I haven’t posted in a long while, primarily because I’ve slowed my art making way down. And I’m happy with that.
As 2022 wound down, I finished the second in my new Portals series. Technically, I finished it on January 1, 2023, but let’s not quibble about dates. 😉
Portals 2: Intuition Hand painted with acrylic paint on commercial fabric, raw edge fused applique, densely machine stitched.
I’m enjoying this new direction I’ve taken with acrylic paint on fabric to create an initial design, then adding my fused applique bits, and finally applying my signature dense machine stitching.
To remind my visitors and viewers, in recent years, I’ve released timelines and deadlines and expectations. I’ve relaxed into my opportunities to create because I’ve let go of the need to be creative all.the.time.
And in the letting go, I find my Light is freed up to better listen to my intuition and follow it where it leads. In this case, it led to this new Portal, a view for you into my intuition. 💖
With joy and ease…
Come back and visit in several months and I’m sure I’ll have a new Portal to share. See you then!
Interested in my art, my writing, my poetry, or learning more about bringing consistent joy and ease into your life? Then let’s talk!
Contact me to schedule: * A virtual coffee * A private (virtual) art show of my art * A commissioning conversation to discuss hiring me to create a textured fiber painting uniquely yours
If you enjoyed this art piece and the essay, and it feels aligned, please share on social media or via email. If you liked it, someone you know will probably like it too!
Portals 1: Cosmos Hand painted with acrylic paint on commercial fabric, raw edge fused applique, densely machine stitched.
This new direction I’m going — painting on fabric, adding my fused applique bits, continuing with my signature dense machine stitching — is really enjoyable. Even if this piece took many months to create.
To be clear, it was the stitching that took a while, not the design. The design piece is always something that comes together in a short period of time for me.
I’m not complaining about how long Cosmos took to finish. I’ve released timelines and deadlines and expectations. I’ve relaxed into my opportunities to create because I’ve let go of the need to be creative all.the.time.
And in the letting go, I find my Light is freed up to better listen to my intuition and follow it where it leads.
With joy and ease…
I’ll continue to create, as it calls me, following this new direction. I think the next Portal will be filled with bright color. I’ll share it as it comes alive.
Interested in my art, my writing, my poetry, or learning more about bringing consistent joy and ease into your life? Then let’s talk!
Contact me to schedule: * A virtual coffee * A private (virtual) art show of my art * A commissioning conversation to discuss hiring me to create a textured fiber painting uniquely yours
If you enjoyed this art piece and the essay, and it feels aligned, please share on social media or via email. If you liked it, someone you know will probably like it too!
Presenting “Tree of Life”, my latest textured fiber painting!
(c) 2021, Hilary Clark, “Tree of Life”, Fiber, 29-1/2″ x 29-1/2″ Photo Credit: Hilary Clark
This piece is a departure from my usual work. When I completed (Feeling) Joy in January of this year, I knew I wanted to take a break from creating feelings out of fiber and try my hand at a different subject.
So I turned to my design ideas file and selected a tree of life. I’ve been drawn to this image for decades. The spiritual connotations and the centuries-long staying power of this philosophical and sacred concept are kinda my jam.
The Tree of Life connects all of creation. To me, it symbolizes knowledge, growth, evolution, and our innate, Spirit-driven link to Divinity. We are rooted to the Earth even as we stretch through Air to the sky. We are fed by Water and reborn through Fire.
On the practical and art-making side, I originally intended to create this tree as I create my feelings – by cutting out abstract fabric shapes and fusing them to the canvas landscape. That didn’t work for this piece. I considered pipe cleaners and ribbon and felted wool. None would do. Finally, I pulled out my acrylic paints and decided to have a go at painting the image I saw in my head.
I’m super pleased with the result.
These detail shots offer a glimpse of both the paint and the stitching. I hope you enjoy.
Detail view: Tree of Life Photo credit: Hilary ClarkDetail view: Tree of Life Photo Credit: Hilary ClarkDetail view: Tree of Life Photo credit: Hilary ClarkDetail view: Tree of Life Photo credit: Hilary Clark
Most of my work is available for purchase. Not this piece.
From the moment I painted it, I knew it would hang in the bedroom I share with my partner, as a reminder that we’re here, living this version of our human existence together to learn and grow and expand in love, peace, and joy.
I hope you have a similar image or item in your home that provides you with the same reminder. If you don’t, what’s stopping you from creating it?
xo
Interested in my art, my writing, my poetry, or learning more about bringing consistent joy and ease into your life? Then let’s talk!
Contact me to schedule: * A virtual coffee * A private (virtual) art show of my art * A commissioning conversation to discuss hiring me to create a textured fiber painting uniquely yours
If you enjoyed this essay, and it feels aligned, please share on social media or via email. If you liked it, someone you know will probably like it too!
In the month since I last wrote, we’ve unpacked the house and put everything away, with the exception of hanging art and photos on the walls. This includes getting my studio space organized and ready for art making.
