Inspiration,When the Moon Hits Your Eye

A unique art quilt based on an unusual moon.

One evening last summer as my husband & I were looking up at the moon, it was particularly luminous that night and peeking out from behind the branches of several trees.Their dark branches formed a filigree of interesting shapes with that fantastic moon behind them. One long look & we ran for the cameras.Shots were taken from every angle. Rapid fire, click, click, click.

My husband was thinking of capturing a great photo. I thought of that, but I was particularly doing what I call “think’n quilt”

Think’n quilt

Think’n quilt is seeing possible quilts in the world around you.Looking at what you find particularly intriguing or exciting with the thought in the back of your mind “Am I excited by the prospect of making an art quilt inspired by this?”

Many times these attention grabbers might be a fleeting image seen from the window of my moving car, then is quickly gone. I’m training myself to pull a U-turn and double back for a closer look, even though it’s inconvenient.

When I’m able to get a better look, if I like what I see, I’ll snap a few photos.

Later when I’m able to review the photos I’ve taken, if I’m still excited by something I’ve shot, into the inspiration file it goes.

Occassionally there’s an image which I can’t get out of my mind, I’ll continue to mentally explore possible approaches. I don’t want to squander that idea on something Ho Hum.

I find that when my quilts are based on ideas which excite me personally, I’m enthusiastic as I work. I can’t wait to see the results.If I love what I’m working on, I do my better work.

Possible quilt? Yes it’s in my file waiting

A few of the photos used in making “Moon Glow”

Here’s the quilt that came from that series of photos. “Moon Glow”.

3 replies to “Inspiration,When the Moon Hits Your Eye”

Leah says:

March 18, 2016 at 10:28 pm

Your “thinking quilt” is my “I see a quilt.” Since starting this blog, I have to admit, I generally see blog posts more often than quilts. It’s interesting when and how we get our inspiration.

I generally have no idea how to turn the vision into a real quilt; I’m far too new at the game. For now, I keep the pictures in a “quilt inspiration” file on my computer and I have a similar Pinterest board. Maybe one day I’ll learn what to do with them.

I have a moon quilt in my head. It’s going to be my summer project. Yours is gorgeous.

LikeLiked by 1 person
1. Barbara Harms Fiber Art says:
  
  March 19, 2016 at 2:21 am
  
  Leah I think you are “thinking quilt” already. Having a image in your mind that you feel would make a wonderful quilt and filing that away to ruminate on it, play around with the possibilities until your ready. I let them percolate for a while because I don’t want to squander it. Keep your file, cause I think you’ll make some of those ,maybe sooner than you think. Have lots of fun with your moon quilti this summer.
  
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  1. Leah says:
    
    March 19, 2016 at 5:44 am
    
    Thanks. Fortunately, I have been welcomed by a group of very talented quilt artists. They have much to teach me.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person

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Barbara Harms Fiber Art & More

About Myself & My Approach I come from a family filled with many artists. I apparently inherited the family "art gene". Art has always played a role in my life, in one form or another. By my teens, I had narrowed my focus to painting. I'd won some ribbons in shows I'd entered. Encouraged, I decided I was going to become a serious painter. I joined the Las Vegas Artist's Guild, at 15 the youngest member at that time. I was totally out of my league, a kid among so many serious adults, professional artists. But to be there, hearing and being exposed to art in that way was quite an experience. I was enraptured, soaking up all the art I could absorb. I tried to go unnoticed, just a fly on the wall, mute, soaking it all up. I'm pretty sure I was noticed; a mute teenager, eyes opened wide and a large smile plastered across my face. That was the "glorious" beginnings of my life as an artist! I've continued to paint throughout my life. On occasion I've sold some of my work, but I had more important priorities then, one being raising my wonderful children. My circumstances have changed, the kids grown, some of them raising their own children. After a move to Oregon, some years ago, I was introduced to the world of quilting. The beautiful colors and the free motion quilting itself, drew me in. As much as I love quilting, I began to miss the creative freedom painting afforded. I became passionate about it. However to create a quilt there are some necessary steps that have to be followed, this obviously restricts some of the creative choices. I began to miss the creative freedom possible with painting. Since there are only so many hours in a day and I had other important things going on in my life, I had to focus my interests. When I discovered mixed media art quilting, it was a great fit. The combination of quilting techniques with painting and other art skills opened new creative directions to explore. I was home! It's the creative process that holds the greatest attraction for me. Starting with a tiny seed of an idea; vague and blurred around the edges, I follow where that leads. Then I follow where it leads. My approach is an instinctual one. Generally, I do little pre-planning. Creative choices are made as they present themselves, my choices response js an instinctual one aninstintual . on based on my gut feeling. This approach can lead to quite a few changes in the direction the quilt takes. The outcome can come as a surprise. I love that element of surprise! Sometimes everything just comes together & I think that this is one of my better ones. I can’t wait to show someone. I feel like a six year old, running home from school, a drawing in hand, excited to show Mom. At those times. I'm smiling like the Cheshire cat. Some magazines my work has ap Co peared in Word press Etsy shop-sales Https://barbaraharms.com Contact: inquiry Personal Links kool