Creating Beauty From Life’s Scraps — From a New Angle

Sharon Barnes CASIGY

Hourglass Scrap Quilt.jpg  When Life ‘dumps’ on us, our first inclination is often to resist and fight what happens. We tighten up our  muscles, find ourselves saying, “No!” and otherwise spend our energy in trying to change what has happened  or what IS happening. The trouble is that works about as well as fighting an ocean wave. Have you ever done  that? How did it turn out? Not well?  Not for me, either.

My focus in this discussion of learning to go with the flow of life rather than fighting it, and of making use of  whatever life brings us, is usually metaphoric and about inner attitudes and states of being.  However, the  Inner reflects the Outer, and vice versa.  Hence, the power of Creative and Contemplative Handwork™.  Each time I engage in a Contemplative Handwork™ project, I discover this all over again, sometimes as if it is the first time.  This has been the case recently, as I have completed a couple of new SoulShirts™.  

Before I share about them, I want to let you know that these new SoulShirts™, along with a few of my scrappy Art Quilts have been art quilt by Sharon Barnesaccepted into the soon-to-open show at the Tactile Arts Center and Gallery.  The show is “Trashion: Funky Junk”.  The theme is Fiber Art from found/recycled materials.  The SoulShirts™ I entered are all thrift store finds that I later worked with; the art quilts I have entered are all made from scraps. What a perfect fit!

You’re invited to attend this show and check out the Trashion from many artists.     Trashion: Funky Junk is at the Tactile Art Gallery, 1307 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204.  The show runs from September 5th through October 18, 2014.  Opening night/open house is this Friday, September 5, from 5 – 7 pm at the Gallery.  I hope you can come! If you do, I hope it will inspire you to “pick up the pieces” in your life and create something beneficial, and yes,maybe even beautiful, with them.

If you can’t come, I hope that you will look for other ways to remind yourself to Pick up the pieces in your life and create something beneficial and yes, sometimes even beautiful with them.

We’ve got some other exciting news to share, too-  SAVE THE DATE!  My SoulShirt™ PlayShop has been rescheduled and will be held Friday evening, October 17 and Saturday, October 18. We’ll have full details and sign up links available soon.