December 20, 2024 • 32 mins
In this episode of Creative Crossroads, Ellyn and Catherine sit down with award-winning fiber and mixed media artist Mel Beach. Mel shares insights into her creative journey, which began in her childhood without cable TV and involvement in activities like Girl Scouts and 4-H. This early exposure led Mel to a lifelong passion for crafting and problem-solving, particularly through fiber arts. She discusses her innovative approach of using dice to inspire her 100-day project. Mel delves into how she balances structure with spontaneity in her work, often finding inspiration in the world around her. She also talks about her unique method of reusing materials, such as upcycling quilt sandwiches into quilted hearts, for the 'I Found a Quilted Heart' project.
Additionally, Mel highlights the importance of community in her creative process, appreciating both learning with other artists and undertaking solo adventures.
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Mentioned During the Podcast
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Thanks for joining us at Creative Crossroads! Keep creating and we'll see you again soon!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (00:00):
Welcome back to Creative Crossroads.
(00:02):
We've been talking to somereally interesting artists in
different mediums and findingout about their process and
today we'd like to introduce youto Mel Beach.
Mel Beach is an award winningfiber and mixed media artist who
loves to create through playevery day.
Mel thrives on stretching hercreativity through her
(00:24):
completion of 100 plus quiltchallenges at the local and
international levels, inaddition to completing 100 day
projects, seven of them since2020, and I want to talk more
about that.
Each one is inspired by dailydice rolling.
Mel offers a variety of fun andinspiring online lectures,
(00:45):
workshops, and content toinspire fellow artists to create
with confidence and joy.
She's passionate about teachingwith a focus on machine
quilting, modern improvisationaldesign, and surface design.
Welcome, Mel.
We're glad you're here.
Thank you, Ellen.
Mel Beach (01:02):
Thank you, Catherine.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (01:05):
You bet.
Well, let's dive in.
I have been watching andfollowing along on Line for
quite a long time and I've beenfascinated by a lot of your
process and the things you do SoI'm excited to share your ideas
with everyone else and to learnmore myself.
So Maybe you can talk about howyou got started as a creative
(01:29):
Was that something that wasalways part of your life as a
child or something that camelater?
Mel Beach (01:35):
I think as a child, my family voted to disconnect
cable TV.
So as a result, my brothers andI, we were very active in
scouts, girl scouts for me.
We were very active in 4 H.
I did lots of crafts andhobbies.
As a result, participating in aprogram called Odyssey of the
Mind, which is all aboutcreative problem solving.
(01:57):
And so again, I think thosechildhood influences set me up
for that creative explorationsas an adult.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (02:05):
Do you think you create in much the same way?
Is your process similar to whenyou were a child?
Mel Beach (02:11):
I think it's, um, again, as a child, it was all
through play.
So that stays with me to thisday, as you can see.
I think I'm a little bit morestructured and disciplined and
rather than just kind of movearound, like, that's the great
thing about scouts and 4 H isyou get to try a whole bunch.
Of different projects,techniques, crafts, um, and so
now I think I'm getting a littlebit more focused on fiber arts,
(02:34):
um, with little side trips overto mixed media from time to
time.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (02:38):
That sounds very familiar.
That's kind of what happens overhere too.
I am intrigued by your dicerolling and how that came about
and how that all works.
Can you tell us more about that?
Mel Beach (02:54):
Absolutely.
It started during the start ofthe pandemic.
I've always been intrigued by100 day projects, but because of
the traveling teaching, um, myschedule wasn't really conducive
to doing anything for 100 daysin a row.
Anything that would be reallyinteresting, because I'd have to
schlep a sewing machine or otherheavy equipment, and it just
didn't seem very practical.
So when the pandemic presenteditself, and, I know it's a very
(03:17):
stressful time for so manypeople around the world.
But for me, I kind of saw it as,um, I chose to see it as a gift
of time, time in my studio.
Uh, I often joke that I causedthe pandemic because my 2020
news resolution was more time inthe studio because I was
traveling and teaching so much.
So I did not realize how muchstudio time I would get as a
result.
(03:38):
And not only a gift of time, butI was a Um, determined to use
that time wisely and emerge,hopefully a stronger artist.
And so I created my first gameplan using dice and focus.
I rolled three dice every day.
Um, one determined, uh, whatcolor scheme I was going to work
with.
Cause I certainly have mycomfort zone of what colors I go
(03:58):
to over and over.
I buy over and over.
And there are all these amazingcolor schemes that are out there
that could offer newpossibilities.
One dice corresponded to anelement of art.
Like, um, I'm trying to think ofthem all.
Now, of course, color, value,things like that.
And then the third dice I rolledcorresponded to a principle of
(04:19):
design, balance, contrast, etc.
And so every night I'd go intomy studio, roll those three dice
to get my assignment, if youwill.
And then I would raid mycollection of fused scraps,
fabric scraps left over fromother classes, workshops,
projects, etc.
And I was creating just a sevenby seven inch composition,
(04:41):
nothing fancy, no stitching, butit had to incorporate that color
scheme, that element of art, andthat design principle.
And I can say the first week ortwo, I had some books on the
different elements of art.
I kind of look it up.
I'd have my color wheel.
I'd have to refer to my colorwheel.
But after practicing after abouta week or two, I no longer
needed to look at the book, nolonger needed to use my color
(05:01):
wheel.
And I was really stretching andgrowing.
And after a hundred days ofdoing that, I now have a hundred
compositions that I often referback to as kind of inspiration
for other projects I could workon and kind of riff off of it.
I love the process.
I found it very therapeutic, youknow, every night going to my
studio processing what the heckhappened that day and creating
(05:24):
and just kind of tuning out theworld for about 20, 30,
sometimes 60 minutes, dependingon how long I had.
So I took four days off after Ifinished that project, and I
dived right into another hundredday project.
I haven't looked back since.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (05:39):
That's awesome.
So what, what becomes of thoseelements that you create?
Are they all in a box?
Are they?
Mel Beach (05:47):
They are in a box.
I keep thinking about, do I wantto turn into a quilt?
Do I want to turn into likeprayer flags?
Um, I, I teach it now as part ofmy Design by Dice class.
And so you can see on my designwall, I know your listeners
won't be able to see that, butevery time I teach the class, I
make more blocks.
And so I keep doing it andadding to my collection.
So this quilt is going to behuge by the time I'm, if and
(06:09):
ever, done with it.
Um, but I often incorporatethose designs into various
projects, lectures, so, um, andreally the learning stays with
me forever, so that's the moreimportant thing, I think.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (06:23):
So they kind of serve as inspiration?
Mel Beach (06:26):
Yes.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (06:27):
And I've, I've noticed, looking at your
work, like, lots of times, acertain object will appear or
something.
I think you do a lot of stampcarving and whatnot.
Where else do you findinspiration for those things?
Mel Beach (06:41):
Oh, well, that was my second hundred day project was I
called it a hundred days of dicedoodles.
And so that was a July throughAugust of 2020.
So here in California.
The world was still shut down.
So that meant galleries, quiltshows, museums, places I often
go to soak up and recharge oninspiration.
They were all inaccessible tothe public.
(07:03):
So I was sheltering place.
I had a limited bubble toexplore.
