Fast Friday Fabric Challenge #94: The Call for Entry

An early start this week – enjoy!

Fast Friday Fabric Challenge #94: June 27, 2014

Challenge Hostess:   Karen Markley

Title:                     The Call for Entry

Theme:                Any Call for Entry not yet passed

Technique:         Any called for in the Call

Due date:            Saturday, July 5^th at noon EST

We’ve all seen them – the Call for Entry.   Some have acted on them and some have not.  Most of us are intimidated by them; we want to enter, but we think on it until the deadline has passed.  Or, we start and it isn’t going the way we like, so we abandon it.

Many artists work instinctively – a one-shot deal – starting with an idea and working on it until it is done.  Good or bad.  But, the best thing to do is a little planning – no surprises – a mockup of ideas that tells us what the finished product will be.

So, that said – I have listed several resources of current calls.  Pick one – make a small piece in the format of the Call – square, rectangular, portrait or landscape.  Don’t focus on technique as much as on the design – make notes on possible embellishments, techniques that might enhance the finished product, but don’t necessarily do them.  Once done and posted, consider seriously moving forward and making that finished product for entry.

References:

To get an idea how one artist starts working on a new piece, see the process employed by Swiss Artist, Ursula Kern:  http://fileunderfiber.blogspot.com/2011/04/ursula-kern-fabric-collage.html -  

The best list of current calls is on the SAQA website.  You do not have to be a SAQA member to enter many of these calls, but it is worth the price of membership to be able to.  http://www.saqa.com/calendar.php?ID=9 

Cherrywood Fabrics is having a challenge called Wicked, after the Musical – For a $35 entry fee they will provide you with 4 fat quarters of their luscious hand-dyed fabrics to use in your entry. http://cherrywoodfabrics.bigcartel.com/product/wicked-started-kit   or http://tinyurl.com/FFFC94-1

Keepsake Quilting has information on their challenge here: http://www.keepsakequilting.com/productdetail/4152/-------CREATE-A-STRIP-PIECED-KEEPSAKE-CHALLENGE-COLLECTION.htm or  http://tinyurl.com/FFFC94-2

The Hoffman Challenge is one that you may see at quilt shows, with numerous categories: http://www.hoffmanchallenge.com/challenge2014.html

There should be more than enough on these websites to get your head spinning with ideas, but feel  free to search for others.  Make it your goal to enter at least one of these this year.

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

Purple Sunset

18" x 21"

While late, this was a fast project nonetheless, started Wednesday June 11th, finished Wednesday June 18th.

I had just gotten back on the 10th from two weeks away, and found a packet of purple fat quarters, so I added them to my bag o' fabric which I brought to the guild room for "Open Paint" day Wednesday.  A friend had a photo of a seaside sunset which caught my eye, and I set out to try to recreate that scene.

I rearranged elements a bit, and put the sailboat closer to center rather enlarged -- which then meant that I needed to put in a larger building than the little one I had inserted.  Then the tree at left didn't feel right, and it got overlaid with a larger tree with just a bit of outlining.  The yellow part of the sunset was then overlaid with just a bit of Angelina fiber, and it was done!  I took it the evening after I finished it to the meeting of the Framingham Artists Guild, where it won the "Art of the Month" award!

I look forward to your comments.

French Lilacs

8.5" x 10"
Cotton, seed beads, twine and fusible

I am currently at loose ends with my studio in storage so I needed a project that I could do by hand and this one fit the bill.  Created with a split compliment of purple, green and blue, I just couldn't resist recreating these beautiful lilacs in cloth.  Each flower petal was individually cut in the shape of a 1/2" hexagram and secured with a seed bead - all 275 of them!  I plan on finishing this piece by placing it into a portrait finish once my studio is back up and running again.

Matisse's Rex Begonia

I was fortunate to see a lot of the cut-out works of Matisse in Washington DC with my Mom in about 1977. They had been on my mind again, so in early May I tracked this book down at the public library (ISBN 9783791334738).

Drawing with Scissors book cover

I was thinking that begonias, which I love, could be a good candidate for cutout treatment. I grow other varieties of begonias (there are hundreds), because I always kill Rex Begonias. So I made a quilt!

Rex begonia, from Rhode Island Begonia

I chose the 'Royal' association for purple, and then I used the Pantone app, which is fun, to come up with a split complementary color scheme. It's one I've never consciously worked with, and I'm glad I tried it!
The initial layout was representational - pot at bottom, leaves coming out, and it looked awful. So I pulled the book out and came up with this layout, and the title.
Thanks for looking and for your critiques. - Lisa

The Colour Purple

I had an entirely different idea when I sat down with this last Sunday, but that went south really fast, so Monday morning I started painting the fabric and Tyvek.  Tuesday I had it on the frame, and late Tuesday started the beading.  It  has been quite awhile ( years) since I did a Tyvek piece and I had forgotten how elegant they can be.  The fused glass cabochon was commissioned from a local glass worker, June Derksen, for an entirely different design, but works very well here.  The beads include fresh water pearls and amethyst, as well as a variety of glass beads, and even a couple of sequins.

Purple because of its symbolism as being rich and rare.  I chose an analogous colour scheme, and painted in Seta-Color Parma Purple, Fuschia, and Cobalt Blue.  I generally use a cool palette, and analogous schemes are my preference.  But when the painting was done, I really felt I had to add the gold, which turned this into a split complement.  The piece will be mounted and framed

Challenge 93: The Colour Purple

Host: Pat Findlay

Title: The Colour Purple

Theme: Exploring colour theory

Technique: Use of the Colour Wheel

Due date: May 31, 2014

Did you know that purple was the colour chosen to represent the Suffragette Movement?  Or that Feminism adopted purple, as a theme colour, in honour of that association? 

