A handmade Christmas gift

Growing up in the 50's, in a simpler time, handmade gifts were frequently exchanged.  A gift, handmade, was appreciated for the effort and creativity and resourcefulness of the maker.

I continued to make gifts as a young homemaker, stretching the budget and enjoying the process.  I encouraged my children to make cards and celebrate the holidays sharing in cookie making and handmade decorations.

As a working mom with less time and more income, creativity took a less important role and we were the poorer in spirit for it.  Christmas, especially, can be too commercialized, and multiple gifts for each person is the norm.  We all say we feel the spirit of giving is more important than the dollars spent and received.  I think we all really believe this, but are not confident enough to reduce the amount and increase the meaning of our exchange.  The fact that most Americans, those of my acquaintance, have enough.  Enough food, clothes, gadgets.  I know this is not the case everywhere and certainly not in places of destitution. 

One Christmas several years ago, a family I know, chose to donate the wealth they would have spent on each other to a family in need.  This included sisters, brothers and their children, celebrating the season giving to someone outside their family. How satisfied would I be doing that?  Am I confident enough in the love in my family to not express my love in a material way?

This year, my granddaughter will be spending Christmas with an African family.  She took two suitcases with her in late October. Much of what she took has been consumed; some special snacks, bug spray, her journal. All she has are her clothes and a few small gifts she brought to give for Christmas.  A new person is staying with the family, an aunt.  With a piece of paper and origami instructions, a paper crane will become a gift for the aunt.  All my granddaughter has to give, with the expectation that it will be accepted lovingly and with respect.

The spirit of Christmas is an extraordinary thing.  Peace on Earth.

Another vessel construction technique to try

I want to try a smooth vessel -  a more finished look.  The zigzagged seams pinched to the outside of the vessel, if not a chosen design detail, is a distraction to me.  I want the fabric skin or the image on the fabric to be the focus along with the chosen form.  I am looking for a different construction method.


This vase has a smooth exterior and interior.  The Pellon pattern shapes forming the vase are butted
together and zigzaged with the last seam done by hand.  The orange lining was completed by machine, all six seams, with the same pattern as the form, sewn just a hair smaller.  The fabric was fused to the inside of the Pellon form with a small iron after the lining was sewn together and slipped into the Pellon form. The exterior is commercial cotton fabric, over-dyed and stamped with metallic paint. These pattern pieces were sewn together by machine a hair larger than the form. This outside skin was slipped over the lined form and the seams of the skin and the form were aligned.  The bottom was covered and hand sewn onto the form and a  bottom piece covered with the lining fabric was  positioned inside the vessel.  The top was finished with a bias strip tuned to the inside.

I like this vase.  I can see things that can be improved. I am looking forward to the next vase and where this will take me.

Vessels for Africa

I am working on my vessel construction.  I have been having technical problems with re-visiting the vessel I made in Mary McCauley's workshop.  (The wonderful twist is just not quite right. ) But---- I have a deadline to get two vessels ready for the friends that are hosting my grand-daughter in Zambia. So, while I work on the three-sided twist, I have made a pattern for a flat sided, open bowl.

My third oldest granddaughter has been talking for years about a trip to Africa to visit friends met here in America while the head of their family completed schooling.  At the time, they had 2 little girls and a third born while they were here.  My granddaughter babysat the children and become very close to them.  Since then,  the families have stayed in touch and after high school graduation and before school or career kicked in, an opportunity presented itself for her to visit.

She is there for three months - during  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.  Fabric vessels are light weight and a thank you gift is definitely in order.

The first vessel/basket has been constructed per Mary's lesson, with zigzag seams pinched to the outside of the unit.  This method allows the seams to be a design detail, and I have used a nice blue thread to compliment the orange commercial fabric.

The three-sided twisted vessel has been conquered! Thanks to the return of a copy of the pattern from a good friend.  I was "off" pattern by enough to have to start over.

Again, a bright commercial fabric was used and the same zigzagged seams were used on the outside to complete the vessel.  They will be hand delivered in January by my daughter.  I am anxious to hear all about the visit and all she learned.

Thanksgiving

I have much to be thankful for!  I live in a country of bounty.  I have  time and materials to be creative.  I have a supportive family.  I have had a rich upbringing, full of thought, experimentation, creativity. I have curiosity.  I like to learn. I have a church and faith. I am thankful.

A Small Stamping Project

I just do not want to get out boxes of stuff to do a quick 5 minute stamping project!!!!

