Collectors All

It's been a busy week and filled with family visits and preparations for a bunch of May birthdays. My brother visited and everyone converged happily for dinner at my place last night. Adding to a collection of 'funny moments while playing cards' was the skunk that obviously was surprised by a local cat. I mention it as part of a collection because while waiting at the local B&N, I ran across a book called How To Be An Explorer of the World Portable Life Museum. What an unexpected delight it is. Artists are by nature collectors. Visual artist friends have homes filled with not only art, but little treasures of all types.
In my house my absolutely favorite collection (and there are many, many) is the Zuni fetishes. All ravens, and all with their own little perches that I have made for them all over the years. Like any good collection the first one sets the tone. My first Zuni raven fetish came as a gift from my boss at the time (Steve). I know he knew how ravens had invaded my life, and this small exquisite perfectly carved bird (from jet) had found it's true home. I on the other hand had no idea just how many different small little ravens there could be out there. This collection stands now at 24.... and I'm sure there will be more added.

In this new book by Keri Smith she shares her belief in the need for us all to play, explore and become collectors of 'things'. They may be a collections of sounds heard while sitting quietly, or things you see on a morning walk. I believe that as we explore and collect we are expressing our curiosity and embracing play.

What do you collect? I'd love to hear about your collections, and what got them started?

Happily Stitching
~Rose

The Big Trees - Sequoia National Park

My trip to Orange Blossom Quilter gave me the opportunity to go for a back roads wandering into Sequoia National Park/ Kings Canyon. For those who don't know this is one of the few places on earth that is able to have the big... big... really big sequoias. I feel pretty lucky to be able to go wander through these special places, but at this time of the year it is even better. Springtime in the foothills and the lower regions of the parks were full of the softly swaying wildflowers. The color this year on the California Redbuds were incredible. The very showy red-violet was seen everywhere... splattering the wild color amongst all the green all the way up the mountains. The river was running high with the springtime runoff, and all was right with the world. There were definitely opportunities for a raven conversation or two, as well.

Pictures never really convey how great it is to be there... but if they can tempt you to do a bit of wandering on your own they are worth sharing. Enjoy!

Happily Wandering!
~Rose

Welcome...

-Confucius, is quoted to have said,
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with your first step.”

Agreeing totally, I have to say that each step that has brought me to where I am today has been filled with experiences beyond any possibility to list. Blogging seems to be the way to document and share many of the new steps to be taken on my journey, and hopefully open up opportunities to find and share new pathways. This more than anything is my reason for joining the blogging world.

Welcome to RavenSpeak Quilts.
Just this one time, step back with me. Way back to 1995.
It was back then, while searching out ways to branch out from traditional quilting, that I discovered ravens. These are wonderful, beautiful, smart (alecky) birds that seem to tell stories to my heart. Back then they became an important step or element to bring story telling visually into my quilts. Ravens let my arty side run free and seemed just enough out of the norm for ‘the quilt police’ to want to deal with. I felt I had total freedom to create with and for my ravens.

Raven spirit continues to nudge me in new directions, and has his role at the beginning of this new path.

1996 – Why Raven Is Black

This was one of my first raven pieces.

2008 – Riding the Thermals

This piece is one of the most recent.

In between these two works I have found creative possibilities everywhere, and I am looking forward to sharing the inspiration and my journey here.

Hope you choose to come along.

I'm off to Arizona now for a visit to the Bernina Connection where I will be teaching. I look forward to the drive and the classes and the new inspirations they bring. ~Rose