The Gift of Rain

 

The Gift of Rain

Hand dyed cottons, silk, and commercial stripe. Fused, machine quilted and mounted on painted wood panel. 12x16". SOLD

 I used some of my special edition fabrics in this piece and love the wet landscape feel of the colors. It has been raining for days here and that is so much better than snow! My tulips are up. Just waiting for a bit of sun. 

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I guess I have finished the Essentials series, but it was so worth doing, as it taught me so much.
1. Less fuss
2. Strong color equals a confident composition
3, Limited palette, In fact, having all the colors, in varying sizes at my fingertips allows one to stay in the moment and keeps the concentration steady.
4. Working when I am fresh and all is quiet. I have been running up to the studio when everyone (dogs and Dave) are sleeping and that helps keep the distractions to a minimum.
5. No worrying about having a predetermined idea. Improvisation is my favorite.
6. Presenting the work on the panel continues to bring it up to a higher level. So worth it.
7. Coming back to my special fabrics which makes the work look more like my very own.

Essentials #7 and #6

Essentials #7

Hand dyed cottons and silks, commercial stripe, fused, machine quilted. 11x15", shown here on unpainted 12x16" wood panel, paint color TBD by purchaser. $110 plus shipping. Email me. SOLD

With so many different colors in the composition, I feel it is a good idea to collaborate with the eventual purchaser about panel paint, which is what we did with yesterday's piece below. A very dark green was chosen, and altho the satin surface makes the panel look black, in person it is green.

As you can see I have put away my primaries and brought out some bright, dark and multi-colored fabrics. I just couldn't resist that pinky-orange stripe. Woowoo!

Essentials: New Color

Essentials #6
Hand dyed cottons, silk, commercial cotton stripe, fused, machine quilted. 13x18". Shown here resting on the new 16x20" panel. I haven't painted it yet, but will allow the purchaser to decide what color the panel should be. $110 plus shipping. Email me. SOLD
 I decided to try working with other colorways, to see if I could make these compositions look more like me. As you can see, I couldn't resist adding more details than usual, and the hand dyed fabrics are unlike the flat color of the previous work.

 I continue to feel that the spare look is important.

And for a real change of color, I found some soft earthy shades in my stash and added blues to offset the terracotta and blackened orange. This is Essentials #5 and is hand dyed cottons, fused, machine quilted, 18x20". $100. 

Mitered Diamond Jacket #16

Yes. I continue to knit these jackets. This one is for someone (You?) who doesn't want wool. It is made from Plymouth Kudo, 55% Cotton, 40% Rayon, 5% Silk, and Noro Taiyo , 40% Cotton, 30% Silk, 15% Nylon, 15% Wool...OK there is a tiny bit of wool but nothing discernable. 

The size would fit a taller person (than me) with a wingspan of 59" which is wrist to wrist. The length is 27" and the width is 48-50" which makes for a roomy lightweight jacket. This combination of yarns is washable and can be dried flat on a thick towel. It can be yours for $100 plus postage. Email me. SOLD

Essentials #4

Essentials #4
Hand dyed cottons, silk, and commercial cotton, fused, machine quilted and awaiting the arrival of new larger mounting panels. 12x14.75"
I am expecting the new panels to arrive tomorrow, if UPS is to be believed. I will be painting and mounting this piece and the other larger works that began this series.

Essentials #3

Essentials #3

Hand dyed cottons, fused, machine quilted, mounted on painted wood panel. 11x14" $100 Email me. Sold

Here's my working arrangement. 

I have all the fabrics I intend to use in front of me, in piles of similar colors. I compose the design on the teflon sheet, with a predetermined size, which is pretty important to how the design will be worked out. The batting is cut already so I can try out the design for size. Tweezers, scissors and rotary cutter, along with my marking tool, a sliver of soap, are at the ready. To my right is my iron, a cheapo Proctor Silex which I have been using for years. It has a Silverstone surface which helps with getting the fusible off easily, when I goof. 

 
On another table I have my painting area. I am using acrylic craft paint and I just got some enamels in black, red, yellow, white and royal blue. This yellow panel is painted with the new enamel paint. It has a touch more shine than the regular matte acrylics.

Essentials #2

Essentials #2

Hand dyed and commercial cotton, fused, machine quilted and mounted on painted wood panel. 12" square. $100 Email me.

I am really enjoying using subtlety in my colors, along with the obvious high contrast primaries. I found that I had dyed (a very long time ago) some really soft yellows and grays. Whoda thunk I would need them and use them as I am? 

I've been asked repeatedly how the pieces are mounted and so I decided to add a sidebar link to the post which explains it all. Look at the top of the page at the right hand side and click on the link.

Funny that for many years I worried about working in series and didn't know how I could do it. Now it seems so easy and satisfying.
Nothing wrong with easy.