I have a lot of books. I was thinking about that tonight. Actually I was trying to recite Birches to myself and having to insert “fuzzy bit here” in quite a number of places. I was thinking of my couple of Frost books. And the books with Frost poems in them. Happened to think of a book of Frost poems that I wrote out for someone long ago. Wonder if it’s still around. Huh.

But, I was about to say, before Truth broke in with all her matter of fact…

Lots and lots of chatter on QuiltArt and SAQA about the damn-vision-thing and the even more damnable what-is-art and why-is-this-ugly thing. I don’t know why people feel obliged to use words like ugly. (not to be confused with controversial) I think people would be OK to hear – sorry I just don’t like this. It doesn’t match my couch or go with my favorite shoes. It reminds me of an old boyfriend or the course I flunked in freshman year. It makes me feel stupid or scared or nothing at all. ugly? Meh. Cuz everyone knows the opposite of ugly is…. waiting for it…. C’mon you can say it: pretty. And lord knows we can’t have people thinking we only like pretty.

OK I can’t go there.

What I really wanted to say was that a group of us has been rallied around the do-the-work flagpole for a long time – do more work, do your own work, do lots of work and do more of it and eventually, well eventually you’ll have a big pile of work if you keep it all. Otherwise you’ll have traveled down a road maybe trying out some stuff and developing some things you like doing. Maybe a few things you keep going back to. Maybe the long term arc of other ideas. Who knows what could happen.

What if you don’t? I got nothing. Well you would have nothing if you didn’t do something. I have a pile of work and a whole lot of books. Many of which tell me about getting in there and doing the work because that’s what matters. Luckily my cheering section says the same thing.

All this talk about visioning and developing a vision and creating a plan to develop a plan for a vision… where was I …

Oh yeah. In my bathroom I keep a little book I picked up somewhere. It’s called The Artist’s Mentor and lists Ian Jackman as editor. Those who have read here awhile know I’m a quote-aholic. This is a book of quotes strung together with some scraps of interesting fact and even more quotes. And like good quote collections and good books in general, you can pick it up randomly and read something good. And that, dear friends is where I found the following for your edification and amusement:

Beginning the chapter marked “Technique”

“Real painters understand with a brush in their hand….What does anyone do with rules? Nothing worthwhile.” – Berthe Morisot (1841-1895)

“I think best in wire.” – Alexander Calder (1898-1976)

An artist’s technique begins with the first efforts of youthful play. It might be developed and honed in class in art school. Whether the artist has been subjected to the discipline of the classroom or not, technique will mature over time through experiment and a great deal of hard work. What an artist seeks to establish is mastery over the materials of the craft. He wants to reach a state where he can transfer his intentions directly onto the canvas or into the raw material of his art. The aim is to achieve the freedom that Matisse describes:

I could go turn the page and go on but you can imagine what Matisse says about doing his papercuts.

Which all reminded me of this early Middle Ages quote which used to hang over my writing desk where I practiced calligraphy:

He who does not know how to write imagines it to be no labour, but although these fingers only hold the pen, the whole body grows weary.

Now me, I like rules. I like learning everything I can about them so I can use them any way I want to. Rules usually happen for a reason. Not always. You can figure that out if you learn enough about them. You can throw them away if you want. You can use them if you’d rather. For the sake of rules I learned about negative space in letters and watching the distance between and around inside of letters.

Bottom line: I filled sheets and sheets of paper with row after row of individual letters and words. Why? So the time would come when I could – just write. And not consciously think about the angle of the pen and the negative space. And now I fill up large spaces with quilted spirals and pointy things and doodlings which came from drawing with crayons and pencils and pens on any flat surface. I know I can piece something or applique something. Because I know how. And I know what might intrigue me to work with color-wise or make me think. That’s fun. Oops. I mean work. You’ll have to figure that part out. It won’t leave a lot of time for worrying about the whole vision-thing.

If you need some daily inspiration go buy a cool little book of quotes. Then get out there and do the work.