eQuilter Blog

As an artist, I am always wide open to see and hear stories of creative inspiration. Today I heard a story on our Colorado Public Radio that got me kind of choked up – in a good way.

It was the story of how Ryan Speedo Green went from being a high school football player, to a Bass-Baritone advancing to the semi-finals Young Artist competition at the Metropolitan Opera in New York this March.

http://www.instantencore.com/buzz/item.aspx?FeedEntryId=124471

His high school football coach told him to take an easy elective to bring up his GPA. Art was full already (full of other football players!) so 2nd choice for an easy elective was Choir. One the first day of choir class the kids were messing around singing in their pretend "opera voices" and the new choir teacher walked in, and pulled Ryan aside.

http://www.operacolorado.org/education/artists/

To make a long story short, the kid had an amazing voice, a series of voice teachers and mentors appeared to guide him on his path, and the first time he heard an opera live in person it just hit him – that this amazing art form was what he wanted to do. One of his teachers told him at age 15 that one day he would sing at the Met. In March he will sing in the semi-finals in New York.

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/auditions/national/

So what does a 24 year old African-American football player-turned-opera-singer have to do with quilting, you are wondering? (besides the fact I am betting he has a relative who quilts?!) It is just a reminder that all of us have hidden, undiscovered talents. All it takes is a serendipitous event, a magical moment, a twist of fate ….AND our ability to grasp the opportunity…to embrace the kismet that a newly discovered creative passion can bring to our lives.

That's how I discovered quilting. I had left the fashion design industry in New York, and moved back to Colorado. I was burnt out on the garment industry but still had a deep love for fabric, color and design. One day I saw a quilt magazine on the rack at the local grocery store, and when I opened up the magazine my hair stood on end. I just knew in that moment that this was IT.

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/about_family.html

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with quilting, sewing or crafting? Do you remember the moment when you realized – This is IT! – and the joy that filled your heart?

Every time I work with color, fabric, design and sewing in my studio…. I feel that same joy.

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=166

I hope that eQuilter inspires and supports you in feeling that same kind of passion and joy!

* COURAGE *

That's what it took to create this original quilt which was shown at the
Tokyo Quilt Festival.

She may not know it, but it took a lot of guts to dream up, and then execute such a bold and original piece.

It's an eye-catcher, with its sassy use of color and value. Boston Terriers are a "trendy" dog right now, and I am guessing that the artist might have been working from photos of her own dog. I only know this is a Boston Terrier because Sam's sax teacher has one! I've seen these dogs in licensed artwork lately, which is why I say it is a trendy dog. They are awful cute!

There is no way you can miss this quilt when you walk by. Everything about it screams "Look at me!" and everyone who stops to look…. smiles and giggles.

So I think this brave and witty quilt artist succeeded in her goal with this piece.

Whether we are expressing subtle elegance, or witty zingers – the colors, the value (light to dark) and the design tell a story in our work.

What are you inspired to create today?

*****

I am actually writing to you from my hotel room in Las Vegas tonight, after spending the day at trend seminars, and walking the big fashion trade show. No, I am not going to post all that I learned today, because I was previewing Spring/Summer 2012 trends, and this is how I stay ahead of my competition! *smile* I get a kick out of the fact that most of the larger over-arching trends are things we've already discussed at the Color Marketing Group conferences. It is good to see how they play out over time.

It is very interesting to go to these vast trade shows, and see how various trends are evolving. Some of them just continue to mutate from year to year, season to season. I am looking out for color and print trends, but they are folded into the larger fashion trends such as Boho, Military/Safari, Retro/Shabby Chic, Country (Little House on the Prairie), etc.

One trend I love, and watch closely, is the Mad Men trend. They are predicting it will expand into a Vintage Hollywood / Glamourous Cinema trend in 2012 which I love. My original interest in sewing and fabric came from watching the old movies as a girl. Edith Head was my hero! (…or would that be … heroine?)

I must admit, I have never seen so many tall skinny girls in super high heels, as I see here. They have them modeling everything from evening gowns to swimsuits. It is funny to watch people's expressions as they walk by and see these girls. My reaction is – my feet hurt when I look at their shoes! I am happy to have my comfy black Keens to walk the show.

Speaking of shoes, you wouldn't believe how many variations of Ugg knock-offs I've seen. The one that made me laugh today came in either snowball white or cotton candy pink, with silver metallic zebra stripes, long hairy-fluffy trim on top, and sparkly stuff dangling from unusable laces. Hard to explain – sorry they don't allow photos here. Just use your fertile imagination!

