I think of artistic serendipity as those moments when the universe seems to nudge your art practice along. I had a wonderful creative collision the other day and I wanted to share it with you!
An Improv Quilt
On Friday night, I got an idea — one of those ideas that’s like a gnat that won’t stop buzzing in your ear. Buzz buzz buzz! I just *had* to drop everything and chase that idea! I started cutting up fabric and piecing it back together in strips and blocks of all kinds.
Saturday morning I got out of bed and asked myself, “Should I do the work that I ought to do or should I continue last night’s experiments?” Well, as you can guess, that was a short conversation with myself. Of course, I wanted to continue cutting and sewing and chasing that darn idea.
I was so pleased with my progress that I snapped a photo of the bits and bobs up on my design wall in my studio before I left the house.
Helga Roht Poznanski at the ICA
And then I walked into the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) and stumbled into a room of paintings by Helga Roht Poznanski that made me do a double take.
(These watercolor pieces were behind glass, so there are some weird reflections in these photos.)
Magical artistic serendipity, right? These watercolor paintings are so much of what was buzzing around in my brain. I feel like I was meant to see this exhibit on this day! I literally could not stop smiling as I walked through this particular gallery.
Artistic Serendipity and an Engaged Creative Practice
The artwork wasn’t made for me, of course. The artist who created it had her own concerns, influences, questions, and intentions (you can watch a studio visit with her HERE). Yet standing in front of the work, I felt as though I had stumbled upon a conversation that had been waiting for me. Not because the artwork had changed, but because I had. I arrived carrying my own set of questions, and suddenly I saw answers—or at least possibilities—I might have missed at another time.
I think that’s one of the gifts of being deeply engaged in a creative practice. When you’re actively making, your mind is constantly turning things over, looking for connections, noticing patterns, and searching for solutions. The world begins to reveal things that were always there but had previously gone unnoticed. An artwork that might have seemed merely interesting a year ago suddenly feels essential. A color relationship, a compositional choice, a use of materials, or even an underlying idea leaps out and demands your attention.
In that sense, artistic serendipity isn’t really about luck. It’s about readiness. The museum didn’t arrange for me to see exactly the artwork I needed at exactly the right moment. Rather, because I was immersed in my own work, I was prepared to recognize its relevance when I encountered it. The connection existed because two creative paths—mine and another artist’s—briefly crossed. And in that intersection, I found new energy, new questions, and a renewed sense of possibility for my own work.
Have you ever had a moment of magical artistic serendipity? Please share!
Thanks for stopping by!
PS: See the finished quilt top HERE.
Incredible. I can’t decide whether to drive to the ICA or start an improv quilt. I think I’ll do both. Because I’m RETIRED!
Julie, I have been enjoying your posts SO MUCH for so long!! I am embarrassed to say I just today figured out how to comment. I cannot thank you enough for showing us your visits to museums — so many wonderful art pieces that I would never get to see otherwise. And keeping up with your house re-do has been a lot of fun and very interesting. And omgoodness, your artwork. It is a joy to see what you are doing and the variety of arts and crafts that you take up and that which you teach. Your blog is such a joy to me. I was really amazed at the serendipity of your artwork and art viewing experience today. How wonderful. Life is full of delightful surprises and your sharing them makes my life richer. I really like what you are doing and the art you displayed from ICA. I have progressed from loving only photo realistic art to being entranced with modern art (perhaps because I can’t do realistic art LOL). Again, THANK YOU so much for sharing so much beauty and information. And wishes all good wishes with the new life you are carrying.
Art and magic – hand in hand. I love this and your piece too! Thanks for sharing as always!
Very cool! I love serendipitous experiences! Good thing you went with your instincts to experiment! Thanks for sharing. I enjoy seeing museums through your eyes.
Very graphic in design. Solid rich colors. As a scientist I am always curious what draws us to this somewhat chaotic bold pattern. Perhaps the desire to always see something new everytime we look? A desire to relieve boredom? A chance to place energy on our wall? Maybe to add surprise to our predictable lives. Or because it is so fun to make? So interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Sensational serendipity