Guest Post with Anna Hergert: The Zen of Straight Sewing vs.Thinking Like Leonardo

Today, for something new and different, we have a guest artist. I am pleased to introduce you to Anna Hergert, a fellow Canadian textile artist and teacher.  We keep hearing about how we should get ourselves into the studio regularly, but Anna's thought-provoking article, The Zen of Straight Sewing vs. Thinking Like Leonardo, makes a convincing argument about why sometimes a break from the studio might be just what we need to gain perspective.  I hope you enjoy this article and leave comments.  Anna will be checking in and responding to your comments.

Anna is London City & Guilds educated with Diplomas in Art, Design, Contemporary Embroidery as well as Patchwork and Quilting. Her lifelong pursuit of the arts makes her a passionate and inspiring teacher. Anna is a teacher/lecturer with over 20 years of experience in the fibre arts field. Her innovative pieces have been exhibited nationally and internationally in solo shows and juried traveling group exhibitions.

Anna makes her home in SW Saskatchewan, north of Moose Jaw on scenic Buffalo Pound Lake with her husband Colin. She creates fiber art in her dream studio overlooking breathtaking scenery that serves as constant source of inspiration.

Polar Bear's Embrace, 2012 by Anna Hergert



Anna will be in Ontario for a few weeks as of later this month, and will be delivering a workshop and lecture for the Loose Threads group (this workshop is now full).  She will also be teaching a Kantha Embroidery workshop at Dragonfly Fabrics in Ottawa on September 15.  On this trip she will also be lecturing at the Ottawa Valley Quilters Guild on September 10 and the Common Thread Quilt Guild on September 11.

The Zen of Straight Sewing vs. Thinking Like Leonardo

There comes a time in every artist’s life when time away from the studio is the best way to gain perspective. As a teacher, I am away regularly and often for an extended period of time. I recently spent a block of time in the region of the Boreal Forest of east central Saskatchewan. I can hear the questions now: “Why would she go there and what might she find in that region?”

The short answer is: I took a photography workshop, taught a dyeing and art quilt design course and last but not least I spent a few days unwinding with friends creating charity quilts.

My first week was very intense with long hours spent “chasing and capturing the sweet light”. We rose at 4 a. m. to find the perfect sunrise, and finished at 9:30 p. m. after trying to capture the perfect sunset. The two hours of rest between breakfast around 8 a. m. and official class room start, to shed light on Photoshop CS6, was not enough to catch up on lost sleep. I am not a daytime napper and by the end of the week I was quite tired.

I had 24 hours to “recover” and shift gears which included some tense moments when a tornado touched down, about 1 km away across the lake, around the dinner hour on Saturday.

I put on my teaching hat during the early afternoon Sunday while setting up my studio space with sewing stations and a separate area for dyeing. It felt good to just push tables and chairs around and envision the space for a week of optimal learning and teaching. A motivated group of seven students arrived by mid afternoon to “claim” their space. Class started after dinner and continued till the following Saturday.

Best laid plans to stay creative myself during these two weeks only reached as far as keeping my blog updated with images and short reports. A handwork project I had brought along just in case some quiet time would present itself, never came out of the travel case. Pretty soon I became concerned that I was not producing something tangible and I began to question my decision to spend even more time away from home and my studio...

Once my two weeks at Kenderdine Campus at Emma Lake came to an end I was picked up by  three friends to participate in an annual “quilt till you wilt” gathering at Candle Lake. When I received the invitation it was made clear that there were no expectations - I was free to sleep, eat, read a good book, catch up on some correspondence, just walk the wooded trails or sit on the beach. I did all that... AND pieced three twin sized cuddle quilt tops in four days. I had brought along my very basic travel machine and for the first time put it through its paces.

Straight sewing was the motto and while I rarely piece traditional quilts due to the monotony I surprised myself this time. I found I did not have to think too hard. The 2 1/2” precut strips from everyone’s stash were combined at random (at first!). Eventually I selected colours and textures to follow a theme, be it floral or a quilt for a young boy. I sewed and sewed for hours on end and soon began to realize that this repetitive activity became my meditation. I felt more and more rejuvenated, left the exhaustion behind and once the second quilt top was pieced I set myself the goal of trying my hand at # 3.

