Louise Trew’s Bio
My passion for quilting started 35 years ago. The first quilt I attempted was a star quilt. I took the pattern directly from an antique quilt that had been passed down from generation to generation in my family. I still have that antique quilt. It is threadbare with patches of cotton batting peeking out. My first quilt, however, did not survive. It was lost in a house fire. But my passion for quilting burns ever strong.
One thing that I love is to give quilts to people. I am fortunate enough to belong to a couple of quilt guilds that make quilts to give away. And of course I have made many quilts for family and friends.
For as long as I can remember I have loved art. One of my fondest memories from childhood was being awarded art supplies for a good deed I had done.
I am one of those artists who carries paper and pencil wherever I go. I stop and sketch anywhere I might be. I sketch strangers. I sketch landscapes. I sketch impressions of things. I sketch motion, color and mood.
I also sleep with paper and pencil beside my bed. Often I will drop off to sleep, only to awaken with an idea. Sometimes I write or draw the idea in the dark. Sometimes I will roll out of bed and turn on a nightlight so I have a tiny bit of light. I do not want to completely wake myself up. The two times I am most creative are the times between sleep and wake…and…between wake and sleep. They seem like the twilight times of consciousness. I have also been blessed with the ability to see pictures in my head. They are colorful. The images are often three-dimensional. I can rotate them to get different perspectives. I often see geometric patterns in my head as well. These patterns change in color and shape. Sometimes the pictures flash in swift procession, one after another after another.
I am a certified empathologist. That means I have been trained in the study of emotion. I use my training to evoke positive feelings in my creations. It is my aim to produce love, joy and peace wherever I go. I am the eternal optimist. I believe that God created us in His image. I believe God would want me to create just as he has created.
I have two favorite secular books. My old favorite is Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Dr. Betty Edwards. It is an excellent book that teaches beginning artists how to use the side of the brain that deals with space and shape and line. My new favorite book is How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Qualities of a Genius and How to Think Productively by Michael J. Gelb. Mr. Gelb also has another book entitled How to think Like Leonardo da Vinci Workbook and Notebook. I have found this workbook very helpful as I continue to develop my skills.
