Lisa Call

Structures #92, Structures #94, Structures #93
©2007    6"x6" each

 
A university textile student asked me to participate in some research she was doing for her course work on the relationship of quilting and art. These are the answers I gave her:

1) Another art quilter I spoke with said she’s not sure “quilting” is the right word for some of the more creative or abstract projects people are doing. She says it brings to mind something older and out-of-date. Do you agree? Why or why not?

I do not use the terms quilt/quilter/quilting to describe my artwork/myself/my process. I feel those terms have fairly well established meanings to the general public and overloading them to mean ‘art intended to hang on a wall made out of textiles’ is at best confusing. While some of the processes are similar the intent in my artwork is different than that of a quilter making a quilt for a bed. I make textile art, I am an artist, and the process of making my art is just that - making art.

I have changed the wording of the remaining questions to reflect how I answered those questions - substituting in the words I was thinking about when answering them.

2) Do you have experience with other art forms? If so, what are/were they, and how did you get involved with them?

Drawing. I wanted to learn to draw so I just started drawing. I’m definitely a beginner but it is something I want to explore more. I am also hoping to find time to explore some painting over the next year.

3) How and when did you get involved with quilting/textile art?

I began making quilts in 1980, completing the first as a senior in high school. For the first 10-15 years, pieced traditional bed quilts were my focus, although they had a contemporary look with bright bold colors and often an original block design or setting. During this time I completed a BA and MA in computer science and worked as a software engineer at one of the nation’s top computer science research labs, with quilt making as a casual hobby, making only 1 or 2 quilts a year.

In 1992, I left the workforce to stay home with my children and looked to replace the intellectual challenge of a highly technical career with my quilting. Within a year I turned to more original work as it was more stimulating and rewarding.

Over the next 8-10 years I struggled to find my artistic voice and moved from traditional quilt making to the artwork I make today - textile art.

4) Where do you draw your Inspiration for your work?

My love of the colors and geological forms of the southwest, my interest in human-made structures for containment such as fences and stone walls, and my exploration of my own internal psychological walls and boundaries

5) Do you see your work as art in the traditional sense?

Yes.

6) Do you think that creating modern, unique textile art is similar to painting in any way? If so, how, and if not, why?

For me art is about intent. My intent is to explore myself and my subject when making art. I can’t speak for other artists.

7) What are a few differences you can see between textile art and other art forms?

The materials used. The expense in shipping.

8) What does making art give you–a sense of satisfaction, therapeutic release, something else?

A better understanding of myself. Peace. Happiness. And at times frustration.

 
This morning I finished up the little pieces I made for the Pay It Forward project, shown above. I’ll get those packaged up and shipped to Stacey, Juanita and Lisa later this week.

Structures #90, Structures #86, Structures #85
Structures #87, Structures #88, Structures #81
Structures #89, Structures #91, Structures #82

 
Last month I managed to come across Tracy’s Pay it Forward post and jumped right in to be one of 3 recipients of a piece of artwork from Tracy.

In return I agreed to continue the Pay it Forward tradition as follows:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

When you leave your comment, please also do one of two things: leave your post address or e-mail it to me.

I will be making 3 small textile art pieces this weekend for the first 3 people that leave a comment requesting to receive the gift and are willing to continue the Pay it Forward tradition on their blog. My current thought is to make some 6" square pieces along the same lines as the above pieces but that’s just a thought, we’ll see what mode strikes me when I get to the studio.

This has got to be a record - 2 days in a row of blog meme type stuff. Now I can go back to ignoring these things for another year. Although this one I really like - not only will I receive a wonderful piece of art I also get to share my work with others.

 
Blog administration: I have setup hotlink protection on my blog - this has the potential to break the viewing of images in feed readers. If you read my feed from a feed reader and the past few weeks the images have disappeared please let me know and I’ll see what I can do to fix it for that reader. I fixed google reader this morning.