I finished Linda’s pillows this week and now I’m packing them up and mailing them off to her. They will be Christmas Gifts for her family.
I posted a photo of all of them together a few days ago, but I wanted to photograph them separately, so they could each be seen as individual pieces, which is what they are.
Each one has a name that came to me after finishing it. I created these pillows, intuitively, as I do my quilts and potholders. They are not planned, I sew one piece of fabric to the next not knowing what I will do next.
When I first started making my quilts, potholders and pillows, I used to lay them out on my desk or floor, then sew them together after the design was complete. When I visited Mary Ann Pettway in Gees Bend, Alabama (the place where my quilting inspiration came from) she taught me to trust myself and the process, by not designing the quilt first.
It’s a lesson that has worked its way into my life.
By sewing the pieces together without knowing the outcome, I’m making a committment to trust my own intuition. And, as Mary Ann said, if it looks really bad, I can always take the stitches out and try something else.
There’s room for mistakes in this process. But I rip out few stitches these days. Because each time I create intuitively I learn to trust myself more, in my work and in my life.
Wow! These are just beautiful. I was never very interested in quilts or quilting until I saw your work. I just love your free form way of sewing fabric and you have inspired me to start quilting.
Thank you!
Oh Jean, that’s the best compliment of all!! Thank you and have fun quilting… It can be so much fun and fulfilling.
I love all your work, but these really take my breath away.
Oh Thank you Jill. It was Linda’s idea for me to post them again. I’m so glad I did.
Oh, poor Linda! How will she be able to part with even a single one of these beautifully designed pillows??? INHO, this is just fantastic art, Maria
Well, that kind of says it all Sabina. Thank you!
These pillows catch my breath each time I look at them. They’re exquisite! I keep coming back to them and finding something I didn’t see the last time.
I”m so glad to hear they have that kind of impact Laura.
These pillows are beautiful, Maria! I love the richness of the colors you used.
Thanks Candy, I have Kenna Ogg to thank for the fabric.
Inspired, and so very beautiful, Maria.
Thank you Mariane.
Well, I unpacked them and I love them all. Then we put them back in the boxes to wait for Christmas. But I have to tell you Fire, Feathers, Flower did not make it back into the box. It is on my couch because that one is MINE! These are just beautiful works of art, Maria. I was thinking about exhibits and these pillows as paintings. It reminded me of Andy Goldsworthy who does landscape art and then creates books of photography that show the art itself which disappears into the landscape. Maybe you should have an exhibit of art like this.
Ah Linda, I was wondering if you were going to keep one. I just love to hear how much you like them. Thank you! hmmm. I love Andy Goldsworthy’s work and the idea of my art disappearing into the landscape.
Maria, your palette of colors on each one is exquisite! and unique. Truly beautiful.
Why Thank you Lois.