The constant straight sewing and joining long strips became my meditation. This Zen activity required little effort, allowed me to take regular breaks to capture the sunset and even a couple sunrise events while at the same time I felt productive and it prepared me for the routine I had waiting at home.

I find it difficult to set time aside for meditation, inner reflection and relaxation. There is always another deadline to meet, someone asking for advice or new work to be explored. In 1999, while perusing the art section at the local book store, a specific title caught my eye: “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci”.  It proved difficult to turn my attention to anything else afterward. The book was well worth the investment and to this day I find myself regularly drawn to part two where the author explores the Seven Da Vincian Principles of Curiosità, Demonstrazione, Sensazione, Sfumato, Arte/Scienza, Corporalita and Connessione.

Curiozità: We are born with natural curiosity. Curiozità builds on this natural impulse. It forms the basis of our desire to learn more! This curiosity is far from being book based - it is a natural inquisitiveness about how the world works. As adults we often lose this curiosity, equating it with child-like behavior. Get back in touch with your sense of adventure: explore your environment, take a picture of a tree, zoom in and examine the branches, the trunk, the bark, each leaf and the fruit it might produce. Life is continuous learning - be curious!

Demonstrazione: A great teacher leads by example. By introducing topics, study subjects and facilitating questions that examine and lead to independent decisions a teacher provides a safe environment for open discussion. Always challenge what you see, hear and feel. Ask yourself: Are your opinions and beliefs your own? Through reflection and constant evaluation you will demonstrate independence and gain confidence.

Sensazione:How do you experience life? Are you able to engage your senses fully? Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell constitute the keys to opening the doors of experiencing life! In photography, textile art, painting, music and even the culinary arts it is often assumed that the artist has captured the landscape, a harvest of fruit and vegetables in cooking, the light and sounds and so on. Let us not forget: Emotion is a vital ingredient of creativity! Without emotion your work has no “soul quality”. This emotional response is only possible when all senses are engaged to their fullest.

Sfumato: This literally translates into “Going up in smoke”and reminds us how important it is to keep our minds open in the face of uncertainty. It is the most powerful key in unleashing your creative potential!

Arte/Scienza: Throughout his life Leonardo was seeking to balance his thinking between science and art, logic and imagination. Essentially he advocated whole brain thinking. This brings to mind the topic of left brain vs. right brain thinking - I am sure you are familiar with this theory first explored by Nobel prize winner Robert Sperry. As artists we are often described as right brain dominant whereas a computer programmer or mathematics professor is pigeonholed into the compartment of left brain thinker. Today’s school systems pay lip service to the idea of balancing left and right brain activities, they fall short of reaching this goal in most instances. As a whole brain thinker a person considers all aspects of the subject at hand. Mind mapping (a method to generate and organize ideas) was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s habit of note taking. It can be used for personal goal setting, trip planning, problem solving, and any pursuit that comes to mind. Employing mind mapping will lead to becoming a more balanced thinker. Interested? Check out this website for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

Corporalita: This point is much on our minds in today’s society. Corporalita refers to the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness and poise. Leonardo was much concerned with physical beauty and as a strict vegetarian spent time analyzing what to eat to ensure good health and longevity. He was 67 when he passed away on May 2nd, 1519 - a ripe age for Renaissance conditions.

Connessione: The recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena brings us to the seventh principle. I am continually fascinated by the spiral line. Imagine picking up a small stone and tossing it into a puddle or still lake. Observe the ever-expanding circles, the ripples they create and how these spread outward: This is a great metaphor for connessione. Leonardo is referred to as a systems thinker. This quote was taken from one of his notebooks “The earth is moved from its position by the weight of a tiny bird resting upon it.” This makes a great topic to meditate upon!

