Golden leaves drift down. Blanketing the cooling earth. Autumn equinox.
It would be hard to make a quilt of any other season but autumn. Right now the mountains of western North Carolina are glowing with color.
The quilt measures 16" x 22". I challenged myself to make the quilt without doing some detailed drawings first. I almost always work with very detailed drawings which I often do in color and blow up to scale.
The original quilt measured 24" x 22". I started with the background trees which you can still see. The foreground had a path, shrubs, rocks, vegetation, etc. There were two major problems: one was the proportion (the foreground was just too small relative to the backgroun) and the other was poorly executed perspective (it has been a long time since I studied perspective in school).
Anyways, my solution was to cut off the bottom third of the quilt, keeping the background which I really, really liked. I added the white trees which I felt contrasted nicely with the saturated background.
I'm still going to continue to try to be more free with my quilts and not rely so much on planning and drawing.
Let me know what you think.
Having recently tried to portray birch trees, I can say you've done much better at it than I did! I like the dappling of colors and all the quilting gives a nice feeling of movement.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely, Veronica. You've captured that certain blue sky that we only see in autumn as well as the vivid colors of the background trees. The birch trees have great texture and they just pop in front of the background--just like they do in real life. Thanks for sharing how you cropped the composition. Sound like it made a much stronger piece that goes well with your lovely haiku.
ReplyDeleteNicely done. Love the birch trunks against the background tree colors. Lovely composition and your haiku paints a very similar picture.
ReplyDeleteVeronica, your colors says it all. I love your choice of quilting as well. Great job.
ReplyDeleteVery nice quilt. Great job on the birch trees with "the golden leaves drifting down". Very realistic background which suggests a slight breeze.
ReplyDeleteI too like your birch trees, how they and the leaves, the focal points of the haiku and your quilt, are in more detail. I'm wondering, and this is just a wonder, what it would be like if you did it with the background being more jaggedy?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm curious, how did you do your birch trees? I couldn't get a sense from the enlargement whether they were pieces of fabric with painting, or stitching or what...
Nice job.
Lisa
My favorite so far! Great contrast and composition, I'm so glad you cropped it! The trees are so very real and the hazy shapes in the background are a great juxtiposition. Don't change a thing!
ReplyDeleteSuch vibrant colors and the blue of the sky only in fall. Great fabric choices all around with the stitching you used adding to the piece. Did you paint the birches yourself or is this purchased fabric? They're so real. I love this piece.
ReplyDeleteWhat is there to add? Smashing!
ReplyDeleteI love your haiku as well...
Cherie
I love the colors in this piece. The blue sky reflects onto the birch trees :) Beautiful shade of blue, and the hint throughout the piece adds just a bit of mystery.The trees are wonderful, the stitching does it and you have done a great job.
ReplyDeleteVeronica, this is a real show-stopper. Your colors and those birch trees! It has all been said.. I can only agree...
ReplyDeleteGreat job!
Hi Veronica, What everyone else said. This is just a terrific piece and strong. It is hard to crop so much off when you have put a lot of work in to it, but good for you. Great response and it reflects your haiku.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have you in the group, Veronica! Love your vivid colors and high textures...wonderful!
ReplyDeleteCynthia
Wow! this is such a wonderful piece. Your birch trees add a vivid point of interest and look so realistic. Great job on this challenge. Your quilting works well too.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Love the colors and those birch trees are amazing! They look like real branches that you attached somehow. Lovely piece that goes well with your Haiku :-)
ReplyDeleteVeronica,
ReplyDeleteYour trees are magnificent. The whole thing looks like a photograph (in a good way!) I love how your stitching enhances the image.
It really has all been said. I love your background colors and the trees. Beautiful!
ReplyDeletePat Havey
I really love this piece and if you need to find a home for it, I will take it off your hands! The colors are so striking and the patterned fabrics really add to the foilage look. This trees are really beautiful and make the piece even more striking.
ReplyDelete