And, um, that project kind ofevery day I would roll the dice
the night before, and that'swhat I was looking for
inspiration.
And so I was, Looking forinspiration in the form of a
photograph, music, world news,uh, text, uh, something, um,
history, you know, like a, amemory or past event, and then
(07:26):
artist's choice, which waslooking for the joy during,
again, in some stressful timesaround the world.
And every day I would kind ofcreate a little, uh, four inch
stitched composition in a wholecloth quilt.
And that projects by walkingaround the same route on my
walks doing, you know, lookingaround my backyard.
I suddenly saw all new.
Interesting textures, designs,color combinations, patterns.
(07:50):
And so I started really kind ofexamining my, my world and
oftentimes it's the mundanestuff, you know, I'll be looking
at trash cans or plumbing on theside of the building and finding
all kinds of great lines ortextures.
And so truly inspiration is allaround.
I just have to train my eye toopen up and see it.
Catherine Dutton (08:09):
It sounds like you definitely find inspiration
in the world around you.
Yeah.
But what do you do when you havethat moment where you are
uninspired and you don't feellike anything is coming to you?
Mel Beach (08:21):
Yes, there are definitely times Uh doing
several hundred day projects,you know in a year I I have lost
my sojo at times because ittakes up so much Uh, you know,
you're kind of going goingkeeping up with that pace and
when it's over there's a littlebit of you know Sadness mourning
over it's been And so I call it,I lost my sojo.
And so, um, when that happens,I, I sit with it for a while.
(08:44):
I don't panic, maybe a littlepanic.
I go, Oh my gosh, what am Igoing to do?
Um, but somewhere.
Years ago, somebody said, well,if you've lost your mojo, your
sojo creativity, the best way toget it back is to clean your
studio.
And that's what I often do.
I kind of go through every nookand cranny and I look at
everything and kind of reexamine, is this something I'm
(09:05):
still passionate about?
Is this time to let it go toanother artist or creative by
donating it, giving it away?
And, um, in 2022, that's what Idid.
And I came across a stack ofquilt sandwiches that I'd used
for teaching free motionquilting.
And there was a whole bunch ofthem.
There was probably about 20 orso of quilt sandwiches, all
about that quarter.
(09:25):
I was like, I hate to throw themaway because they had great
texture, great patterns.
And I got the idea to, um,upcycle them into little quilted
hearts for the project called, Ifound a quilted heart project.
It's something I discoveredright before the pandemic where
quilters were making hearts andleaving them out in the world as
kind of found art.
(09:46):
And, uh, you know, it was rightat the start of the pandemic, so
I didn't feel quite good aboutleaving hearts out when people
are so unknowing about what wascausing COVID.
So this was a chance to play.
I created 75 hearts in, uh, 30days of November.
And because I just kind of cleanup my studio, I got reacquainted
with all kinds of different.
(10:07):
Fabrics, my swatches, um,different embellishments.
And so I made categories and youcan see where this is probably
going.
There was five categories and Irolled a dice, determined which
five categories I would do.
The sixth category was artist'schoice.
So I could pick anything thateither wasn't in those
categories or just what made mehappy that day.
And it was really fun.
(10:28):
And I got my Sojo back and had achance to play with stuff I
already owned.
I already had, I wasn't buyingmore.
Um, and so that was really ameditative way of bringing joy,
not just to my day, but alsosending them out into the world
for other people to find andkeep.
So were you able to
Ellyn Zinsmeister (10:47):
put them out there in the world later?
Mel Beach (10:50):
Uh, actually this was during 2021.
So yes, I sent about 50 of themout into the world.
If you go to the I Found aQuilted Heart Project, they have
a list of places that you cansew a heart, they call it.
And places like public placeslike parks, libraries, um,
outside of hospitals.
Those are great places to leavethem because they are often
found by people that most needthem.
(11:11):
Um, I follow them on Facebookand Instagram and, uh, people
share their stories of findingthese hearts.
And they're often like, on themost craptastic day of their
life, they get, lose a lovedone, um, they get diagnosed with
cancer, and they come out of thehospital, and they find one of
these quilted hearts, and itjust lets them know that there's
love, there's people out theresupporting them, and it's a
(11:33):
really beautiful story.
So yeah, at least 50 of those 75are out in the world, um,
hopefully brightening some otherpeople's days.
That's
Ellyn Zinsmeister (11:41):
such a neat project.
we can kind of see your studiobehind you, but maybe you can,
nobody else can see.
So maybe you can describe alittle bit the space that you
work in and how it works foryou.
Mel Beach (11:59):
Yeah, my studio is certainly evolved.
Uh, as I have, when I firststarted quilting, it was like a
little corner in a living room,um, in a small like little
section of a closet.
And I'm like a goldfish.
I grow to my size.
And so currently I've taken overthe front formal living room.
Uh, we don't entertain all thatoften that we need a formal
living room.
So that's my creative space.
(12:20):
Um, And, you know, I have lotsof, I would say it's a nod to
Ikea.
A lot of the, um,organizational, uh, containers,
bins, shelving is all Ikea, so Ifind it's really efficient and
it's accessible.
We have one not too far fromwhere I live now.
Um, but it evolves.
And so, as I do differentprojects, different, Mixed media
(12:44):
types, um, that the studio isalways evolving to mix, you
know, have the space for thefly.
So when I was doing thosehundred day projects, that stuff
got realty.
Um, and then it kind of shiftsthroughout the time.
So, um, it tends to be fairlyorganized.
I would say I tend to thrivewithin an organized this way
when inspiration strikes, I'mnot doing a scavenger hunt,
(13:07):
finding that fabric or findingthat tool or whatever it is that
I need.
I can just dive in.
That said, there are times thatit gets a little chaotic in
here, especially when I'm in themidst of that creative process.
Um, my rule is basically when Irun out of horizontal surfaces
or I spend more time movingstuff because I can't create,
(13:27):
that's when it's time to stopand do a little tidy up, uh,
just to get things back to, um,under control.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (13:34):
That makes sense.
Mel Beach (13:35):
Yeah.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (13:36):
Do you tend to work on one project at a
time?
Like, Or do you often havemultiple projects going?
Mel Beach (13:43):
I think right now I have tend to have one big
project that it's kind ofkeeping me, it's a solo
independent thing.
Um, but I do take a lot ofclasses and mixed media.
So I do these little side trips,uh, here and there, uh, as
classes.
And so I play, uh, I'll sharethe, the inspiration or the
finished project, but I'musually kind of grounded on
whatever that hundred dayproject or that fiber art series
(14:06):
that I'm working on.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (14:09):
Does collaboration play any role in
your creative process?
Do you often create with otherartists or
Mel Beach (14:16):
yeah, um, I would say I don't necessarily create with
other artists But I learn withother artists and I find that's
a really safe place to do it Um,I have one friend, uh, we take
similar mixed media classes Andso we try to carve out time each
week to do what we call a playdate Um, and it's a chance to
kind of get together.
We have a game plan going intookay We're going to try this
(14:37):
thing that we learned inwhatever class it was Let's play
and do some swatching and seewhat we can do with this certain
paint or stencil or whatever itis.
Um, and I find I really lookforward to these play dates, um,
because we can make lots ofexperiments.
I kind of launch in over to seewhat she's doing over in her
corner, uh, that we're copying,but we get great energy and from
(14:59):
each other.