Mary McCauley suggested using old file folders as trial vessel patterns.  They are the correct weight, seem to be laying around most homes and are recycled free supplies. I also use them for my final pattern pieces.  File folders are a much better option for non-standard templates than the 1930's cereal boxes.

For my project, I need to stamp a piece of fabric 10" x 16".  I used one side of an old-fashioned sheet protector.  You know - the hard cellophane like material, three hole punched with a piece of black paper inside.  If you have old file folders around the house you probably have a few of these.  I have used the stiff clear plastic to audition quilting designs, choose the perfect section of a fabric design and as a surface for a small amount of paint to do a small stamping.  It doesn't take up much table space, is flat, does not absorb paint and cleans up easily.

No muss - no fuss for a quick small project.

Veronica Challenge

We had another challenge from a photo.  This was done last year.  The picture was of ground cover, Veronica and succulents among rocks.

I mentioned in a previous post that I took it out of dog-sight.  Being displayed on the floor  made it a prime target for a teething pup.  You can see why in the picture below.

I worked on it and did not complete it because of the library show and the holidays.  I know----no excuses.  I almost gave up on the piece and put it aside as a learning experience not worthy of presentation,.  After working with Katie, I  changed the color of the flowers and made the feel and texture of the flowers more like the surrounding rocks.  There was a disconnect between the commercial flower fabric I had chosen and the hand created fabric I used for the rocks.  The dyed cheese cloth was much better, more natural.

I  worked on the transitions between elements in the piece and incorporated more hand- stitching .

After 3 months of staring and working, I thought Veronica was finished. The piece was a  vertical rectangle and I  put a small black binding on it.  I  added more French knots in the flower sections and reduced the puffiness of the purple flower, making them less exaggerated.

I worked with the SDA critique group and agreed the flowers were still not textured enough. They were still too puffy. More French knots.  And, I removed the binding, and trimmed the edges of the piece to create an organic shape. 

I have the piece displayed underneath a desk. I learned a lot on this journey.

Fabric vessels and Golden acrylic products

I constructed a trial vessel with a swirled pattern. I zig-zagged it together with the seams to the inside .  They were left raw.  I added some embellishment to the outside, just to see how it might look.  The construction was not precise - just together enough to get a feel for the form.

I am satisfied enough to attempt a finished product with this pattern and fabric.  I am using the sample to experiment with some Golden products as an exterior finish.

I brushed GAC- 700 on one section
I used matte medium on one section
I used heavy gel on one section
I used GAC- 400 on one section

I checked it out this morning.  I had marked each section with the product I applied. (organize and document).  The fabric had not darkened with any of the applications to a noticeable degree. 

The feel of the surface was definitely different.  So-      there is a decision to be made.  And I think that decision will be made on an individual basis.  To coat or not to coat.  On one hand a construction from fabric, feels like fabric whether it is interfaced for support or dyed or hand painted. The 'hand' and drape are  different but it still feels like fabric. Using a surface application such as these is like using product in your hair.  The hair feels different but is able to be styled in a certain way.

The GAC-700 is a clear sealing polymer.  I mixed it with paint. The result obscured the fabric print and was opaque, just as this acrylic paint would have been if used alone.  I would like to try it with a glaze.  For applying paint, I may want the fabric to be sealed as well.  This would be a good choice.

The matte medium dried leaving the section lumpy as if it slumped or shrunk while drying.  I don't think this a good choice for my purposes.

The heavy Gel (Gloss) has real potential for me.  In pieces that I want to imitate porcelain, this product creates a surface that shines, encapsulates surface applique, and looks solid and substantial. The surface feels smooth to the touch and has lost the sense of fabric while maintaining the detail and color of the print. It did leave brush strokes which may or may not be appropriate to a given piece.  The brush strokes may be eliminated with a different brush or a second application.  I will experiment more with this product.

The GAC-400 stiffens textile/fabric and is used in fabric sculpting. This section of the vase was not changed in color or print detail. It had no shine and did not create any reflection from light. It had a smother feel than untreated the fabric and was stronger.  I like this product.

I tried to crease each section and none cracked or held the crease.  Of course I didn't step on them. 
There are other product for me to look into.  Some I have in my studio.  New products will be made available.  This is an evolving experience.

Christmas Decorations

We are having a guest between Christmas and New Year's.  Now, just before Thanksgiving, I am considering getting the Christmas decorations put up inside the house.  Because of our guest, I am having second thoughts.

