Form Studies

I recently pulled out an art text book from my short stint in art school in the late 70s. I first decided to look at the book when a discussion on the QuiltArt list brought up the question of what is art. This seems to be an ongoing question within the group (and probably with artists everywhere!)

The book is a workbook intended to stretch how the artist views art and approaches design. The first chapters discuss the history of art, why art is important and what defines art. From there, different aspects of the technique of art are discussed. The first of these deals with form, how shapes relate to each other, how negative space is as important as positive space. Using fabric rather than paper, I've decided to try to do all the exercises. Or I may not. That will be a lot of fabric!

Class Project

The lastest thing I learned was painting on fusible web. It isn't much different than any type of painting, except your surface is sticky and the paint doesn't adhere well. I fused bits of painted web over random threads and a piece of fabric the instructor had hand dyed. The end result is rather interesting.


I also did another piece with the concept of appliqueing first and quilting from the back second. I like it, but feel there isn't enough contrast, so I need to change the vines around the middle flower (yep, there are actually green bits there). I did say there isn't enough contrast didn't I?


I have a bit of an artist's block right now. It isn't from lack of ideas, but from too many. About six ideas are jostling around in my head right now trying to get out and none of them are taking priority. A recent trip to Port Townsend and several art galleries has made it worse, as there were some amazing pieces that spawned great colour ideas. Those are swirling around in there now too. Ah well, someone suggesting cleaning the sewing room when it got to that point. Yech, I think I'll go to the cafe and dance some tango instead!

Still Dreaming of La Boca

I finished my funky little quilt. I was inspired by the garish floral fabric and created two little pieces using the flower motif. I used Derwent Graphtint pencils to colour the fabric then quilted. I'm not sure how colourfast they will be, but it is part of the experiementing.

Dreaming of La Boca

While looking in my scrap baskets for some green fabric for the background on my next idea, I came across a small remnant of '60's floral fabric. Not even cotton, but a polyester too. I just had to use it. In another bin with assorted velvets and lame's from my days of making home made Santas, I found these small squares of fabric similar to aida cloth.

Also in my scrap basket, I found this garish pink floral--also from the 60's. I decided to use the flowers as my quilting line and quilt it from the back. My intention originally was to quilt from the back, reback and quilt again from the front. But the quilting lines disappear on the front in certain areas. I'm trying to decide whether to requilt from the back using a lighter colour or heavier thread. I don't think a metallic thread will work as it won't fit with the overall look of the piece. It reminds me a bit of La Boca.

Wallflowers

From the start, this quilt hasn't been quite what I wanted. The background fabric isn't exactly right, so the flowers couldn't be done the way I had pictured them. At the beginning, it was my intention to make three-dimensional petals to surround each face. But without the Art Nouveau fabric, the lines aren't as delineated, so I used silk flowers instead. Once the pictures were appliqued inside, it started to take shape, but still needed something. Like my daughter (the real artist) said, "they look funny without hair".

I added beads, I removed beads. I added them again. Letting it sit, I pondered it from a distance. Wrong colour beads. Off course, by this time it was after five on a Sunday, so I had to wait until after work today to get the right colour.

From above, it is hard to judge how something will look from front on, so more sewing on of beads. And taking off of beads. It is hard to place beads on a vertical surface to look at from a distance. They have a tendancy to obey the laws of gravity.

As I stare some more, I think I might trim about two inches off the right hand side. The upper portion will be shortened once the quilted is done as well, which should give it a bit more balance. So, should I apolgize to those who are wallflowers, or those who aren't?

Fabric Choices

The completed hands:



I have this idea in mind for the next quilt. The background fabric needs to look like vintage wallpaper, specifically art nouveau or William Morris. I have seen exactly what I'm looking for. Sometime though, I get an image in my mind and because I've looked at so much it get clouded by what I've seen and what I want it to look like. I could create my own, but the amount of labour involved to paint the fabric would be more than I think I'm ready for yet. I also decided to try something larger than the journal quilt size for this as the scale would work better larger, so I can't just print an image onto fabric (the easiest thing to do).

So I went on line. When in doubt, research. Charles Rupert has a wonderful website with fabric and wallpaper from various designers and eras, including both William Morris and Art Nouveau. I looked at samples primarily from William Morris, then went shopping only to find that no where in town carried William Morris fabric, although I could order it. I went back to my favourite quilt store and found a "do-able" fabric, but still felt frustrated that it wasn't perfect.

So back on line with the intention of ordering something. This time, looking at the same web site, I checked the Art Nouveau fabric. Most are upholstery weight, so wouldn't work. One image struck me though. The flowers would be perfect for the little faces to peek out. It reminded me very much of a Liberty of London fabric. Wait a minute, those are flowers? I purchased some of that fabric last year for kaleidoscope quilts as the repeats are so great. I thought I had looked at it and rejected it. When I checked it again, I saw that although almost perfect for image, it is too small in scale. Note to self: do not go into a project with an exact idea in mind but a maleable one. That will allow me more options.

The Heart

For the first time in years I'm creating art. I have missed creative expression in my life so much. Although I've done hand work for almost as long as I can remember, there is a large difference between craft and creation. Using a pattern, the outcome it already pre-determined. It is a bit like having the picture on the box in front of you while creating a puzzle—it takes the mystery out of everything.

I had an idea for the heart in the back of mind. It sat there formulating and morphing the entire time I worked on the shoes. Yesterday, I spent time on the internet looking for patterns that would work for the quilting on the background. Here is a shift in direction for me—quilt first, finish later. Because a large portion of the vision I have in my mind includes flowers that aren’t flat, I knew I would have to quilt it before I finished it.

I also had an image of how the flowers grew out of the heart itself. I found several pages of designs that I thought might work. At this point, everything still had a nebulous feel in my mind, an idea half formed and still mutable. The designs I thought would work the best wound up tossed aside for one that I had some doubts about. As I laid fiddley bits on top, envisioning flowers, butterflies and more, I became so excited. The quilting solidified the vision to become exactly what I wanted!