Value is My Thing on Off the Wall Friday

Peppermint Reindeer by Laura Heini

 This week in my spare time, I started thinking about decorating for Christmas.  To tell you the truth, I'm not all that much into decorating, mostly because it takes so much time.  What I do like is designing the composition of the decoration scheme.  Yes, you read that right.  Your decorating has a composition just like your quilts.  One thing I've learned, is that all the elements of design I've been studying over the years can be used in a myriad of ways....like planning your Christmas decorations. 

But this post is not about Christmas decorating - you can thank me later - No, I say all this because it brought to mind my favorite way to evaluate a composition....studying the value of the piece.  If you're a long-time reader, you might have noticed that value truly is my thing.  Mainly because 

Color gets all the Credit, but Value does all the Work

Gosh, I must have been told that by the late great Joan Colvin about 20 years ago and it still holds true.  I pulled some truly random quilts from my Pinterest board to show you what I mean.  (I really did randomly choose them - mostly because they could be easily attributed).

Let's look at detailed look at embroidery textile by Mary Ruth Smith

Great right?  When you first look at it your just taken by the great use of shape and line.

Take the color out and you can see how it's all about the value in the composition.  The contrast between light and dark is giving this heavily graphic piece a lot of much needed depth.  Also, it emphasizes the use of line to form more movement and rhythm which would otherwise have come off very flat.  The darkest parts are acting like a solid ground for all that movement of line going on.  Without color to distract you, it's much easier to see what is truly going on.

This is An Evening Out by Colette Behrends 

Talk about a lot to unpack with this piece...WoW!  When you first look it's all about taking in how she so masterfully captured the moment.  It's all so relatable.  I love how it's figurative but still abstract.  The colors just add to the vibrancy of the piece eluding joy and energy.

Step back with this version of it...

Now you can better comprehend the composition.  See how easily you can see how she laid it out in a diagonal line.  Also, the focal points pop with the accents used to move your eye around the piece.  Again, the artist uses value to create depth as well as movement.   (hmmm I'm sensing a pattern).  Without getting too carried away, I also want to mention how well soft and hard lines are used in this piece.  That is a difficult thing to do and you don't see it that often done this well. 

Let's go totally abstract with a favorite of mine ...Emily Richardson's Original Copy (I want to confess a true bias where Emily's work is concerned.  I loved it from the moment I saw it, Then I took a 5 day class with her and it added this whole sentimental twist to my crush on her work)

Amazing right?  Now you can see why I have quilt crush.  The palette is so effective in this piece with it looking ethereal.  I love how the abstraction lets the viewer choose their own take on what it represents.  Honestly, in this form I just get lost in studying how the orange/yellow interacts with the blues. 

But in gray scale we get another look at it..

And for the third piece in a row  - what is value creating? Movement and Depth.  Honestly, this whole composition is about movement and depth.  With the color removed it's truly evident.  

So why do this exercise?  Just to play with pretty art quilts...well yeah...but mostly, it's to show that you can do it with your own work.   Traditional quilts or art quilts, it doesn't matter.  When you're laying out your compositions, take some time to take picture and desaturate it (way easier now that everyone had a camera in their back pocket for sure!)  Even take out the quilts that you think of your "dogs".  Take a value study picture of it and I bet you'll see why the quilt isn't quite working.  

Thanks for indulging me on yet another post on value.  

Oh, one last thing, so my new job has me writing a lot of emails a day. When I say a lot I mean 50-80 a day.  Twice this week - not once - but twice...people I email with mentioned the unique fashion of expressing myself through word and how they look forward to my emails.   Cracked me up - literally.  I thought, oh I know why.  It comes from chatting on blog posts for the last 15 years.  

So, thanks for that as well.  That's me this week...

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The Changing World of Social Media on Off the Wall Friday

 So this week, it was brought to my attention, how much social media has changed over the short life of the internet.   In the late 90's, it wasn't unusual to connect with other quilters on different sites including www.quilt.com.  There were also forums (Reddit type)  where you could ask questions and form groups.  I joined a quilt guild that was active but just virtually.  At the time,  it was all very new and

interesting.  I also belonged to two email groups (one traditional - one art quilt-based) where you would start a topic and people would chime in with their answers or two cents.  These would get very active and it wasn't unusual to come home to 500+ emails.  In the early 2000s, blogging took off.  Here was another way to connect with like-minded people.  EVERYONE and their mother started a blog.  Next popped up Facebook and then Instagram and then TikTok.  Each platform offered something new and shiny to the user.  Sites come and go...apps come and go...(do you remember the first time someone explained to you what an app was?)  I'm sure you, like I , have found it a bit much.  Plus as the years go on, we have members aging out of the platforms where they find they have other ways to enjoy their retirement.  It seems as if the new penny has lost some of its shine.