Our guest's name is Scout.  He is a 6 month old Black Lab puppy.  In a moment of weakness, my husband told our granddaughter he would watch him while they were out of town.

What can I put up?  Where can I decorate?  What will he eat?

The first thing I did was to take all the quilts that were casually, and really carefully, place on chairs in the living room and put them in the spare room.  It is not really a spare room, it is a needed and much used place to keep my art, some over sized and/or flat or rolled supplies and UFO's.  I took up my Veronica piece from its place on the floor under the desk and added it to the pile.  That was a no-brainer. Some doors will have to be closed!  I just can't put everything chewable  somewhere over 4' high.  Besides I'd never be able to reach the top of the piles.

I am a spreader and I do not have abundant room.  I don't always put things away.  Nothing is handy stuck away in a box on the shelf.  I know, excuses, excuses.

So - I have a few weeks to puppy proof the house and make it festive. Wish me luck.

Fabric Vessels

Mary McCauley - wow!  I took a class from Mary last year, designing vessel shapes and producing them in fabric.  It was a great workshop. I did a three sided vessel or 'form', since it did not have a bottom, it may not be a vessel.  It was amazing how the three sides lay flat as they were sewn together and the shape with a twist was made when the final side closed the vessel.
Torque! a standard vase or pot would not have had this result.

I am playing with vessel shapes, trying to produce forms, linings and original exteriors. I have read several natural history books lately and I think a vase, basket or vessel would be a good surface to use for small natural presentations, like bark or flowers or other details in nature.

During the last weeks I have had the time to rough out some ideas in my mind.  I have 'virtually' created.  Now I have to see if they can be physically created. It is a good feeling to have fabric in my hands again. 

Organize and Document

Oh my, have I wasted time! I gave away a pattern that I had created, thinking I would never use it again.  Famous last words.  I have the finished piece and I thought it would be a cinch to recreate the pattern without taking the piece apart.  Was I wrong!!!

Three tries later, I am still tweaking and have wasted time and materials.  You never know when you may need to revisit an idea.

I am not someone who can make beautiful, detailed books of stitches, colors, techniques, etc.  I enjoy looking through them and appreciate the effort put into them.  I just don't have the time to spend taking the extra care it requires to create one.  However, I should spend more  time  recording the processes used in producing  my pieces whether they are successful or a learning piece. I should record the attempts at dying, stitching, pattern making that I do use.   The techniques, etc., not pertinent to what I am working on, I don't feel the need to spend the time collecting or making a pretty example.  I will get to them when they are pertinent.

The ideas I want to convey, the pictures in my head, the kernel, whether it is shape, form, color, line, emotion or experience are very important to me.  If my attempt to create a piece is premature, if I need further practice with a technique or I have not found or learned the key to executing my vision, I need to record what I have accomplished, so I can revisit, re-experiment and possibly succeed in the  future.  I am not doing very well recording or filing or finishing the paperwork on my work.

My studio space is small, no excuse.  I rush on to the next challenge and leave parts of incomplete projects in my wake.  No excuse. Then--------------------parts get lost, I think that I will remember and I don't. Then I can't find or remember that one detail that I need when I need it.

Oh, boy!

A word to the wise, I will take note myself-- organize and document.

Nature's Colors

I have been staying with my mother for a while as she recovers from an illness.  I use the guest room on the west side of the house. Through the window I can see the ash tree in the front yard and a lot of sky.  I love looking out a window from bed.  The windows in the bedrooms of my house are not placed for easy viewing.  But whenever we camped in the trailer or the old truck topper, I always had the curtain or shade open so I could see outside if I woke during the night or could look out when I first woke in the morning.  There might have been things to see that I didn't want to miss;  mist, clouds, stars, lightning, grouse and rabbits in the meadow at first light, patterns of frost on the window pane, the colors of dawn.

During August, I watched Mom's Ash tree sway and twist in the dark night of a late summer storm.

During September, I watched the tree silhouetted in moonlight and viewed clouds and stars through its branches.

During October I watched the leaves fall, one by one or in flurries and waves.

On a morning in November I woke early, because of the time change, and saw the morning sun transform the trunk and leafless limbs from a grey-brown to an intense orange. A color no one would believe. A color created by the sun at that moment, that angle, through that atmosphere, by my eyes from my position in that bed.

We expect nature to be beautiful, colorful and normal.  We do not expect green sky or orange trees.  But nature does provide unexpected color and with such intensity, if an artist rendered an image replicating these unexpected colors, his audience  might not believe they were real. It seems an impossible task to translate this real, true  experience of intense unexpected color in a way that will be accepted and understood by the viewer.  Is the question- expression of emotion with unexpected color or using the unexpected color to create emotion? Where does believability come into the equation of experience between the artist and the viewer?

