As a rhetorician, my focus was on writing and metacognition. Since I was a quilter before becoming an educator, it makes sense that I've applied what I know as an educator to what I understand about quilting.
Are you still following? Read a little more. The thinking part gets more interesting from here on. That's because I'd like to help you think metacognitively about your improv quilting. That is to help you analyze what you do as a quilter so that you can understand your process, figure out what you need, and build on what you already know.
Let's begin with a simple exercise. Take a small quilt from those you've completed using improvisational methods. If you have a name or theory for the quilt, begin with that. Then look at the quilt piecing and blocks/background and write notes answering the following questions:
1. What did you do intentionally on this quilt? Name those parts by color, block, section, category or in any language that works for you.
2. What parts of the quilt were in your mind but you didn't have specific ideas of how to achieve them? Again, name these parts using the same method you did in #1.
3. What did you happen upon? Which parts of the quilt were not thought out or were not already in your mind when you began? Using the method you did in #1 and 2 above, name these parts.
4. Look closely at the quilt. What have you left out? Do those parts of the quilt fit into any of the answers? If not, how will you categorize them?
Note: in this exercise we are only trying to identify and name what is/was improvisational. We are not analyzing deeply--we've only just begun studying.
As an example, I will "think out" the quilt I am working on. While it's not finished, I am far enough along to begin this exercise. The title of this little art piece is "Bipolar." I suffer from bipolar depression and want to express the difficulties of the disease in art. Looking at the entire quilt (above) and at this closeup, you can see that I have two distinct sections--a light and a dark.
I intentionally used two contrasting colors separated by a wavy line. The dark on the left represents depression; the light side (on the right) is larger representing that good days outweigh the bad ones. The wavy line represents the idea that there's no easy way to figure out where the line is.
2. What parts of the quilt were in your mind but you didn't have specific ideas of how to achieve them? Again, name these parts using the same method you did in #1.
I definitely wanted to include pieces of color that could represent creativity and positive ideals. These needed to be in both sections of the quilt, but imbalanced. How that would look was only vaguely in my mind. I found small pieces of solid fabrics in my scraps that I cut into imperfect circles.
3. What did you happen upon? Which parts of the quilt were not thought out or were not already in your mind when you began? Using the method you did in #1 and 2 above, name these parts.
The squiggly red lines took a life of their own and I still haven't a clue how they came about. In the upper right corner is a reverse applique that I love but cannot define quite yet. I only know that it needs to be there.
4. Look closely at the quilt. What have you left out? Do those parts of the quilt fit into any of the answers? If not, how will you categorize them?
I left out other small bits on both sides of the quilt. I'm not sure what they mean or represent, but I have a veiled idea that they are meant to be there and I have to work them out. Right now I'm not able to categorize them all.
Let me know in the comments if you are willing to participate. If we have an interest, I'll write future columns that will help you to analyze your work and learn from it.
Mary Marcotte
11 comments:
Wow, this is really interesting. I like the idea that there are things that happen in a quilt that you can't explain at the moment. You don't really need to know exactly what you want to say and how to portray it before you start--it just evolves and some of it remains a mystery, even to the maker. I love this idea. Yes, I'd love to hear more.
I too think this is very interesting and would be happy to participate. I like the idea that maybe you understand things about your quilt by the end that weren't consciously expressed during the process of making it.
This could lead us down a very interesting path of why we do certains things and not others. I look forward to read more.
I make my quilts with a mix of planned actions and happy accidents - it may be interesting to try this approach but only if it doesn't spoil the happy part by making it too academic. Process matters deeply to me so count me in for now.
Mary, you have written an extremely interesting post, lots to think about. We all approach our quilt making in very different ways, I can't overthink my quilts or I become 'lost', my approach is based on the fact that I must be using lots and lots of colour, go with my gut instinct and work in a happy frame of mind. I never analyse the make up of my quilts, although having said that I am looking at one as I write this and can see why there be something behind the fact that I split the bars of my Chinese Coin quilt diagonally. I too have a mood disorder - mixed. For my wellness it will benefit me to continue with my present approach rather than taking a more analytical one, however, I am looking forward to seeing further posts from yourself and other quilters who will be participating.
Oh, my...you are something else....I could never do this...I have AD/HD I fly by the seat of my pants...both in art/quilting and any lecture I give. I get an idea, put it up on my design wall...and off I go..I prefer not to work in patterns, but when I do, it is all bout color..I could not possible try to figure out the whys and whens...OMG Interesting how we all work differently..Thx for the input..
This sounds very interesting but I couldn't quite wrap my head around it till you gave examples. Will have to try this exercise and see what it tells me!
This is interesting, but I shy away from self analysis. Things happen and if I like them they stay, and otherwise they get changed. So much of my life has been planned I'm now glad to be able to be spontaneous! I shall read your posts with interest, and may sometime try this exercise.
I admire you for the way you are attempting to express your deepest self in your art, and it is interesting that you have developed this way of studying it. I wish you success, and I will watch from the wings.
I guess I have a slightly different take on the subject. If 'meta-cognition' means an attempt to understand one's own process, i.e. "thinking about thinking", I actually find it antithetical to improvisation, which means to create spontaneously or without preparation.
That is to say, that I work intuitively, especially when I am doing improv quilting. Like a couple of others have commented, I try not to analyze it too much, because that takes the joy out of the activity for me. The act of creating is sufficient for me, and feeds my soul. When I am pleased with the result so much the better!
Yes, everyone is different in make up and different in expressing themselves. Viva la difference!
For me introspection is a dead end, stifling.
The thrill and beauty of life is where I go 'fishing'.
There's finally some time (and internet service) to read and respond. Your post has evoked wide responses. Until I read your examples I didn't quite understand your points either. I work from color and pattern. Looking at my quilts, most have a design that repeats until I tire of it or want a border or... All so I can concentrate on color and color combinations. I will try to tease some of my designs apart; I can see this working in a story quilt.
Thanks very much for sharing your process. Every creative method is another tool in our box. So exciting to read how quilters design their work.
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