Last week I was writing about the process of printing original fabrics to use in an art quilt. At stages in the process, I really can’t see how the fabrics will turn out. I have to imagine it, based on what process I’m using.
So… now that I have created some fabric, what happens next? Here I’ve got the fabric and with it a sketch of a new quilt-in-progress.
My job now is another stage of envisioning. I am making choices about which fabrics will go in which section of the quilt, and how they will all work together.
There’s lots to consider. Will one fabric section be interesting next to what I place beside it? Here, I’m using complementary colors next to each other, as well as a mix of photo transfer with non-photographic imagery, to create an interesting conversation.
In this section, my goal is different. I want all these blues and teals to relate to one another, and to function mostly as a single unit. Yes, there is a mix of photo and non-photo. But everything is unified by color.
My goal here is to have this whole section be a contrast to the first one I showed (with the blue, yellow and orange.)
Because of the way I plan things out and build the quilts, I have had times when I was very disappointed that I had completed everything I had put in the sketch, but it just didn’t look done. It didn’t feel “about” anything. I felt like all I’d done was to create a background.
Exactly.
Now I realize that’s the very thing I’ve done. I’ve constructed a first layer. Even when all the parts are sewn together, it won’t feel done because it won’t be done.
The next stage – addressing the completed surface in one piece – is where the most surprises occur. I see things I had not seen in the original sketch. I begin to determine ways of creating layers – things to look through and beyond.
It will be the most painting-like stage of my work.
Here’s an example.
This is one panel of the 3-panel work, “There By Water Will I Build my Home.”
When all the sections of this panel were printed, collaged in place, and quilted (ie – when the background layer was “done,”) there was no branch coming out of the left side. There was not a heron. There was not screen-printed grass below the heron. The blue bubble section at the bottom was not there.
None of those things could happen till I had the construction essentially finished.
Here is the whole work:
(If you would like to learn more about “There By Water Will I Build my Home” you can find it on my website HERE)
I’ll look forward to getting my current work-in-progress to that stage, and seeing what details and layers I’ll be inspired to add.
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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