Valentines is a favorite holiday for quilters and fabric lovers. Why? Because we love to make things, for the people we love. Our creativity is inspired by love throughout the year though, because we love to put all of our good wishes into our stitches, and then share that gift of love with another.

I am very lucky that I get to see my Valentine every day when I go to work. We are also very lucky that we were able to lure Paul away from the other company he was running, to design our website and manage eQuilter as it grew and evolved over the years. If you've enjoyed the photos I've shared from my travels, you can thank Paul for taking care of the house, kids, pets and eQuilter while I have been traveling over the years.

You might be interested to know that Paul and I met through the personal ads in the Boulder Daily Camera (before online dating sites!) and within 2 weeks we knew we were going to get married and have a family. We both had 50 responses to our ads, but when we met, it was all over.

Paul is happy to stay out of the public spotlight, but he is the Big Brain behind our super-fast website, exclusive eQuilter techie-toys like the Color Finder, and our custom-designed software.

He never complains or gets jealous when I travel, he supports me being an artist and designer, and he fixes my computer glitches in the blink of an eye. What more could a creative gal ask for?

So Happy Valentines to my sweetie, and I hope all of you have or find a Valentine just as wonderful!

This week I am popping over to Las Vegas for one day at a big fashion trade show, to check out trends in textiles, colors and cotton sourcing. Then I am going to sneak out for a "Rat Pack" dinner show so I can listen to those great old Sinatra and Dean Martin songs…

If you haven't yet visited my Facebook page or my photo page

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/

http://www.facebook.com/luana.rubin

this week, you might want to have a quick peek at the first batch of photos posted from the Tokyo quilt fest. It is a continuation of what I wrote about Tuesday in my Creative Nudge – seeing the show through the Japanese quilters' eyes.

New photos from Tokyo Quilt Festival at http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/

One of the challenges when we go to a quilt show or art exhibit, is to slow down and really see what is in front of us. We tend to unconsciously go with the flow, look for a few moments, and then move on to the next piece.

I've seen both ends of the scale. I've seen people grow bored after looking at the Sistine Chapel ceiling after 5 or 10 minutes. (HOW is that possible??!!) I've also seen someone stand and look at a painting for an hour, and then come back and look some more.

One of the things that really struck me at the Tokyo Quilt Festival is how many of the attendees really and truly LOOKED at the quilts on display. They didn't stand at a distance and look. They got up very close and looked at tiny details and miniscule stitching. They took out their cell phones and took Macro closeup photos of the piecework and embellishments. They would stand and look for a very long time – longer than people tend to look at shows here in the US.

There is a Zen to Looking. Even though the Japanese quilters at this show tend to be unfailingly polite, in the US, standing right in front of a quilt for so long might be seen as a little impolite.

I had fun watching those who were looking. I found it fascinating, to wait and see what it was that would catch their attention and admiration for such a long time. I finally decided that it was simply a very deep and genuine delight and respect for the work of the artist. As it should be.

My friend Akemi had told me once that at 4 pm the show empties out, because the housewives have to get on the train to go home before their husbands get home. I spoke to several ladies and found that this was often true. Many had taken the train for an hour or more into the city to see the quilt show. They would pour out of the train station by the Tokyo Dome by the thousands in the morning…and then they would all pour back to the train station late afternoon.

So as the show began to empty out, I took that time not just to capture photos, but to slow down and really look at the quilts. I looked at the tiny hand-piecing of vintage silk kimono pieces. I looked at the thousands of tiny quilt stitches on huge intricate quilts. I looked at the vintage indigo ikats and stencil prints that had clearly been lovingly collected, carefully cut and pieced into quilts awash in shades of faded blues…

Here is a closeup photo of a piece that really won my heart, when I slowed down and took a close look. This image shows about a 6" wide section of a small handbag that was part of the handbag exhibition. These pieces are wonders of miniature piecing and stitching – sewn into clever portable pieces of art that can be carried in public.

I couldn't find the romaji of the artist's name (the romanization of the Japanese characters) so I have added an image of her name in Japanese characters so she will get proper credit here.

The more you look at this image, the more you will see. Start with the tiny seed beads, then consider the astonishing miniature applique, 3-D roses, and embroidery. Last week I talked about the play of a rich gold against a subtle mauve. Can you see a similar dance of color here?

I am posting more photos from Japan on my Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/

Here is Noriko Endo in front of her beautiful Sakura theme Confetti Landscape quilt. See her new book in our Asian book department!

