Quick! – What do you think of when you look at this image?

Why is it that our minds want so desperately to assign a name to an abstract image? Why do we insist on knowing the story behind an evocative photo?

The part of us that wants to label and tell stories about mysterious images…can also be the unconscious part of us that always wants to be in control and therefore squashes the purest of creative urges.

If you turn this photo upside down, it could be a halo falling into the fires of Hades.

But rightside up, it is simply a hula hoop that was tossed into the sky by a child, with a sunset cloud in the background.

Can you invent a story from this image, and then
let it inspire a color palette and a theme for your next quilt?

What emotions does this image evoke for you?
Playfulness? Loneliness? …or perhaps peaceful contemplation?

Inspirational images from Nature are all around us, and if we keep our camera with us at all times to record colors, textures and patterns, over time we develop a tremendous library of digital inspiration. Toss your portable camera in your purse or backpack and start looking for abstract images.

Play with closeups and lighting, so that the original subject matter is not readily recognizable. Throw it in a folder on your hard drive (and back it up!), and in a few months or years you will rediscover a treasure!