At the KZNQG Open Day on the 5th of March we were fortunate to have some of the work of the inimitable Jutta Faulds on show. She was a very strong woman who had an amazing outlook on life and an incredible body of work. She passed away late in 2021 and will be missed by so many.
Sue Akerman came to tell us more about Jutta and her work.
A few statements stood out for me as Sue was speaking.
Jutta felt that being creative and working at it was like chronic medication. That resonated with me because being at my sewing machine, whether alone or with my stitching friends is like therapy for me. It calms and relaxes me.
The second point that stood out for me was that Jutta had said never to use the words “Only, Never or Must” when talking about your work. Think that one through and you’ll see how profound it is.
Another thing that Jutta said was to “be alert to happy accidents.” In the creative process, things happen. Let them happen. You never know, the disaster may end up being a happy accident, if you let it.
Jutta said that if you feel inspired to do so, give yourself permission to start a new project before finishing the piece you’re working on. The next bit was what caught my attention. She said, “Your current piece will probably benefit from a bit of constructive neglect!”
When Sue was talking about Jutta and how she was always working at her art and that she found inspiration everywhere. It made me think if the quote from another great artist, Pablo Picasso. He said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”
It was such a treat to have Sue telling us about Jutta and showing us slides of her work. Although I have never met Jutta, I am grateful for her life and she has, through her work, influenced mine.