Monday, March 01, 2010

Max Patch


Here's a partially finished landscape, based on an altered photo of "Max Patch", a beautiful spot on the Appalachian Trail, where you have a 360 degree view of all the spectacular scenery around.

The fabrics are all dupioni silks, and were wonderful to work with. It is a practice piece for me to try different metallic threads and silk-finish threads for thread painting.

I am happy with some of the effects, but wish I could achieve more of a three-dimensional look, since it is mountains and valleys. Right now, it looks a little "flat" to me.

I love adding beads to my work, but I'm not sure if that would be appropriate here.

I would welcome any comments or suggestions. I have also posted the photo it was based on, and the little quilt will be a gift to the person who shared the photo with me. It measures about 12" x 16"

Marilyn Foulke
Louisville, KY


12 comments:

Linda Mac said...

I tried to comment earlier and it disappeared (just so you know if the comment now shows up twice).
I love the texture you achieved with the silk. The embroidered trees are a nice effect. I have been wanting to make distant pine trees on another piece, and your successful use of them gives the boost I need to go ahead with it.
The colors are great too - did you hand dye the silk? Nice job.

Julia in NZ said...

The embroidered forests are very effective, and the texturing works to add interest. I like the change in hue from the original. Your friend should love it.

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

This is just a wonderful piece, the eye just keeps moving around. I've never worked with silk, but I would say you have mastered it. Great work.

Jan said...

I actually like your piece better than the alter photo you used. The eye is immediately drawn back into what I am assuming are the Blue Ridge Mts? I, too, like the way you used embroidery to achieve the distant pine forest Great texture and great piece!

Betty Warner said...

Great texture. Love the use of embroidery to texturize and draw our eye into the piece. I, too, am sure your friend will love this gift.

Cynthia Ann Morgan said...

Hi Marilyn, you did get some wonderful textural effects...great job! The only comment I have is about the depth as you mentioned...I think having some value changes within the color areas would give the shading and highlights for depth. Like in the photo, the color section have darks, mediums and lights in places rather than one continuous value.
It's an interesting piece with amazing texture
Cynthia

Madalene Axford Murphy said...

This is a real eye-catcher. And the silks just make it glow. The thread painted trees are quite effective. And I love the way you abstracted the clouds. Beautiful.

LAQuilts said...

I love the silk used. It's very rich and true to the altered photograph - more contrast on the thread color will be interesting.

Joni said...

Beautiful and peaceful, very rich fabrics and interesting texture all work together to make this a memorable piece. It might have a better feel of depth if you put a partial large tree in the foreground, as if it were right next to the viewer. Just a thought.

Kathy Angel Lee said...

Great colors and texture. I believe Cynthia mentioned something about changes in value the further you go back. In my watercolor class, my teacher is always talking about light versus dark and that the further away something is, it is generally lighter/paler.

FoulkeArt said...

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I think I will try adding some color variation for depth, and maybe a tree in the foreground, too...

Cherie in Del Mar said...

You've achieved such good dimension with all the texture. I love your pine forests...what a great idea! Really interesting technique for clouds and sky too.
Cherie