Spirit of the Kiva Revived

I decided that I needed to let my eyes rest and haven't been working on the thread painting since the surgery.  However, I wanted to get some other things done.  This piece was started about two years ago.  I started the quilting and had about 2/3 of the large design done when I realized that it was going wonky on me.  Because I have the straight lines of the boarder I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get everything to look straight.

I decided to take the photo printed on fabric out, redo the printing and reinsert it in the boarders.  I started sewing the boarders on today.  Because the printed fabric area was larger that the first one I had to do some trimming.  It was quite confusing for a while.  I'm used to making the boarders match the center piece.  This time I had to make the center match the boarders.  You understood that didn't you?    I had to call in reinforcements, my husband, to help.  We finally figured it out and I hope to get the other two sides sewn tomorrow.

Cataract Surgery Goes Great

I had no idea that the colors I was seeing were not correct until after my surgery on Thursday.  I had the cataract on my right eye removed and a lens inserted that will allow me to see distance, in-between and up-close all in one.

My vision is still a little cloudy but today it appears that the right eye is becoming dominate and my overall vision is better.  I am having the left eye done on Nov. 27, then I will have all new vision.

It's been amazing to look outside at the Autumn leaves that are still around.  I close my right eye and everything has a very yellow/gold look.  This I thought was normal.  I then close my left eye and see the bright natural colors.  It's amazing.

I think I had forgotten how white, white can be.  I need to get out a few of my newer fiber art pieces to look at them with new eyes.  I may have some surprises as I view them with new eyes.

A Learning Experience

Since my last post I've gotten quite a bit done.  It may not look like a lot to the observer but if you've ever thread painted you will know that I've accomplished quite a bit.

I recently purchased a book by Carol Shinn titled Freestyle Machine Embroidery.  It was recommended to me by members on the SAQA blog.

I am so glad I listened to them and ordered this book.  It is chocked full of great ways to handle problems.

Take this photo, you will note to the left I am attempting to thread paint a shadow on the jeans where the handle of the watering can is shading the jeans.  There is quite a distinct line where the shadow ends.

 After reading Carol's book I knew just what to do to make it look more realistic. 

I am beginning to get puckering with all the dense thread painting.  The one in this photo will be quilted out as this area is going to be as dense as the jeans.

However, I am beginning to get puckers as seen beside the pocket and above the flower where the area is not going to be that dense.

I also found a bulge today in the side of the watering can.  Carol to the rescue again.  She demonstrates how to slice the bulge open make the corrections and then thread paint over the opening.

I'm no where near ready to do that yet as I will be waiting until I finish the whole piece to make any corrections.

Okay, I would like a pat on the back.  The overalls and some of the watering can have all been done since last week.  It is so much fun seeing this piece take shape.

Here again you can see the puckering beside the jeans.  I'm not sure what can be done here, haven't finished Carol's book yet.   I have an idea of my own that is my fall back, just in case it won't iron out or the quilting won't take care of the problem.

Tomorrow cataract surgery so will be taking it easy for a few days. 

It's Slow Going

What little time I've had in the studio this week has been spent doing the straps, hooks and bib of Connor's bib overalls.

 IT IS SLOW GOING!

I am enjoying the process and I really love to see the results at the end of time spent.  My guess is that I have about ten hours in the bib, and straps. 

Tomorrow I'm out of the house all day so won't be back until Tues. for more thread painting.  I have cataract surgery on Thursday and I think the thread painting will have to take back seat for a few weeks. 

I have a new project to create on the design wall while my eyes are healing so I won't be idle. 

A closer look.

A Copper Watering Can

I returned home yesterday after spending some time in NC moving my Mother-In-Law to a new facility.  She is settled in a good place and is Okay. 

I finished the thread painting of the copper watering can today.  I started it last week before we left but didn't get very far.  This was the results of about five hours of work today.

This is not a one day or even a one week project that I'm working on now.  However, I think it will be worth the time.

This is a closer view of the watering can.  I really enjoyed choosing the threads to achieve the patina of old copper. 

I used some green, red, and multi colors of golds and browns. I have a meeting tomorrow and it's not likely that I will get much done on this piece but, I have set aside the rest of the week and hope to really see some difference in the left side of the piece by the end of the weekend.

A New Connor Design

Connor III
but not really named yet  45" X 45"

A week or so ago I posted a closeup of a new piece that I'm working on.  I've been doing a study so that I can get the quilting and thread choices out of the way before I start on the big piece.

Tonight I decided to post the full print and give you an idea of how I came up with this design.

I knew that I wanted to continue experimenting with my computer generated images.  I went to my photo files to fine a photo that I wanted to work with.

This has long been a favorite photo of mine.  Connor was about three at the time and he really loved to garden.  He even wanted the cement to grow. 

I decided to dropout the background and then look for a photo that I wanted to pair it with.