We have, uh, Both have failuresand we can share that.
So we don't have to both repeatthose failures, but more
importantly, we have a lot ofaha moments, like, Ooh, look
what I tried to overhear andthat kind of fuels each other's
creativity.
So those have been invaluable tomy creative process.
Again, it's a safe place to kindof take risks, be vulnerable,
try something new, that's notnecessarily in my comfort zone.
(15:23):
Um, and I really look forward tothose, um, those weekly
sessions.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (15:28):
Catherine and I have very similar play dates.
We, my calendar often says artwith Catherine, hers says art
with Ellen.
We do very similar things.
Um, what we've noticed betweenthe two of us is Catherine is a,
a great fodder collector.
She has different bins ofdifferent kinds of fodder and
(15:51):
whatnot.
And she loves the process ofmaking the fodder.
Whereas I, I like to see thingsthrough to a finished product
and, you know, I often put theminto art journals or onto cards
or different things.
How is that for you?
Do you have Is there a part ofthe process that really
resonates with you or,
Mel Beach (16:10):
I think, um, I am with Catherine on this.
I love the making parts.
I'm not so good about alwaysincorporating the compositions
or finished projects, and that'swhat I, I think I needed Ellen
in my world, uh, because mypartner, we both like to make
those, uh, those parts and stufflike that.
So we are trying to kind of getmore into the, okay, what's
next?
We gotta start using this fodderthat we've been creating.
(16:33):
Um, and we are, we're gettingthere, but again, it's way
easier for.
Faster to make my, my making isfar exceeding my using at this
point.
So I'm trying.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (16:41):
How do you balance, I guess you've kind of
already dove into this with thedice, but spontaneity versus
structure.
And yeah, I think that one is.
Mel Beach (16:54):
I think I tend to go with the project fairly
structured, having a game planor something, some kind of theme
that's going to kind of guidethat process.
However, I'm really open to thatspontaneity of those new
possibilities that emerge.
Sometimes they emerge because ofan oops moment and I'm like, Oh,
I messed up.
And in which case I pivot, Iadapt, I make it work.
(17:16):
Um, and there are times thatjust like, wow, things happen,
and you see new possibilities.
Sometimes I come into my studioand two fabrics just got left
next to each other.
I was like, Oh, those are reallyexciting.
So I'm always open to newpossibilities as the project.
Evolves progresses, and go withit.
So I don't say superstructurethat it has to be this unless
(17:36):
there's some restrictions.
Sometimes there's a certain sizelimit, things like that.
I'll try to work within thoseparameters, but I'm really kind
of embrace new opportunities andsee where they go.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (17:49):
When you're working on a specific project,
like for a competition or, achallenge, how do you know when
your piece is finished?
Mel Beach (17:58):
Ah, well, certainly if the deadline's approaching,
that's the time to kind of ThatI, my process and say, okay, I
better get it done.
Um, and I, I'm constantly takinga lot of pictures of my process.
Um, I tell people, you know, inmy blog posts, the more
pictures, the usually it meansI'm struggling more of that
piece.
I'm trying to step back and kindof get that new perspective.
(18:20):
So I take lots of pictures, seewhere the projects leading me,
tell me what, what's working,what's successful and maybe what
needs more, more interest, morelayers, more something, whatever
that may be.
And, um, basically, when I'mhappy with it, when I feel like
I've put all that I can intothat piece without being too
overwhelming, I call it quits, Ifinish the binding, add that
(18:42):
label, and that's when a pieceis really finished for me.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (18:46):
So what are you working on most recently?
Mel Beach (18:50):
Um, currently, uh, October, we're just wrapping up
October as we're recordingtoday's podcast.
Um, this is Print Inktober, andso, every day this month, folks
around the world are printingand inking or block printing or
doing something, to createdaily.
For me, I've been carving andblock printing for 2 or 3 years
(19:13):
now, so I have quite thecollection of block prints that
I have in my wheelhouse.
And so I'm revisiting them.
I am a flower child.
I've always been, I grew up inthe late 70s.
And so I just love flowers,abstract flowers, unrealistic
flowers, but also realistic onetoo.
I don't, I've done a little bitof gardening.
But I usually get my inspirationfrom other people's gardens who
(19:35):
are much more of a green thumbthan I am.
Um, so I'm having fun.
I'm, revisiting all thesepreviously carved stamps that
have floral elements of flowerblooms, leaves.
I have a few critters I mightincorporate and I'm working with
some fabric swatches from aplace called fab bow.
It's here in the San FranciscoBay area.
(19:56):
And what this organization does,it's a nonprofit.
It's a creative reuse center.
Almost weekly, they go up to SanFrancisco and they rescue all
the interior design swatchesthat they use.
So fabric, wallpaper, flooring,all this good stuff that would
otherwise end up in thedumpster, they are taking and
(20:16):
bringing it down to FABMO andthey make it available for
either really cheap or free.
And so I scored right beforePrint Inktober kicked off, they
had a sale on silk fabrics.
And I got I don't even know howmuch silk fabric for less than
20, I think it was.
And they're just gorgeous, shotsilks, all kinds of stuff.
(20:38):
So I am stamping onto thosefabric swatches, fusing them,
trimming them up.
And, um, after October's done, Iwill be incorporating them into
some fabric floral arrangementsnext.
So I'm really excited.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (20:51):
Oh, that's interesting.
We might have to make a roadtrip.
That sounds great.
Yeah.
Mel Beach (20:55):
Yes, it's a great resource.
There are a number of thesecreative reuse centers all over
the country.
If you look for them, some arereally dedicated crafters, but
this is a really treasure one.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (21:07):
Seems like you, you are really tuned into
your materials and reusing and,and using what you have rather
than adding a lot of new things.
Do you, do you fabric shop andart supply shop often?
Or do you stick with
Mel Beach (21:23):
what you have?
Um, I think it's fun to buyfabric, um, but I've been making
my own fabric, for a while.
It was another 100 day projectwhere I was doing surface
design.
So starting with solid fabricsand doing stamping, painting,
all kinds of stuff.
And quite honestly, I'm runningout of time.
Um, so I'm trying to be mindfulof what I bring into my stash,
(21:44):
um, so I'm not spending timejust storing and perusing
through it.
As I'm getting into more ofthese fabmo fabrics, because
they're just great textures, I'mfinding that some of the
commercial prints, of recyclingand giving back to Fabmo and
other organizations to sharewith other cook creatives.
So, um, yes, I enjoy the shopand I love going to Fabmo.
(22:06):
I go through every swatch ofwallpaper, all the fabrics, um,
but I am trying to be mindful ofwhat can I recently, not just,
you know, keep on hand, butactually use in my lifetime.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (22:18):
That makes sense.
It makes a lot of sense.
Was there one moment A pivotalmoment in your life that that
sent you on more of a creativejourney?
Did you have other focuses inyour life that you turned from
for to creativity or were youalways an artist?
Mel Beach (22:38):
I think i've always been drawn to the arts as an
outlet as a kind of um, Having acreative voice and kind of
escape from the real world, Iguess, if you will.
Years ago, I moved from New Yorkto California, and that's when I
joined a quilt guild.
I got really involved in thefiber art community.
