Killing the Art

One of my dear Cousins replied to a recent blog regarding the Purple Heart block that is part of a wedding quilt I am making. She said there is a skill in knowing when you are done with your creation, and shared that one of her art teachers said that over-doing your project can be an act of killing it. Wow. That is amazing advice.

And moreover, it means really trusting your instincts and creating the work for yourself first, because, she said, that most recipients will not notice or care about it. I know that often-times I do fret about this and that with my quilts.

When I go to quilt shows and see how intricately they are made, I come home and rate my own work as 'less than', when it really is OK. I don't make quilts for shows, I make things to use and use up. 

As I worked on framing the blocks, each one was a lovely piece of art. There is something to be said for taking photos, but the scrappiness of these blocks doesn't show how they look in real life. And as for that Purple Heart, well, those light squares are a stunning lavender that enhances smaller prints around them that the camera also doesn't pick up. My Cuz is so right on. It is going to be a sweet, sweet quilt that will be loved and well used.

Another thought I had about the advise she shared is that being done is easier with art projects than it is with relationships. Each of these hearts could very well represent a relationship. Within each are the lights, mediums, brights, and darks that come with our interactions. One could say all our experiences are represented.

And then being done. OMGoddess! That is always a challenge with our relationships. We have such a hard time letting go or being done that we hang on and hang on until time passes and we are so locked into those interactions that we cannot let go.  

In fact, there IS a killing when we over-do and cling to the thought that we can make it better if we just make this one change. Something in one of us or both of us dies. It might be how we claim our values or define ourselves. Yet, we have opted not to release that one part of our life that no longer fits.

Oh dear Cuz. You gave me so much to think about. How I wish we were geographically closer so we could chat and chat and settle all the problems of the Universe. I pray that both of us have the courage to say something is done when it is.

As for the quilt. It needs borders next. It is far from completed so I must return to the project. Tomorrow is a basting day at the clubhouse on another FB14 project. I will not be showing photos because it goes to my good Friend Rex and she reads this blog from time to time. I want it to be a surprise so will figure something else out for the blog.