Ellen Lindner: Art & Creativity

Have you been to my website lately?  If not, I think you’ll find many things of interest there.  One of the most popular pages is a photo essay in which I explain my process.

I use this piece, Ti Plants A-Glow-Glow as my example:

It started with this photo,
and I show my process from inspiration to completion:

You’ll find the full article here.

I also teach a class in which students learn this process.  It’s called Design Your Own Nature Quilt.  Use these links for more information:  online class, live class, teaching schedule.

There’s tons more to see on my website.  I hope you’ll check it out.

I was very excited to learn that THREE of my quilts will be included in 500 Art Quilts, due in the spring.  Published by Lark Books, it is described as “an inspiring collection of contemporary work.”

My three pieces to be included are:

Reconciliation

Ti Plants-A-Glow-Glow (Click for larger view)

Out of the Blue

See more details on these three quilts at the following links:
Reconciliation,  Ti Plants A-Glow-Glow,  Out of the Blue
All three are available for purchase.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this new book!
Ellen Lindner

I went to my studio with the intention of putting things away.  Honest.  

But, then I noticed the strange collection of things on my table and I just had to do some experimenting.  Here’s what I saw:

Some little plastic boxes that I’ve been saving because I thought they were cool:

Strips of torn fabric from a previous project:

And the glue I’d been using in my Sticky Fingers class:
I decided to use one box lid and see if I could get fabric to stick to its slick surface.  

Yes!  It worked!

I’m kinda in love with this little treasure box.  I think it will become a gift box for someone at some future point.

Now for the second one.  (I’ve got different ideas for it, though.)

What strange assortment of objects do you have lying around your studio?

Ellen Lindner 
P.S. These little boxes held my mini-moo cards, (half-size business cards.)

Ripening

I was delighted when Pepper Cory awarded my quilt, Ripening, her Judge’s Choice at the recent World Quilt Show – Florida.  Her comment was “I’d love to take this quilt home with me.”  What an honor!

See all the winners here.

Ellen Lindner

Lately, I’ve been away from my studio much more than I’d like.  Today, I finally had some time to get back in there.  But, as is often the case when I’m away for too long, I found that my creative muscles were a little out of shape.  I decided to sort, fold, and put away fabrics and wait for inspiration. 

It didn’t take long, as I sorted through fabrics sent to me by my friend, Elaine.  They were luscious, including silks, synthetics, and antique kimono fabrics!  (Bottom right in this photo:)

That was it.  I quickly forgot about putting away fabric and started a small collage with these interesting materials.  I added one upholstery fabric as the background, but otherwise used only these gift fabrics.  This is the result:  Asian Influence.

Asian Influence

Gee, that was great fun.  It gave me a wonderful surge of creative adrenalin, and I’m ready for another! 

Soon, Elaine will receive this little piece in the mail.   I’m not sure of the best orientation, but I’ll let her decide.

Ellen Lindner

I went on a fun outing today along with several friends.  First, we went to the Brevard Museum of Art, in Melbourne, FL where there are several interesting exhibits.  The first was called Tools in Motion.  As the name implies, it features work made from or about everyday tools.  Many of these pieces were very creative and intriguing.  A smaller exhibit called Get Hammered featured hammers turned into art, all done by local artists.  They ranged from embellished and painted hammers to photographs of hammers, and ones that were integrated into mixed media or sculptural compositions.

There was a fund raising event at the museum, last night, called Razzle Dazzle.  One of the main components was an array of extravagant table settings, which were still on display during our visit, today.  Each table had a theme and most were very festive and over the top.  One of my favorites, though, was a more subdued one featuring vintage postcards hung on a tree branch, old hats, and antique writing paraphernalia.

After visiting the museum, we strolled across the street to Eau Gallie Florist,which is ALWAYS worth a stop.  The shop is FILLED with major eye candy!  They do a beautiful job of arranging items in color coordinated and eye catching ways.  The owner, Link Johnsten was kind enough to let me take a few photos.

Opulent ornaments were arranged in bowls.

While huge whimsical ones hung from the ceiling.

A stroll through the garden was equally delightful.   Shiny cobalt blue pots contrasted with “old” weathered vessels, splashing water, and a HUGE pathos plant.

Nearby, we saw a stack of wreaths made with fresh greenery.  They were
sprinkled with dropped petals from the tropical bougainvillea overhead. 
A Florida Christmas sight.