How did I move from “sewing straight in a blissful Zen space” to “Thinking like Leonardo da Vinci”? Giving in to repetition provided me with the energy I need to recover from expanding too much of it during learning and sharing. This quiet time of reflection while the needle formed one stitch at a time across pieced strips that eventually formed a quilt top helped me to reflect and gain more insight into Leonardo’s seven principles:

1.  I became curious about the way the strips interrelated in texture and colour and how they were held together with the simple straight stitch. 

2.  Through constant observation, I learned that I can manipulate the placement and colour changes to create a more interesting and pleasing composition.

3.  I gave in to the natural surroundings and made a point of exploring reflections in the water, plant and insect life along the shore and the most amazing colour play in the sky.

4.  I let go of preconceived ideas and outside (self-imposed) pressures to embrace the experience. I enjoyed living in the moment!

5.  I took some time to put on paper what my priorities were going to be over the next month. This helped me in gaining perspective and allowing me to create a block of time to relax and enjoy the company, the location and the people around me.

6.  The principle of corporalita fell a bit short... When you put together 10 quilters, boundless ideas for food plans and a focus on sitting and sewing - exercise fell a bit short during the four days. The meals were gourmet and kept us all sustained for long nights of sewing! My exercise plan was implemented immediately after I returned home.

7.  The realization that everything in my life is interconnected with everyone else was ever present during my time away from the studio. Despite the fact that I did not create tangible art, I feel I have gained new knowledge and understanding, not to mention an intensified friendship with like minded people.

Thank you for letting me share!

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Reference: Michael J. Gelb, How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci - Seven Steps to Genius Every Day; Delacorte Press, 1998.

When Can I Call Myself an Artist?

My husband claims that I seldom answer a question directly. Typically my responses leave him more confused than before he asked! Likewise, I once had a boss who told me I had an annoying ability to see issues from all sides. Can I help it if I see the world in shades of grey (or shades of green if you have seen my hosta quilts!)? So you will need to keep all of this in mind when you read what I have to say. On top of that, this is a question that will never be answered to everyone’s satisfaction, and certainly not by me! I merely offer my own thoughts and opinions here. I’d love to hear from you!

I have been asked this question by students on a few occasions, and after the most recent occasion I felt inspired to write on the subject. I realize I may be opening a can of worms. Please note that no one is saying that all quilts must be fine art to be valid, nor are we saying that there is anything wrong with craft. What I hope is that this post will spark an interesting discussion.

My short answer to the question “When can I call myself an artist?” is that it is entirely up to you to decide if you are an artist. You get to call yourself artist or not. However, you have to be strong enough to wear this title with confidence, and therein lies the problem.

There appears to be a lot of baggage associated with the word “artist”. Sometimes people think you are telling them that you are “special” or “good” when you use the label. To call someone an artist is often done to laud their talent and can be the highest compliment. The artist herself can often feel that the label is just too arrogant for her to use. My husband, being a modest kind of guy, has sometimes been embarrassed when I tell people, upon meeting, that I am an artist. He thinks only other people can decide if you are an artist and worries that I might seem self aggrandizing.

But consider what happens when I use the word “quilter” to describe my occupation. Invariably the person I’m chatting with responds with stories about their grandmother’s patchwork. Most people have a very limited understanding of what a quilt is, usually related to a cover placed on a bed. I use the word “artist” because I think it more accurately describes how I think and what I do these days. For a long time I called myself a Contemporary Quilter, but at that stage I would say I was still a lot more influenced by the work of others.

The decision to use the label artist came in 2006 and I did not personally have the constitution that could do this without outside recognition (I wish I did!). That was the year that the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery used a photograph of one of my works on the cover of their Summer brochure. This was not just a brochure about the Grand National Quilt Show that used to be held there every year, but was the cover for all of their summer programming. There has been further reinforcement over the years. For example, while I was hanging my solo show in one of the City of Ottawa Galleries two years ago, two young men walked by and I heard one say to the other “look at the artwork”. I think this is often the reaction of people who have not been fortunate enough to know about the art quilt world. A friend of mine sent her art quilt to an art quilt show at an art museum, and when she told another friend her quilt was in a show the friend responded, “that isn’t a quilt, that is art”.

