Wednesday, December 03, 2008

The Last Leaf


18 1/4" x 16 1/2"
Home Dec fabrics, corduroy

Since my usual commercial fabrics didn't seem to suit this challenge, I used pieces from a home dec fabric sample book, having bought several when my favorite fabric store was going out of business. One set in particular had mostly solid colors with nice textures. I actually settled first on the shape, though with the idea of the close-up leaf and the more distant tree in mind. I wanted the border to be brown, and finally found some corduroy which fit (can't run out and just buy what I need any more!). The veins on the leaf are a combination of thread painting and white Tsukineko ink, which I also used on the tree trunk to try to give it a bit more dimension.

In hindsight, I'm not sure I should have had the tree root come outside the border, as that takes it more into the foreground than it should be.

9 comments:

Linda Cline said...

Your decorator fabrics probably add wonderful texture. I like how the tree follows the curve of the border. It gives the piece movement, and makes it seem windy. The root coming in front of the border doesn't bother me. It just seems to give your tree more dimension.

Roberta Ranney said...

Hi Tobi - You have created another interesting piece. It has an attractive balance of values and elements. I don't see the tree as distant but that seems fine to me.

Sandy said...

You have done well. If you wanted to push the tree back a bit, you could put a few small leaves in the distance, near the tree. they don't have to have as sharp of a leaf shape. OR you could scribble some in with stitching.

Then it will look as if the big leaf got blown up to the camera or viewer. What do you think?
Sandy in the UK

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

Tobi, another very interesting piece. I agree with Sandy in that some small leaves in the distance would add more dimension to the work. I really like the unique shapes you work with.

Joni said...

Hi Tobi,
You show an interesting use of scale on this piece, and I like the way you had the root of the tree come into the border, it draws the viewer into the work. The tree looks very lonely after the last leaf has fallen.

Cherie in Del Mar said...

What a good choice the corduroy border was! It adds texture and light and really sets the whole thing off.Another great quilt :)
Cherie

Ann In Fallbrook, CA said...

I agree with he others. Perhaps a few smaller leaves would help with determining distance.

Betty Warner said...

I agree with the others also. Am not bothered by the root in front of the circle. The size of the lone leaf offsets any confusion there might be.I like the way you created the veins on the leaf.

Cynthia Ann Morgan said...

Hi Tobi, love the piece...definitely your style, and you demonstrated good restraint in the color scheme so it matches the mood of the piece perfectly.
Great job!
Cynthia