Monday 23 December 2013

On not returning but moving on

For one my quilts on the theme of Connection for exhibition with Cwilt Cymru next year, I had decided to  finish off a quilt I put together based on Osterley Weir started a while  ago - it fitted the theme, it was the right size, I'd already done quite a lot of work on it, it would save a lot of time ,wouldn't it, especially with deadlines looming ?   A big mistake on so many levels! I'd worked on lots of samples resolving different issues  but not a  major one- scaling up. The main problem however was I've moved on so much in the last couple of years, my quilts taking a more abstract leaning that I just couldn't make it work to my satisfaction. I couldn't get away from trying to represent what  saw in photographs and sketches.  
Elements of it work well (like the feeling of rush of water above)and the samples like below have appeal.


 

 But I don't like the whole piece (below), admittedly abandoned mid -paint,  and the elements are disconnected, ironic given the theme!

 One of the inspirations for starting this piece was a painting I love  by Terry Frost ' Winter 1956'. I played around in Phoshop layering this painting over my quilt to see how I might introduce a bit of energy through large painting /stitching marks
 It has potential, perhaps by cutting out the sections I like, but not now. I've set it aside to concentrate on another quilt assembled from all the leftovers from 3 quilts made from an old red and white quilt, making do with what scraps I have. So in between  Xmas  activities featuring ham, tiramisu, devils ( such are our traditions ) I'll be stitching with red thread. 

 

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