"Creativity has more to do with the elimination of the inessential than with inventing something new" Helmut John
Found on Donna Watson's lovely blog, Layers, was this golden nugget of a quote to ponder upon ... and, not least, to consider what is inessential.
I must remember this as I work. I long to be able to pare down and simplify but so often feel that I over-embellish and complicate.
It seems also to link so much to the work of Helen Parrott whom, somehow, I've missed. I've just acquired her lovely book, Mark-Making in Textile Art, published in August by Batsford here in the UK.A quick skim before I settle down to read in depth reveals a host of simplified, pared-down images of her mark-making work within ... and the cover itself is wonderfully minimal (though perhaps in this post not shown to its best advantage).
I'm going to enjoy this book, I know and ... could this perhaps be the beginning of a new, simplified, minimalist approach to my work? Who knows?
I will post any interesting results as I try out her ideas and you can judge for yourself ...
I'll look forward to seeing your 'new look'. I do love the quotation!
ReplyDeleteThe 'new look' may just be an aspiration - but I'll do my best!
DeleteI saw Donna's work the other day and I felt I could learn so much by just looking at her collages. The quote also struck me as essential. I just bookmarked Helen Parrott's book too, thanks for the tip. Looking forward to your 'stripped down to the essentials' work!
ReplyDeleteOh my ... is that pressure. I'll have to be careful what I blog!
DeleteLucky you seeing Donna's work - I presume in 'the flesh'. I found it when I was doing an online sketchbook course with the theme of circles - so many to be found in her work ... but so much more to find.
Thank you for introducing me to Helen's work - quite inspirational. Interested to see how it influences you.
ReplyDeleteI found Helen Parrott via an ad from Amazon for her book - they know their market!
DeleteDifficult to say how her work and the activities in the book will influence me - I never know till it happens and I find myself using something I've
read about.
That is a perfect quote! And thank you for sharing the link to Helen's work--inspirational!
ReplyDeleteYou asked if I had done more stitching on monoprints, and the answer is, "Not much yet". I'd hoped to do more but the stiffness and thickness of the paper on which I'd printed makes it fairly hard on my hands. As it develops, I'll try to post photos. There is some lighter weight Japanese paper waiting on my work table that has some potential, too.
I'm about to stitch on some watercolour paper and I know from experience that I'll encounter the same problems as you did. The Japanese paper sounds lovely to stitch on - I've not tried it but must do so. Thank you.
Delete.... This swapping of ideas is great - I learn so much.