I want to be bold and to create with unexpected color that can be believable. Is an artist's unbelievable color dismissed because the viewer has never had that magic moment of orange bark? Or-- does the artist give a gift to the viewer allowing him to share the artist's awe?  I am rambling.  I had a wonderful morning in November.

Aluminum tree

What a pleasure to be in the right place at the right time to enjoy nature's beauty.

We  recently turned back our clocks to mountain standard time.  Daylight, nightfall, dawn, sunset are still mixed up. What we might have expected to see through the glass doors during breakfast, instead surprised us with different lighting, and on this morning, gave us a special treat.  While our cottonwoods are gone, across the ditch in the neighbor's backyard stands a huge tree still hanging onto its golden mantle. The morning sun, almost white against a clear blue sky, reflected off the quivering leaves.  What a magnificent sight!  The whole tree twinkled gold and tinsel as the breeze allowed the sun to bounce its rays off the backs of the fall leaves. The sunlight danced to the tempo of the wind and the spectacle, powered by the sun, lasted almost ten minutes.

The tree was a good 50 feet tall and the sun's angle was low. Without the wind, the scene would have been beautiful, enriching the golden fall color.  With the wind, the light shimmered as the leaves quivered and turned.  The reflected light was intense, a white-gold, making the tree more than it was by itself. Perhaps an experience like this prompted the creation of the aluminum Christmas tree.

As an artist, I want the capture the moment.  I want to share the awe we experienced.  The technique, the materials, the colors,  the size....???  I have an idea.. It will take time.

Cottonwoods

When my mother moved into a house across the street from us - site unseen- she was disturbed to see two huge cottonwood trees in the backyard.  While they provided ample shade for a ranch styled house without central air, they were not her tree of choice.  They dropped twigs twelve months a year, guzzled water, their thick roots made the lawn mower buck and their leaves, inches deep on the ground in the fall, were not suitable for mulch.

On the other hand, a close relative to the Aspen, their heart shaped leaves rustled in the breeze, provided nesting and cover for suburban birds and gave the squirrels trigs to chew off and throw to the ground.

The plains cottonwood, Populus sargentii, is a member of the willow family, which includes poplars and aspens. The cottonwood leaves, which can be 2 or 3 inches long by 3 to 4 inches wide, quiver in the wind as do those of the aspen, so favored in Colorado.  They are deciduous trees, losing their leaves in the fall. They also may be male or female trees.  Nurseries sometimes recommend male trees to city dwellers, to eliminate the drifts of brown seeds with white downy parachutes settling in gutters, lining the driveway edges and occasionally the picnic lunch.

Some trees live longer than others.  The fast growing Lombardy poplars planted by our neighbor were very short lived. Our children planted seeds from an apple snack in two plastic cups.  They still grace our back yard 40 years later. The pines and spruce trees next door are huge and show no signs of giving up the ghost any time soon.  Elms and birch and soon the ash have been killed by disease throughout the metro area in different waves, in different decades. But I have been talking about landscape trees.

Cottonwoods are native to the plains, growing near water sources, with trunks of 6 or 7 feet in diameter and leaves reaching 60 to 90 feet in height.   The Indians and settlers alike sought their shade and used their wood for fuel and tools. They are not pruned or pampered. They have been shaped by wind, fire, drought and used by man and animal. They have  character.

When my mother's cottonwoods had broken from the weight of early snows, become stressed and weakened by Colorado drought and water restrictions, become a hazard to her home and power lines, she chose to have them taken down.

We have had a love-hate relationship with these two big trees.  I am sad they are gone.  Their leaves have been pressed in many telephone books, saving their fall color, intricate scars and beautiful veins. Mom's grandchildren and great-grandchildren have raked piles of October leaves and burrowed and jumped into them, just as children of her own generation did.

The catkins, soft and dangling, elongate, developing seed pods and fall to the sidewalk leaving bluish, purple stain. Their thick bark is light brown and deeply grooved like heavy truck tires.  I want to remember and celebrate the enjoyment I have had from really looking at these trees in their entirety and their individual parts in detail, enjoying their wonder.  I took the time to 'smell the roses' while they were part of our daily experience.