I am not optimistic that we will ever come to an agreement on the definition of an artist. To answer that question, we have to first ask ourselves “What is art”? I belong to a couple of on-line groups where we all fear that the debate about what is art will raise its ugly head yet again. The word “art” is sometimes used so loosely now that it means almost nothing. On one side are those who see every creative endeavour as art. On the other side are those with such stringent criteria that almost nothing is art.

For me a quilt artist is someone who creates art, but simply uses the quilt as the medium for their art. The Free Online Dictionary defines an artist as:
One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.
Many quilt artists, including me, would like to see quilts listed alongside paintings, sculpture, literature and music. This is what Studio Art Quilt Associates is all about … pushing the quilt forward as a fine art medium.
SAQA defines an art quilt as “a contemporary artwork exploring and expressing aesthetic concerns common to the whole range of visual arts: painting, printmaking, photography, graphic design, assemblage and sculpture, which retains, through materials or technique, a clear relationship to the folk art quilt from which it descends.”

For me self-expression is an important component of any definition of an artist. Wikipedia defines the word artist as follows:
Artist is a descriptive term applied to a person who engages in an activity deemed to be an art. An artist also may be defined unofficially as "a person who expresses him- or herself through a medium".
This notion of art as self-expression is definitely a modern notion. At one time in history an artist usually only created what he was commissioned to do by a patron, aristocrat, royalty or the church! There was little freedom of expression.

During my workshops I often ask students to introduce themselves and tell me and the class a little about themselves. I have noticed a tendency for quilters to place themselves in either the traditional quilt camp or the art quilt camp. I think there is a widespread misconception that anything that isn’t a traditional quilt is an art quilt. I don’t see it that way. I think that a contemporary quilt is a closer relative to the traditional quilt than an art quilt is. A contemporary quilt can still be made from a pattern or can be a copy of another quilt. A copy of an art quilt is not an art quilt in my books. Art is something that is your own vision. Naturally I then also have reservations about labelling quilted work that is copied from art in other media as “art”. Others may differ with this opinion. Photographer Harold Feinstein gave me permission a few years ago to use a photograph of his as inspiration for a quilt. The problem, as I see it, is that my interpretation would be too literal. I haven’t been able to bring myself to use the photo as I feel it is not my vision. Harold set up the composition and captured the light. I would be copying his art.

There are some who only see artists as those with formal art degrees. They are entitled to their views. One thing I will say is that if you are going to call yourself an artist it would be wise to study up on the Elements and Principles of Design and look at art in other media to train your eye. This is one of the areas I have had to work at and one of the weaknesses in some of my works. I recall hearing an IQA quilt show judge say that the art quilt category showed some of the poorest design of all the categories exhibited in Houston. Traditional quilt designs have stood the test of time and likely continue to be popular because they show strong design elements, but don’t always fall under the definition of art because they aren’t an original design.

It is your decision to call yourself an artist, but you must be strong enough to weather criticism of your work. The only way to escape criticism in life though is to do nothing (definitely not an option). I have been criticized for not putting stems on my poppies, for using photographs as inspiration, for creating realistic work, for using too much colour, for using green too much, for making too many hosta quilts. None of these bother me too much anymore. Learn to please yourself and stop worrying what others think.

Worrying about whether you are an artist or not takes a lot of energy. This energy would be better spent in the studio being creative (making art?) Go to your studio and dig deep and create something from your own vision.

I really love this definition of an artist by Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures”.
I think quilt artists do the same, but they do it with fabric and stitch. A bit vague maybe, but to me this definition says it all! No one can give you a foolproof definition of art or artist. There is something of yourself you put in your art that distinguishes it from someone else’s art. It is your style, and you cannot help but have a style, unless you are copying someone else’s work. I’ll leave it at that.