My Olive Green Tree of Life

Creating art is a journey filled with inspiration, challenges, and growth. The process often takes time, sometimes even years, for an idea to evolve into a beautiful final product. For me, this was certainly true with my Olive Green Tree of Life project. I began this adventure two years ago, and it is only now coming to fruition.

In the beginning, I had a clear vision for an art quilt pattern that embodied growth, life, and the interconnectedness of nature. The "Tree of Life" has always resonated with me, symbolizing strength, roots, and nature’s beauty and bounty. However, as I soon discovered, transforming this idea into reality required more than just fabric and design; circumstances and life take over and projects are put on hold.

The Quest for the Perfect Fabrics

Finding the right fabric colors was one of my first real challenges. I imagined a vibrant olive green tree standing out against a suitable backdrop, and as you all know I don't purchase fabrics - and will not until my stash runs dry. So I went to my fabric boxes and found some olive greens. I knew that I had more but couldn't remember where I had placed the boxes. A matter of the effects of old age combined with having too many supplies and a certain lack of organization.

It was important for me to include all the colors from my vision as each shade expressed something different. Different shades evoke different emotions. Olive green, for instance, signifies harmony and balance. The browns of the bark and the earth signified stability and depth, I needed to find the many different shades!

I put the project aside as I didn't have all the colors that I had envisioned.

Refining My Vision for My Olive Green Tree of Life

As the months passed, I kept turning it over in my mind, imagining how I would begin the creation and what the end result would be. Another version of my technique? Or something different this time - a pattern.. My ideas morphed and transformed, and with each though, I considered how it would impact the overall composition of the quilt.

My pattern began to emerge gradually. I experimented with layouts and designs, using different colors, knowing that, if it was meant to be, I would eventually find the colors that I had envisioned. I sketched ideas and pinned them on the wall in my studio. A constant reminder of the waiting project.

One essential lesson that I am constantly learning, is that creativity often needs time to simmer. Instead of forcing my design, I allowed it to develop at its own pace. I had no choice, I coouldn't find those boxes of fabrics. It was as though they were being hidden from me so that I was being forced to work out the pattern in my head.

Challenges and Techniques

I explored various techniques, including the wave landscape patchwork technique. This approach added complexity and dynamism to my "Tree of Life" quilt. By weaving together different patterns, I incorporated depth and texture. This time the technique challenged me, and then a eureka!

The studio moved again and while packing I found the missing boxes! I opened the boxes and looked at the fabrics and the pattern just clicked together perfectly in my head!

The Excitement of Creation

As I approached the two-year mark, I could finally see my Olive Green Tree of Life taking shape. I could finally gather all my chosen fabrics, and begin to create.

Now that the colors are selected, and the pattern is clear in my mind, I am eager to dive into creating the project. I need to see it, and I know I will be spending hours at my sewing machine, sewing this vision into reality. My Olive Green Tree of Life is ready to blossom, and I can hardly wait to see its final form.

Creating my Olive Green Tree of Life has taught me about the power of waiting, things develop in the artistic process. Often, the most beautiful creations take time to emerge. I encourage fellow quilters and artists to enjoy the process, no matter how long it takes. Your ideas will germinate and flourish, leading to art that is uniquely yours.

I look forward to sharing my progress I hope to inspire you in your artistic endeavors.