I would like to recommend reading Robert Michael Pyle's The Thunder Tree. It is an exceptional natural history and person story about the Highline canal in Denver.  In his chapter on the thunder tree, Mr. Pyle tells the story of the five pointed heartwood star in the cottonwood twigs broken at the node.  The Arapahoe believed the night sky would be refilled with stars from the cottonwood twigs that were broken by the winds.  It is fun to try to find a star-stick after a storm.

                                                                    

Oh MY!

I see that in January I wrote that I was motivated and wanted to be more serious about my art.

But I have not been more serious about my blog, my method of keeping my close friends and geographically dispersed family up to date on my projects.

I have been thinking seriously and have become very comfortable with how I choose to spend my time.  I am not going to be learning new techniques, unless I think they can help me create better images and emotion in my choice of subjects.  I am not going to do challenges and entries that are not core to my objectives.

I have engaged with a creativity coach and I have found our discussions to be motivational and full of opportunities for artistic and personal growth.

I have also been able to lessen the pressure I put upon myself to produce more.  I have not followed my mindful choice of priorities and am finding that doing so frees up my mind to be creative.

I have much to share with you from months past and hopefully much to share in the close future.

Valerie White's talk to FRCQ Jan. 20, 2014

There definitely was synchronicity in listening to Valerie White's meaningful talk about her artistic journey and art with "intent".  Intentional - working with intent- is what I had chosen for my "word" for 2014.  I have come to another fork in the road with my creativity.  I have been 'playing' with techniques and challenges in 2013 and have not been as serious as I think I should be with subjects that are really important to me.  The awesome, incredible details of color, form, texture in nature were the reason I began creating art quilts.  Mixed mediums with fabric, help me show a little of what I feel and see when I view these details.  Good Grief! This has been my artist's statement!  I want to return to that goal.  I will, however, keep looking at products and techniques that will improve my artistic expression.

So, I have started being serious.  To get me back in the groove of using my sewing machine well, I am putting together a pojagi cloth.  Small French seamed silk. There were free remnants of silk from a tie factory at Front Range and I selected pieces with similar plaids.  A simple project to wake up serious sewing.

I had been  considering time of day, mood, light source and choosing ten words for  projects as I began planning the composition, techniques and materials in many of my past pieces, especially the beaded antlers.This helped me stay on course and true to my objective.  I have not been doing that this past year.  I need to get back on track and do that again in order to deliver something I am happy with.

So the fork in the road may be a return circle to a point of view I had lost sight of. I hope the circle will continue to spiral to a higher level of creativity and execution.  I am ready to be serious.

"World" challenge

Last February (2013) our art group decided to do a challenge to be exhibited in the Nov-January show.  We were to each show our version of the world in an art quilt, 40" x 28".  We have ten pieces hung the length of the wall facing the library conference rooms.  They are stunning. Each piece is different in technique, vision and message.  We are very proud of the challenge results.

I did a whole cloth quilt - Alpha and Omega.  The continents and major islands are fused applique of silk fusion which I made at Tamara's shop/studio.  The edges of the continents and the map are highlighted with Shiva oil stick. Biblical references from Genesis and Revelation are printed on the fabric.  The Tree of Life is quilted over the map to encompass the whole world.  The leaves are made of organdy to be transparent.

Here is a picture of my entry. I wish you could have seen all ten together.  They will be hung at Wild Heather in April.

Pine Cone Series

Heather Thomas gave another series class this past year.  I chose the incredible pine cone to use as my subject.   Each viewing angle of a pinecone offers different shapes and  shadows.  Only using the cone of the Ponderosa Pine I made a series of three small pieces mounted on upholstery covered wooden frames.

The backgrounds are from an unbleached canvas, painted with Golden flow and acrylic paints, spreading and bleeding into the fabric.  Pieces of the canvas were selected for the three backgrounds so they would all have the same feel for the series.  A small area of each background was free motion quilted with metallic thread to suggest tree bark.

The pinecones were machine appliqued with batik cotton petals onto upholstery fabric for form and stability, thread painted for shadowing and finished in some cases with thick acrylic paint to create hard edges or points.  In two of the pieces, pine needles made from jute and thread were added to the composition.

There has been lengthy discussion concerning hanging textiles softly or mounting them on frames, covered stiffener, etc.  Many Galleries will not accept textiles hung from a sleeve and rod system.  They prefer a piece to be framed like painted art.  Traditionalists, including many art quilt artists feel this detracts from the draping of the textile and heritage of the quilt.  Others feel it may be necessary in order to compete in the art gallery scene.

