I am working my way toward completion of a large art quilt this week and wanted one more element to finish the storytelling in the work. A ladderback chair seemed just right.

I have written before about ladderback chairs. They are a favorite symbol for me. Depicted empty, they connote memory. Who was there? What do they remember?

And the first ladderback chairs I remember seeing as a child were in the dining room of a school friend, a home I associated with laughter and rules a bit less formal that my own home.

So, I like these chairs.

I pulled one of my trusty large ladderback chair stencils (I have several sizes) from the shelf and traced out its basic shape onto muslin. Then I collaged a mix of fabrics onto the muslin. Then I stitched them down.

Now I could put the stencil on the top, moving it around till the different fabric colors and patterns hit in the spots I want. Then trace the shape.

Then I cut out the shape of the chair.

My end product is a cut-out chair ready to place on the quilt, collage into position, then stitch into place and quilt.

I am very happy with this chair. I like the way the colors blend and seem to suggest light on a form.

Just one problem.

It doesn’t look good on the quilt I intended it for. I did try out the fabrics against the quilt background, and I did think through what the chair colors would be next to.

But, when I placed it, it was just too much. It disappeared  into the background. I could not tell it wasn’t quite right till I’d created it.

Shoot!

Time for some new chairs

My next plan is to create the chairs with more of an all-over brownish hue, and less pattern.  (I’m creating one lighter brown and one darker brown, just to be sure I get one right.) I hope the second time is the charm.

Since I don’t have a nice “Ta-daaa!’ finished product to show you yet, I’ve pulled out a few artworks-with-chairs from my files to show you. These works are all on my website, where you can find out more information about them.

SECRET GARDEN An art quilt I created earlier this summer
If you would like more information about Secret Garden, click HERE

HOLDING ON – LETTING GO  A smaller work mounted on a wooden box frame.
If you would like more information about Holding On Letting Go, click HERE

OVERGROWN CONVERSATION – An art quilt that also includes some detailed photo transfers of windows.
If you would like more information about Overgrown Conversation, click HERE

For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi

bobbi@bobbibaughstudio.com

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