Finally got one in on time. This is a quick one hour project that used my embellisher for the base of the standing stones and some of my hand dyed backgrounds. Strange colors prevail. I threw caution to the wind and chose fleeces at random that went against my better judgement then placed them on the background that I wouldn't normally have chosen. Seeing the finished photo makes me think it might try working this way again. Thank you for the challenge and the stretch!
This was a piece that spoke to me after spending all last summer with Diana Gambalden's
Outlander series following Claire Beecham Randal Fraiser and her escapes through the Standing Stones near Inverness in Scotland. If you haven't read it, do it. I am re-reading this summer.
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9 comments:
Interesting piece. Challenge met. I like the dimension the 'standing stones' give this work. What are the glittery flecks? Just curious. The hand dye fabric is very interesting. I wonder what it would be like if you altered the location of what appears to me to be an horizon line. Cropping of a bit of the bottom would lower it and ground the stones even more, perhaps. It is an exuberant piece and interesting to view.
This piece is thought provoking. Maybe changing the sizes of the rocks more to show perspective and depth would be useful. I like the colors of all the fabrics you've chosen. another great idea!
Chris Predd
Interesting piece, I love the colors, and the simple primitive feel to the piece. Totally in keeping with the subject matter. It might add a bit more depth to give the stones a shadow.
Great use of the 'stones' fabric. I like the top portion contrasting with the ground as it does. I noticed the piece is pulling in some on the right side. That might be due to the heavy quilting in the circle. If you add a little more quilting in perspective lines on the ground, it would give you more depth and also balance the quilting more. Great job!
My third attempt to comment...
I really like the colors you have chosen and the Standing Stones are 'geo'-ically correct, IMHO..
If it were my piece, I would be tempted to remove the circular stitching and continue the micro stipple to the bottom edge... OR...
round off the bottom to follow the circular stitching. Tobi Hoffman does this with success and in fact, I think that shaping of her pieces has become her signature. Very well done!
I have enjoyed the series, but still have to read the last 2 books. Ok lets get serious here, I think my suggestion along with others would be to crop the bottom so that your horizon line was only 1/3 the way up the edge, use the right edge, you may end up cropping the bottom stones a bit, but that might be a good thing, as it will bring the viewer more into the circle. the dense quilting in the center of the circle is probably what threw your edges out of alignment, did you trim the top after quilting? Something I try to always do after quilting a piece, esp if I am not going to densely quilt the entire top. Instead of machine quilting the center of the circle some hand stitch stipple quilting with pearl cotton might have given you the look you wanted without as much distortion. I really like the felted stones, very cool. And the background gives a feeling of fog and mystery. Very fun.
Kathy
Great job, love the colors of the standing stones. Is your circle quilting meant to keep them in a grouping...often you seen stones around a circle?
One of my all time favorite series of books :-) I've read them all and can't wait for the next.
I love the circular arrangement of the stones, and also the 'up-lifted' feeling the bit below the circular lines creates. I love Carole's suggestion of rounding the bottom slightly. What if you carry the misty, mysterious feeling of the sky down into the stones..perhaps an overlay of tulle or gray or mauve'ish organza or chiffon? Love the sparkle from the beads...really adds a bit of 'magic'.
Cherie
Thanks all for the great suggestions. I think I will round the bottom and add some tulle for shadow and grounding of the stones. I think that scale is an issue as well and will try and solve that too. You really can't tell the size of these stones and are meant to be huge!
Looking at the photo again today after working with the piece, it really doesn't have this distortion as much in real life as the photo depicts. I am a lousy photographer!
Will post updates when completed.
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