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=205

Gung Hei Fat Choi!

That's from the Cantonese version of "Happy New Year!"

Thursday Feb 3 is Chinese New Year, so that makes today New Years Eve. This is the Year of the Rabbit, which is supposed to be a calmer year than the preceding Year of the Tiger.

The Rabbit symbolizes graciousness, good manners, good judgment, kindness and sensitivity to beauty.

Those of us who collect colorful fabrics have an appreciation and sensitivity to beauty. We have an eye for that one special piece that speaks to us from the crowded shelves or the flea market stalls.

Which brings me to my Creative Nudge Photo of the Week. It was just a few days ago that I got up at 6 am to catch a train with friends, and travel to a once-a-month flea market in Kawagoe, about an hour out of Tokyo. I went with some avid bargain hunters, and we all had a different sort of treasure in mind when we arrived early at the flea market in front of the temple.

I spent about 2 hours at the flea market, but I was more interested in taking photos, than buying things. I photographed bins full of indigo and ikat fabrics, vintage kimonos & obi sashes, blue and white antique porcelain, pre-war stamp collections, trays of glass beads and wooden dolls, matriarchs in winter kimonos and fur collars, young people dressed in vintage pre-war costume, handwoven baskets, iron teapots, and jumbled kitschy toys from the 50's with the barest cutesy glimmer of what would become Anime.

How fascinating to see all of this! – so different from what I would find in a local US flea market. I mean, yes obviously it is going to be different, but to have the experience and take my time to gaze at all of it without rushing…that was a real luxury. It made me think about how immersing ourselves in another culture's aesthetic waters – without rushing – is perhaps not a luxury but a necessity for those of us who like to look for something special in the midst of the hodgepodge.

..and it doesn't necessarily have to be in another country. I've had the same experience traveling to New Orleans, Seattle, Florida, etc.

So here is my treasure that I brought home – out of all the flea market photos I took – this one is my favorite. I didn't even think for a minute about buying the vase and trying to bring it home, because all I really needed was the inspiration of these gorgeous glazed colors. Maybe someone reading this will post on my blog and tell me about this piece, but the color speaks to me so directly that I can feel the smile of the artist when it was removed from the kiln and the glowing hues were seen for the first time. What I really love is the play between the strong golden yellow, and the subtle mauve accents. I am going to have to go play with this color combination now.

I'm wrapping up my quick trip to Tokyo,
and as usual I am blown away by the craftsmanship and the Japanese aesthetics that are on display here at the Tokyo Quilt Festival.

I always have my eye out for different embodiments of visual trends, and one thing that really struck me after walking the show, is how ubiquitous the visual language of dots and stripes has become. The night after I walked the show, I was dreaming about the philosophical meaning of stripes and dots all night!

The dots were often appliqued circles, some as small as buttons, some pieced with curved seams, but they contrast enough (by color, value or dimension) to really stand out as a DOT.

The stripes were present in so many ways –
printed stripes that were pieced into the quilts, parallel lines of straight stitching that created a stripe-like pattern, and string-pieced strips of fabric that created an overall ombre effect.

It is the 10th anniversary of the Tokyo Quilt Festival, and I saw a theme of little houses over and over again. There were tiny embroidered fairy-houses in group quilts, there were three-dimensional houses that multiplied into a fabric village, and there were graphic images of fanciful gingerbread houses.

Ladies were taking closeup pictures of fine stitching, with their cell phones. Groups of quilters clustered around intricate quilts, seriously discussing the techniques used. There were more people getting close to the quilts and inspecting the fine handiwork, than there were people standing at a distance to take in the big picture!

That says it all perhaps. Here in Japan most of the quilts are all handmade, and it is truly mind-boggling to look at some of these large pieces that are hand-pieced, hand-quilted, and hand-embellished. A different lifestyle for most of these quilters, that makes for a different culture of hand-stitched quilts. If you've seen the Japanese quilts at Houston, you know what I mean!

Somehow I managed to fit in a half-day trip to the temple flea market at Kawagoe with Mary Koval, and Carol Veillon of Quiltmania(French Quilts), then Noriko Endo's gallery exhibit. Today I took the subway to the Costume Museum and the National Opera House. Tomorrow I'll catch a contemporary quilt exhibit in Ginza with my friend Akemi.

I am still sorting through my photos (and recovering from something that I ate that didn't agree with my vegetarian tummy!) so by Tuesday in my Creative Nudge I'll have a bunch of images posted on my photo page and my Facebook page, with comments on my blog. I am flying home Monday.