After searching through my large file of garden photos I suddenly thought of this piece of fiber art I made several years ago.  It is titled Through my Window.

It is actually the front window of our log house.  Through the window is my great room with another Geranium quilt hanging on the wall.  The window box holds more geraniums.   The geraniums in the pots are made using the fabric Origami method.

After a bit of trial and error I learned how to increase my canvas size to accommodate Connor standing in outer space.

Lots of fun and I love the finished produce.  Now to get it quilted. 

Good News, Lark Publishing Company's New Book

Just got an email yesterday that "Connor" will be published in the upcoming book, Art Quilt Portfolio: People & Portraits.  It will hit the book stores in April, 2013.  I'm excited.

Connor # 3

I finally have time to work in my studio.  I have only spent small amounts of time, doing really mundane things, since getting my class at Campbell ready to teach in Aug.  That is two months folks and I have really missed working.

I have a new piece started but I'm only going to show small pieces in this post.

The entire piece will be 45" x 45" or there about.  Because it is a big piece and I really don't want to do a lot of picking out stitches I decided that I would work on a study first.   This is another of my creations in PhotoShop and is printed on linen cotton canvas.  I'm very happy with the color and texture that I get with this fabric.  It will be the first time I've used it so I  that is another reason for the sample.

I've spent the last two days stitching this piece, and am so glad that I decided to do a study before starting on the larger piece.

I am not exactly a patient person and I hate to waste time.  Often I tell myself that I am wasting time doing the same thing twice.  That I'm going to be bored working on the same thing again.  And sometimes I do get bored but I learn something each time I work so that, hopefully, I will improve the next time.

I almost decided yesterday that I had done enough to this study to see how the fabric reacted to quilting.  How much quilting I wanted to do and which threads to use.  But as I look at the piece this morning I've decided that I will finish the piece because there are other issues that I need to get solved before I tackle the larger piece. 

If anyone who reads this has a good collection of thread for portraits that they like I sure would love to hear from you.  If you look closely at Connor's face and neck you will note that I used brown tone threads on his neck and red tone threads on his face.  Which do you like best?

Quilt National Entry Part Two

This is a continuation of my discussion on the making of Doors to the Past.   When I first printed the image I had thoughts of adding something around or to the side of the image.  However, the more I looked at the printed piece the more I wanted to keep it within  the confines that existed.
Having made that decision I had to decide where I was going to take the piece.  The shadows intrigued me.  I was puzzled as to why my shadow disappeared and wanted to explore that further.  At first I isolated my shadow, I guess I was determined to be in the piece, but I was much happier with the image of my husband.  I also really liked the aura that appeared around the archway. 

After I isolated the shadow image of my husband I placed it in various positions within the larger image.  A few of the images I tried.

This is the final image I decided on, I can't really say why except that it pleased me.  While working on the piece I spent time wondering how many people had passed through these doors.  Perhaps the eerie feeling that I experienced when my image appeared as a white spot at the top of the arches inspired the rest of the design.   I really enjoy going back over a piece like this an exploreing the whys and hows of the creation.  I hope you enjoyed it as well.

Quilt National Entry

Doors to the Past

This was my entry into Quilt National this year.  This was the first year I felt that I had a piece that might be considered for this prestigious show.

Quilt National is held every other year at the Dairy Barn in Athens, OH.   Many say that this is the mother of all fiber art shows.

You really have to plan and commit yourself and the piece of art that you are making to enter in QN.  One of the foremost rules in their entry form is that the art can not be posted on your blog/internet etc.  Nor can it have been entered into any other show or seen within a 100 mile radius of your home before entering into QN.  This takes quite a commitment.  Most artist who chose to enter this exhibit feels that this is worthwhile. 

I took the plunge this year and decided that I might have a small chance.  I didn't!  There were over 800 entries and only 86 were juried into the show.  Of course, I'm disappointed but not surprised.  I'm glad I entered and I will most likely enter again.  After all nothing ventured nothing gained.

 Now that I have that out of the way I want to tell you how I came up with the above design and how Doors to the Past evolved.

The photo show here was taken in New Mexico.  I can't really remember where but the thing that caught my attention was how the doors/arches opened one after the other.  I also loved the light that came through after the second doorway.

I've been doing a lot of merging photos in PSE and decided to play with this photo as my background.

 I also take lots of shadow photos of myself and my husband when we are out hiking or site seeing.  This photo was taken in a creek in the Smoky Mountains.  The stones are moss covered and the sky is reflected in the water.

 This was the final image.  As you can see my shadow disappeared with the exception of the light at the upper part of the archway.  Things started feeling a little eerie here.

As I looked at the image I began seeing images.  The design that emerged at the lower left looked to me as if it might be half of the Comedy Mask.  Because of this I decided to mirror image the design./

 This was the image that emerged after the mirror imaging.  This has turned into a much longer post than I had planned so I am stopping at this point and will elaborate on this more later this week.