I responded to the paintings of Clyfford Still with his very irregular shapes. I used the back side of a hand painted fabric and some of my hand dyed fabrics. I ironed the background fabric to decobond to make a stiff surface-which I've decided is a pain to use because the bond does not hold well. A few lines of stitching were done on the background to make sure it stayed together. The shapes were cut without planning and moved around on the background fabric to make a composition. The thin purple strips in the large shapes were just left over strips of fabric that got tossed into the waste paper basket, fished out again, cut in narrow strips and glued on. A few lines of stitching were done on the shapes too. I haven't bound this and will probably not do anything more with it. I like the way the colors play with each other but I'm not 100% pleased with the composition. A good practice piece of something I will continue to pursue. The size is 18 1/2" by 19".
I liked the idea of cropping the piece via a photo so here is one result. Any thoughts on whether or not this is am improvement?
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14 comments:
The colors in this piece are very nice, making the purple a neutral, which is not generally the case. The colors create a good contrast and tension for the piece. I really like the organic feel of the piece and the simple quilting.
Hi Nancy, I love the colors you used, they look wonderful on that blackened purple background. The color fields are interesting within themselves with the mottled fabrics. Regarding the composition, it does seem just a bit off balance. Perhaps a small organic shaped element in the lower left?
Great job!
Cynthia
Hi Nancy. I like your color constrasts and the tension created with the green field going off the edge, the orange then seems to bring you back around. Because this isn't the way you usually work, possible you could take it farther and have a winner out of a piece you don't feel you will finish.
Don't quit on this Nancy.. it has a lot going for it. The comments above echo that...perhaps just an element or two added will bring a balance it....?
Reminds me a falling leaves. Seems like you could crop off the right side making the two shapes "disappearing off the edge might bring it balance. Crop the photo first and see what you think.
I love the contrast in this piece, the irregular edges, and the placement of the purple strips in the center of the shapes. I am writing this after you cropped the piece in photoshop. IMHO, I think it is better before and agree with the others that perhaps an addition in the corner would bring you the balance you think is missing. You might actually like it enough to finish.
Great response to the challenge!
Hi again Nancy, I like the cropped version alot....it feels like a more intimate view and less static. Balance is definitely improved!
Cynthia
I love the way the colors enhance each other in this piece. It just makes everything pop! Shapes are pleasingly arranged. Great job. Pam Clark, Iowa
Nancy: I like the composition much more now that it is cropped. It appears more grounded. The hand-dyes are great! Veronica Von Zwehl
Nancy,
The cropped version is more interesting as the design flows outside the backgroun/border. I think it's more abstract. Nice colors.
The cropped version is my fav.... I like the cross up idea and it removes some of the unneeded negative space!
Thanks for all your comments and making me see this piece in different ways. Having not looked at the two pieces in several days,my instinctive reaction was that the cropped one was a lot better. So its still sitting on my sewing table and maybe I'll use it for some more playing, without trying to make a masterpiece out of it. It was killing me not to add embellishments or a lot of quilting so that is a direction I may take it.
I like it cropped...
Amazing what cropping can do looks a lot better.
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