California, especially northernCalifornia, has got so many
(23:00):
quilt guilds.
We've got a museum.
We've got all these shops andeverything else.
And so I would say that's a bigpart of my trajectory of kind of
just moving to a really coolquilts and rich community that
had access to lots of resources,classes and teachers that were
incredible.
Um, and then fast forward, I'dsay the next big.
(23:22):
Transformation was when I leftworking in an animal shelter
field.
I did that for a number of yearsdoing animal rescue and
training.
And as you can imagine, that canbe a high stress, high emotion
position.
And so I took a break.
And around that time, that'swhen I got invited by a Las
Vegas guild to do a lecture forthem.
(23:43):
And I also got asked by my guildto do a teaching demo and both
are really positive experiences.
And so I was like, well, maybe Iturn into a teacher and do this
more full time as I'm kind of inbetween jobs and I haven't
looked back since then, and as aresult, I've gotten way more
serious about my fiber art, mypractice, um, and I'm really
(24:03):
loving it.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (24:05):
That's really great.
I haven't.
This isn't wasn't on our list ofquestions.
I'm gonna throw a ringer at you.
But how would you definecreativity as you've experienced
it?
Mel Beach (24:17):
I always see it as problem solving.
So when you see opportunities orproblems out in the world, for
me, creativity is how yourespond to that problem.
And it's not saying they're allbad problems that could be, you
know, those opportunities likean art call or just something in
your voice that you want tocreate and using your own your
own approach to kind of navigateyou through that.
(24:37):
But That's interesting.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (24:40):
That's really great.
Do you have, anything thatyou've been reading lately or
podcasts you listen to, orspecific artists that you follow
that you could share with ourlisteners that they might find
inspiring as well?
Mel Beach (24:54):
Yeah, as I mentioned, I love taking classes.
I'm kind of a class sincejunkie, uh, but I'm finding I'm
taking more classes in the mixedmedia world.
I find it's outside of mycomfort zone.
It's exposing me to alldifferent mediums and approaches
and kind of making me a littlebit more messy.
I would say I tend to be verystructured, disciplined in my
fiber art and very neat.
(25:15):
Um, and this is kind of, youknow, some of those mediums you
can't necessarily control andkind of embracing those blobs of
paint and things like that.
So I'm doing more and more withthat.
And there's a few outlets andartists I find that are really,
um, I like their style.
I like their approach.
It's tends to be a lot of play.
One is, Jennifer Wilkin Pennick.
She's out of the DC uh, area,and she offers, a free program
(25:39):
through the GeorgetownHumanities Program on Mondays
and Wednesdays.
They're free, they're one hourkind of a creative prompt, and
you use whatever materials youhave on hand.
Some of us have lots ofmaterials.
Some people are in the officesetting, it's their lunch break.
And so they're playing with postit notes, highlighters, and
pens, and that's totally fine.
Um, and a lot of what sheteaches, it's just like a
(26:00):
jumping off point.
It's like, Oh, and it's also anhour of kind of midweek time for
me of just play.
Um, I do some of her otherclasses as well.
And I really, um, I like herphilosophy, her approach and,
and how she gets inspiration.
So she's a big one.
Uh, Ellen, I know you'reinvolved with fodder school as
well.
Um, I love that format thatWendy Solganic, AKA Willa
(26:23):
Wanders has created where sheinvites 11 or 12 teachers, um,
to teach a technique or actuallyit's getting more and more
techniques on the first of themonth.
And then on the 15th, midwaythrough the month, a project to
use that fodder, that thosetechniques.
And I love that format.
And again, um, Adding moremediums, other techniques to my
(26:45):
wheelhouse.
I enjoy that as well.
I'm trying to think, I feel likeI'm missing somebody else.
Um, and then I've been workingwith a great, a coach, uh, a
coach over the past, gosh,several years, uh, coach Tammy
Bennett.
She's, uh, the show up society.
And she's been offering a groupcoaching program.
(27:05):
And, you know, as artists, wetend to work on our own.
We have many hats to wear, um,some hats we love to wear, some
hats we kind of would ratherpass off and not have to do.
And, um, working with hercoaching style has really kind
of helped me that mindset shiftto keep putting my work out
there, take those risks, trysomething new.
(27:27):
Uh, so I'd say those three folksare probably the most
influential on my currentcreative practice.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (27:33):
And those are all online classes and things,
so they're available to peopleeverywhere.
Mel Beach (27:39):
Exactly, yeah.
Many of them are recorded, uh,so you can watch at your own
time.
I would say Jennifer tends to bemore live, uh, in the moment,
uh, when you schedule, but I getso much out of all three of them
as my schedule allows.
That's really great.
Was
Ellyn Zinsmeister (27:54):
there anything else that you wanted to
share that we didn't touch on?
Mel Beach (27:59):
So yeah, you asked about kind of unconventional
materials or techniques.
And so certainly we talked alittle bit about the dice and
kind of rolling for assignments.
Uh, but one of the outlets I'vebeen doing for a number of years
is called project quilting.
Um, there are one weekchallenges that happen January
through March.
Uh, uh, Kim Lopacek, she is theBrain's behind, uh, person and
(28:22):
dreams blog post.
And so she's a huge fan ofproject runway.
And so, uh, if you've everwatched that program, I love it,
um, about fashion design on thefly, basically.
And so, um, she created projectquilting kind of inspired by
that TV show where we have aprompt issued on Sunday morning
(28:42):
and we have one week to startand finish a quilt.
So it's a little bit more thanthe two days that most of the
designers get.
And, um, they're fast andthey're furious.
And they really stretched me outof my comfort zone to explore
different themes, differentideas.
Um, and they often turn intoseries, but in Project Runway,
my favorite episode each seasonis the unconventional materials
(29:03):
challenge.
Where they take the fashiondesigners to like a hardware
store or a candy store, thingslike that.
And they have to get all thematerials to make a dress or
ensemble or something in twodays.
And I love the pieces that comeout, especially folks that
embrace the materials and notcheat and use fabric like items.
And so one season of projectquilting, I challenged myself to
(29:24):
use all unconventional materialsin my art quilts.
And so, uh, the first, uh, Uh,challenge I used, um, I recycled
some, uh, laptop computers thatwere going to go for e recycling
anyway.
We took them apart and Iincorporated the different
circuits and, uh, fans into myquilt to create kind of the San
Jose area.
I used, uh, UNO cards.
(29:45):
inspired by the color yellow.
So there's a few differentthings that I've incorporated
into my fiber art, uh, garbageout of a recycling bin to raise
awareness about plasticpollution.
So, um, it's kind of a funengineering project to kind of
not make it look like garbage,but also how do you attach these
into your quilt, not break anddamage your sewing machine.
So I enjoy those challenges.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (30:08):
That's really fun.
That gives you things to thinkabout, doesn't it?
Mel Beach (30:11):
Yes.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (30:12):
Hmm.
Hmm.
Yes.
I need to try some of that.
Mel Beach (30:17):
I've become a hoarder.
I think between mixed media andsome of that stuff, I just now
have piles of like just stuffthat I could incorporate to
quilt future days, but.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (30:26):
And maybe that'll happen.
And maybe it won't.
And that's okay too.
Yep.
That's okay too.
Well, we're really glad that youhad time to chat with us and to
talk about some of these things.
