I feel like I have accomplished nothing all week. I did get some paper pushing done, so I could finally get to my studio, yesterday. Actually, I HAD to get to my studio. I had committed to donating a quilt to a local PBS station's Fine Art Auction. I could have given them a piece that I already had, but…… I wanted to do something new. Nothing like a deadline to get me motivated. I did have it started in my head (yea right, many of you know what that's like). I knew I wanted to highlight my sunprints. Well……. you ever have those pieces that tell you what they want to be? This was one! I had a batch of sunprints fused and cut, but when I tried to put things together… didn't work. Pulled out another panel of prints, and started over, and this time things went together easily. Nothing like finishing things at the last minute. The piece was to be picked up today, and I finished it this morning. Then I had to put together the paperwork, Artist statement, info about the piece, etc. so it can be talked about on air during the auction. Sometimes paperwork can really bog me down, but I got it all together in plenty of time. I then finished up another piece that has been in limbo for a couple months. Funny thing, both pieces are in the same color combinations. I guess brighter colors were the colors of the week. Before I bore everyone anymore with the rambling, I'll get the pics up, so they can be seen.
This is the one that wanted to be made- Appx. 12 1/2 x 17" This one is made with the "fused sandwich" method. It will be auctioned off in the WSKG art auction in March-April. The picture is a bit fuzzy- wouldn't you know, The one I can't retake is the fuzzy one.
This one is the piece that has been in the works since before Christmas. Things finally got rolling when I did the other one, maybe the similarity in colors. This one is mostly sunprints of different varieties of perennial geranium leaves and flowers, with a couple ferns thrown in. It is constructed by fusing the sunprints and ivory fabric to a full size piece of backed batting. I quilted the sunprints in both quilts with gold metallic thread. The yarn couched along the edges of the sunprints in this one was couched, using gold metallic thread and different fancy machine stitches instead of the usual zig zag. This one is bound with a nubby dark blue yarn, also around some of the prints. I used a pastel variegated thread to quilt vines in the ivory areas. This one is 13 x almost 17". Seems to be a size I'm stuck on- not sure why. May have more to post after this weekend, as I am home alone with no vehicle tomorrow.
I am a former textile artist and new pattern designer with a degree in horticulture, wishing to share my love of nature, flowers and gardens with everyone through my photos, sunprinted fabrics, and now pattern designs. Chronic Lyme Disease has caused major changes to the direction my life. I have to limit the amount of time spent digging in my gardens, and quilting has become more difficult. I discovered pattern design as a way to get art back into my life. I now use my gardens and photos to inspire designs that can be used on fabrics and print on demand items.
