Fast Start ... Slow Finish

Finally completed my series "Forces of Nature" for the Voyage 2015 Abstracted Nature theme. I had the first three completed by March 2015. But after a move to another state, this final one which was already started was nowhere to be found! Finally it showed up when searching for something else and I was able to finish my original vision for this piece.

For this piece I chose several circular motifs from my won surfaced designed stash. Some are stamped, some are resists and some are sunprinted. I felt they provided the continuity of the circular motion of the hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. As a native Texan...this is not a stretch for a concept in this series! The "land" fabric is a pounded fabric which I felt had the beautiful look of a topographic map.

The hurricanes are unstoppable and often seem to have a mind of their own. Just when we think we know
the direction they will take and where landfall will be...it can change and head along a totally different path. Sometimes that is for the better but other times that change can cause widespread destruction. This lack of predictability is why I chose the title "Winds of Change"

WINDS  OF  CHANGE

Now to take a deep breath and start on 2016 Voyage!

Three Done - One to go

I completed the third piece for my series entitled "Forces of Nature" for the Voyage group.

This piece is entitled "Danger Below" and it is an iceberg. Again, these are all my own hand-dyed and surface designed fabrics. The exception is the top layer of the iceberg above water. That is a random, loosely woven piece given to me by a friend.  I think it makes the perfect iceberg!!

DANGER  BELOW

The fourth and final piece for Voyage this year is started. Plan is to have it completed before I go to Duluth for the Minnesota Quilters Association annual Quilt Show 2015.  More about that later!

Forces of Nature

I have chosen Forces of Nature as the title of the series I'll be doing for 2015 Voyage Abstracted Nature. They are meant to depict 4 of the powerful forces of nature.

The first two have been completed.

"Over the Edge"

Lava Flow

"Fire in the Desert"

Lightening

Done and Done!

And 2014 finally is in the books.

Here are my 6 pieces. I just waited until they were all completed because a few of them were down to the wire....well....past the wire.

For the theme EARTH, I chose to do a series of beautiful places made by nature. Hence the series title --

 WONDERS  OF  NATURE

"SURROUNDED"

Antelope Canyon

Arizona, USA

"BEAUTIFUL  BOUNDARY"

Great Barrier Reef

Australia

"GIANTS IN THE MIST"

Giant Sequoias

Sequoia National Forest

California, USA

"IRIDESCENT  CASCADE"

Ruby Falls

Tennessee, USA

"REFUGE"

Blue Caves

Zakynthos, Greece

"UNDER  AFRICAN  SKIES"

Avenue of the Baobobs

Madagascar

These were all so very fun to do. Now looking forward to exhibiting in Duluth all of the beautiful works of art made by each of you!!

And on to 2015 -- already have my inspiration pieces. The series will be titled: Forces of Nature. I will be doing a hurricane, lava flow, lightening and an iceberg.  Anxious to get started!!

Earth's Amazing Wonders series - Piece one - Kelly L Hendrickson

Can you believe it!!!  My first piece done and it isn't even the end of FEBRUARY (which is a short month even!)

Antelope Canyon - Arizona USA

The Navajo sandstone making up the walls of the canyon have colors that are almost jewel-toned.  I wanted to add a bit of sky to break up the bright colors. It is a sight to behold...even though I've only seen photos. The flow of the stone is accentuated by the quilting lines. At first I thought this would be mind-numbing but I went with a more organic feel and just let them flow at will.  It ended up being quite therapeutic! I have not quilted this much on a quilt in ages.

The binding on this one was a bear!! After cutting it to size (yes....before thinking about the binding....) I realized that every piece I auditioned for the binding was a distraction. I asked around and got a few ideas but none of them turned out like I wanted for this piece.  Well....there was no way of avoiding it.  I had to do a pieced binding to keep the flow of the lines and colors. I've done pieced bindings before but none quite as complicated with all the angles and everything.  Anyway, it took most of today but it is done and (if I do say so myself) I think it looks GREAT!!

So, my first in the series of Earth's Amazing Wonders for Voyage 2014.

ANTELOPE  CANYON - ARIZONA USA

Sorry about the less-than-clear photo. My good camera is in the shop and I had to take this one with my phone.  I miss my camera.........:-((((((

Finished!!! Piece Six completed!!

And just in time!  Now the whole set is ready to package up and send to Elaine!

The final piece is from another of my own macro photos. Taken in a small East Texas town park. An old log cabin sun bleached to a pearly gray. The spiky green plants adding a great pop of color.

Here it is with its original macro photo.

TUCKED  IN  A  CORNER

Now I can breathe !  Whew!!

Wounded Tree Completed - #5

Here is number five for Beaujolais.  I really had fun with bark cloth and shiva sticks on this one.  Here it is with its original macro photo.

Wounded Tree

The sixth and final piece is well under way so I'll be mailing it by the end of the month as promised.

Eureka!! I think I've got it!!

Have been mulling over the "earth" theme for 2014 and not getting inspiration at all. Didn't have much time to give it due to the deadline for the 2013 pieces I'm about to finish.

