My spring was filled with many special events —a family trip to Iceland to celebrate my 60th birthday, a baby shower for my lovely daughter-in-law in Ohio, my oldest son’s amazing wedding in New York, my brother-in-law’s special wedding in New Hampshire, and celebrating my father-in-law’s 80th birthday in Oklahoma and Texas. (This isn’t even a comprehensive list!) I used to say, “I really don’t travel this much,” but after three years of significant travel it is beginning to dawn on me that perhaps I have reached a new phase of life.
These events feed both my soul and my work. My work is about celebrating beauty, including the beauty of human relationships. Traveling to celebrate milestone events with those that I love is one of the most important things I can do. I don’t just want to create amazing artwork, I want to create a beautiful life filled with rich and meaningful relationships.
Understanding this — that many more important trips are in my future—helps me adjust to this new reality in my life. I need to recalibrate how to maximize my creative time when I am home. Honestly, being busier may actually increase my productivity.
We all get the same 24 hours a day. Having to be more purposeful and focused with the time that I do have at home, is not a bad thing. For example, when my daughter wanted to make a baby quilt together I said yes! This is not how I had originally planned to use my time this spring; however, thinking of the all the fabrics in my closet I had bought to make quilts for my own children when they were young, that I never used, I changed my plans. So March was spent working with Winona designing, piecing and quilting a baby quilt. I think it was the fastest I have ever made a baby quilt from start to finish. Of course working with my daughter helped significantly and was fun!
Emily with baby Henry’s baby quilt.
©2024 Pamela Loewen
On these trips I am always enjoying my new surroundings. I take lots of photos, gather ideas and add to my image bank. I especially love soaking in the colors in nature. Below are some of my favorite color inspiration photos of the past four months.
Grindavik, Iceland February 25, 2024
© 2024 Pamela Loewe
The soft colors of February in Iceland were a quiet kind of beauty. I also love seeing plant life in the volcanic fields. Beauty can be found in even the most harsh environments. This area had a major eruption only a few weeks after we left.
Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge Oklahoma June 8, 2024
© 2024 Pamela Loewen.
I love this shock of yellow-lime green color in the rock! It wasn’t a type of plant, it was the rock itself. Lime green is one of my favorite hues in my work. Every time I dye fabric I always dye more lime green!
Variscite & Crandallite, Aluminum Phosphate West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas June 10, 2024.
©2024 Pamela Loewen.
When seven inches of rain caused rock slides closing the Palo Duro Canyon State Park, my father-in-law wanted to visit the West Texas A&M University museum. I especially enjoyed their rock collection. I also found several galleries filled with paintings. Love the soft palette found in the rock above — turquoise, tan, purple and soft orange.
Smithsonite, Zinc Carbonate West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas June 10, 2024.
©2024 Pamela Loewen.
I love this shade of blue! Turquoise blue dye is one of my favorites to use in my dye studio. I also use it to make my favorite shades of lime green.
Sphalerite, iridescent, zinc iron sulfide West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas June 10, 2024.
©2024 Pamela Loewen.
Who doesn’t love sparkles and the combination of blues, greens, purples, yellows, oranges and browns!
Amethyst in Alibates, Silicon Dioxide West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas June 10, 2024.
©2024 Pamela Loewen.
More sparkles! Love the orange paired with the purple. And this rock reminds me of the view of the Palo Duro Canyon as we descended from the rim as seen below.
Palo Duro Canyon, Texas June 10, 2024.
©2024 Pamela Loewen
"Powder River" by Frank Reaugh West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas
Oil on Canvas
Frank Reaugh considered Powder River the most important pure landscape he had ever created. It was also the largest. He also commented that the rich colors of the hills in this painting show the abundance of mineral wealth. This painting has a beautiful glistening surface, and a soft palette of turquoise, tans, oranges and lime greens.
As an artist, the things I am drawn to usually show up in my own work. Below is my latest composition free-hand cut, fully laid out, pinned to my new studio design wall. You see turquoise, lime greens, browns, yellows and oranges — some of my favorite colors. It is ready and waiting for me to start sewing when I get home. This is the first large composition I have created since the passing of my father. Feels great to be working again. Excited to keep exploring my new tree series, between trips of course.
Tree #9 in process pinned on the design wall June 25, 2024.
Approximately 48” w by 78” h
©2024 Pamela Loewen