Showing posts with label Challenge 92. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Challenge 92. Show all posts

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Acceptance

I missed the part about 3 colors, but this is my entry...I hope it fits this month's theme.


Acceptance

A bit of back story here..skip if you want, but I felt it had to be included snce it is a very large part of this quilt.

After 4 yrs of a very dark period in my life (3 dear friends and my Mother dying within months of each during 2010..among other things) when I was emotionally unable to do any quilting, I began dabbling in various other forms of art a couple of years ago, but my heart has always wanted to go back to quilt art. I did the book cover challenge and not much (if any) before and none after, and was determined to do more but there was a block. I have many sketches for work and I would often pull fabric for one, only to put it all away when it just wouldn't inspire me.

My daughter is giving birth to another grandson for me in June though and I HAD to make a quilt for him, so that got me actually creating new work. But still I couldn't do anything for myself..until this one.

When I read the challenge I went through my sketches and noticed I have a lot with these curvy shapes in them, so I picked one that fit this month's theme and went to work. I enlarged the sketch, chose the fabrics, figured placement and fused them all down in one afternoon. The block is gone! I have 12 more enlarged sketches waiting for me after the baby quilt is done.

"Acceptance" is large, 25"x33" and is done with fusible applique and represents a simple but true message:
"Don't try and copy what others wear or how they act. That often leads to a dark hole of depression. Be yourself and soon they will begin to accept you for the wonderful, unique individual that you are."

And to me personally it represents the end of a long depressed period and the joy of returning to doing what I love!! Also a reminder that I may not always be happy, and am not perfect, my work may not be museum quality or worth thousands of dollars, but it represents ME, who I am, what I aspire to be, and I just need to enjoy the process and not stress out so much :-D


Wednesday, May 07, 2014

A Nurturing Grandmother


A Nurturing Grandmother

As I await the birth of my first grandchild any day now, I aspire to be as nurturing as my own grandmother who sacrificed a lot and taught me so much. Most family and friends have told me having grandchildren is much more fun than having kids. I cannot wait to take on my new role as a loving grandmother!

Materials and Techniques

Heart body, head, arms and lips designed in Make the Cut software and cut with my electronic cutter and embellished with lock washers for the eyes.
The background: acrylic and metallic paints, gold mica flakes, glass bead gel on canvas

Saturday, May 03, 2014

ORDER OUT OF CHAOS


Even though I may aspire to be many things as an artist, the one thing that seems to overshadow everything is my desire for order in my life.  Constant frustration at not being able to find that fabric, that pattern, that tool!   So, here it is.  I’m sorry I didn’t limit my palette.   The more I worked on it, the more I saw that my stash is a large part of my discontent.  And,  I was at a retreat with nothing more than a sack of fabric and some fusible. 

Friday, April 25, 2014

Challenge 92: Aspiration

Challenge Host: Tobi Hoffman
Title:  Aspiration
Theme: Illustrate your goals
Technique: Limited palette
Due date: May 3, 2014

Aspiration
Definitions: 
1)       a hope or ambition of achieving something.  “He had nothing tangible to back up his literary aspirations”
Synonyms: desire, hope, dream, wish, longing, yearning
2)      (medicine) the action or process of drawing breath.

Theme:
How do you show your highest ideals, your greatest triumphs?  How can you stretch yourself to achieve what is deepest in your heart, to fulfill your deepest yearnings?  Let your quilt this month express these.

If possible, before you start work on this, sit down in some quiet place and meditate for 15-20 minutes on the seed idea of aspiration, and without trying to force an idea, see what comes.  Then write down any thoughts and develop them in your quilt.  Remember that the word “aspiration” also relates to breath; in your meditation, keep your breath deep, slow and even, but after the first few breaths, do not focus on it.

One note on this: aspiration need not be linked to religious belief.  You may choose to embody the guidance of your religion, but aspiration is not limited to the religious.

Technique:  Restrict your colors to three that go with your thoughts on your ideals.  This is not an absolute ban on other colors; if they are a minor part of the fabrics, let them in!

Resources:
Aspiration through art:
A lengthy article – you may or may not agree with him, but it gives food for thought.

Aspiration/Inspiration

Quotes about Aspiration

Art:
Deborah Corsini

I am deliberately including only the one actual art reference, as your aspirations are yours, by definition, and your inspiration will come from you and not others!

And one more thing: have fun with this! :)