I've been watching your processfor a long time and learned a
lot from you and I'm glad otherpeople are going to benefit from
(30:46):
that too.
So thank you for coming and formaking the time spending time
with us.
Mel Beach (30:51):
Thank you.
It's been a pleasure chattingwith you both.
Uh, I enjoyed this topic and I'mlooking forward to listening to
more of your episodes with otherartists that you're and other
creatives that you'reinterviewing.
Welcome back to Creative Crossroads.
(00:02):
We've been talking to somereally interesting artists in
different mediums and findingout about their process and
today we'd like to introduce youto Mel Beach.
Mel Beach is an award winningfiber and mixed media artist who
loves to create through playevery day.
Mel thrives on stretching hercreativity through her
(00:24):
completion of 100 plus quiltchallenges at the local and
international levels, inaddition to completing 100 day
projects, seven of them since2020, and I want to talk more
about that.
Each one is inspired by dailydice rolling.
Mel offers a variety of fun andinspiring online lectures,
(00:45):
workshops, and content toinspire fellow artists to create
with confidence and joy.
She's passionate about teachingwith a focus on machine
quilting, modern improvisationaldesign, and surface design.
Welcome, Mel.
We're glad you're here.
Thank you, Ellen.
Mel Beach (01:02):
Thank you, Catherine.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (01:05):
You bet.
Well, let's dive in.
I have been watching andfollowing along on Line for
quite a long time and I've beenfascinated by a lot of your
process and the things you do SoI'm excited to share your ideas
with everyone else and to learnmore myself.
So Maybe you can talk about howyou got started as a creative
(01:29):
Was that something that wasalways part of your life as a
child or something that camelater?
Mel Beach (01:35):
I think as a child, my family voted to disconnect
cable TV.
So as a result, my brothers andI, we were very active in
scouts, girl scouts for me.
We were very active in 4 H.
I did lots of crafts andhobbies.
As a result, participating in aprogram called Odyssey of the
Mind, which is all aboutcreative problem solving.
(01:57):
And so again, I think thosechildhood influences set me up
for that creative explorationsas an adult.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (02:05):
Do you think you create in much the same way?
Is your process similar to whenyou were a child?
Mel Beach (02:11):
I think it's, um, again, as a child, it was all
through play.
So that stays with me to thisday, as you can see.
I think I'm a little bit morestructured and disciplined and
rather than just kind of movearound, like, that's the great
thing about scouts and 4 H isyou get to try a whole bunch.
Of different projects,techniques, crafts, um, and so
now I think I'm getting a littlebit more focused on fiber arts,
(02:34):
um, with little side trips overto mixed media from time to
time.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (02:38):
That sounds very familiar.
That's kind of what happens overhere too.
I am intrigued by your dicerolling and how that came about
and how that all works.
Can you tell us more about that?
Mel Beach (02:54):
Absolutely.
It started during the start ofthe pandemic.
I've always been intrigued by100 day projects, but because of
the traveling teaching, um, myschedule wasn't really conducive
to doing anything for 100 daysin a row.
Anything that would be reallyinteresting, because I'd have to
schlep a sewing machine or otherheavy equipment, and it just
didn't seem very practical.
So when the pandemic presenteditself, and, I know it's a very
(03:17):
stressful time for so manypeople around the world.
But for me, I kind of saw it as,um, I chose to see it as a gift
of time, time in my studio.
Uh, I often joke that I causedthe pandemic because my 2020
news resolution was more time inthe studio because I was
traveling and teaching so much.
So I did not realize how muchstudio time I would get as a
result.
(03:38):
And not only a gift of time, butI was a Um, determined to use
that time wisely and emerge,hopefully a stronger artist.
And so I created my first gameplan using dice and focus.
I rolled three dice every day.
Um, one determined, uh, whatcolor scheme I was going to work
with.
Cause I certainly have mycomfort zone of what colors I go
(03:58):
to over and over.
I buy over and over.
And there are all these amazingcolor schemes that are out there
that could offer newpossibilities.
One dice corresponded to anelement of art.
Like, um, I'm trying to think ofthem all.
Now, of course, color, value,things like that.
And then the third dice I rolledcorresponded to a principle of
(04:19):
design, balance, contrast, etc.
And so every night I'd go intomy studio, roll those three dice
to get my assignment, if youwill.
And then I would raid mycollection of fused scraps,
fabric scraps left over fromother classes, workshops,
projects, etc.
And I was creating just a sevenby seven inch composition,
(04:41):
nothing fancy, no stitching, butit had to incorporate that color
scheme, that element of art, andthat design principle.
And I can say the first week ortwo, I had some books on the
different elements of art.
I kind of look it up.
I'd have my color wheel.
I'd have to refer to my colorwheel.
But after practicing after abouta week or two, I no longer
needed to look at the book, nolonger needed to use my color
(05:01):
wheel.
And I was really stretching andgrowing.
And after a hundred days ofdoing that, I now have a hundred
compositions that I often referback to as kind of inspiration
for other projects I could workon and kind of riff off of it.
I love the process.
I found it very therapeutic, youknow, every night going to my
studio processing what the heckhappened that day and creating
(05:24):
and just kind of tuning out theworld for about 20, 30,
sometimes 60 minutes, dependingon how long I had.
So I took four days off after Ifinished that project, and I
dived right into another hundredday project.
I haven't looked back since.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (05:39):
That's awesome.
So what, what becomes of thoseelements that you create?
Are they all in a box?
Are they?
Mel Beach (05:47):
They are in a box.
I keep thinking about, do I wantto turn into a quilt?
Do I want to turn into likeprayer flags?
Um, I, I teach it now as part ofmy Design by Dice class.
And so you can see on my designwall, I know your listeners
won't be able to see that, butevery time I teach the class, I
make more blocks.
And so I keep doing it andadding to my collection.
So this quilt is going to behuge by the time I'm, if and
(06:09):
ever, done with it.
Um, but I often incorporatethose designs into various
projects, lectures, so, um, andreally the learning stays with
me forever, so that's the moreimportant thing, I think.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (06:23):
So they kind of serve as inspiration?
Mel Beach (06:26):
Yes.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (06:27):
And I've, I've noticed, looking at your
work, like, lots of times, acertain object will appear or
something.
I think you do a lot of stampcarving and whatnot.
Where else do you findinspiration for those things?
Mel Beach (06:41):
Oh, well, that was my second hundred day project was I
called it a hundred days of dicedoodles.
And so that was a July throughAugust of 2020.
So here in California.
The world was still shut down.
So that meant galleries, quiltshows, museums, places I often
go to soak up and recharge oninspiration.
They were all inaccessible tothe public.
(07:03):
So I was sheltering place.
I had a limited bubble toexplore.
And, um, that project kind ofevery day I would roll the dice
the night before, and that'swhat I was looking for
inspiration.
And so I was, Looking forinspiration in the form of a
photograph, music, world news,uh, text, uh, something, um,
history, you know, like a, amemory or past event, and then
(07:26):
artist's choice, which waslooking for the joy during,
again, in some stressful timesaround the world.
And every day I would kind ofcreate a little, uh, four inch
stitched composition in a wholecloth quilt.
And that projects by walkingaround the same route on my
walks doing, you know, lookingaround my backyard.
