I was in Richmond earlier this week taking my son to his college orientation, and visited the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for an inspiration day. I’d never been there before, and it was just what I needed to jumpstart my creativity. I started with the special exhibit “Tiffany: Color and Light,” which was a visual treat, and then moved through the museum to see the other offerings. There were some fine examples of modern painting that really spoke to me, including work by Mark Rothko and Morris Louis. I had my sketchbook with me and whenever an idea struck, I jotted it down so I would have a record for future reference. I have four or five ideas for new work just from this one visit!
I’ve been just showing up in my studio every day this summer and working on several projects, including the color study detail at right, which is my latest. These pieces are great fun, but the progress doesn’t move in a straight line. Often I need to leave the piece for a few days to let the idea percolate in my brain, so I have more than one project in the works and I can switch off between them. For a while, nothing was coming together and I was frustrated, more so because I have a number of shows coming up in the fall and I want to have a good portfolio of new work. But last week, the stars aligned and the inspiration began flowing again–Yippee! I do think that it’s a direct result of persevering and showing up every day that did it–along with a dose of artistic inspiration from the museum.
I’ll be showing my work at the Great Falls Farmer’s Market on Saturday, July 17, from 9 AM – 1 PM. I always enjoy these events–it’s a great opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones, so please stop by and say hello if you’re in the area!
I’m also excited to report that my quilt “Amber Harvest” was chosen as one of two pieces that were put on the Brush Gallery website to advertise the “Art Quilts Lowell 2010” exhibit. Click on the link and scroll down to the exhibit information for August 11-September 11, 2010.