Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day9

It is exciting to finish a piece. The stitches follow the contours in the paint and highlight the objects. The beauty of the Masters is that different areas of the piece could stand as individual compositions. I really enjoy the process of remaking the Masters. I can't wait to start another!

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day8

When laying out the same multicolored fabric for the backing and binding, I discovered that a 3-4 inch border of color really gave more excitement to the piece. Now it is ready for the machine...in a few days you'll see the finished "painted tapestry ". 

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day7

The multicolored fabric that I used for the inner border really made the painting "pop"!

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day6

Since I am using so many neutrals, I thought color would make the painting "pop". I used a ‘regular’ fabric, mixing it with batiks in the same project. I know is scary for some quilters, but be brave and enjoy!

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day5

Island Batik also sent me some 3" scrap bundles, so I used these neutrals to design the abstract border, a great complement to the painted composition.

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day4

It is so exciting to see the painting come to life. Painting on batik fabric is awesome because it distorts less than regular fabric.

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day3

I chose an Island Batik neutral with a little texture for the background. I apply paint in a translucent manner, so the color of the fabric shows through to create a depth of dimension for the composition.

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day2

I will continue working on my Masters Series. Here I am auditioning fabric for my next painted tapestry, replicating a Cezanne.

Cezanne - The Kitchen Table - Day1

Today I received a wonderful package of Island Batik fabric, and I can hardly wait to start a new project! This collection of fabric is inspiring; it has my artistic juices flowing!

Van Gogh Pavement Cafe - Day6

Finished and ready for show!

Van Gogh Pavement Cafe - Day5

To me, this feels like a smile at the end of a warm summer day, enjoying a cool drink with good friends and kicking back for the evening! 

Van Gogh Pavement Cafe - Day4

Quilting another layer of dimension with thread, I used contrasting effects as well as the defining lines of stitch.

Van Gogh Pavement Cafe - Day3

I added the border with a pop of color by creating a yellow flange (Island Batik fabric). I used an exquisit Van Gogh printed fabric of his painting “Iris Garden”. It's bold, but I think it gives the energetic feeling of a true Vincent!

Van Gogh Pavement Cafe - Day2

I had fun painting the café, and now the fabric will go to my machine for quilting, creating a "Painted Tapestry".

Van Gogh Pavement Cafe - Day1

I am starting a new project because I am just loving the Van Gogh series. His colors are awesome!

"Where Am I Going?" - abstract quilt

"Where Am I Going?" was created by quilter Betty Warner using fabric from Island Batiks. The abstract quilt measures 12 x 12 inches and is on the SAQA site for the yearly auction. I attend an art group, "Women Against the Grain", with Betty. 

Tamaranis blog - last one

Here is the finished piece. I made this small wall hanging with the sample blocks and decided to try a new adhesive called "Jewel It". The beads are on forever and the good thing is that the glue did not take away from the sparkle... Love the bling!

Tamarinis Blog Hop with Island Batik

How much fun is this?! I have been gardening all spring and now the "dog days " of summer are here, it is time to retreat into my studio with the perfect project, of course something with flower!

The pattern technique is by Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis, "Mary's Contrary Garden", and uses Island Batik fabric. I made three sample blocks for the quilt, loved the piecing process...no matching seems here. It was fast, fun and easy! 

The freedom and creativity of the pattern encouraged my artistic self to make an Art quilt. Funny how Art seems to break out whenever I get involved in anything!

After the blog hop, and you finish watching the Island Batik-Tamarinis project, check back to see this small wall hanging finished, and view more Artistic endeavors with beautiful Island Batik fabrics!

Here are the blog hop connections:
July 7 - Island Batik
July 8 –  Tammy Silvers
July 9 –  Freemotion by the River
July 10 – Bejeweled Quilts
July 11 –Freemotion by the River
July 12 –TeachPany
July 13 – Kauffman Designs
July 14 – One Quilting Circle
July 14 - Freemotion by the River
July 15 – Susan Vassallo Quilting Art

Degas horse - Day6

I thought it would be fun for you to see  progression of painting the horse with the jockey. I love the impressionistic style of painting. I wonder what Degas would have thought…

Degas horse - Day5

One of the Hill-Stead's hidden treasures: Theodate Pope's riding boots. Ms. Pope was the heiress of the estate and lived a dynamic life that included many interests. She and her parents acquired paintings from impressionistic painters in the 1800's.

