| Tonight we watched the first half of ‘The Fabelmans’, and Judd Hirsch’s “Uncle Boris” scene has left me gutted, giddy, my heart bursting out of my chest. I think all of us who identify as Artists (in the broadest terms, as in the movie) can relate because we had a mentor who gave us a speech like that when we were a kid, and it left an indelible mark on our psyche. I was very lucky. I had several mentors give me that speech, and it left me wanting to grow up and someday give that speech to other young people. When you have the soul of an artist, it is invisible to most people around you, but painfully obvious to other artists. Whether you are a musician, a dancer, a writer, a painter, a photographer, a baker, a quilter, a costumer or cosplayer, an actor or a filmmaker, you just have to create and there is no way to explain it to somebody who doesn’t get it. But sadly most young artists have that flash of genius covered up by those who want to ‘help’ us to be more practical, more grounded, more responsible. They don’t understand that a creative heart has to keep opening up every day, because when it is covered up it simply becomes a festering wound. I think the greatest gift we can give ourselves, our friends and family, and our fellow artists, is permission to open up the sluice gates and let it flow. It is a Life Force, and it is our gift to the world. I encourage you to watch this movie and see how it speaks to you. Being a creative person doesn’t have to be all or nothing, black or white. We don’t have to choose between being an accountant or being a creative genius. There is a place in-between where we can live our life, pay our bills, raise a family, and still find a way to express that creative energy (as a form of love) on a regular basis. And that’s what quilters do, right? I’ve been fortunate to visit many masterpieces in great art museums of the world, and one of my habits is to take a photo of the signature of the artist in works that I admire. I have also visited many homes and studios of great masters, and it is a lifelong pilgrimage to commune with the vibes of these great creative forces of nature. If you have stood in the presence of a Master work, you know what I mean. We don’t casually saunter past these pieces (whether they are paintings, sculptures, or quilts) We pause to ponder, to soak in, to peel back the layers with our eyes and perhaps our intuition. Then we carry it home in our hearts. May you have a full heart and a creative outlet in this season of celebration. Sharing your love of fabric, Luana and Paul * The photo in the lower left corner is from the Monet 2020 exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. All other images are fabrics currently in stock. Travel/Quilt Calendar: Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas. See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook. Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews. |
