Creative Spaces

The hardest part of my process is the fact that I can’t show you all current projects because they haven’t been gifted yet. So until I can show you this year’s haul, I’m going to talk about something else that is important, and I’d LOVE to hear from you.

What is in your creative space? I don’t mean your tools. I mean what art or decor do you have that helps you establish your creative flow?

For me, I have surrounded my sewing room with artwork. Most of it is from my absolute favorite artist - James C. Christensen. I first found out about him when they turned one of his books into a cheesy Hallmark movie called Voyage of the Unicorn. I was fascinated and looked up the original book, Voyage of the Basset. From there I found out that the author was primarily an artist and was a professor at Brigham Young University. I learned he passed in 2017, and I was actually in my sewing room when my uncle, who also likes him and bought me an autographed copy of his book, texted me. I choked up as I looked around and realized how much his art defined my own creativity. The featured picture is called A Place of Her Own, and I plan on getting that print one day. I feel like he captured my soul in this painting.

His artwork is so complex and beautiful. I loved all the layers his people wore, and the depth and symbolism he used. He had successfully created another world.

I even have one of his paintings in puzzle form. It’s in a frame in my classroom. It’s a piece called All the World’s a Stage, and it has all of Shakespeare’s plays represented in one way or another with Shakespeare himself in the center. I’ve labeled as many as I could. My students stopped class one day to finally ask me about it because they’d been eyeing it since the beginning of the year.

In my creative space, I have other prints both big and small. One of my favorites was a gift from my husband for my birthday. For a long time it hung in my daughter’s nursery, but I reclaimed it for my new sewing space when we moved. I loved the notion that story-telling was like setting sail.

The Listener is also right above my cutting and ironing area. This one fascinates me because I end up noticing something new each time I look at it, and I love the message of tuning out life’s distractions. My creative space is where I can do just that, and I’ll go into my own head and everything else just melts away. In a world where there’s a lot out of my control, my quilts and creative space are mine to own.

In addition to Christensen’s artwork, I have an original piece I bought at a silent auction. It’s a piece by artist Lori-Gene who I just found out passed away in 2014. Her site is no longer up - otherwise I’d link it. Here is another blog discussing her work. The frenzied fingers of the pianist mesmerized me and reminded me of my piano classes in college.

I also have a picture of the solar system my daughter drew. It was cute, but I especially loved it for one specific detail. The planet on the extreme right is Jakku. That’s right - the planet from which Star War’s Rey hails.

I have some other works by Christensen around the room, and my daughter has claimed a small wall nearby for her own artwork. My creative space is slowly also becoming hers. I love it, and it’s my happy place.

What all do you have in your creative space?

Related blogs and posts:

Critique of a Master’s Work

A Quaker’s Christmas Reflection - this one uses one of my favorite images of Mother Mary.

Am I Writer - discusses Christensen’s book Voyage of the Basset

Creative Space

Author: Quest Quilts

Just your average citizen who loves literature and quilts and has an uncommon proclivity for both. View all posts by Quest Quilts