This week I worked on a simple, watercolor-like rendering of a vase with some dried flowers. It was pleasing work, and felt like old home week.

I love watercolor. As an undergraduate art student I did a lot of watercolor. I love the freshness of it. I love the quickness of it. I love the way watercolor can portray light on objects like glass.

For this project (it will be an art quilt), I’m working on prepared muslin, taped down to a board just like you would a stretched sheet of watercolor paper. After the painting is done I’ll remove it to collage and stitch into the quilt.

I’m using acrylic paints so that they will be permanent on the fabric. I’m just dipping the brush in water to thin and mix the colors before I apply.

This subject matter is familiar territory for me too. Between 2010 and 2011 I focused on a project of painting the same subject matter – a  few simple blooms in a small glass vase – fifty times. It was a way to explore mixed media and teach myself new things.

The project helped to lead me to working with fabric and collage. I’ve always been grateful for the experience.

If you are an artmaker, and interested in exploring new techniques, or improving your abilities in the techniques you currently use, there is real value in limiting your subject matter. Do the same image over and over. At the end of your time with that subject, you may well have created an interesting series. And, because you don’t have to keep thinking up new subjects to depict, you can focus all your attention on techniques, composition and design elements.

I’m looking forward to stitching on this image and attaching it to the rest of the quilt. Maybe tomorrow!

Meanwhile, I completed one of the quilts I wrote about in last week’s post. Here’s “Secret Garden”

If you would like to learn more about this work, it’s posted on my website 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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