I suddenly saw all new.
Interesting textures, designs,color combinations, patterns.
(07:50):
And so I started really kind ofexamining my, my world and
oftentimes it's the mundanestuff, you know, I'll be looking
at trash cans or plumbing on theside of the building and finding
all kinds of great lines ortextures.
And so truly inspiration is allaround.
I just have to train my eye toopen up and see it.
Catherine Dutton (08:09):
It sounds like you definitely find inspiration
in the world around you.
Yeah.
But what do you do when you havethat moment where you are
uninspired and you don't feellike anything is coming to you?
Mel Beach (08:21):
Yes, there are definitely times Uh doing
several hundred day projects,you know in a year I I have lost
my sojo at times because ittakes up so much Uh, you know,
you're kind of going goingkeeping up with that pace and
when it's over there's a littlebit of you know Sadness mourning
over it's been And so I call it,I lost my sojo.
And so, um, when that happens,I, I sit with it for a while.
(08:44):
I don't panic, maybe a littlepanic.
I go, Oh my gosh, what am Igoing to do?
Um, but somewhere.
Years ago, somebody said, well,if you've lost your mojo, your
sojo creativity, the best way toget it back is to clean your
studio.
And that's what I often do.
I kind of go through every nookand cranny and I look at
everything and kind of reexamine, is this something I'm
(09:05):
still passionate about?
Is this time to let it go toanother artist or creative by
donating it, giving it away?
And, um, in 2022, that's what Idid.
And I came across a stack ofquilt sandwiches that I'd used
for teaching free motionquilting.
And there was a whole bunch ofthem.
There was probably about 20 orso of quilt sandwiches, all
about that quarter.
(09:25):
I was like, I hate to throw themaway because they had great
texture, great patterns.
And I got the idea to, um,upcycle them into little quilted
hearts for the project called, Ifound a quilted heart project.
It's something I discoveredright before the pandemic where
quilters were making hearts andleaving them out in the world as
kind of found art.
(09:46):
And, uh, you know, it was rightat the start of the pandemic, so
I didn't feel quite good aboutleaving hearts out when people
are so unknowing about what wascausing COVID.
So this was a chance to play.
I created 75 hearts in, uh, 30days of November.
And because I just kind of cleanup my studio, I got reacquainted
with all kinds of different.
(10:07):
Fabrics, my swatches, um,different embellishments.
And so I made categories and youcan see where this is probably
going.
There was five categories and Irolled a dice, determined which
five categories I would do.
The sixth category was artist'schoice.
So I could pick anything thateither wasn't in those
categories or just what made mehappy that day.
And it was really fun.
(10:28):
And I got my Sojo back and had achance to play with stuff I
already owned.
I already had, I wasn't buyingmore.
Um, and so that was really ameditative way of bringing joy,
not just to my day, but alsosending them out into the world
for other people to find andkeep.
So were you able to
Ellyn Zinsmeister (10:47):
put them out there in the world later?
Mel Beach (10:50):
Uh, actually this was during 2021.
So yes, I sent about 50 of themout into the world.
If you go to the I Found aQuilted Heart Project, they have
a list of places that you cansew a heart, they call it.
And places like public placeslike parks, libraries, um,
outside of hospitals.
Those are great places to leavethem because they are often
found by people that most needthem.
(11:11):
Um, I follow them on Facebookand Instagram and, uh, people
share their stories of findingthese hearts.
And they're often like, on themost craptastic day of their
life, they get, lose a lovedone, um, they get diagnosed with
cancer, and they come out of thehospital, and they find one of
these quilted hearts, and itjust lets them know that there's
love, there's people out theresupporting them, and it's a
(11:33):
really beautiful story.
So yeah, at least 50 of those 75are out in the world, um,
hopefully brightening some otherpeople's days.
That's
Ellyn Zinsmeister (11:41):
such a neat project.
we can kind of see your studiobehind you, but maybe you can,
nobody else can see.
So maybe you can describe alittle bit the space that you
work in and how it works foryou.
Mel Beach (11:59):
Yeah, my studio is certainly evolved.
Uh, as I have, when I firststarted quilting, it was like a
little corner in a living room,um, in a small like little
section of a closet.
And I'm like a goldfish.
I grow to my size.
And so currently I've taken overthe front formal living room.
Uh, we don't entertain all thatoften that we need a formal
living room.
So that's my creative space.
(12:20):
Um, And, you know, I have lotsof, I would say it's a nod to
Ikea.
A lot of the, um,organizational, uh, containers,
bins, shelving is all Ikea, so Ifind it's really efficient and
it's accessible.
We have one not too far fromwhere I live now.
Um, but it evolves.
And so, as I do differentprojects, different, Mixed media
(12:44):
types, um, that the studio isalways evolving to mix, you
know, have the space for thefly.
So when I was doing thosehundred day projects, that stuff
got realty.
Um, and then it kind of shiftsthroughout the time.
So, um, it tends to be fairlyorganized.
I would say I tend to thrivewithin an organized this way
when inspiration strikes, I'mnot doing a scavenger hunt,
(13:07):
finding that fabric or findingthat tool or whatever it is that
I need.
I can just dive in.
That said, there are times thatit gets a little chaotic in
here, especially when I'm in themidst of that creative process.
Um, my rule is basically when Irun out of horizontal surfaces
or I spend more time movingstuff because I can't create,
(13:27):
that's when it's time to stopand do a little tidy up, uh,
just to get things back to, um,under control.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (13:34):
That makes sense.
Mel Beach (13:35):
Yeah.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (13:36):
Do you tend to work on one project at a
time?
Like, Or do you often havemultiple projects going?
Mel Beach (13:43):
I think right now I have tend to have one big
project that it's kind ofkeeping me, it's a solo
independent thing.
Um, but I do take a lot ofclasses and mixed media.
So I do these little side trips,uh, here and there, uh, as
classes.
And so I play, uh, I'll sharethe, the inspiration or the
finished project, but I'musually kind of grounded on
whatever that hundred dayproject or that fiber art series
(14:06):
that I'm working on.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (14:09):
Does collaboration play any role in
your creative process?
Do you often create with otherartists or
Mel Beach (14:16):
yeah, um, I would say I don't necessarily create with
other artists But I learn withother artists and I find that's
a really safe place to do it Um,I have one friend, uh, we take
similar mixed media classes Andso we try to carve out time each
week to do what we call a playdate Um, and it's a chance to
kind of get together.
We have a game plan going intookay We're going to try this
(14:37):
thing that we learned inwhatever class it was Let's play
and do some swatching and seewhat we can do with this certain
paint or stencil or whatever itis.
Um, and I find I really lookforward to these play dates, um,
because we can make lots ofexperiments.
I kind of launch in over to seewhat she's doing over in her
corner, uh, that we're copying,but we get great energy and from
(14:59):
each other.
We have, uh, Both have failuresand we can share that.
So we don't have to both repeatthose failures, but more
importantly, we have a lot ofaha moments, like, Ooh, look
what I tried to overhear andthat kind of fuels each other's
creativity.
So those have been invaluable tomy creative process.
Again, it's a safe place to kindof take risks, be vulnerable,
try something new, that's notnecessarily in my comfort zone.
