This is my little quilt (9"x 12") called Tulgey Wood l. I would be very interested in getting critiques on it. This year I have challenged myself to work small & show restraint in colour choices. This quilt was also done improvisationally, in about 3 hours, in a departure from my normal mode of working.I just started piling up sheers & fusing them to a background fabric. I added the 'eyes of flame' later in the process & am not at all sure about them. I went to my stash & these were the best eyes I could come up with, but I think it makes the shadowy figure of the Jabberwock look more like an Ewok! Too cute, not sinister enough. Given the chance to do it again I would also place the Jabberwock higher on the quilt (rumour has it the Jabberwock flies).I would also be interested in hearing comments from other people who work improvisationally. What bugged me about it, was that once I had figured out where I was going, the dye was cast & I couldn't go back & adjust things that I wasn't happy with. Do you think that this kind of dilemma tends to cause you to work in a series? Is a piece that is done in this quick and unplanned manner more likely to generate a series than one that is tightly thought out first? Anyway, I welcome any and all comments on this little quilt. Nan Williams
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6 comments:
Your quilt certainly captures the spooky atmosphere of the poem. I love your interpretation!
Great choice of fabrics and depiction simply of people's fear of the dark and woods. I love it!
Jan
There is a quiet, brooding sense about this quilt. I love the eyes as the focal point and the contrast with the trees. Good work!
Wendy
Hi Nan, Nice job on working with layers of sheers...a challenge in itself. The colors in the piece give a murky, spooky feel but I think it is countered by a couple things that you mentioned, the cute eyes and their placement ...and possibly the uniformity of the trees and clouds (or is that fog or treetops?). Gnarly trees and whispy clouds and maybe a shadow of the monster (along with scary eyes)...what do you think?
You achieved lots of textural effects with your quilting...good job!
Cynthia
Even when I make a sketch I still am quite improvisational in carrying it out so I know exactly what you mean. I also feel myself drawn to series because there's so much I think up along the way that I want to change or try, and it can't all go in one quilt.
Like yours, a lot of people seem to be choosing low contrast palettes. It's very effective for the eeriness of this piece.
I agree that the eyes are rather cute, but I like them. They have a whimsical, yet mysterious feel. Makes me wonder what's behind those trees (which are very well done by the way).
Although it's not exactly what you wanted/imagined, it's a very effective piece. It might actually make an interesting series with all kinds of eyes lurking in the dark!
This is something I really hoped someone would do. Sorry it isn't what you were hoping for but I love it and it is so Jabberwocky to me.
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