The Making Of "Stuff"

I've been spending a lot of time this summer, and really for the past year, in my studio weaving, hooking, planning, and occasionally repairing "stuff".  I love what I'm doing, but I've been thinking a lot about creativity and what it means.  What does being an artist mean?  At what point does one become an artist?  Why am I making so much stuff?

I'm really hooked on weaving shawls on my triloom.  Here's my most recent piece.

 

I've been using these gorgeous Noro yarns that pretty much weave themselves into such luscious color pathways.  I weave and listen to pod casts or books on CD's.  I have another one on the loom in a beautiful tomato/camel/brown/black combo that's just so exciting to me.  Is this a form of creativity, or is it simply potholder weaving 301?

I finished this little rug for a new baby in our family.  I made it because little new Chesney's mother was so sweet and excited when I spoke to her about making a rug for the baby.  Megan, the new mommy, is a doll and it was such fun to make something for her new little girl's room. 

Here again though, this is someone else's pattern.  I don't know who to give credit to, as this was a free pattern I found when I first started rug hooking.  I've always loved it, and this is the third one I've made.  I always tweek it a bit, but adore the little sheep motif.  

Where I feel my creativity asserting itself is with color.   It's the use of color planning that always excites me.  Even with the shawls, I love looking for just the right yarn on-line, watching it weave up, and the thrill that comes with watching each new shawl evolve on the loom.  

I'm not sure if being creative, artistic, however one would define this making of "stuff" always needs to be from the bottom up.  Sometimes it's just the building of something with a little help from lovely patterns and yarns that's enough for me to fuel my need to make things.  Sometimes it's those same tools that get my creative energies going to start dreaming of my own new patterns and designs.

Just thinking......

xo

dulcy