(15:23):
Um, and I really look forward tothose, um, those weekly
sessions.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (15:28):
Catherine and I have very similar play dates.
We, my calendar often says artwith Catherine, hers says art
with Ellen.
We do very similar things.
Um, what we've noticed betweenthe two of us is Catherine is a,
a great fodder collector.
She has different bins ofdifferent kinds of fodder and
(15:51):
whatnot.
And she loves the process ofmaking the fodder.
Whereas I, I like to see thingsthrough to a finished product
and, you know, I often put theminto art journals or onto cards
or different things.
How is that for you?
Do you have Is there a part ofthe process that really
resonates with you or,
Mel Beach (16:10):
I think, um, I am with Catherine on this.
I love the making parts.
I'm not so good about alwaysincorporating the compositions
or finished projects, and that'swhat I, I think I needed Ellen
in my world, uh, because mypartner, we both like to make
those, uh, those parts and stufflike that.
So we are trying to kind of getmore into the, okay, what's
next?
We gotta start using this fodderthat we've been creating.
(16:33):
Um, and we are, we're gettingthere, but again, it's way
easier for.
Faster to make my, my making isfar exceeding my using at this
point.
So I'm trying.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (16:41):
How do you balance, I guess you've kind of
already dove into this with thedice, but spontaneity versus
structure.
And yeah, I think that one is.
Mel Beach (16:54):
I think I tend to go with the project fairly
structured, having a game planor something, some kind of theme
that's going to kind of guidethat process.
However, I'm really open to thatspontaneity of those new
possibilities that emerge.
Sometimes they emerge because ofan oops moment and I'm like, Oh,
I messed up.
And in which case I pivot, Iadapt, I make it work.
(17:16):
Um, and there are times thatjust like, wow, things happen,
and you see new possibilities.
Sometimes I come into my studioand two fabrics just got left
next to each other.
I was like, Oh, those are reallyexciting.
So I'm always open to newpossibilities as the project.
Evolves progresses, and go withit.
So I don't say superstructurethat it has to be this unless
(17:36):
there's some restrictions.
Sometimes there's a certain sizelimit, things like that.
I'll try to work within thoseparameters, but I'm really kind
of embrace new opportunities andsee where they go.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (17:49):
When you're working on a specific project,
like for a competition or, achallenge, how do you know when
your piece is finished?
Mel Beach (17:58):
Ah, well, certainly if the deadline's approaching,
that's the time to kind of ThatI, my process and say, okay, I
better get it done.
Um, and I, I'm constantly takinga lot of pictures of my process.
Um, I tell people, you know, inmy blog posts, the more
pictures, the usually it meansI'm struggling more of that
piece.
I'm trying to step back and kindof get that new perspective.
(18:20):
So I take lots of pictures, seewhere the projects leading me,
tell me what, what's working,what's successful and maybe what
needs more, more interest, morelayers, more something, whatever
that may be.
And, um, basically, when I'mhappy with it, when I feel like
I've put all that I can intothat piece without being too
overwhelming, I call it quits, Ifinish the binding, add that
(18:42):
label, and that's when a pieceis really finished for me.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (18:46):
So what are you working on most recently?
Mel Beach (18:50):
Um, currently, uh, October, we're just wrapping up
October as we're recordingtoday's podcast.
Um, this is Print Inktober, andso, every day this month, folks
around the world are printingand inking or block printing or
doing something, to createdaily.
For me, I've been carving andblock printing for 2 or 3 years
(19:13):
now, so I have quite thecollection of block prints that
I have in my wheelhouse.
And so I'm revisiting them.
I am a flower child.
I've always been, I grew up inthe late 70s.
And so I just love flowers,abstract flowers, unrealistic
flowers, but also realistic onetoo.
I don't, I've done a little bitof gardening.
But I usually get my inspirationfrom other people's gardens who
(19:35):
are much more of a green thumbthan I am.
Um, so I'm having fun.
I'm, revisiting all thesepreviously carved stamps that
have floral elements of flowerblooms, leaves.
I have a few critters I mightincorporate and I'm working with
some fabric swatches from aplace called fab bow.
It's here in the San FranciscoBay area.
(19:56):
And what this organization does,it's a nonprofit.
It's a creative reuse center.
Almost weekly, they go up to SanFrancisco and they rescue all
the interior design swatchesthat they use.
So fabric, wallpaper, flooring,all this good stuff that would
otherwise end up in thedumpster, they are taking and
(20:16):
bringing it down to FABMO andthey make it available for
either really cheap or free.
And so I scored right beforePrint Inktober kicked off, they
had a sale on silk fabrics.
And I got I don't even know howmuch silk fabric for less than
20, I think it was.
And they're just gorgeous, shotsilks, all kinds of stuff.
(20:38):
So I am stamping onto thosefabric swatches, fusing them,
trimming them up.
And, um, after October's done, Iwill be incorporating them into
some fabric floral arrangementsnext.
So I'm really excited.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (20:51):
Oh, that's interesting.
We might have to make a roadtrip.
That sounds great.
Yeah.
Mel Beach (20:55):
Yes, it's a great resource.
There are a number of thesecreative reuse centers all over
the country.
If you look for them, some arereally dedicated crafters, but
this is a really treasure one.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (21:07):
Seems like you, you are really tuned into
your materials and reusing and,and using what you have rather
than adding a lot of new things.
Do you, do you fabric shop andart supply shop often?
Or do you stick with
Mel Beach (21:23):
what you have?
Um, I think it's fun to buyfabric, um, but I've been making
my own fabric, for a while.
It was another 100 day projectwhere I was doing surface
design.
So starting with solid fabricsand doing stamping, painting,
all kinds of stuff.
And quite honestly, I'm runningout of time.
Um, so I'm trying to be mindfulof what I bring into my stash,
(21:44):
um, so I'm not spending timejust storing and perusing
through it.
As I'm getting into more ofthese fabmo fabrics, because
they're just great textures, I'mfinding that some of the
commercial prints, of recyclingand giving back to Fabmo and
other organizations to sharewith other cook creatives.
So, um, yes, I enjoy the shopand I love going to Fabmo.
(22:06):
I go through every swatch ofwallpaper, all the fabrics, um,
but I am trying to be mindful ofwhat can I recently, not just,
you know, keep on hand, butactually use in my lifetime.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (22:18):
That makes sense.
It makes a lot of sense.
Was there one moment A pivotalmoment in your life that that
sent you on more of a creativejourney?
Did you have other focuses inyour life that you turned from
for to creativity or were youalways an artist?
Mel Beach (22:38):
I think i've always been drawn to the arts as an
outlet as a kind of um, Having acreative voice and kind of
escape from the real world, Iguess, if you will.
Years ago, I moved from New Yorkto California, and that's when I
joined a quilt guild.
I got really involved in thefiber art community.
California, especially northernCalifornia, has got so many
(23:00):
quilt guilds.
We've got a museum.
We've got all these shops andeverything else.
And so I would say that's a bigpart of my trajectory of kind of
just moving to a really coolquilts and rich community that
had access to lots of resources,classes and teachers that were
incredible.
Um, and then fast forward, I'dsay the next big.
(23:22):
Transformation was when I leftworking in an animal shelter
field.
I did that for a number of yearsdoing animal rescue and
training.