A delightful day!

Ellen Lindner

Finally, around the millennium, my quilts were consistently falling into my definition of art.  That is, they were my own unique ideas.

Autumn Breeze was one such example.  (Click any image for a larger view.)

Autumn Breeze

It was the first quilt I collaged with raw edges.  I was somewhat apologetic about that, but I thought I could “get away” with messy edges, since they were consistent with the subject matter.  (These days, I use this technique for all of my work, with absolutely no apologies!)

Autumn Breeze, detail

 Hopes and Daydreams was completed in 2001 and it remains one of my favorites.  It has won quite a few awards.

Hopes and Daydreams

The design for this quilt started as a doodle.  I used a technique similar to machine applique to assemble it.  (All stitching is done from the top, with a tiny zigzag stitch and invisible thread.)

Hopes and Daydreams, mid view

Hopes and Daydreams, close detail

As the new millennium unfolded, I was reading and learning a lot about art, and applying what I learned to my work.  My adventure was well underway, and I was really enjoying it.

Ellen Lindner
P.S. Although not on my website, many of these early pieces are still available for purchase.   Contact me if you want more information.

Solar Tide

I had an elderly relative who suffered from dementia.  When his condition took a rapid downturn, it showed up in the next quilt,  REcall Unraveled.

WARNING:  Tear jerker alert.  If this topic hits a little too close to home, you may want to stop reading now.

With REcall Unraveled, I used a traditional log cabin block to tell the story.  The colors and tilt of the blocks change across the quilt to indicated increased confusion.  This is also mimicked by a change in the quilting pattern.

REcall Unraveled

The lower portion of the quilt is pieced with wrong sides together, and then washed.  This caused the fabrics to unravel, just like the memory of my relative.

REcall Unraveled, detail

On the back, I included statements made by my relative, showing his progression deeper into this illness.

REcall Unraveled, back detail

WARNING:  Here comes the sad part.  The statements read:

My name is Joe.
 I was born in 19 and 12.
 My wife’s name is Oma.
 She passed away.
 Where is my car?
 I’m 66 years old.  (He was 88 at the time.)
 We used to live in Springfield.
 Have you seen my keys?
 Oma passed away, didn’t she?
 I love music.
 How old am I?
 Did Oma pass away?
 Did Oma pass away?
 I can’t find my wallet.
 Where’s Oma? 

(As a follow up, Joe started a new medication and only remained in this very confused state for about six months.  Later, he was quite cognizant and had a long and happy life.)

What stories have your quilts told?  (Please warn me if they’re sad.  Sorry, but I may not read them.)

Ellen Lindner
P.S. Although not on my website, many of these early pieces are still available for purchase.   Contact me if you want more information.

In the mid 90s I became very intrigued by Paula Nadelstern’s kaleidoscope technique.  Thanks to her book, I was able to give it a try.  Here’s a sampling.  (Click any image for a larger view.)

It was great fun to plow through my various fabrics in order to find ones that I could successfully merge.

Perhaps this next quilt was my first “art” one.  Although the concept was Paula’s, it was my idea to use solid fabrics and my own hand dyed and hand painted fabrics.  And, of course, the design was my own. Does that qualify as art?  I’m not sure.

Cut Glass

My 12 year old niece and I painted the fabrics for this quilt.  It has won several prestigious awards.

Kaleidoscope quilts are a lot of fun to make, but they’re also very time consuming.  After making six, I can confidently tell you that I’ve gotten them out of my system!

Ellen Lindner
P.S. Although not on my website, many of these early pieces are still available for purchase.   Contact me if you want more information.

In the 90s I began to experiment with a variety of quilting techniques.  I tried both paper piecing and machine quilting.  (I found the latter to initially be very humbling!)  I also experimented with photo transfers in this quilt featuring photos of my young son:

The Apple of My Eye

(How do you like the grapes costume?)

I also made several watercolor quilts.  This was the first:

Watercolor Experiment

Watercolor Experiment, detail

I had great fun collecting fabrics for watercolor quilts.  This quilt was made as an experiment after purchasing the first 30 or so.  I wanted to see if I was on the right track, so I cut a strip from each and wove them together.  The result was so interesting that I  had to use it in a quilt.  (Raw edges and all!  Very shocking!)

Have you tried either of these techniques?

Ellen Lindner