly small projects. The the area that I lived in (Mosier, Oregon) I met many people who had the same interests and eventually created the Mosier Country Christmas Art and Craft Fair. At that time, it was the largest fair in the Columbia Gorge. It is still going today as I passed it down to a friend when we moved from the area.
We moved to Elsie/Jewell area in Oregon and I met April Wood, and later, Jan Brattain. I was invited to join a group they were starting along with Gwen Jarvela. In the beginning we sewed, quilted, beaded, etc., but today we try almost anything that sounds like fun. I will have to check with Jan, but I think it was almost 10 years ago. That's how we started our blog. We were hoping we could share our fun and creating with others looking for the same.

(Above is postcard size piece she painted) 

Right now, I am getting the materials together to make a Native American button blanket. I almost have all of what I need. It will probably have a NA raven or whale on it and will be done in black and red with white buttons. I have wanted to try this since my first trip to AK. Our trip there in Aug. reminded me that I really want to try this. Also working on some mixed media cards, ATCs, and making some quilts for our church group (Helping Hands) to give to those who need warmth this winter.
God bless your creating day...