![]() I have been working on this quilt for about 6 months now. It started with choosing 100 photos from about 10-15 years of my (almost) daily photos. I edited each one so that there would be a strong diagonal line, then got them printed individually so I could play with the design at full size, rather than on the computer. After about a million variations (I actually asked my statistic-minded son how many possible variations there were, and he said "way too many!!") I finally decided on the order of things. Then it was back to the computer to place them all into one file to be printed on fabric. After receiving the fabric with the custom printing, I studied it for a long time to decide which areas should be enhanced or muted with stitching. I also used tulle over some area to form a more cohesive design. It was important to me to base the design on a traditional quilt pattern, so I could bridge the technology of today (photo and printing) with the tradition of "women's work". I like how I accomplished several squares and patterns depending on how you look at the quilt. My statement about this quilt is as follows and is my feeling about aging and our lifetime of memories: Memories become abstract, sharpen, transform, are lost, or are revisited. As we age they meld into a singular lifetime. This is a Memory Quilt of 100 people, places, and things that have made me what I am today as they become the mosaic of my adult life. Some are recognizable to others, some only have meaning to me, and some are lost even to me The collage of images is taken from my archive of almost daily photos taken over many years. Chosen for strong compositional lines and a stronger memory, they have been arranged to reflect a traditional quilt block in recognition of my journey from traditional to more non-traditional quilting. The images were then enhanced or obscured by stitching and placement, much like our memories are enhanced or obscured over time.
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![]() “A Crowd of Strangers” has just been announced as a ribbon winner in Houston. It is in the Large Pictorial category. This is the largest quilt I have ever (and probably will ever!) made; over 80” wide. RE the subject: It is a conception of how we go through our daily lives, each in our own bubble, even when surrounded by so many other humans. What a shame. The people shown here originated in 15 different photos that I took of people in my urban setting over the course of a couple years. What struck me was the lack of human interaction portrayed in each of the photos, so it was important to me that even when the people are put all together in one crowd they still remain strangers. RE: the process: The people were initially each printed separately in grayscale, so I could move them about on the background fabric until I found the composition I liked. There were many techniques used to color and finish the piece. The people are all raw-edge applique, the ground is woven stripes of fabric, There are layers of tulle or organza over areas to add shading, depth or cohesion. The entire surface is heavily stitched with both hand and machine (table top). RE: the artistry While the composition was extremely important to me, as was the depth of field of the image, the lighting was less so. Each of the original photos was taken at a different time of day, and I wanted that feeling of “not quite in the same place at the same time” to remain part of the slight uncomfortablity of the piece. I think it serves to reinforce that each person is in their own time and space even in the same environment. RE: the details (click on each to enlarge): From September 1 through the end of the month, my work will be on display in the first floor north gallery of McGuffey Art Center. Below is an overview of my work that is hanging on one of the walls. It is a continuation of my "Urban Voyeur" series, and depicts scenes captured in downtown Charlottesville, VA. The other wall of the show is a combination of my ceramics and more experimental finer work. To read about them and see an over view Click Here! Here are some of the pieces included in the show. Click on each one to see larger image
Recently I have been playing with using the batting of my pieces to create the textures. I use various lace type fabrics under the photography that has been printed on sheer organza. The examples and details that follow show how this can be an effective way of adding layers and textures when accompanied by additional piecing, layering, and stitching. Details.
To see a video about this Quilt National 2021 award winner CLICK HERE
Process & VideosTo learn more about the process of making this entry CLICK HERE
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To see videos about my interviews, and processes Fiber ArtFor about ten years now, I have been a full-time fiber artist. My subjects reflect a poignant moment of time and my reaction to that moment. This work is a combination of photography; “what” I see, and my handwork; “how” I see. My camera records the facts of the moment while the fabric and stitching add the focus, texture, and emotion to the scene. Categories |
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