Thursday, October 30, 2014

Presenting the Work #2

 

Tada! Maddie's finished piece, her first, quilted and mounted on the board. She very carefully chose the paint colors to match and contrast with the colors in the quilt.
For our second lesson we discussed planned designs, how to take them from drawing to fabric, and how to make a really big design. I don't think I have talked much about large designs in a while. but just for the record, here's the idea. While I often used my overhead projector and transparencies, not everyone has those at their fingertips. My suggestion is to get a big plastic shower curtain, clear or white and tape it to the wall. Using Vis-a-Vis water soluble markers, draw the design on the shower curtain. The drawing can be cleaned off with water, so it is reusable. The shapes are then traced and cut from the fabric, just like any other pattern.
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While looking in my storage room for examples of different finishing techniques, I found some work from other artists that I have carefully  lost stored and now I found again. Yay!!!
 
 These two pieces are by Marcia Derse and I have had them since the late '90's I think. Whenever I feel myself getting too tight in my design, I look at Marcia's wonderful work and just mellow out.
Of course I love the no binding finish on both of these pieces.

This tiny piece is by David Walker, 4x6". We traded tiny works while we were teaching...somewhere together. This one is from 2000. Where does the time go?

And this very folk-arty beaded and embroidered piece is by Andrea Stern. I couldn't resist it. Shisha mirrors! O my.
In the same vein I found a piece of my own work, from 2001. Needlelace Study #2, shisha mirrors, hand dyed cheesecloth bits and a little hand quilting. 9x12".

 
All of these pieces were mounted on plexiglass, which at the time was my presentation of small works solution. I don't like it anymore, and would rather mount these on painted panels. For one thing, they weigh less, and are easier to hang. Secondly they can be colored to enhance the artwork, and I think it adds more to the finished look.

3 comments:

  1. Wonderful post! Lovely that you are mentoring a young fiber artist... she is a very lucky girl! And I am very intrigued by the last few samples you posted, especially Needlelace Study #2. When I first looked at it, I thought you had stitched hand dyed lace over the background... which I think I must try, even though yours is embroidery. And I love the mirrors... used some in a tie-dye sampler a few years back, and still have a bunch! Time to put them to good use...

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  2. Maddie's piece looks great. She is one lucky girl to have you as a mentor.

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  3. Maddie's first is great! Can't wait to see what else she comes up with! I do like the small pieces mounted on painted boards, adding to the artwork.

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