New Work revisited

As soon as I placed the purple butterflies on the tree I knew this was the solution. I think I will discretely apply some beads. Don't want anything overwhelming the tree.

I have spent the last week slaving in my studio. I have my first one woman show at The Arts Company in Seneca, SC opening Nov. 17. More on that later.

While I've know about this show for at least six months projects just piled up on me. This piece, I'm thinking of naming it, "Spirit of the Butterfly" is one of my new pieces. The landscape I posted on my last post hopefully will be done. I also have a new piece that I have been working on for two years. Sounds ominous doesn't it? I would guess it hung on my design wall eight months without me touching it. I had my reason. Will discuss those later.

My DH and I are headed to NC tomorrow to help out his brother and sister-in-law with some medical problems. I am taking about four projects to finish there. I may be down a while, it depends on how much energy I have left.

New Work revisited

Several days ago I posted this piece and asked for comments. All of the comments I received told me exactly what I knew already. The crocheted butterflies did not show up. They totally blended into the beautiful marbled tree. I decided to add purple hand dyed fabric behind the butterflies but as soon as I placed the crocheted butterflies on top they again disappeared into the background. My Mother crocheted these butterflies and I really wanted to use them but will have to find another application.

How I construct a landscape

When I decided to post this information on my blog I tried to decided if I should start the photos at the beginning or ending of my process. I decided to start at the end but would like to hear how you feel. If you have time send a comment and I'll know next time.

How I construct a landscape

The last step in my process is painting. I paint to add depth and details. I use just about any kind of paint, pencils, ink or pens that will give me the effect I'm looking for. Click on the small photo for a better look. Notice how the windows look as if the lights are on inside the house.

Hope you enjoy the process.

How I construct a landscape

You will notice in this photo that I have also added lobster pots to the middle ground. Forgot to take a photo of that step. I added the boats and reflections as a final step of the building process.

How I construct a landscape

In this step I finished adding the middle ground with the addition of a pier.

How I construct a landscape

The middle ground has a large pile of boulders just behind a pier. The fabric I chose for the boulders was a commercial marbled looking gray. I cut it into sections to resemble boulders. I added a lighter gray mottled fabric toward the back.

How I construct a landscape

I always start at the furthermost item in my background. Here it is trees with a house just in front. I used printed tree fabric but as you can see I was careful to fussy cut the tree tops so it would appear natural.

How I construct a landscape

When I start to construct a landscape I first construct what I call my canvas. I look at my photo or drawing and decide what needs to be in the background. Here I have sky and water. I will be adding a middle ground as I progress. If I have a very large middle ground I will add it between the sky and water. Since I have a building that was going to fill the right side of the sky I pieced it with the sky. I had to piece the sky as the fabric I wanted to use was not large enough. You will see how I cover the seam up later.

New Work

I purchased this marbled piece of fabric in Paducah this past April. I first saw it when someone else was looking at the piece. I stood there looking at other pieces trying to ignor the fact that I wanted that piece of fabric. When she finally laid it down I GRABBED it ASAP.

The marbled tree had some white spots in the tree and the unpainted fabric beside the tree trunk had splatters of paint. I decided that I would add some sky fabric, that I had dyed, using reverse applique.

I decided that I wanted to add some images to the tree. Birds seemed to be the obvious image.

New Work

This was my first attempt to add images to this marbled tree fabric. I felt the fabric birds were to vibrant for this fabric. So I decided to add organza over the hand dyed birds.

New Work

After I had made the birds out of hand dyed fabric I decided it was to bold for this fabric and should cover the birds with organza. This was the results. I still wasn't happy with the image.

While I was sitting in my studio looking at the piece on my design wall my eyes wandered to the floor. Laying on the floor was an enameled butterfly. A light bulb went off in my head. Butterflies!

New Work

After I decided I wanted to use butterflies as my subject I thought of the chrocheted butterflies my Mother made for me.

