Since I suggested we let our art speak for us...that our response to world events should be art...I decided to take my own advice. As y'all know I have been working on nature quilts for over ten years, leaves, earth strata....well, for some reason yesterday, the idea of sky struck me. As above, so below. Sorry the pictues are so dis-jointed, but the quilt is too long for my short legs to get it high enough over the table.
Also, you know I am a hand quilter and love doing fancy stitching on my work. I wanted something simple to show off the stitching but still gave the feeling of sky.....since we have big sky here, complicated applique didn't feel like the right approach. Wish me luck on the pieceing, we all know it isn't my best skill. I am lacking in two serious skills it takes to be a quiltmaker: I can't cut a straight line and I can't sew a straight line. However, I can quilt fairly well so I will consider this a whole cloth quilt. No reason why whole cloth has to be one piece of fabric is there?
Plans are for lots of surface design techniques: Neo Color, pen and ink, Shiva paint sticks, etc before fancy stitching. Obviously it is just a few pieces of fabric at the moment so it needs something. Hoping with the long weekend to get it well under way and finish the basting on the blue quilt.
All we can do is change our corner of the world....donations of money and goods....and sending light and love to all those in harm's way. There is no rhyme or reason for all that is happening in the world but we can speak to it through the voice we have: art.
One of the tenets of art is to bring order out of chaos. This is actually a design principle but for me, at the moment, it applies to society at large. Allow your feelings free rein; don't hold back...who cares if it is a masterpiece..it is your way of coping.
Count your blessings during this long weekend.
To the advice, my spirits were lifted by working. The world doesn't go away, but for a moment you can find a place of peace from the external turmoil.
Things are getting more and more eccentric at Casa de la Swain. Changing styles in my textile work, falling in love again with painting and photography...and then there is the ever illusive quest for continuing creativity through working with Eric Maisel. Still on the road teaching, posting now at the Ragged Cloth Cafe and taking the pledge to keep handmaiden up to date.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
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September
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- Simple Still Life Object with Shadow
- last possibility #3
- shadow still possibility #2
- Still life with shadow #1
- Addendum to Last Post
- More on Artistic Responsibilities
- Self Portrait Tuesday...Body Parts
- In Response to Pat's Comment
- An Artist Responsibility
- A Personal Day
- My other favorite person in the world, Belinda, my...
- Tanya, my colorist, and her DH, Norman owners of m...
- A pretty girl is like a melody...could this be a n...
- See that nasty green blond...gotta go
- I really enjoy this even though it doesn't show
- Tanya about to keep my hair red
- Purple glads from Charles and Christy
- Way Cool .....but would I do it?
- Moving On
- Trying to get out of a Miserable Funk
- Rita is a Comin' this Way
- Okay, Old I'll admit but Obselete..Yikes!
- The Long and Winding Road
- Lest you think I have lost my love of Quizzes
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- My Humble Thanks and Off to the Races Again
- Always wanted to retire to a loft
- Addendum to Creativity Question
- Reading through the Ring
- Since I Couldn't get the Color Thingy to Work
- Self Portrait Tuesday...Body Parts
- Oh No There's More
- Back to Work
- Close-up of leaves...off to do more
- Lest we forget the leaf and abstract combo
- The single rectangle is more like a "chop" kinda s...
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- The Ronnie and Gabrielle Story
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- Busby guarding the suitcase so I won't leave home
- Over all pattern combined with big embroidery stit...
- Loved doing the x stitches..goes very fast
- See I do fun stitches combined with hand quilting
- Another view
- A little late but some old-fashioned hand quilting
- Why can't I stop doing these things.
- Now it's Valeri's Fault
- Almost Ready to Quilt
- Same here as the other two
- Neocolor and Shiva paint sticks
- Neocolor and Shiva paint sticks
- 24 Addict
- After Neocolor
- Before surface design...remembered this time
- After Neo color added; forgot to take a before pic...
- It's all Deb's Fault
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- Taking My Own Advice
- Detail of upper section
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- Don't pass out...I have decided to piece a quilt.
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3 comments:
Gabrielle! I know how you feel when you think nobody is reading your blog: I feel depressed every time I get 0 comments and just assume nobody loves me. But I also know that if I left a comment on every blog I read I wouldn't have time to blog -- if you know what I mean.
Love the piece on your wall -- it is coming from somewhere else and I'd never guess it was yours. Hmmm. I also identify with can't draw or sew a straight line - neither can I, and I don't care. In fact, I think it is an advantage if you are making ART.
xxx
I like your attitude and I wish you were taller. I want to see ALL the piece at one go! The colours are so sypathetic and it is full of light. Look forward to seeing more soon!
I love how this new piece is turning out, Gabrielle. Looking forward to seeing where you take it from here.
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