Finding Our Authentic Voice

One of the big discussions at Synergy (Are you tired of hearing about that show yet!? Sorry … it was just such a treasure box full of ideas and I want you all to benefit from it too) was about finding our voice as artists. I was not the only one that came away with this concept eating away at me. Linda Garbe jumped right on it with a new video discussing texture and materials in the context of finding personal creative expression. Her Box of Color, as seen below, showed up in the video and I just had to get a closer view. Linda kindly sent photos so we could all get a good look at the details. Talk about an authentic voice!

Linda Garbe’s Box of Color, top view

… and a view of the bamboo and fungi sides.

Linda says she created the box as a result of doing the exercises in Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio’s book Polymer Clay Color Inspirations.

“While it took great discipline to do each and every exercise in order, it was well worth it. I learned a lot about color. The last exercise is to cover a box using what you have learned about color. I visited the Chicago Botanical Gardens during the time I was doing the color exercises. They have a Heritage Garden which show how early gardens featured one type of plant in each area. They did not mix plants together in the same flower bed as we do today. This garden became the inspiration for design of the box. Each side features one type of plant: bamboo, fungi, Queen Ann’s Lace, and ferns. The top is a fantasy garden created in my mind.”

This box and more of Linda’s explanation about its creation come in at about 3:10 on Linda’s video. The video starts out with thoughts on cultivating our own unique approach to creativity but the majority of it actually focuses on texturing and using everyday objects as tools. A lot of good ideas here so if you have a few minutes, sit back and soak up a little inspiration this weekend.