My Mother had a wonderful talent using a crochet hook. She could look at a photo of a crocheted piece and figure out how to make that design without a pattern. She knew I loved butterflies and would often make some when she had time. After she died I found a stack of butterflies in her crocheted work.

I decided to use these butterflies on this piece in her memory.

New Work

Thie is the design I ended up with. I decided that I would have the butterfliers flying in an undulating line diagnoly across the tree. I wanted the butterflies to go from large to small as they disappeared off the fabric. I needed a few more small crocheted butterflies. Fellow Focus member Barb Tenneson took one of my butterflies home with her and figured out how to make three more for me. Thanks Barb.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

I had to post this photo of Susan taken in my class. We had lots of fun but also worked hard. Below are photos of all my students and their projects with the exception of Joy Peterson. Joy had to leave on Sat. after class and I didn't get a photo of her piece. Look at the photos below and I hope you enjoy what the class did.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Veronica Moriarty is a fellow member of my art quilt group "Focus". She basically worked on this piece on her own. I came by once in a while to see if she needed anything. Veronica had taken my class a couple years ago and had the quilt she made in that class accepted at AQS, Paducah, Ky. I think this one will go to a show as well.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Martha Duke's double day lily is turning our really good. Martha spent more time than the other students working on the paint part of the class. You can see the result where the petals turn. Martha is in my guild in Seneca, Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild. Like many of the students in this class Martha wants to break out of her box.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Susan Parham was a bright light in our class room. She worked on a Gerber daisy and it was BIG. She worked very hard getting the values right and did a great job.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Joyce Lythe choose a photo of a bridge that she took in China as her subject. Joyce spent a lot of time fussy cutting fabric for trees, shrubs, a little bridge in the background, etc. The time spent paid off big time with the end results.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Barbara Holcomb sent me quite a few photos she had taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I knew from the photos that Barbara had a good eye. Barbara spent a lot of time choosing her fabric, visited the vendors, and came up with great hand dyes for the mountains. She is working toward the front of the piece where she will eventually have some large wild azalea blooms in the bottom left corner.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Sandy Whetstone chose the bloom for a pumpkin plant and a morning glory. I thought the pumpkin bloom was so unique and encouraged her to choose that photo. Well, she did and it is going to turn out great. Sandy has some painting to do in order to get the depth needed in the center of the bloom. I know she can do it.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Seni Maxwell choose a folk art collage to work on. She has a real eye for this type of art as it is one of her favorite types.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Karen Kendo took the photo for this piece in her garden. She did a great job on these three day lilies. My photo, while I took it without flash, did not register the true color of Karen's fabric. Sorry Karen.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Corky Ledbetter started this process with the idea of putting this butterfly on a flower. However, after getting started she decided that the butterfly could stand on it's own. I agree. She still has to add the body, legs and antenna.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

I spent this last weekend teaching at QSC Fall Retreat. I'm going to post, over the next few days, photos of my students and the pieces they worked on during the class. Here I am demonstrating how important it is to select the best background for each piece.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Madonna Perkins sent me her photos before the class and included was a photo of this cute little dog. I told Madonna that if she was willing to be a Guinea Pig I would tackle this with her. I've not made an animal yet so we explored this process together. Madonna has a few little changes to make but she did a great job. I used her piece as a sample in selecting backgrounds. We must have tried eight different fabrics. This was her second choice, a piece of my fabric was her first, but I think it was a good choice.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Amanda Adams wasn't present when we critiqued everyones pieces so I don't have a photo of her with the piece. Amanda took several photos of this Macaw and merged them to make the image that she wanted. We thought this background looked really good with the Macaw. She is going to add a couple of branches for the bird to perch on.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Gail Moss chose an Oriental Lily as her subject. She was not real happy with the largest of her petals and plans to change it for another one. I was pleased when she made the decision to do this. I had stressed how important it was to change a piece of fabric if you weren't really happy with the selection and she listened. Gail also has a stem and leaves to add.