To my American, French and Japanese friends here who made my trip so memorable – Arigato!

Just reposting this, for those of you who might have missed my midweek Creative Nudge newsletter:

A few days ago I was blessed by the presence of a beautiful raptor in front of our house. I went out to get in my car in the driveway, and I noticed a neighbor out in the street waving his arms, pointing, and whispering loudly " Look in the tree!" In my adjacent neighbors' front yard was this huge raptor just sitting on a low branch looking at me. On the ground was its mate, eating its prey.

I *always* have at least a small camera tucked in my purse, so I breathlessly pulled out my little camera and snapped several photos. After posting on Facebook the consensus seems to be that it is a Coopers Hawk.

There is a Native American belief that everyone has an animal totem that represents their true nature, or an animal will appear to you to give you a message. I have a short list of wild animals that appear to me regularly (foxes and blue herons), and then there are the ones that appear like messengers. I am still contemplating what a Coopers Hawk might mean for me, but it was definitely one of those special moments where I was able to capture the essence of the bird in this image.

If you read the last issue of Fabric Trends magazine, you know that I like to take photos and then turn them into color palettes. It took me a few days to realize that I could turn this image into a color palette. (duh!) I happened to do this one in Photoshop – all of the swatches on the right were pulled directly from the photo with the eyedropper tool.

The point I am trying to make here is that inspiration is all around us, and sometimes we have to be hit over the head with a creative or color inspiration before we get it. I've been looking at this photo for 4 days – because I knew there was something there for me – but that's how long it took until the inspiration arrived like a bolt of lightning.

Nature is an incredible source of color and design inspiration. I take photos of all sorts of crazy things like rocks on the side of a highway, rotting leaves, and the surface of water. It is my library of textural ideas. Of course it is great fun to capture things like snowy peaks, fiery sunsets, and wildlife…but sometimes the biggest "aha!" is in the smallest closeup detail.

I am teaching my kids to see not only the beauty in Nature, but all the variety of colors in the world around us. Sometimes driving home at sunset, we'll park by the airport, look at the sky, and identify all the colors we see in the sky. Learning to really see Color takes time. You have to sit and look at the tree or the sky or the mountain, and erase all of your preconceived notions about the sky being blue, the tree being green, etc. Then you can begin to open your eyes to see like Monet or the other Impressionist painters…to see the purple in the shadows, the yellow in the highlights, the sparkle of red when the sun falls on dark hair, and fifty shades of pink on the petal of a rose. It's pure visual poetry, and it's all right there in front of us.

In the image above, the first 2 colors come from the plumage, the blue is from the thin crust of snow on the top of the branch, the gold is from the bird's legs, and the charcoal is from the tree branch. It was all there….it just took me awhile to really *see* what was there.

Today I am posting some information from one of the organizations we work with overseas. I received a letter and photos, through the Houston NASA chapter of Engineers Without Borders, with information about this orphanage we help support in Rwanda.

You can go to my Flickr photo page to see photos of the babies with individual notes on each child. These are just some of the children living in this orphanage in Kigali Rwanda.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/

Below is a letter and contact info if you'd like to help these children and this orphanage.

L?Esperance Children?s Aid Rwanda
Children?s Village Kigarama
December 2010
THE BABY PROJECT

The second raining season already started and it is raining a lot. This is not an
easy time for our baby house mothers and our ten babies. There is not much dry
place left to play or to fold the cloths of the babies. Nevertheless, this cannot stop
our babies from laughing: Even in the strongest storm we can hear their joy and
we always enjoy watching them growing and becoming stronger. We all are so
happy to see our babies strong and healthy.
During this year 2010 we admitted three new babies: Mariya, Paul and Jean Paul
Mugisha. As you can imagine, ten babies need a lot of attention and love. In
order to make the work of Mother Christine and Mother Grace easier we have
employed another housemother her name is Marie and she is mainly cooking for
the babies..

If you want to help our babies, please contact us. The entire team of the
Children?s Village Kigarama as well as Matthew, Noah, Malik, Mariya, Gasigwa,
Jasmin, Joy, Dativa, Paul and Jean Paul greets you and wish you a fantastic
New Year 2011. Your help and support are precious to us.
Your friend,
Victor Monroy, Director
L?Esperance Children?s Aid Rwanda.
Children?s Village Kigarama
P.O.Box 5026 Kigali, Rwanda
Tel. +250/ (0)788545731
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.lesperancerwanda.org

www.victormonroytrust.com