Last week I was at Quilt National in Athens Ohio, and I am still processing this tight focused art quilt exhibit that some artists consider the Oscars of quilt exhibitions. With only 84 quilts in a very special venue, it is certainly a thrill for any artist whose work is accepted.
This week’s Creative Nudge collage features “Rocky Trail” by Randy Frost, who won this year’s Hilary Morrow Fletcher “Persistence Pays” Award.
Her artist statement says: “Rocky Trail is part of my Journeys series. A journey can be real or imaginary, the distance, any length. Choose any destination…”
Her abstract work of art is a visual metaphor for our creative process, which takes us on a journey with an unknown destination…but the process is the most important part.
Abstract quilts and abstract fabrics are a huge trend now. They are full of painterly textures, dramatic gestures, and rich visual stimulation. As with all art and design trends, they parallel trends in pop culture, mass consciousness, and social metaphors. How do you feel when you gaze at an abstract piece? Does it take you to a Zen meditative place, or do you find yourself looking for a face, a symbol, a recognizable shape?
I love standing in front of abstract pieces in museums and galleries and listening to the comments of viewers as they pass through. When we can just ‘be’ with these pieces, without identifying someone or something, it enables us to go to a deeper level of consciousness.
Making abstract art can take us even deeper. You may still see a face or symbol in the final piece of work, but the abstract process is an exercise in pure consciousness and playful exploration.
Share Post:
