I like working in a studio where all the stuff of artmaking is out and visible. The “mess-in-progress” inspires me and makes me think of new things that interest me.
Here’s what I saw as I walked into my studio this weekend:
On my easel, side by side, I have pinned up two pieces that need finishing touches to be ready to send off for exhibit. In the back corner I see a completed collage in deep colors. And a few steps and off to the left I see printed sheer fabric. (The next step of the project I wrote about last week.)
So. What’s to see in all of this that’s interesting?
Starting with the two pieces on the easel, I see again how I went about creating the surfaces in completely different ways.
This is a detail of one of the works on the easel, More than Bread.
I created this as a whole cloth piece; the backing is a bed sheet. The only collaged section is the golden yellow sunshine in the window. Everything else gets most of its definition by stitch. The random arcs in the yellow sun. The patterned table and wall. And the stitch-as-drawing that I used to define the figure. I loved creating this work and making the surface come alive with stitching.
Here’s a closeup of the other piece on the easel, But in the Silence Between.
It’s quite different from the Bread quilt. To me, this work is a hybrid between an acrylic painting/collage and an art quilt. I created layers of paint and texture by collaging onto a gesso-prepared piece of muslin. I like the translucent watercolor-like quality of the images.
It is also stitched over the whole surface. But the stitching functions differently than in the Bread piece. It is primarily functional – to hold all the parts and to prevent wrinkles and puckers. The visual texture is from the images.
Here's a detail of Then The Edge of Dusk, the piece that’s hanging on the wall in the corner.
This work is collaged onto a wood panel and framed from the back. The process of collaging onto a flat panel, instead of a fabric surface is just a different experience and creates different visual textures. And, of course, if a portion has stitching, it has to be stitched before it goes on the wood backing. This work also has some painting-like qualities.
Finally, the loosely printed fabric waiting to be made into into artwork.
The fabrics I showed in last week’s post were printed as monotypes using tree stencils. This portion is same-but-different. I am still creating the feel of wind, but not with tree forms. I used random placements of string on my monotype plate to get these shapes. I want them to seem random and chaotic compared to the trees.
This quilt will have a collaged composition, and lots and lots of stitching to enhance the feel of wind. (I’m still prepping the backing layers to be ready to compose. I’m anxious! I can collage maybe tomorrow.)
I worked in other mediums before discovering textile artwork. It seems the perfect fit for me. Lots interesting things to see and discover. Varied finished products possible. Always challenging!
And here’s one more detail from the studio:
One more little detail to share: for artmakers who enter your work into exhibits. Here is one way to do the label. I type the information I want and print on my home laser printer. I use a generous coat of gel medium on the top of the label to seal and protect it, and more on the back to collage it to a piece of muslin. Once it is dry, I will stitch it by machine to the quilt backing before I apply the backing to the quilt. (I generally back with grey eco-felt, gluing to cover the quilt back. Then I flip the edge binding and hand stitch that to the eco felt.)
If you would like to see more of the completed works in this post, you can find them on my website:
For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating
Thank you for reading.
I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi
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