Jumpstart Your Creativity: DVD by Barbara Olson

Barbara Olson wrote one of Dragon Threads’ most successful books, Journey of an Art Quilter. While Barbara offered techniques in the book, I think what really captured readers—including me—was her account of becoming and an artist. Barbara is a powerhouse talent, but what was special about the book beyond her innovating quilting techniques was how she harnessed her creativity and translated it into art. Her story is inspirational and motivating.

Well, her new DVD, Jumpstart Your Creativity, is a chance to spend a little time with Barbara in your living room! The DVD walks you through the steps to create your own art quilt in the shape of a large flower. Barbara includes detailed lessons, starting with a flower outline pattern that you can print from the DVD. She then shows you how to select fabrics that work together and then how to machine applique each petal. She also includes a lesson on auditioning background fabric, and how to finish the top with her colorful, random free motion patterns. It’s a unique look and adds so much to the background. In the end you’ll have a large,very graphic floral quilt which will impress everyone.

Special to this DVD is a trunk show at the end. I really like it! She also includes outtakes which are very funny. The run time is 1 hour and 20 minutes and nearly every one of them is full of valuable designing information.

GIVEAWAY!

There are two prizes this week. Leave a comment (with an email address). First prize is the DVD. Second prize is a large Barb Olson flower pattern. I’m including a copy of her book, Journey of an Art Quilter, with both prizes. If you don’t win, get over to Barb’s site to buy the DVD, book, and patterns. Deadline for this contact is PM, next Wednesday April 13th.

While you're there, bookmark her site. There’s always something new to study and enjoy. She keeps a "Quilts in Progress" page that is just fascinating.

Famous Quilting Friends

In the newest issue of the magazine International Quilt Festival Quilt Scene I picked up this week, I found two friends were featured. 

Barbara Olson wrote a very informative article called, "The Threads Creates the Design". She demonstrates her use of threadwork with many illustrations. We published her best-selling wonderful book a few years ago, Journey of an Art Quilter: Creative Strategies and Techniques. It's still selling! Barbara has a busy teaching schedule around the world.  Take a look at this article. It will help you with your art quilts. 

Also featured is my friend and up-and-coming art quilter, Beth Schillig.  You've read about her in previous blog posts. She has been sewing garments all her life, but in the last few years has found her passion for art quilting and has won many ribbons.  Her amazing quilt, Jeepers It's Jane, is shown right next to the likes of Ricky Tims and other famous award-winning quilters. She is thrilled to be in this national magazine!

Next week I leave for Quilt Market in Houston and will find more interesting trends and ideas to blog about in the next few weeks.  Keep watching!

A peek into Barbara Olson’s Studio

Barbara is author of Journey of an Art Quilter, published by Dragon Threads in 2004. The book was one of our best sellers, for good reason: It was and is a terrific book by a fantastic artist.

Barbara lives in Billings, MT, where she creates her amazing art quilts. I had a chance to catch up with her recently, and see what’s happening in her studio.

Barbara, laughing, told me that her husband has been travelling recently, which is always beneficial for her work: less cooking, more free time to quilt!

She sent me these 3 photos of tops she finished. These are from her new technique called “Quilting with Leonardo da Vinci, if da Vinci Quilted!” (Who’s to say he didn’t?)

Aren't these quilts fabulous? Her use of color is always full of punch. These, of course, are just the tops. When she adds threads and quilting, it will make them even (more)irresistible! Barbara is, among other things, a master of using thread for impact. I'm so envious of the free-motion she can do with a domestic machine.

Barb is also writing an article for Quilting Arts magazine called “Painterly Images” which shows how she uses fabrics like brush strokes to create representational images. Watch the magazine for it, or stay tuned to this blog for notice when it is published this fall.

You can see more of Barb's work at www.barbaraolsonquiltart.com. Believe me, you want to see more of Barb’s work. She’s amazing.

Mid-week Potpourri

I’m taking a quilting class today, which is like a vacation. I’m away from the computer, the phone, the vacuum cleaner…I’ll learn something new and hang out with creative friends. No airport, cancelled flights, or checked bags. Perfect for a steamy June weekday!

In the meantime, one of my authors, the fabulous Barbara Olson (click here for her website), sent me a link to this blog:

We of Artistic Vision

I’ll say artistic! Fantastic. I’d love to get to know these talented women. The quilt they did in blocks for the Becker Lake Photo Challenge is exactly the kind of project I wrote about in in my book last year, Quilting Party. Since that book was published, I’ve heard from so many readers about their “Quilting Party” projects. One of my photographers, Vicki Rentel, just told me about a project at work a coworker put together for another coworker whose husband recently died. It’s been the talk of the office, and has really been a “hands on” way of supporting a dear friend. Lovely. (photo via We of Artistic Vision)

Last but not least, over the weekend I was digging through one of the innumerable clear plastic boxes in my studio, looking for some ideas. It’s therapeutic for me to dig through my stash, especially my stash of Asian printed fabrics. What do you know? I chanced upon a blouse I made years ago. It was done, but for the buttons and the label. I threw on the buttons and added my brand new labels, made by Heritage Woven. Now, who doesn’t love to finish a project, especially one that takes all of 10 minutes and means something brand new to wear?