Degas horse - Day4

Painting gesture into the horse and his rider, and then adding the background sky and hedge row, really make the whole landscape come alive. Giddyup!

Degas horse - Day3

It's such a thrill to block in the immediate foreground color and begin the main figure... In this case, I chose one of the several jockeys in the Degas painting.

Degas horse - Day2

Choosing fabric sets the stage for the artwork. The fabric must have the right atmosphere of the painting. Notice how it begins to tell the story.

Degas horse - Day1

My version of instant gratification is collectiong my sketches, resources, and sometimes the frame of a piece. I then take a collage photo. It gets me organized and gets me excited to start. The inspiration for my artwork is a pastel of jockeys on their horses by Degas (1886; hillstead.org). This is a part of my series “Mastering the Masters”.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day11

Finally! The finishing touches are done in ink. This medium is translucent and using it to add just a few detailed hints of landscape is effective. This technique is much like when the Impressionists wanted to make a ‘suggestion’ on the canvas for the eye to complete.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day10

The quilt work is making the piece come alive!!! And now I just have to detail the sidewalk and rock wall. The piece is shown draped over the canvas substrate.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day9

Stitching intricate leaves, texture into the sky, and the grassy foreground...now I feel like the piece is really coming to life.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day8

I love the contrast between the straight lines of the architecture and the painterly strokes of color.  I can’t wait to sew tomorrow!

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day7

It was so satisfying to paint the house, but I couldn't wait to get into the landscape! Sometimes when I work, there is a critical wave that comes and goes: “I like it, I don't like it, I like it…” However, every step of this project there is a new level of excitement and I have “liked” it all along the way! Every day when I finish working in my studio, I can't wait until the next day to work!

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day6

Painting in the details of the window panes and shadows of the architecture, gives depth, and compliments the perspective.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day5

Painting the house white makes me feel like the piece is coming along. It really is taking share! The more I paint, the more excited I get.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day4

I started painting some of the small details on the house. The shutters were a good place to start, for many artistic reasons. I am looking forward to developing the composition as a whole. I love landscape and it will frame this beautiful house.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day3

While I was sewing, I had to make decisions about which lines to stitch and which lines to save for painting. I’m stitching the major lines to capture each architectural detail and will paint the intricate details later. The beginning and end of each stitch line must have the threads pulled to the back of the piece and tied in a small knot.

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day2

Notice that I drew the general shapes of the tree and rock wall and focused on the details of the mansion. The sketching of so many details was tedious but it needed to be exact to maintain the interesting structure of the house. Drawing straight lines is something I don’t usually do in my artwork!

Hill-Stead Museum Portrait: A whole cloth quilt - Day1

My latest project is a portrait of a mansion, the Hill-Stead Museum. The mansion houses masterpieces by Edgar Degas and Claude Monet, along with notable works by Mary Cassatt, Edouard Manet, James Whistler, and others, make the collection at Hill-Stead one of the most significant in the United States. To see the magnificent collection of art, sculpture, furnishings, gardens, and more, visit www.hillstead.org.

I am excited to be working on a piece with architectural detail. It was interesting to splice together two different photographs taken in two seasons to create a cohesive piece. My challenge is to portray the expansiveness of the mansion while capturing the incredible details at the same time.

This will be a whole cloth piece and will include stitching, paint, and embellishments to make the artwork come alive. (Read note in right margin for definition of “whole cloth quilts”.)

It's the Thought That Counts - Day11

"It's the Thought That Counts" is one of my favorite quilts!  I loved the freedom of innovative piecing and designing as I sewed! The inspiration of the batik panel intrigues me. When I am looking at it, I imagine what the rest of the picture would be and it makes me want to expand the visual space of the original piece.