Or so I thought.

In the last couple of months, I've joined two VERY active maker's groups on Facebook.  Honestly, at this point, I really thought that Facebook groups were a thing of the past.  I apparently was wrong. 

The first is Loose Ends Project Finishers.  Loose Ends are matchmakers.  They match the families of
either passed loved ones or disabled makers who have left behind projects with makers who can finish the projects for them.  It reaches out to knitters, crocheters, embroiders, quilters etc who volunteer their talents to help out.  There are 22,000 finishers (me included) in 64 countries.  The idea has gotten so popular that JoAnn's is an official sponsor and running a current "Round Up " campaign through the month of February to help. You can join in at their site but they also have an active FB group that shows off work that is completed.

Funny Story of the Day:

So my husband comes home from JoAnn's and says - hey I rounded up my change to this pretty cool group - it's a group that will finish projects when you die. I suggest you start finishing up some of these quilts so you don't keep them busy! I said - Ohhh I'm part of that group! He said - well you are a "Finisher" not a "Starter", right?! LOL I told him we don't accept suggestions from the peanut gallery in this studio. Sent him back to his woodshop.

The Second group I've joined is the Quilting/Sewing Room Organization Facebook Group.  It has 91K members (and counting).  This is a very active group that is dedicated to exactly what the name states organizing your sewing space.  As long-time readers know, peeping on other's sewing rooms is a guilty pleasure of mine and this really has fed into this big time!  It's amazing where people from all over the world choose to create.  Some spaces are exactly as you expect...big, no expense-spared kind of dream rooms.  Others are sewers just starting out and asking for ideas on how to use their tiny space the best. Lots, like me fall in the middle.  For the most part, the group is encouraging and very helpful.  I really have had fun reading how people problem-solve their organizational problems and also encouraging those who have gone through life changes and need help getting their space put together. 

To tell you the truth, I have to really watch my screen time on this last group or I could lose hours - reading and answering!

P.S.  Since it's come up in the comments - here is the scoop about why my husband was at JoAnn's - So he went himself as I happened to be out of town that day.  He had to buy some velvet that I did assure him they sell and yes you just bring the bolt up to the counter and they will cut the yardage you need.  He needed the velvet because he was finishing up his "Wedding Time Capsule Boxes" for the upcoming season.  The boxes are made big enough to hold a bottle of wine and any other mementos the couple wants to keep for future anniversaries.  He is currently selling these on his website and they are customizable. 

Do you have any new social media outlets you like to use?

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Do You Need a Website? on Off the Wall Friday

Paul's latest coffee Table

 Shhhhhhh, can you keep a secret? My husband, Paul is turning 58 this week and I decided it was

The man, the myth

high time he got his own website.  You see he became a full-time artesian woodworker when he retired a couple of years ago and he really needs an online presence.  So with a lot of help from my daughter, Tessa, we put together a portfolio site.  A portfolio website is a site that is primarily there to showcase you and what you create.  Not only can it include a gallery of your work but also a resume and even a blog.

So all of this got me thinking.  I've been writing this blog for 13 years (that's a bit scary!) and I never felt the need for a website.  On the other hand, I never felt the need to market myself and I definitely never felt the need to bolster my brand.  (I mean do I even have a brand?)  But you might!!  I mean do you want to sell your work?  Teach nationally?  Build a fan base?  Or just have a place to direct family and friends to what work you've been up to.  There are several host websites that can teach you how to build your own website and cost about $100-$150 dollars a year.

Sound daunting?  Well like anything, according to Tessa, it's an acquired skill!  Since I'm the one that will have to fine-tune and maintain Paul's site, I'll let you know how big the learning curve is. Things to think about as you design it:

• Curate:  Use the best of your work.  Not everything needs to be on there
• Simplify:  Make it easy to navigate and read.  Remember less is more
• Modify: Update and grow the site as you grow 
• Promote: Add links to your social media accounts, exhibits, and ways to contact you

Need further inspiration?  Here are some sites I thought were amazing!!

