From my favorite perch watching sunset yesterday, the sun, streaming in from it’s low angle near the horizon, revealed a new view of my piece, Symmetry, which hangs on the wall next to my chair.
stitching and paint casting shadows on the back layer
The shadows of the stitching and printed bird on the front layer are projected momentarily on the back layer. I love the intense and fleeting shadows this time of year and this time of day.
a bit closer up
After sunset the front layer catches the light as it fades. It is hard to reproduce this on a gallery wall, or on a professionally done slide, but it’s what I most enjoy about this piece!
after sunset
Some time ago I began to make some wall hangings with stencils I had previously used for other purposes. I put the project aside because I couldn’t remove the grid lines I had drawn before pasting the stencils. The lines are permanently locked in between layers of soy sizing and pigment dyes. I tried soaking them out in an oxygen-cleaning product and still they persist! If any of you wonder about the permanence of natural pigments in a soy binder, here’s your proof.
the grid lines
Soon after, I found some wonderful Japanese cotton fabric at a favorite treasure hunting spot in Minneapolis, call Indigo. The weave includes a deep eggplant color and golden green. From a distance the piece reads as a rich, deep brown.
traditional handwoven cotton yardage from Japan
I think it will offset the owl image nicely, and the cotton fabric is very close in weight to the silk twill I used for the owl. I am piecing these together and will then construct a pillow.
owl and Japanese fabric pieces
I’ve finished my work for 2009 BirdxBird. I made two pieces simultaneously, so I would be sure to have one for this cause, and to play with two variations of my idea. The work Caw and Response 1, below left, will be part of the silent auction, to be held next Saturday evening, Feb. 21st, at Northrup King Building in NE Minneapolis. This event features work by 130 artists in all media to benefit Audubon Center of the North Woods & Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. It is GREAT FUN! If you live in the vicinity, please attend! Details can be found on the website. My works, below, each measure approx. 22″ x 15″, including the border. Hand dyed fabric, paste resisted, discharged, hand pieced and embellished.
Caw and Response
Two blogs have been hugely inspiring to me this past month, nudging me to think outside the box and pull out needle, thread and thimble more than I usually do. Threadspider is working on some beautiful embroidered birds celebrating Darwin’s birthday. SpiritCloth‘s creativity with hand piecing, stitching and quilting is mind-boggling, as is her documentation of the creative process. If you need to get un-stuck, spend a few moments over there.
Caw and Response II
