Go on with a spirit that fears nothing. -- Homer These words reside on my refrigerator door. I have given these words no notice, no thought for months. Today is a cranky day. Going on is not as appealing as staying in pajamas. The spirit is cowering. Who gave me this magnet? Why have I … Continue reading A year of Listening, Week 12
Author: norma17
Accelerate Results
Who wants to create more in the time allotted? How can that happen? My friend Cathy Stark photographed me in this pose that illustrates, "Runs With Scissors." When the cutting begins, I am in the creative zone. And while I am more of a risk taker than my high school teachers could have ever imagined, I usually … Continue reading Accelerate Results
Paradox, not Comfort
I wanted the funeral pall to have the message of comfort. I chose to make a quilt of soft white cotton, adding a cross, gold leaves, and words from Marty Haugen's hymn "All Are Welcome." I planned and schemed over logistics of how to make this 6' by 10' piece in my small studio. But … Continue reading Paradox, not Comfort
A Year of Listening, Week 10
One of the marks of a gift is to have the courage of it. --Katherine Anne Porter Art quilt, Heart's Desire, illustrates the courage to cut a hole in a quilt, to let go of one pattern to become something new. Personal collection of Norma Colman.
Bunny business
Fibergig, our Etsy shop, invites conversation about our products. This week Sarah admired a linen pillow, but it didn't match her needs. "I want it to be easy to wash and larger, perhaps a square." I agreed to play within those parameters and present several possibilities. The original pillow is in the lower right of … Continue reading Bunny business
A Year of Listening: to What?
This is my year of listening. On Mondays I post a quotation from my collection, words that resonated the first time I heard them, and which continue to resonate. That is a plan for listening which I share with others. I also have personal listening that is about discovery. What am I hearing? I started … Continue reading A Year of Listening: to What?
A Year of Listening, Week 8
All rising to a great place is by a winding stair. --Sir Francis Bacon
A Gift for the Groom
I volunteered to paint the groom's tie for a spring wedding, and yet I had never painted a tie before. I assembled paint, tools, and the tie. I sorted through what I know about Jeff: energy and composure. Here is the result. For whom would you want a tie painted? What words would you choose … Continue reading A Gift for the Groom
A Year of Listening, Week 6
Find out who you are and do it on purpose. --Dolly Parton
Creative company
I am a better artist when I have the company of other artists. I currently participate in four different small groups that nurture the practice of art and the exercise of creativity. My siblings and I meet monthly via the internet, each from our own studio or workshop. My sister is a writer, my brother … Continue reading Creative company