And as you can imagine, that canbe a high stress, high emotion
position.
And so I took a break.
And around that time, that'swhen I got invited by a Las
Vegas guild to do a lecture forthem.
(23:43):
And I also got asked by my guildto do a teaching demo and both
are really positive experiences.
And so I was like, well, maybe Iturn into a teacher and do this
more full time as I'm kind of inbetween jobs and I haven't
looked back since then, and as aresult, I've gotten way more
serious about my fiber art, mypractice, um, and I'm really
(24:03):
loving it.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (24:05):
That's really great.
I haven't.
This isn't wasn't on our list ofquestions.
I'm gonna throw a ringer at you.
But how would you definecreativity as you've experienced
it?
Mel Beach (24:17):
I always see it as problem solving.
So when you see opportunities orproblems out in the world, for
me, creativity is how yourespond to that problem.
And it's not saying they're allbad problems that could be, you
know, those opportunities likean art call or just something in
your voice that you want tocreate and using your own your
own approach to kind of navigateyou through that.
(24:37):
But That's interesting.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (24:40):
That's really great.
Do you have, anything thatyou've been reading lately or
podcasts you listen to, orspecific artists that you follow
that you could share with ourlisteners that they might find
inspiring as well?
Mel Beach (24:54):
Yeah, as I mentioned, I love taking classes.
I'm kind of a class sincejunkie, uh, but I'm finding I'm
taking more classes in the mixedmedia world.
I find it's outside of mycomfort zone.
It's exposing me to alldifferent mediums and approaches
and kind of making me a littlebit more messy.
I would say I tend to be verystructured, disciplined in my
fiber art and very neat.
(25:15):
Um, and this is kind of, youknow, some of those mediums you
can't necessarily control andkind of embracing those blobs of
paint and things like that.
So I'm doing more and more withthat.
And there's a few outlets andartists I find that are really,
um, I like their style.
I like their approach.
It's tends to be a lot of play.
One is, Jennifer Wilkin Pennick.
She's out of the DC uh, area,and she offers, a free program
(25:39):
through the GeorgetownHumanities Program on Mondays
and Wednesdays.
They're free, they're one hourkind of a creative prompt, and
you use whatever materials youhave on hand.
Some of us have lots ofmaterials.
Some people are in the officesetting, it's their lunch break.
And so they're playing with postit notes, highlighters, and
pens, and that's totally fine.
Um, and a lot of what sheteaches, it's just like a
(26:00):
jumping off point.
It's like, Oh, and it's also anhour of kind of midweek time for
me of just play.
Um, I do some of her otherclasses as well.
And I really, um, I like herphilosophy, her approach and,
and how she gets inspiration.
So she's a big one.
Uh, Ellen, I know you'reinvolved with fodder school as
well.
Um, I love that format thatWendy Solganic, AKA Willa
(26:23):
Wanders has created where sheinvites 11 or 12 teachers, um,
to teach a technique or actuallyit's getting more and more
techniques on the first of themonth.
And then on the 15th, midwaythrough the month, a project to
use that fodder, that thosetechniques.
And I love that format.
And again, um, Adding moremediums, other techniques to my
(26:45):
wheelhouse.
I enjoy that as well.
I'm trying to think, I feel likeI'm missing somebody else.
Um, and then I've been workingwith a great, a coach, uh, a
coach over the past, gosh,several years, uh, coach Tammy
Bennett.
She's, uh, the show up society.
And she's been offering a groupcoaching program.
(27:05):
And, you know, as artists, wetend to work on our own.
We have many hats to wear, um,some hats we love to wear, some
hats we kind of would ratherpass off and not have to do.
And, um, working with hercoaching style has really kind
of helped me that mindset shiftto keep putting my work out
there, take those risks, trysomething new.
(27:27):
Uh, so I'd say those three folksare probably the most
influential on my currentcreative practice.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (27:33):
And those are all online classes and things,
so they're available to peopleeverywhere.
Mel Beach (27:39):
Exactly, yeah.
Many of them are recorded, uh,so you can watch at your own
time.
I would say Jennifer tends to bemore live, uh, in the moment,
uh, when you schedule, but I getso much out of all three of them
as my schedule allows.
That's really great.
Was
Ellyn Zinsmeister (27:54):
there anything else that you wanted to
share that we didn't touch on?
Mel Beach (27:59):
So yeah, you asked about kind of unconventional
materials or techniques.
And so certainly we talked alittle bit about the dice and
kind of rolling for assignments.
Uh, but one of the outlets I'vebeen doing for a number of years
is called project quilting.
Um, there are one weekchallenges that happen January
through March.
Uh, uh, Kim Lopacek, she is theBrain's behind, uh, person and
(28:22):
dreams blog post.
And so she's a huge fan ofproject runway.
And so, uh, if you've everwatched that program, I love it,
um, about fashion design on thefly, basically.
And so, um, she created projectquilting kind of inspired by
that TV show where we have aprompt issued on Sunday morning
(28:42):
and we have one week to startand finish a quilt.
So it's a little bit more thanthe two days that most of the
designers get.
And, um, they're fast andthey're furious.
And they really stretched me outof my comfort zone to explore
different themes, differentideas.
Um, and they often turn intoseries, but in Project Runway,
my favorite episode each seasonis the unconventional materials
(29:03):
challenge.
Where they take the fashiondesigners to like a hardware
store or a candy store, thingslike that.
And they have to get all thematerials to make a dress or
ensemble or something in twodays.
And I love the pieces that comeout, especially folks that
embrace the materials and notcheat and use fabric like items.
And so one season of projectquilting, I challenged myself to
(29:24):
use all unconventional materialsin my art quilts.
And so, uh, the first, uh, Uh,challenge I used, um, I recycled
some, uh, laptop computers thatwere going to go for e recycling
anyway.
We took them apart and Iincorporated the different
circuits and, uh, fans into myquilt to create kind of the San
Jose area.
I used, uh, UNO cards.
(29:45):
inspired by the color yellow.
So there's a few differentthings that I've incorporated
into my fiber art, uh, garbageout of a recycling bin to raise
awareness about plasticpollution.
So, um, it's kind of a funengineering project to kind of
not make it look like garbage,but also how do you attach these
into your quilt, not break anddamage your sewing machine.
So I enjoy those challenges.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (30:08):
That's really fun.
That gives you things to thinkabout, doesn't it?
Mel Beach (30:11):
Yes.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (30:12):
Hmm.
Hmm.
Yes.
I need to try some of that.
Mel Beach (30:17):
I've become a hoarder.
I think between mixed media andsome of that stuff, I just now
have piles of like just stuffthat I could incorporate to
quilt future days, but.
Ellyn Zinsmeister (30:26):
And maybe that'll happen.
And maybe it won't.
And that's okay too.
Yep.
That's okay too.
Well, we're really glad that youhad time to chat with us and to
talk about some of these things.
I've been watching your processfor a long time and learned a
lot from you and I'm glad otherpeople are going to benefit from
(30:46):
that too.
So thank you for coming and formaking the time spending time
with us.
Mel Beach (30:51):
Thank you.
It's been a pleasure chattingwith you both.
Uh, I enjoyed this topic and I'mlooking forward to listening to
more of your episodes with otherartists that you're and other
creatives that you'reinterviewing.
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