I think many creative people, like visual artists, musicians, authors, etc., can at times suffer from a lack of self-confidence and motivation. One of my biggest hurtles was to take myself and artwork seriously. I realized in graduate school that if I wasn’t invested in my own artwork and didn’t care enough about it, then no one else was going to either. I came to realize that I needed to make my artwork for myself first. And if I thought it was worth doing, then it would have something of value to offer others.

I've always appreciated classic art. I don't care for contemporary or modern art, and have always been very drawn to the impressionists. About a year after we moved to Tennessee, I kept gravitating towards my art books that are now all in my studio (they used to be up in my living room). I'd study them at night. I'd pour over Monet and I'd say, “How can I do that in fabric?” I had no idea that there even was such a thing as fabric art. All I knew was traditional quilting, until I went online and I searched for “impressionist fabric,” and all of a sudden it showed up for me.

It's super satisfying to see the lines come out and meet up perfectly. It's very spontaneous--whatever comes to me--and depends on what I feel and my sensory input and response. The ones that flow out from me and feel very natural are always the best. The ones that I work really hard on are more difficult because they don't seem to come from the same place.

I don’t really think it’s unique. The difference between me and somebody else is that they looked at modern art and said, “Well I could do that,” but then they don’t do it.

Out of necessity of both time and money, I finally became practical with my art process after my son, Strummer, was born.  I cannot always produce art objects or physically paint or sew whenever I want to, but, I can very easily write down ideas or sketch simple studies a they come to me (usually!), which I then later elaborate on and fully expand.  I now spend much more time planning the overall construction of a piece (conceptual themes, choice of medium and materials, general measurements, cost) so that when I am able to be in my art studio (or, sometimes it’s the living room or dining room or porch) I am able to make better use of my time, and, make artwork that is more successful, visually.