Monday, December 27, 2010

Fields of Tulips & Morning Sun

Well, I gave it a try. After perusing the net and looking at color field pictures and explanations I'm not sure this is a style for me. I do believe it would make a beautiful background for a composition though. Thanks for the challenge Betty, and it certainly was a challenge for me.

I tried two different pieces. The first I call Field of Tulips, tried to depict the colors of the field and the sky ( I think this would be much easier to do with paint than with fabric ). I am ok with this one, it does represent a field of tulips to me but, perhaps it is too 'landscapey'..  The second is Morning Sun, I tried to depict the sun coming through the window ( wouldn't a figure in a chair add more to it?) with a shadow on one wall?
I haven't done any quilting on these as to me they aren't finished.  I also noticed that a lot of the samples I looked at were color field and abstract together, which I think would be something that I could achieve. However, that being said I did give Color Field a go and enjoyed the process. I look forward to your comments, and am sure these two pieces will both change greatly in the next few days :-)

16 comments:

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

Fun challenge Betty, I look forward to critique, thank you.

Unknown said...

Both of these have a great sense of balance and rhythm and there IS movement in them as well.

While some of the examples do seem to have an element of representational work in them, one of the more recent posters commented that color field was completely abstract.... So I'm thrown for a little loop with this as what I was working on is abstracted but based on reality. So, I was pleased to see your "landscape." I do think you got it and I love both of them.

I would love to see you quilt them, and I don't think that the morning sun one is "just a background."

Good job and stretch a little. :) I know I'm having to!

Lisa Quintana

Marilyn Wall said...

Wow Rhoda how have you had time to do not just one but two pieces at this time of year. I love the fields, the colors are wonderful and work well together.
I have no knowledge of Color Field but I like the other one as well.

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

Well Marilyn, after the hustle and bustle yesterday and today are quiet days for me. And like I said they aren't quilted :)

Betty Warner said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Betty Warner said...

Rhoda - you are off to a wonderful start. IMHO though your field of tulips reads landscape, it is definitely abstract. I think you have used colors in the manner of a color field artist. The piece you call simply a background is also definitely right on. Because we are working small - compared to many of the painters - our ability to create the interest they created is limited by our size.
I like your pieces very much. It will be interesting to see how you choose to quilt them.

Great job!

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

I just googled Mark Rothko, and yes he has some on the horizontal and some vertical. I don't understand them though, most of them I noticed are 'untitled' or named after the color ...guess I'm just too much of a realist Betty .

Carole said...

Rhoda, I am inpressed! With them both... but my favorite is the Morning Sun... I just like looking at that one... I can imagine all sorts. Because I did not notice 'marks' on the Color Field imagery I studied, including Judith Content.. whose work I love..I cannot think how to quilt it unless just lines that follow one of the elements. That is why I liked the paper one I did... the paper when wet, ripples like paper does and adds a movement I wouldn't have otherwise been able to obtain. I will watch these two pieces with interest...
great job, my friend... I admire you taking the risk in fabric!

Unknown said...

I like both of these Rhoda, but my eye wants to linger and move around your Fields of Tulips the most :-D I love the color in that one.

Veronica said...

I love the colors in field of tulips - the tan fabric really brings your eye into the piece and I like how it is more neutral than the rest of the piece. To me, it reads like a landscape.

Morning Sun is "spot-on", I think. It addresses the challenge perfectly. I really like the neutral colors; and the strong black element, which is off center, makes the piece very dramatic. I can't wait to see it quilted. I would not add the chair as I think it would clutter up a wonderfully composed design. Great Job. Veronica

Art by Rhoda Forbes said...

Thanks Carole, and I agree I think just some straight lines for quilting. I notice on one of Judith Content's that she has quilted verticle lines...most of them look they don't have any quilting.

Silvia "OrkaLoca" Dell'Aere said...

I like the colours of your "fields of tulips" but between your 2 works I like "morning sun" most.
It has a sort of "japaneese feeling" to me.
I think that you could have a nice effect quilting round concentric lines, with the center near one corner. I can visualize the center near the lower right corner. Could be interesting.
nice job :)

janice pd said...

Wow, I love the Morning Sun and think it is spot on. Your name for the piece gives the viewer your intention and then they are free to interpret it.

Cynthia Ann Morgan said...

Hi Rhoda, I think the Morning Sun is a great example of color field, especially where the colors come together to create a wavering line. That's one of the hallmarks of color field work...interesting and/or blurred edges. Wonderful job!
Cynthia

LAQuilts said...

I do like your second yellow piece. I think that is a good start. Your other landscape is wonderful in it's own way. I am stumped on the color field so I can't speak to that.

Pam Harris said...

Rhoda, my husband really likes your Field of Tuilps but my favorite is Morning Sun. I think it's a great compostion and to me it's dimensional with the wavy brown on the right of the navy that to me is a nice shadow. Great job making two nice pieces for the challenge.