Wave inspired by Hokusai

I have finally decided on my theme for the next year. I hope I can make it work. I will be working with water, in all it's many forms.

This first piece is inspired by the Japanese woodcut print of the wave. I used Procion H dyes to paint the cotton cloth. This is something new I have learnt this year, and I find it exciting to be able to directly apply the colour, instead of having to appleque or embroider it on.

Here is the piece before embroidery.

I then accented it with emboroidery and quilting. It took longer than planned, but I think I am happy with the results. I do need to learn new ways of finishing the piece.

Detail of the finished piece.
Now on the the next one.

Under the Surface

A  photograph of pebbles reflecting light underwater was my starting point for this piece. For this series I wanted to explore further using concentrated dye pigment on wet fabric without using thickener to get looser  effects. So I worked on damp cotton then loosely painted images which when dry I then discharged a little - in this case to get a mottled lighter effect for the pebbles.  I then used dye pigment sticks almost like crayons to add more colour ( Inktense, and Conte Wax aquarelle) and shadows to the pebbles, (again on damp fabric).

 I find for this technique I need a high thread count cotton like pima cotton or lawn for it to work well, it needs to have a smooth tight surface to work.  I use a very weak solution of matt medium after I have iron fixed the colours to ensure they stay fixed! It does affect the handle a little but for this size piece I am not too concerned.

The whole piece was machine quilted to emphasize the outline of the pebbles using a variegated thread. The light reflection was added last using flecks of gold leaf applied with ormaline.

The detail will hopefully show  the discharged speckles and the added colour a little more clearly.

Whilst I am pleased with the overall effect of the pebbles I would like to work on the background more on another piece. The photo had the light, soft and smooth sand as the riverbed but I think with a little artistic licence I could jazz it up a bit!

Faces of Old

I procrastinated about what my theme would be this year. I am working hard for an exhibition temporarily called France to be shown later this year and I don't want too much time taken away from the  main game but on the other hand, after April most of the work will be done and then there is still another 4 pieces to be done for Voyageart for the rest of the year, so whilst i wanted to do something french initially, it need not necessarily be so for the whole year.  So I decided on faces of old- I am fascinated by how the madonnas and humans have been  portrayed over time ( some of them made an appearance in last years work) and I decided I wanted to continue in that vein, exploring different ways of creating them and exploring different aspects. The piece I made for Feb is  figures form the Western portal of Chartres Cathedral. I have photographed them a number of times and every time I see them again i take yet another photograph.

They look out into the world, three men and one woman, they are said to be royal and a mix of the romanesque and gothic hence the very elongated figures.They stand atop columns which are decorated with  simple shapes one of which I made into a linocut so I could print some fabric. The photo was photoshopped with the fresco filter and then printed onto white fabric painted with Inkaid  which I diluted with water to see what effect it would have on the  resulting print on the fabric. Inkaid does change the hand of the fabric but it is still possible to stitch the resulting print both by hand and machine.I painted the fabric some time ago ( can't find my bottles of Inkaid and would really like to find them!, they disappeared in the moves). So here is the result...

Leaves # 1

Leaves # 1

Nature was and still is an interesting subject for me. The seasonal charges in colors and shapes are great inspiration for my creations. I decided to focus on leaves this year, and am going to use different techniques and materials.

In the first quilt I used both commercial and hand dyed cotton fabrics fused and then free hand cut the leave shapes.

Shoshi

Musa's Circles. 
I've been buying these Kola and Indigo dyed fabrics from Musa Jaiteh (from The Gambia) for over ten years now - I never tire of them!  There is a simple beauty in the combination of colours and the simple tie-ing techniques he uses.This is not my first quilt using this fabric and I'm sure it won't be my last!  I think you'll all agree that this is quite different from Alison's circles.  It will be interesting to see the different ideas that we come up with. 

Musa's Circles

Detail 1

Detail 2

This is my first piece for 2013. My theme is “art using natural elements found in nature”.

This one is based on sand drawings that we often see on the beach while going for a walk!  Kids and adults love to draw messages and pictures in the sand. Its lots of fun and we often see some very interesting art works. This one is very simplistic.

Being in touch with nature is also very good for the body and the soul. It helps reduce stress, makes you happy, helps makes you more creative, improves your memory and in general makes you a better person.

I have quilted some of these words in the heart!  I have also tried to do a slightly different quilting design in each square to try and improve my creativity and LOVED making this piece!

Portrait #1

Here is my first quilt for the 2013 series. I said that I would have "seeds and pods" as my theme for this year, but this has changed and my chosen subject has become "me". I had done an on-line screen printing workshop and worked with photo's from my childhood. I was so pleased with the way the prints turned out and I have so many ideas of how to continue, that I decided to use this for my series as well.

Detail:

I used a background fabric which I had prepared with fabric paint, silk paper and newspaper. I then printed the image with a flour paste screen. I added a photo using gel medium, some hand-made paper and then added some lettering and machine stitching.

Circles Number One.

My quilts for 2013 will all be to to with circles. Using fabrics and embelishments already in my stash. For the first piece I started by cutting a circle of fabric the biggest that would fit inside the finished size we have agreed for this year. I cut it, opened it up and 'unpacked' the circles inside. Just following where the fabrics and more circles led till I achieved something that I found pleasing. Then I apliqued and quilted by machine and by hand to put it all together.

Alison

Bamboo No. 1

Here is the first of my "Bamboo" series for 2013.  I am basing my series on the bamboo plant in my living room window.  This first piece was assembled using fused applique.  I did some layering with organza strips in the background and on the yellow leaf in the foreground.  I particularly enjoy the green leaf and transitions to brown and yellow at the tip since my poor plant looks like this during the summer when it is hot and dry outside and the air conditioning makes it hard to keep the plants watered inside.

Frances

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