Then out of the blue....it came to me!!  I will be doing interesting and/or famous natural formations on planet earth.  Here is my list so far:  Morning Glory Pool (Yosemite National Park), Antelope Canyon (Arizona), Avenue of Baobabs (Madagascar), Redwood National Forest, Giant's Causeway (Ireland) and probably Skaftafell Ice Cave (Iceland).  These have been favorite images of mine for years.  Now I have the opportunity to memorialize them in my own art!  I might have to make a change or two along the way if one doesn't look like I want it to but this is the plan anyway.  The theme will stay the same.

Now back to work!!!

Rusty Leaves is done!

Number 4 is done (don't panic.....5 and 6 are well under way)

Below is the completed piece with the original photo to the left of it.

Rusty Leaves

Kelly L Hendrickson

Peeling Birch

Well, I think this gets me caught up in Voyage believe it or not!

The third in my Up Close and Personal series...."Peeling Birch."  As usual, it is shown below alongside its photo inspiration.  It does have a bit of a 3-D feature. I used heavy duty aluminum foil between two colors of hand-dyed fabrics to give structure to the peeling bark part.  Fun and interesting to work with! But in this case...I think it accomplished its purpose!

Peeling Birch

Weathered Red Door

I know I'm behind but I'm catching up!!

This is supposed to be the third in the Up Close and Personal pieces inspired by several of my own macro photos.  But I had to dye some extra fabric for the second one so it will be done probably tomorrow and posted on Sunday or Monday.

This is from another photo I took in a small town in Texas on a trip there. I LOVE peeling paint and old buildings and doors and this just fit all of those. It is from an old store front but the premises were empty at the time we were there. Wish I could have found a date on the building or something but all I know is...it was very old.

The door is from a breakdown screen print I had done at least a year ago. Found it interesting how much it looked like the weathered red door without a whole lot of altering!! I cut out portions so the black could show through when appliqued. I also used acrylic paints and Shiva paint sticks to get just the right look.  The "grate" in front of the door is some silver mesh.  It was way too shiny for this old door so I painted it with a charcoal gray acrylic.  I love the way it turned out.  So....here it is....along with it's inspiration photo.

Weathered Red Door

Ancient Cactus

As I have stated...my theme for 2013 is Up Close and Personal. I am using 6 of the most favorite macro shots I've taken and making them into art quilts. I'll be posting the completed art along with the original inspirational photograph.

And here is the first. The photo was taken on a trip to Texas. We were walking along and saw this scarred and beaten very old cactus. I got a very close up shot of a few of the leaves. I've always loved this photo and the resiliance portrayed. An old cactus, well worn over time, yet still growing. An inspiration worthy of an art quilt I think.

ANCIENT  CACTUS

original photograph

I used simple quilting so as not to detract from the scars on the leaves. All the scars are reverse appliqued.On the largest scar, I pleated the light gray fabric before doing the reverse applique on the black for the deeper cut (see below).  I even let the fabric pucker as I stitched it because I felt it enhanced the age of the cactus.  The "thorns" are hand embroidered. All the fabrics are my own hand dyed cottons.

Ancient Cactus - detail

 

Piece 1 - the process continues

As I stated in my first post for this year on Jan. 5, my theme for 2013 is Up Close An Personal.  And I found out that these are called MACRO photos. I also posted the first step in my process on this first piece.

Now, I have step 2 completed.  I cut away and reversed appliqued several areas to get the effect I wanted.  The next step is to do some embroidery and then the binding to complete the piece.

I've chosen to do it kind of like a challenge in a GAMES magazine I used to get.  Very up close views of common things and you had to guess what they were.  Some were easy - others were more difficult. So when each piece is finished, I'll post it and then the next day post my photograph that is was taken from. Don't know if you all will enjoy the "game" or not...but it keeps me from getting bored!!

Piece 1 - Step 2

Can you guess it yet???

New beginnings

Well....2013 is up and running....as am I!

I made a decision as to my theme for this coming year's series.  Over the past several years, I have a taken ton of photos for inspiration in texture.  I think they are called Micro shots.  Very up close and personal shots of a small portion of a larger item.  In fact, that is the title of my theme for this year...Up Close and Personal.

Just started on the first piece.....here's a sneak peek!!

Oh and don't forget to drop by my blog to leave a comment on Week Three in the Celebrate Snow Giveaway.  There is a cool set of Winter Blues and still time to sign up before I contact the Random Number Generator tomorrow night!

A Burning Passion - Kelly

And at last my final piece -- this one had a long journey but I'm very happy with the results.

A Burning Passion - This is my last VoyageArt piece for 2012 where the theme was to be Who Am I?  After such an amazing year, I seem to have discovered that art is definitely my Burning Passion.  So what better way to complete my self-disclosure?  It also is a great catapult into 2013 because I will be concentrating MUCH more of my time on my art this coming year.

Fabrics in this piece are my hand-dyed ruching and pole shibori and a few other hand-dyed fabrics from my stash.

This is not the greatest photo but I will have a much better one after my next photo session.  Gotta say....I LOVE having professional photographed art.  The difference is amazing! You can read all about my first session on my art blog....  www.kellyartist.blogspot.com   What a fun day that was!!

A Burning Passion - Kelly