But have I made any art?
Just barely.
Walk in closet studio storage! Every artist’s dream!
My art making intentions have been solid. However, the last time we moved – in March 2020 – I was working for myself so I was able to set aside my work to spend a week focused on unpacking and settling in. This go around, I’m back to work full time outside the home. That schedule really impacts the amount of time available to unpack AND make art.
I’d forgotten that bit about working for someone else. My schedule is no longer my own and this particular project requires long days. I’m not complaining – I’m truly enjoying the job. But I do miss my studio time.
Which is why I’m so pleased to have the space organized and ready to go.
Everything in its place.
Before we relocated from the East Coast to the Southwest, I’d begun work on a Tree of Life textured fiber painting, a departure from my Feelings work. I’d created the canvas, a landscape suitable for an arching tree. And that’s where I’d paused to get ready to move.
Now that all our things are put away and we’re settled into our new home, I’ve finally been able to create the time in my weekend schedule to design the tree to sweep across that canvas.
This piece took an interested twist with the tree. Following my usual design method, I laid curving strips of fabric on the canvas to create the trunk, the branches. And it didn’t look right. So I tried other strips of fabric. Then I tried ribbon and pipe cleaners and felted wool. Nothing produced the vision of the tree I had in my head.
Then I remembered I had paint, acrylic and fabric. So I took a deep breath and embraced the opportunity to experiment with painting on fabric to create my tree.
Thankfully, my experiment worked. I love how the design came out. There’s a tiny hint of it in the photo below. I’m saving the rest for when I’ve completed this art piece, so be patient please!
Hinting at the tree
The other exciting thing about being back in my studio, besides the success of my experiment, is the amount of space I have in the room. For the first time ever, I’m able to open my cutting table to it’s full length. It’s a drop leaf construction and in the almost 20 years I’ve owned this sewing furniture, I’ve only ever been able to raise one leaf. Now I can raise both and have the full 75-80” to work on! I’m ridiculously pleased. The ability to spread out all on the same surface is delightful. As shown in the photos above, I also have a walk-in closet to store my supplies.
It’s a wonderful studio and I’m grateful to have it.
Sewing cabinet, closed until I’m ready to stitch.Ok, so I hung one thing. My studio always feels complete when my kite is hung.
With joy and ease…
I’m excited to begin stitching on my Tree of Life piece, slowly and as I create the time. I’ve accepted making 8-10 pieces a year may no longer be possible (each takes quite a while due to the dense stitching I use in my designs) so I’m embracing this opportunity to slow down my making.
If I only make a few pieces this year, I’m still creating, I’m still making art, I’m still an artist. And I believe that is what’s most important — experiencing the joy and ease that comes from being a creator.
In next month’s update, I’ll share a progress update and photos of some of the stitching. Until then, keep creating with joy and ease!
xo
Interested in my art, my writing, my poetry, or learning more about bringing consistent joy and ease into your life? Then let’s talk!
Contact me to schedule: * A virtual coffee * A private (virtual) art show of my art * A commissioning conversation to discuss hiring me to create a textured fiber painting uniquely yours
If you enjoyed this essay, and it feels aligned, please share on social media or via email. If you liked it, someone you know will probably like it too!
I’m going to start the year with a post summarizing the textured fiber paintings I made in 2019. But before I get to that, I’m currently working on my first piece for 2020 – (Feeling) Grief. I knew I’d need to create Grief at some point; I guess that time is now. Here are a few progress photos:
(Feeling) Grief – the template for the canvas
The canvas
The final design, photographed in black and white to show contrast.
Come back next month to see the completed work!
In 2019, I made 6 textured fiber paintings, which was my goal. Feelings ran the spectrum from Woe to Dynamism. (If you’re interested, I have the same goal this year. Considering the amount of stitching I do on these pieces, 6 seems reasonable as I don’t make art full time.) I’ve included photos below, with links to each piece’s article if you’d like a bit more information about a piece. All of this work is for sale. If you’re interested, please visit my Gallery page or contact me through this website.
Next up: I’ll continue work on Grief. Full reveal expected in February.
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Info about my Feelings series: I interpret my random abstract doodles as emotions. The guiding point is the outer boundary of the doodle. The boundary evokes the feeling. From there, I contemplate how to bring that particular feeling alive in fiber.
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My art and my work go hand in hand. I’m a Leadership Development Trainer & Coach, working with stressed, frantic, frazzled professionals who struggle to lead, experience self-sabotage, have difficulty communicating, and can’t break through persistent red tape. What they want is to innovate, achieve consistent results, and come together as a team, so their employers call on me for leadership development training and coaching. I’m an expert at shedding the stress, designing solutions, and building cohesive, consistent high-achieving teams. My clients go from crisis mode to working in harmony, saving time, money, and energy, finally getting their shit together. If you’re interested in leadership development training and coaching, please join me over at Harmony Coaching.
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The majority of my work is for sale. Please visit my Gallery for available work.
Hilary Clark Studios 