Class Results

From Ellen Lindner

As mentioned in the previous post, I found this class to be challenging - in a good way. My project is shown, in progress, below. Eventually, it will resemble prickly pear cactus, but I think it has quite a way to go yet. But, perhaps, you can see some of the 3D effect that was created by shading with paint.

One of my classmates, Sue Dennis from Australia, posted more class photos on her blog. (See May 21.)

Class with Leslie Gabrielse

From Ellen Lindner

I recently took a 3 day class from Leslie Gabrielse, a professional artist from Holland. The class was very interesting, challenging, and exhilirating!

Leslie's techniques are nothing like those used in mainstream quilting. (He's been making fabric "paintings" for over 30 years, and only recently learned about art quilts.) He paints directly onto the fabric with acrylic paints, and attaches everything with big decorative hand stitches.

One really useful technique is that of using a sheer overlay to mark and position the fabric. Leslie uses a product called Tarlatan, available from Dick Blick. He marks his design on it, and then can mark right through it to the fabrics below. See his funky teapot, in progress below, with and without the tarlatan overlay.

Quilt National

From Ellen Lindner

I'm just back from a SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) conference, in Athens, OH. As part of the fun, I got to attend the opening of Quilt National. Wow! The quilts were amazing: VERY innovative, and (mostly) beautiful.

My roommate for the conference was Anna Hergert, from Canada. She was absolutely delightful AND, she had a quilt in the show! Here she is with her quilt, which is 3D.

The diagonal panels create large rolls in the front. I think you can tell in the detail shot, below.

Small Pieces, Big Ideas

The art quilt photo challenge I've been working on is coming to fruition!  Sisters in Cloth is preparing for their exhibit at the Guilford Art Center, in Guilford, CT, May 26th to June 6th. (Sisters in Cloth is a group that includes members from the Quilt group I participated in when I lived in CT, 6 years ago.)  Each participant in the challenge received 5 photos to "create".  Above is my entry for the Emperor's Summer Palace-Kyoto, the photo is shown as the insert on the postcard below.  To see other pieces, you can click here.   

My entry for Brevard Art Museum's ´Take Out" exhibition began its life as a humble white Chinese Take Out carton, as required. I pulled some fabrics from my stash, and started designing. For the inside, I used a piece of fabric I had embellished with foiling and oil sticks. For the outside, I cut random strips from some hand painted fabrics a friend brought me from New Zealand. I layered them on another piece of fabric, fused them, then quilted them with metallic thread.

I applied fusible web to both pieces of fabric, opened up the box, sandwiched it between the two layers and fused it all together. I made sure the fabric extended a little beyond the cardboard, knowing I had to satin stitch the edges.

I folded the box back into its proper shape, then had to figure out how to get it to stay together. I ended up using an awl (with my husband's help) to poke holes through all the layers, so I could sew buttons on it. Kind of a four hand job. Then I decided it needed more embellishment on the inside, so I foiled each flap (after I had sewn it together, mind you.)

I foiled some more fabric, cut it into strips, then wove the little placemat, Then I fused it to a background fabric and quilted it with metallic thread. For a final touch, I added beads to the metal handle. At this point, my box became a little tipsy. So I ended up balancing it on the handle, hence the name of my piece is "Balancing Act."

I'm happy to say "Balancing Act" was accepted for the exhibit, and is sharing a table with Jill's piece. Drop by Brevard Art Museum if you have a chance - you will be amazed at all of the imaginative and beautiful creations.

Mola Jacket

Machine Embroidery is my other love. Done on a recycled sweatshirt.

Nature Art Quilts

This series incoroprates my love of gardening to my love of fiber art.

Rusted fabrics, tree bark, coconut fibers,

seed pods, painted dryer sheets, dried moss,painted fern impressions, shiva oil sticks, painted & burned tyvek paper, yarns, thread painting found objects.

Board Book Results

I'm having great fun playing with my little board book. (See "Something Different", April 2009.) My plan is to use it as a canvas for quick compositions and experiments.

As my first creation, I made this little paper collage of a strawberry. It was fast and fun! On the facing page, I taped off squares into which I'm spreading various acrylic mediums, to create a sample board. That's fun, too - and useful. I've also done quite a bit of documenting on that page, recording the products and techniques used on both pages.

FYI: As a collage glue, I used diluted gel medium (gloss.) Just like I do with my glued fabric collages, only with a higher water ratio.

Interesting link: I was inspired to do this little collage after seeing the work of Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson. She does fantastic work!

Take Out

What in the world is a group of fiber artists doing with a simple take out container? From May 9-July 12, 2009, The Brevard Art Museum in Melbourne is holding an invitational exhibition starring artwork created from this humble little box. Submissions had to be original in content, concept, and design, use the container provided by the museum, and be 15 inches or less in their final form. Always up for a challenge, three members of The Dirty Dozen submitted artwork and now have their creations on display. Each used fiber in some way, and will soon individually post about her piece. What will become of this little white box?