Because these three pieces are heavily textured and dimensional, and because they are small, I choose to use a covered fame to "mat" them and use the color of the "mat" to enhance the color choices of the piece.  In general, I think the piece should dictate the method of presentation. I hope textile art will be considered by more galleries and other venues as an accepted medium for artistic conversation.

Here are pictures of the pinecone series which was shown in the ExPort Art Group show at the Castle Rock Library.

 

 

 

 

 

The ExPort show and reception

Today was the closing reception for the ExPort show at the Castle Rock library.

Today it snowed.

Those of us that made it to Castle Rock had a great time.  Seven of the ten artists were there, some with husbands, some with family.  Thank you to Will, Patty, Stephanie, Don and Sierra for joining us.

We cancelled our Dec meeting because it snowed. At that meeting, we had planned to take a walk through with the group to hear about each piece from the artist.  We did that today and it was so nice to hear about the evolution of ideas and techniques from the beginning concept to the end results. Interesting background and stories were shared and enjoyed, making the experience all the more meaningful.

The 2012 show at the library and this show have validated the artists in our group and inspired even bigger dreams.  Both shows have been very well received by the public and the library staff.  Many of our members have visited the show on several occasions bringing friends and family members.

Our group is an art group, a group of artists with many different mediums and techniques in their box of supplies and a support system.  I think each of us has grown through the group and through the shared experience of this show.  I am pleased to be a member and to have such good friends.

ExPort Art Group show in Castle Rock

This year our art group was given another opportunity to display their art in the Castle Rock library.  Their space is wonderful and we were able to hang 80 pieces.  We also gave 6 demonstrations of art techniques for library patrons.. Our closing reception will be this Saturday, January 4th.

I hung eight pieces this year:

A series of three pine cone pieces
My three acrylics with paper and fiber, representing thermal runoff
The Thermal runoff #6 in fiber with embellishment
and the 3D skyline of Denver.

We chose one or two pieces from each of the ten artists to show in the main library and tried to represent as many subjects and techniques as we could to engage the patrons.  I especially enjoyed two modern pieces, a self portrait and a giraffe which I hoped to catch the attention of the young readers.  I put the 3D skyline there, as well, to bring a little curiosity to the viewers, especially the children.

The hall to the conference rooms and offices was lined with larger pieces, usually 3 or 4 by 5 feet in size.  Again there was quite a variety of subjects and techniques, from large red lips which zipped open to traditional/modern quilting.

Our "World Challenge" was hung along the entire wall facing the conference rooms.  Ten pieces, all 40" wide and 28" high, hung end to end.  It is very impressive!  Between the conference room doors were hung pieces grouped mainly by artist.

As of three weeks ago we have sold two pieces of art.  We may have sold more.  We find out the day after tomorrow.  More on the show later.



  

3-D Skyline

One of the groups I meet with is hosted by a local fiber art shop.  There are about ten regulars who share their work, request critiques and have participated in two challenges where we all work from the same photograph and present a 16" by 20" fiber art piece.  There were some very awesome results.

The first photo chosen by vote, was the Denver skyline.  I knew before I left that day I wanted to do a piece  with dimension.  Rectangular sky scrapers were fairly easy to fold and/or raise off the surface.  It was a fun piece to do.

 

 

 

Blue All Over

Using the ExPort bag of goodies I connected five undyed fabrics, embellished, folded, tore and generally created texture.

The resulting panel became " Blue all Over".  It was dyed with procion dye as one piece.  The canvas and the cottons  each took the dye  a little differently.  The raveled edges of the tears took the dye differently than the woven pieces.  The orange rubbings acted as a resist and show well against the blue.  There are five sections, each worked differently and  seamed together. The piece is edged with blue jean material.

I covered and sleeved a piece of heavy pellon with white cotton and mounted the paned, unquilted.  I am please with the experiment and I hope to dye after quilting and/or embellishing  in the future.

Artichokes, peas and cucumbers with a little lemon

One of our art group members suggested we open our refrigerator and use what we see as inspiration.  I used this opportunity to try a few new techniques.  Golden acrylic products include a product that causes their acrylic paints to bleed and spread on fabric.  I started this piece with a white foundation painted with Golden Flow and green acrylic paint, making heavier coverage in places.

Using upholstery fabric I thread painted and appliqued artichokes, fabric peas and cucumbers covered with shiny organza to make them appear wet.  I finished with pea vines and appropriate quilted details.  It was a very whimsical piece, a big stretch for me.  I love the painting technique and I am very satisfied with the final result of our refrigerator inspiration.