Thursday, May 21, 2009

Twenty-Nine Crosses

IMG_8054-1Twenty-Nine Crosses

Hand dyed cottons, fused, machine quilted. 59.5x41.5” 2005?

image

Yesterday there was discussion about whether I would go back into a work to rework it. I don’t.

What I do is make a new piece. It makes more sense to me to start fresh and redesign, rather than rework.

This piece was designed with more contrast between the elements making it easier to see the cross shapes. I worked in panels, drawing the cross shapes on each panel and cutting them out and adding the backgrounds afterwards. I still wanted that random look of chunks of carved rock, fitting into each other like stacked stone ala Machu Picchu. This quilt was made from just two large pieces of hand dyed fabrics.

8 comments:

  1. BethB9:50 AM

    That's usually how I approach it..just start over. Once something is "set in fabric" and I have WORKED it to that point, I have a hard time seeing it in a new way. That's why I asked the question yesterday, cause I think some people DO rework pieces and I'm intrigued how they can see to do that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Mel,

    Do you have a wish for these quilts? As in, where you would like to see them end up/housed? I'm enjoy the retrospective.

    Also, how is the knee doing? Mending well, I hope. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful work Mel. More show please...

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a beautiful use of hand-dyed fabrics!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well done! The effect is completely different! Like a weeping and a smiling mask.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This makes sense to me, the only good advice I received in school art classes was not to rub out when you think you've made a mistake.

    If you rub out the mistake, you can't see what went wrong, if you work into a piece that's not what you want, you could end up re-inforcing the mistake (?) not learning from it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have been watching the show for the last few days. It is wonderful and interesting to see where you have been comparing it to where you are now.

    Since you are moving furniture it must mean the knee is good. Pretty amazing recovery.

    Can not wait to see your new studio, perhaps some of these will find a home there.

    ReplyDelete
  8. All this amazing color and texture was in only two pieces of fabric? I love the simplicity of the cross motif, yet it has an interesting complexity. The eye keeps moving through the balance of contrasts and color. Yes, if I had made this piece I would be very pleased!

    ReplyDelete

Hello,
So nice of you to drop by. I love your comments, and if you would really like a reply, please email me at fibermania at g mail dot com