QSC Fabricating Nature Class

Glenda Wilson worked very hard on this flower. After she and I looked at her selection of fabric she just kind of worked steadily not really needing much help. She has to add her leaves and a little paint to blend the white tips of the bromelaid. I think I have misspelled bromelaid. Obviously the white is not her background. After she gets the flower and leaves finished she will select the perfect background.

Lark Books "500Art Quilts"

After returning from teaching at QSC this weekend I found an acceptance letter from Lark Books. Two of my quilts, "A Touch of Red" and "Peacockiness" will be included in their up-coming book "500 Art Quilts". I'm excited!

I've very tried from the teaching weekend but will try to save enough energy to post tomorrow about the weekend.

New Exhibit

Art of Fiber
Saturday Oct. 10, 2009
Art Demo
Exhibit Open

Burton Gallery & Emporium
150 Burton Dam Rd.
Clarksville, GA 30523
burtongallery@windstream.net

I will be exhibiting at this Gallery through December along with a lot of talented fiber artist. Hope you can make a trip to see all the great fiber art. Wish I could be there for the opening.

Teaching at QSC

That promised photo of all the stuff I take to my workshops will have to wait. My dear husband packed the car for me without me knowing. Wasn't that sweet? I hope to have lost of photos to share after I return. Until then.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

This weekend I am teaching my "Fabricating Nature" class at QSC, Quilter's of SC state guild. We have two meetings a year and the Fall Retreat is this weekend. I've taught this class for several years and we always have great results. I decided today as I worked on getting my materials ready, to take photos of fabrics for different uses in the class.

My students start with their own photograph or one they have permission to use. They can do a flower, bird, insect or any large graphic photo or a landscape.

It always takes me days to get everything ready to take. As I get closer to departure on Thursday I will show you the pile I take with me. Hope this helps some of you with fabric selection. Please click on the photo for a more detailed photo. Some of my photos are not clear as I did not use my flash. However, I think I get truer colors without flash.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

These are all hand dyed fabric and I find they work great for sky. However, there are lots of batik that work once you starting looking with different eyes.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

Fabrics that work for stone, rock or bolders.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

It's easy to find great grass fabric.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

These are fabrics that I might cut out in a tree shape and add to the tree trunk fabric below.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

These fabrics are printed with trees. They are obvious, but I often fussy cut them to fit what I want in my landscape.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

These are commercial fabrics that are not printed as tree trunk fabric but I see trunks in all of these fabrics. It is my intention to teach my students to look at fabric in a different way after they have taken my class.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

If I am constructing a landscape with flowers in the background I might use fabrics such as these.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

orange gradated fabric. Some hand dyes and some commercial.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

Gradated fabric for a pink flower.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

I might choose this gradation for a sunflower.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

I've had several students who have included turtles in their landscapes. This fabric would make great turtle shells.

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

Fabrics I might choose to make mountains

Fabrics for Fabricating Nature

These are fabrics I might choose for feathers, hair or fur

Hunting Island SC

My husband and I were traveling last week. We ended up visiting friends on Harbor Island, SC. One morning we took a side trip to Hunting Island, SC. We had been on this island several times about ten or so years ago. It hasn't changed much, which is great. Hunting Island is a SC State Park. The park was constructed by the CCC in 1930. Years before the island was used by hunters from the mainland hence it's name. Folk lore has Blackbeard and other pirates stopping there as well. The light house is not in use any more but is a beautiful reminded of days past. If you get down that way some day stop and take a look.

Hunting Island SC

One of the images that seemed so appropriate for the beach. Do you see a fish breaking water?

Hunting Island SC

Tree huggers Marilyn and Ann.

Hunting Island SC

There is a stretch of beach on Hunting Island that has many dead trees. I have heard it called something like "Bone Beach". These beautiful bones of trees has been caused by erosion. This section of Hunting Island is a photographer's dream. Shapes, texture and beauty abound in this location.

Hunting Island SC

Another beautiful shape on the beach.

Hunting Island SC

Great drift wood with the sea behind.

Hunting Island SC

Beautiful tree stands alone in the surf.