• Adam Halls
• Shivani Aggarwal
• Saskia Wassing
• Hannah Lamb 
• Sara Leighton
• Dorothy Russell

So remember, Paul's new website is a secret!  I promise you that I'll add a link as soon as we've fine tuned it!

Got a Website?  Let me know your experience with it

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10th Anniversary Post...Social Media on Off the Wall Friday

My First Post ...Hand Dying 2009

Wow!!  If you had told me that I would have kept this blog up for 10 years, I would have said, NO WAY!  Have you met me?  I have the attention span of a squirrel! Still, I've always loved technology and maybe that's why the blog has stuck when so many - many - many creative journals have not.  Not to mention it's so much easier to keep at it when you know that you're not the only one your journal is helping!!

The photo that inspired my Header 2009

Over the years, my readership (LOL do I actually have a READERSHIP??  giggle) has been a huge blessing and encouragement.  I remember when I started my blog, I felt like I was kinda on this creative journey alone...which is fine....but like Dorothy can testify to, it's much easier to follow the yellow brick road with your friends with you.  (Hey I'm still holding out for that makeover at the Emerald City!)

Before I get too much off the path with this Oz analogy,  I  just want to say THANKS!!!  Thanks for reading, thanks for connecting on Off the Wall Fridays, thanks for the encouragement, thanks for the comments....thanks for keeping me working at my passion,

My First Outdoor Show 2009

Which brings me to another thing.  Because of this blog, I get all sorts of emails from all sorts of people around the world.  I'm always amazed that people actually read, I swear!  This week I got an email from Liz in Houston who had found me on Pinterest.  (That's another thing, I'm always amazed that people pin from this blog to Pinterest!)  She asked for my Instagram hashtag so she could link back to my Instagram account.

Instagram account???  I'm supposed to have an Instagram account??  Well apparently!!  Once I started thinking about it, I definitely think that Liz was onto something here.  Maybe it was time to expand my social media footprint.

Why Use Social Media for Your Creative Journey

My Sewing Hole  2009

• Connection!  Well aduh!!  We all need to connect.  Before having my blog, I felt like I was a lone art quilter in a small town in Pennsylvania.  Now I've found my people.  We encourage each other;  We get each other when nobody else does!  "Social Media" is about the give and take between you AND your viewer!  What artist doesn't want THAT?
• Create Your Brand!  OMG, I just got an Instagram account and now I need a BRAND?!?  Seriously?!  Well no, I'm choosing not to take it too seriously.  But what I mean in this context is that along with creating our artistic voice you should be able to share it with the world and people will connect it directly to you.  I mean really....why be an artist if you're not sharing your work???  Also, you never know where this journey will take you.  You might start out quilting, then teaching, then writing a book, being featured on TV shows and working with Jennifer Sampou.... Ask Jenny  - she'll tell you!!
• Education!   Especially as art quilters we have a hard time conveying what we really do!  With social media, we can show exactly what we do and how we do it.  Education will lead to new followers and fans. It might even lead to a whole new generation of art quilters! 
• The Real You!  You know when I first discovered art quilting, I thought that these amazing artists were just so talented that they could create something that I could not.  (And some are- LOL)  What we didn't see in the old days is the trials and all the hard work that goes behind a great piece.  In fact, we never really saw the REAL ARTIST  behind those luscious quilts.  With social media, the viewer can now connect to the person as well as the art.  I feel this breaks down a lot of barriers between the viewer and the artist and makes the pieces all that more accessible to the average Jane!

So if you haven't taken the plunge into the social media world, I hope this will encourage you to.  And if you are like me, and only stuck a little toe into the big pool .... you might want to at least get wet up to your knees!    Chose the one that's right for you - there is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube etc.

Tessa & I 2009

For now, you can find me here (of course!) and on Instagram under my new hashtag #piecefullyNina .  (Yeah, I was going to use #therealNinaMarie but I thought that was a bit too pretentious ....giggle)

Also, I am now going to start actively inviting Instagrammers to link up on Off the Wall Friday.  So if you know any artist that you think will fit the group and wants to link up a picture post for the week please invite them!!

Enough about me....

What Have You Been up to Creatively?

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