As Sierra and I wandered around town looking for adventures, we decided to stop in and have our cards read at the local "rock shop". It's something my mom and I used to do together and I just felt a strong pull to share the experience with my daughter as well. Now, know that it's mostly for the entertainment value. I don't think she was telling me my future. I see it as pulling information from the universe and using that information to better myself as a human. Think of it along the lines of The Secret. And, here's what she said. My life is full of joy. My future will also be full of joy. However, if I'm too critical about the small stuff, I'll miss out on the joy that's right in front of my face. Joy is there for me to choose. Great advice for anyone to hear, right? Then she hit me with this... Stop trying to make money off of your art. (She didn't know I was an artist at this point) It's not there for your monetary gain. It's there for your joy. Bam! It felt like my mom had just smacked me upside the head. I've been struggling for the last year, trying to run my shop, teach classes, I considered quitting my job to find something more artistic. And, I've been miserable. I wasn't feeling any joy about my art. I was SO busy trying to launch a business, I stopped having fun. Leaving the store, I knew what I had to do. I chose joy.
Then later, at the awards ceremony, the Master of Ceremony, Victoria Findlay Wolfe gave a talk before she announced the winners. Her talk revolved around finding joy in your art. If you're not having a good time, why are you doing it? Bam! Alright Mom, quit with the violence! I get it already.
So, with those life altering moments behind me, we were off to find joy in the Prince Challenge by Cherrywood Fabrics. So completely amazing! I LOVE to see everyone's imagination at work. And, I LOVE me some Prince!
I did not stop to write down all of the artist's information. I'm so sorry but it's all available in their book. Go to
Cherrywoodfabrics.com to see what you can find. The next one is Bob Ross. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!
Loved the fringe thread work!
Sierra loved that they were small. Not so overwhelming. You wouldn't feel like you were committing the next 3 years of your life to one project.
Interesting that I was so enamored with the 2nd place winner. I don't know who won.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Here is Spring Paducah Quilt Week Best of Show 2019! Such a simple color palette with spectacular results. And, the sheep at the bottom!
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| Muttons & Buttons & Pearls, Oh My! by Janet Stone |
The center of this is a family heirloom doily. How she started with the doily and came up with this miracle is amazing to me!
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| Marie's Treasure by Marilyn Badger |
The darker flowers were made of the loveliest striped fabric. It reminded me of tiger lillies.
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| Flower Festival by Sachiko Chiba |
I thought the background on this was wonderful. Very crazy quilt'esque. There was a crazy quilt entered but did I take a photo? NO!
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| Ruby Wedding Anniversary by Harumi Asada |
This is so lovely in it's simplicity. I just love the cleanness of it. Also, pink and maroon with that light green are one of my favorite palettes of all times. It's just so mellow and orderly. Everything neatly in it's place. I little 80's, mom & I had that color pink carpet in the 80's. A favorite memory of mine. And, yes, it was my idea but she went along with it.
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| Seasons of Life by Sandra Mollon & Kris Spray |
And, look at that back!
My mind is just blown. How?
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| Eternal Beauty by Sherry Reynolds |
The cutest AQS has ever looked! Sierra was the perfect companion for my trip. She was up for anything. Never complained. Super supportive of my every wish. Joyous.
There was a cornflower blue quilt with white applique called Wedgewood? It was lovely. the color really resonated with me. I'd love to do something similar but I fear using 1 color in my applique would have me stabbing my eyeballs out. I'm also missing a picture of La Vie En Rose. It was stunning and I can't stop thinking about it. It was absolutely inspirational to me! I hope you get to see it. I think it won first place in the group category.
And, that my friends, wraps up my experience at Spring Paducah Quilt Week 2019. A real joy.
Great fun to see the show through your eyes (closest I'll ever get!). So many incredible creations and to know that yours was among them has to be beyond a thrill. Finding joy in you art really resonated with me because for many years I created things for others and didn't concentrate on what made me happy (thinking in terms of making over thirty recycled denim jackets....the first few were fun and then it became work). Now I create for myself and if I'm lucky enough to sell something I'm thrilled, but it's not the main point of the exercise.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you were able to come to the same mindset!
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