Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Artrageous Challenge Reveal

ARTRAGEOUS, my art quilt group, revealed our 2010 challenge this past weekend. It is really hard to work on something fun and not share it for a whole year! 'Fabric Gossip' used the Telephone Game as our guide but using a photo vs. a whispered secret.
Since I was the first person in my group, I got to see the photo and I knew immediately that I wanted to use one of Gloria Loughman's techniques in my background. The technique isn't hard but it was very challenging, to me, trying to place the colors the right way so that it would be pleasing to the eye, not too drastic, and be recognizeable.

I started cutting a batch of diamonds in various sunset colors.

Once they were sewn together for the sky, I wanted to portray the water with a different directionality. Kathy Loomis had just posted on her blog about piecing gentle curves. I followed her directions and considering it was my first time doing this, was ok with how it turned out. The sky was then hand appliqued to the water area where the darker orange is.

Here is a cropped photo of the background all pieced with the tree and horizon line fused on. I then added a bit of fabric paint along the horizon line and below the tree to represent the reflection in the water.

Here is the finished piece completely quilted and faced. The moon was portrayed using the small holeless beads that you glue on. I am not quite sure this was the best technique to use since they want to flake off with too much handling. I fear as this piece gets put up in exhibit after exhibit, the beads will continue to wear off. They would be fine to use if you just hung it on the wall and left it alone.
This was so much fun and when you click on the link below, you can see the original photo along with all the other pieces and how the photo changed as each person received their bit of information.

4 comments:

Robin said...

Dear All (and self),
So I thought I was in the 'moderate comments' section when I deleted all the comments from the post....That warning about not being able to undo didn't phase me at all! I heartily apologize to you and well repost them here with credit.

Jean Baardsen: Hi Robin,
I love your quilt! I've seen one of the books you're referring to, and you did a great job of interpreting the technique. I went to the other blog and looked at all the quilts and the progression. Too cool!! I'm glad you explained the telephone game, because I didn't have any idea. Being the first one in your group, it must have been really tough to wait the whole year!

Hillbilly Handiworks:
That is so pretty. I am going to look up that technique for the background.

Liz Kettle: Great quilt! About those beads...did you make sure to heat set them with a heat/embossing tool after the glue dried? Heat setting makes the glue bubble up and cup the beads so they stay on better.

ME: Liz that would have been very helpful had I used the proper glue:) I fell in love with the beads and thought, "I have so much glue at home, surely I have something that will work". :)

Me again: I received an email from Wendy Richards (MO) and with her permission, I am posting her comment here.
"just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your blog post about making your piece, and seeing the challenge reveal! Everyone did such a great job, and looks like everyone had fun -- the most important part!"
Wendy also told me that her group had just started the telephone game in fiber and they are due to reveal in Jan. 2012. Very exciting and I am sure they will enjoy their results as much as we did.
Thanks Wendy.

Delilah said...

Excellent work Robin.

Lorri Lee Chambers said...

I love this piece as you might remember I love trees and I love the way this one stands and how you finished it....the colors are amazing, are they hand dyed fabs?

just had to check in and see what you were up to, been thinking so much about last years gathering in rocky mount.

Lorri Lee Chambers said...

love this piece , I have been thinking alot about last year's rocky mount gathering. I am trying to get a Art Quilt Artists Foundation off the ground since my split with the other organization.

I really love the way the tree seems to move because of the way you finished it