I’m not going to lie – quilting is a slow process and
there’s a certain level of frustration I have when I’m doing it. It’s difficult
to take something that works so quickly, like the Processing tool, to generate
a hundred random compositions within an afternoon then force yourself to pick
one image and slow it all down to an entirely manual process that takes days to
produce. In a way, it’s like working backwards; high-tech to no-tech. I just
want to see the finished product!
And perhaps there are some people out there who wonder why
one would even bother going through this whole process. What’s the point?
- We get a lot of instant gratification with technology – we’re spoiled that way. And, while I do love being spoiled as much as the next person, it affects our behavior and expectations. If you slow down once in a while, it reminds you to appreciate real time and effort. It’s an exercise in re-learning patience.
- It’s important to try new things. That includes combining methods/ ideas / art forms that, at first glance, don’t obviously go together. That’s where some of the best, most interesting work comes from. If you never try new things then shit gets boring. It’s common sense.
- Make things with your hands. I don’t care if you’re amazing at it or not. If you get some level of enjoyment out of it, then do it. Quite simply, in my opinion, it keeps your brain working.
So, while I finish up ‘Processing Quilt 1’ at a snail’s pace,
I know I’ll savour the moment when I can get under it to start planning
‘Processing Quilt 2’. Please stand by…
