Sometimes you meet people that you just KNOW you are going to like. They exude a creative spirit that draws you in. Lynn Krawczyk is one of those people. She is a fellow fiber artist and surface design enthusiast and (my favorite thing about her) a generous teacher. She writes about being an artist and shares her techniques freely. She’s smart and kind and fun – a perfect combination in a teacher don’t you think?

I’d love you to meet her.

Lyric: How did you come to be an artist?
Lynn: I always say it was fate. I was recovering from back surgery, bored out of my wits and saw a show on TV about quilts. I had never picked up fabric or thread, knew nothing about it but it was like a thunderbolt struck me, I was instantly in love. I got books, read as much as I could and started making crazy quilts. That was about the time Quilting Arts started and I eventually found art quilting and now my true art soulmate: surface design. Bliss. 🙂

Lyric: Why do you work with the media you have chosen?
Lynn: I think there is such a familiarity with fabric that it feels like a natural extension. I also like creating textile collages/art quilts because of the stitching. I stitch mostly by hand (I’ve just begun to add some very limited machine stitching) and I love that it takes me so long to complete a piece. I feel more connected to it. 

Lyric: What are your goals for the next year?
Lynn: I’ve got a lot of big projects on the books for 2013. I want to teach more and I’ve started doing that with an online class about writing. I’m also working on some online teaching since in person teaching isn’t something I can do a lot of. I’m rebranding my business to Smudged Textiles Studio and am having a new website designed. And lots of article writing! Always writing! 🙂

So – I’d like to recommend Lynn’s upcoming on-line course
THE WRITTEN SCKETCHBOOK
for any of you who also love to write and want to incorporate writing into the process of creating of your visual art. You know I am big on learning to draw but there are other ways of keeping a sketchbook as well and Lynn will help you learn them.

Here is Lynn’s description of the class:

Once a month over the course of six months you’ll receive a link to download a PDF with a writing prompt. (Class begins on January 19, 2013. On January 5, 2013 you will receive an invitation to join a Yahoo group to discuss your writing with Lynn and other students, this is optional.)

Here’s what you’ll receive in each prompt:

* A different form of writing will be featured, such as haiku and photo essays.

* An exercise that explores that form of writing. Lynn will do the exercise as an example and then ask you to do the same.

* Three additional prompts to serve as jumping off points for additional writing over the course of the month.

* A Featured Artist that has made writing an integrated part of her art process. She will share her own personal writings as well as show artwork that relates to it. Featured Artists includeVirginia Spiegel, Karen Anne Glick, Lynn Krawczyk, Lesley Riley and Sue Bleiweiss.

You can enroll through the class by purchasing a spot through my Etsy shop. I set up listings there to make it easy, especially since Etsy takes credit cards now.

The class is only $28.

And if you’d like to purchase it as a gift for someone, just let Lynn know in the notes section when you check out through Etsy.