What are people thinking when they ask weird questions and comments? Meeting with the public to share one’s art is always opening one up to an unknown experience. In reality that is part of the fun. Yet, at times it is difficult to know what the people are thinking. This blogpost shares some unusual questions and comments that I have received.
At a recent First Friday Art Tour, I had a large tree art quilt on display Vacant Lot, 43″ x 31″ 109 x 79cm on display. A young woman showed interest in the piece. She explained that she was an artist. She wanted to learn more about the process. I explained the process of creating the piece with the fabric layering technique on a table, creating the scene and then free motion quilting the layers together. https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/07/fabric-layering-technique/ Her weird question,Is it was easy to do?
Is that Easy to Do?
Well, anything is easy if one knows how to do it. But it is not easy if one doesn’t know how to sew or quilt. Above all,the free motion quilting technique is the highest level of quilting. It is not done by beginners. Much practice is needed to accomplish mastery. I am not sure exactly how I responded to her weird comment. However, her question stayed with me. I hope my answer advanced her understanding of art quilts in spite of her weird questions, requests and comments.
Another Unusual Request
The month that I moved into my first studio outside of my home in 2016,I received an unusual request. A local gallery was hosting a film festival for a weekend. They needed help with the acoustics. The curator asked if I would hang my quilts on the walls of the gallery during the showing. Furthermore,they insisted I bring just my largest art work. Although I was occupied with the move, I happily hung my largest art quilts.
Is Art Quilting Expensive?
While talking to someone at an art event, they mentioned how expensive art quilting is. The fabric is so expensive. Yes, fabric is expensive. Yet, I disagreed with them since I generally don’t buy fabric. I shared other sources than retail to obtain material. I explained my sources of fabric. My favorite is a local nonprofit gathers high end designer fabrics and makes them available to the public for a donation. Furthermore,my guild has an annual flea market that sells all kinds of material. Fabric is available at yard sales or second hand shops..Sometimes when people find out I use fabric they will gift me fabric. I realise it takes a while to build up a stash of fabric. Yet she seemed open to these ideas. As a public school teacher I definitely did not have a lot of extra funds to spend on gathering store bought fabrics.
Overheard Conversation at an Art Quilters meeting
Fast forward- At a subsequent large gathering for art quilters,I overheard two friends discussing the merits of their new Tesla vehicles. Yes, the meeting took place in Silicon Valley. Still, that conversation caught my attention forcing me to eat my words a bit.
I enjoy meeting and engaging with the public. I listen to them their thoughts and experiences. Their words often stick with me as these did.
https://annbmayartquilts.etsy.com/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2023/07/unexpected-comments-about-my-art/
