Looking Back

 

Some years ago, I heard someone suggest the value of taking the time to look back over your work, from time to time, to identify those pieces you've made, and to see which work stands the test of time and still rings true to yourself. This last week, after receiving a request from the Australian publication Patchwork and Stitching, for them to feature me in their magazine, I did just that.

The Red Door 

The photographs they chose to include in the article were selected from my website, and included some old favourites, as well as some newer pieces. There will be more in the issue than I can include here, but seeing their selections, and then thinking of those pieces I would have included but they did not include, gave me the opportunity to review my work over the last twenty years or so.

No Worries

The two things that stand out the most for me are the frequency with which I use a log cabin format in my work, and my signature use of colour. Perhaps I could add to that that I like using strong contrast, and that both line and shape are important to me  And if I dig a little deeper,  I would dare to add that many of the pieces I make have a strong narrative quality to them, having to do with finding the joy in life, and of finding a way through darkness to light. Windows and doors are recurring themes, and trees and leaves appear with regularity. 

A New Beginning

I think, perhaps, that looking back is one way to see how to move forward. There will always be a place for experimenting with new ways of working, and some of these may become ours too over time. But it's also important to identify those things that make work your own. Some would call it "finding your voice". 

Windows on My World