July Week One: 6x6"Every piece of fabric in the quilt is rust dyed, much of it is recycled vintage linen that I picked up at Goodwill and then rusted. I haven't posted my lavender experiments, but you can see two pieces of that fabric in this quilt, the background in the top right hand corner and the circle in the bottom left.
I did have some issues with needles and the fabric, especially since it's layered rust dyes in some places. A jeans needle helped, but part of the problem seems to be that the needle gets tired quickly. I don't have a microscope, but if I did, I'd probably find a lot of burrs on the needle, created by contact with the metal now embedded in the fabric.
July Week Two: 6x6"Does the fact that week two is early make up for the lateness of week one? Again, you can see the purple fabric in the upper right. I used itajame shibori to make the pattern, clamping two half circles at the edge of the folded fabric. Some of the fabric is Radiance, some is sheer, some is recycled.
I'm trying to make these quilts about the design and not the fabric, and I'd love to hear feedback on how well you think I'm doing. Thanks.
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7 comments:
It is said that the techniques are the "language" we are to use in our art. It is important to learn the language and how to use it. As far as the art being about the cloth...I think there are plenty of painters out there where one could say their art was about...the colors, Rothko comes to mind. And what about the minimalists who did make art about the simplest of the art elements? Were they seduced by something? Personally I find it hard to be seduced by painted landscapes...if they were in fiber it would be a different matter.
One more thing...I'm always "seduced" by hand made cloth...but I do look for good design also in a piece. I think your "designs" are wonderful and your cloth "designs" are very much a part of that.
Kathy, Thank you so much. I love Rothko, and the other abstract expressionists, but I think if I'm being abstract then it isn't really "art." Thanks for the feedback.
I love the idea of using the form of the print on the fabric to guide you in the design process. I used to work with rust dyes and never had much trouble; found them wonderful and organic. The whole idea of letting the piece build itself is intriguing to me! It is the ultimate collage with fabric!
Love both pics---would like to see a larger piece too! I think you'd manage fine!!!!
I love this.. I bought some turquoise fabric to try and rust on. I hope it works.
Anne, Letting the piece build itself was probably one of the funnest ways I've ever designed a quilt. Cut, place, move, cut place, move, move everything, take everything off and start with a new opener, etc. Thank you for the encouragement.
Laura, I love it with the turquise but I'm also looking for other colors. I've broken out my artist post card collection to get more inspiration. Many of the colors you see next too it are in the blue range, which makes sense since they are opposite each other on the color wheel, but I'd like to stretch myself and work with colors that don't at first seem to work, looking at how established artists do that helps.
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