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Lesley Riley

Art & Creativity

Finding My Way

By

Walk72 

I have spent well over a year now trying to figure out what I want to do with my life art. I literally ran myself into the ground traveling, teaching, creating numerous class plans and samples, writing 3 books and who-knows-how many articles, all the while being wife, mother, daughter and grandmother to my ever-growing family. Along the way I got bored with the art that had sustained my soul for so long – my Fragments. They stopped taking my breath away. They stopped making me smile, making me feel good. They stopped being my voice to the outside world since they were no longer saying what I wanted to say anymore. And that’s because I didn’t know what I wanted to say. I had forgotten how to listen to my small, still voice. I had lost touch with the part of me that made me who I am. I missed her.

I am happy to announce that, with enough time and restoration, I am finally finding my way again. My plan over these last 15 months was to create my own fabric. Beyond that, I was not sure what I would do with it. Commercial fabric  had lost its allure. I wanted to make my own. And finally, after all that time, I am getting around to it and I LOVE IT. I am taking my breath away again, swooning over the fabric I have begun to create. I don’t yet have much to show, but I finally feel I am back. I have purpose, and  direction, and yes, passion. I feel like the old me again.

GlitteringEyes72 

I have lots of news and things to share – I’ve been busy and things have been piling up since my last post. 

The quotes in the 2 Fragments above read:

Few people know how to take a walk.
The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes,
an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech,
good silence and nothing too much.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

And above all, watch with glittering eyes
 the whole world around you because
the greatest secrets are always hidden
 in the most unlikely places.
Roald Dahl

 

 

 

 

Comments

  4. Dear Leslie, i am glad you are coming home again, to yourself. the fragments…this is how i came to learn of your art voice and i have shared them with the few fabric women i know. i have been a collector of fabrics, vintage postcards, and qoutes , famous and not so ,that “spoke to me” for as long as i can recall …the 60’s…. so when i found your work on line years ago, i also found my way to me, to the heart of art. thank you many times over! signed sonja… sixty-somthing and fabrically speaking mostly fabulous!!!

  5. Isn’t it such a good feeling to know that those creative energies have just been dormant, waiting to be fed and cared for, and then they will bloom again.
    I love the new collages, hope I can be fortunate enough to purchase one.

  6. a very wise woman to know when to step back….breathe….and forge ahead
    You have had a very strong influence in my mixed media life. Some years ago Pat Sloan and I took your fabric altered book class at the Arlington Arts Center, I still remember Beatles music playing in the background, your continual inspiration and guidance, fantastic sharing of ingredients and the quotes…oh how I adore quotes!
    I will be delighted to see where your artists path leads you next.
    Brightest of Blessings to you and yours

  7. HI,
    Reading your blog about finding your “VOICE” again..DO I EVER RELATE. AFter many yrs of doing traditional quilting-am fried. I am redoing THE ARTIST WAY to find me again. I so appreciate your blog. MUCH CONTINUED SUCCESS and JOY!

  8. Your Collage Mania pieces are lovely.
    …And I know the joy of making one’s own cloth. Since making my own, nothing speaks to me in quite that same way.

  9. Hi Leslie
    I am always amazed when “seasoned artists” like yourself who I feel have “made it” in the art world still have the unsure moments that we all seem to deal with at one time or another. In my journey of looking for the next step I feel comforted by this and wish your journey of ah ha moments grows. Thanks for sharing your experiences and I look forward to watching the blog to see how your journey is.
    Dawn Wilson

  10. You have been missed! I am so glad you have found your voice again and beginning to create. I loved your latest article in QA. Have a great week.

  12. Really enjoyed your artice on TAPP in Quilting Ats magazine. I like TAPP the first time I used it and thought it made a great traditional transfer onto cloth. I just made a canvas graffi painted purse and transfered some trees using TAPP and they look like they are part of the cloth, love this new stuff and will use nothing else, it really grows on you the more you use and see it. peggy

  14. I am so happy that you have found your “voice” once again. That is the way of life, we have it, we lose it, we get it back. Many of us try to juggle it all children, grandchildren, parents and our art. I feel like I am running track because I want it all and don’t want to miss a thing. Love you frangements, have them and look at it all the time. Happy Day. Peggy