I took a break over the summer from sending All About YOU weekend newsletters, but now that it is officially fall, I'm back!
With the current open call deadline fast approaching (this Thursday), I thought I'd share some recent submissions to encourage YOU to enter the open calls... There are some amazing ones, as you will see below.
The new issue is #71, Oct-Nov-December, and it's available in my shop and on its way to subscribers worldwide.
Use the code 'creativepath' for CA$12 off subscriptions and renewals.
Share your creative projects and artwork that have one or all of these traits. → Submission details and form
As you can see below, there are many varied ways to interpret the open call. That's what makes them interesting!
Ghost Quilts by Julia McLeod
This work is inspired by Depression-era quilts, in which worn-out quilts were used as batting beneath new quilt tops. Often the outlines of the original blocks remained visible, shadowing through the surface. Each piece is constructed by layering contemporary compositions over older quilts. Sheer, upcycled fabrics—tulle, chiffon, organza, devoré—allow the original quilt beneath to remain partially visible. The underlying quilts vary in origin and technique. In one case, the sheer quilt top preserves shattered 19th-century silks beneath; in another piece, my own sheer overlay is so fragile that it demanded a kind of mending—an act that further connects the two layers. My additions are not meant to obscure, but to extend the life of these objects, adding another chapter to the story. Instagram / Website
Roy G Biv by Laurie Silver
Glass art has always fascinated me and drawn me in due to its ethereal quality. Five years ago, I began learning to create stained glass art. Colour inspires me, and working with the magical transparency of art glass presents endless possibilities for combining colours. I love both the subtlety and the bold impact of the fused glass pieces. I decided to create a piece for a Cubism-themed gallery show by making a rainbow collection of small, delicate glass boxes. Most of my stained glass work is organic and abstract in nature, and the boxes were a good challenge in cutting and grinding glass precisely in order for the boxes to fit together, including their removable lids. Choosing the glass for each piece is the most fun part. Seeing light and colour play through each box is pure joy. Website
Tracing Paper Books by Kathryn Williams
I find joy in serendipity and working intuitively using a melting pot of mixed media. The appeal of using tracing paper to make books was immediate. The challenge was making the transparencies work to keep the viewer returning to previous pages to enjoy the subtle changes. Each 8-page story explores a theme: Leap (Rabbits), Pride (Lions), Wild, Cluck (Chickens) Spots, Journey, Out of the Fog…they just kept coming until I’d made 16.
Plastic Gold by Sangita Pillai
I have upcycled plastic Coke bottles by carving lace-like patterns using a soldering iron. The shine of carved plastic gives it an almost crystal-like, ethereal, delicate appearance. I have been making art from recyclables for many years, starting with magazine pages, cardboard, bread tags, can tabs, etc. I was inspired to carve plastic bottles when I saw a tutorial online. Instead of simple holes, I cut out flowers and carved out leafy designs. This project won the first prize in the open category of an exhibition held in Singapore called TRASHSURE in 2023. Since then, I have gone on to make jewellery from plastic bottles as well. Instagram
With AI stealing our written works and visual art to feed large language models and output AI-generated images, it is becoming harder and harder to know what’s true. Genuine. Authentic. Human-made.
Making art and craft and being creative—without any digital or technological mediation—is something we dearly need to hold on to. How do you explore your art/craft and express your creativity in a way that is completely authentic to you? What is the truth in your making? How are you expressing your truth and individuality? How are you discovering the truth of who you are by making art or creating something by hand?
A line on a map has suddenly become very real to me. As a Canadian artist whose work has travelled across the U.S. border for many years, the recently imposed tariffs have affected 80% of my sales. This experience has prompted me to look more closely at the borders we create and how differently the natural world moves through them. The square line in these rug hookings and tuftings began as an accident, a faulty measurement while working on a rug hooking. Rather than correct it, I kept the square and continued hooking beyond its boundaries. This simple mistake became a way of thinking about the boundaries we create and what happens when we move beyond them. The natural world recognizes no such lines. Light moves across them, moss spreads, rivers flow, rain falls, and roots, seeds, birds and animals move freely through the landscape. Everything continues as part of one interconnected living system. The square remains, but the living landscape continues beyond it. Instagram / Website
"It Begins Outside With a Walk" by Joan Nichols
It begins with a walk and a conversation with myself, asking questions about what I am observing & how I would translate it with paint on canvas. Next, I “record” what I am witnessing: field sketches, making colour swatches, & field journaling in which I write how I feel about the scene. I end by taking a few photos for references. Next is studio work. I am expressing this truth by recording the colours & images I see, then painting it through the filter of my experience in that moment. Did the scene bring me joy? Or peace? Or perhaps it filled me with positive energy that everything felt possible. What did I find beautiful about it? Then I answer, “Why do I want to share it?” I usually want to share scenes like this with the hope it brightens another person’s day & creates a positive ripple effect. I am discovering the truth of who I am through my art by paying attention to what brings me joy. Being outside in the landscape brings me back to the feeling of childhood and freedom from worries, when everything felt like a mystery and a miracle at the same time. It is a moment filled with wonder & awe that I can express through colour & shape as I paint. Instagram / Website
Looking for more inspiration?
Volume Q: Quilted
Freshly reprinted!
Quilting reminds us of the artistry and ingenuity of our ancestors and allows us to explore our natural creativity. The craft slows us down in an ever-busy world and connects us to a welcoming community of kindred spirits. In-depth profiles and stories of individual quilts across 384 pages.
Making Zen: starts on Monday! This online event is always a favourite with UPPERCASE readers: Making Zen features 40 expert artists sharing their handmade craft techniques and mindful stitching ideas. It's free to sign up—you have access to each day's sessions for 24 hours, or you can invest in a VIP ticket to retain access to the recordings to watch at your leisure. UPPERCASE is a media partner for Making Zen and earns a commission on sales resulting from these links. Thank you.
Highlighting artists, craftspeople and creative entrepreneurs who use these fibres in unique and inspiring ways. Gain a new and exciting perspective on what fibre is—and how we can use it to express our individuality, creativity and humanity.
Jessica has invited UPPERCASE editor Janine as one of her cozy conversation guests, plus there are other activities and lessons about art-making, intuition, and art for self-care from over 45 creatives. Free! (optional paid upgrade options)