The challenge will be to create a piece that uses the colour purple in a symbolic way. 

Technique:  use the colour wheel to create a specific colour arrangement,( i.e.complementary. analogous, split complement etc.) one  that must  include the colour purple.  Tell us a bit of how you decided which colours to use, and how the symbolism associated with the colour purple influenced your choice.

Resources:

Symbolism and psychology surrounding the colour purple. Everything  you ever wanted to know about the colour purple, and more:  http://tinyurl.com/FFFC93-1 or  http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-meaning/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-purple-4329#.UrObEPRDsw4         

The Color Purple: Understand Its Hidden Meaning for Art & Design: http://tinyurl.com/FFFC93-2 or www.finearttips.com/2010/09the-color-purple-understand-its-hidden-meaning-for-art-design

A quick reference of the use of purple in fashion and art since the Renaissance: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/purple#the_middle_ages_and-the-renaissance 

Symbolism associated with the colour purple:  www.colormatters.com/purple 

How to use a colour wheel: http://tinyurl.com/FFFC93-3 or tympanus.net/codrops/2012/02/28/principles-of-color-and-the-color-wheel

The Many Meanings of Violet / Purple: http://www.color-wheel-artist.com/meanings-of-violet.html

Examples of purple in art work:

Monet: http://tinyurl.com/FFFC93-4 or http://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-pathway-in-monets-garden-giverny-claude-monet.html

The Purple Cat -- quilted art work: http://stegart.blogspot.com/2010/07/purple-cat.html

Quilts and Color: http://tinyurl.com/FFFC93-5 or http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/quilts-and-color?gclid=COWzj_nuv74CFdF9OgodsSYAOA

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

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

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

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. 

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.

http://www.newenglishreview.org/David_Hamilton/Aspiration_through_Art/

Aspiration/Inspiration

http://wassaicproject.org/exhibitions/2009-2/aspirationinspiration-2009/

Quotes about Aspiration

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/aspiration

Art:

Deborah Corsini

http://quiltnationalartists.com/category/education/

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! :)

Red Tulips

When I think of spring, I think of tulips. Last spring I took a photo of my red tulips right outside my door. Their vibrant red was such a contrast against their green foliage, which is why I chose this photo for this challenge using contrasts. I printed my photo out on my InkJet printer onto fabric, and hand quilted around all the leaves and tulips. I used gold cording to bring out the yellow of the tulip's centers, plus the black borders to also help accent the centers of the tulips. I bought the quilt hanger at our guild's silent auction. I love the way this hanging brings a touch of spring to my living room.  Pam Clark

Totally Pieced

As hostess for this challenge, it wouldn't do for me not to participate. So I made two!  I saw Neo-plasticism and non-representational art as two distinctively different styles, even though the work of Piet Mondrian is listed as being in both categories.  "Off The Grid" is more in the style of De Stijl and "Audition" is more non-representational.


I used gradation fabrics from Cherrywood to create both pieces.  "Audition" is just that.  I took a 14" segment from a much larger piece that I had designed and have been unsure of where to place the colors and values.  So, I followed my suggestion and chose the various shades of the greys to tell me how it would work in the finished project.  "Off the Grid" was hoping to show depth as the darker fabrics receded.  Not sure I accomplished that and am not sure why.  Perhaps the darker pieces should grow ever smaller instead of ever bigger; the reverse of what I did.  I now see why artists work in series.  Never satisfied with their work, they do it over and over until they get it right.      

In Focus

When I first read this challenge, I immediately thought that it would require a gradation dyeing, but knew that one week just wouldn't give me enough time to set up the wet studio that only exists around here in summer. ( We still have huge amounts of snow and freezing temperatures).  Then I remembered that I had some remnants from grey and black gradation dyeing I did a few years back.  However, I could only come up with a range of three that worked together.  So, I added black and white, even though neither is really part of a true grey scale.  However, it still needed more.  Since the grey I had, appeared to have a very slight shaded teal undertone, I used the red-orange as a complement, and think it works fairly well together. 
 The piece is 12" by 12"

Perpetual Motion

I had originally thought I would piece this project, but it turned out to be way more complicated than I could handle...so I fused it.  I used lots of different fabrics...velvet, metallics, satins.  I couched black cording between all the pieces.  I really love working in grayscale

Thanks for a fun challenge...

Cherie 

Challenge 91: Art in the Gray Scale

Challenge Hostess: Karen Markley

Theme:  Non-representational

Due:  April 5, 2014

Technique:  Piecing - Take the challenge and see if you can piece completely your little quilt. Quilters like Ruth McCormick and Judy Dales have proven that even the most complex design can be pieced.  I know it is easy just to fuse things, but it will give you a nice feeling of accomplishment if you can see each piece together.  However, this is a design challenge and some of us just don't have the time.

Have you ever made a quilt, and when it was finished, you wished you had put some of the colors in different places, that they were brighter or more subdued?  If you had been able to audition your fabrics, or make a mockup first, you might have been able to avoid these disappointments.

The gray scale is the foundation of all color choices. Photographers use it as well as artists.  And not just with black and white photography. If you understand value, you can translate any level of the grey scale to colored fabric.  We’ve all studied black and white photographs and wonder at the pictures that capture our attention:  it’s the contrast between black and white that gives the picture sparkle.  The same is true for the old movies and early television – if they wanted to portray a dull, depressing mood, they chose very narrow parameters.  “Value or tonal contrast creates visual interest or excitement. … A low key painting is one in which the tonal range is narrower.”

If you choose a range of fabrics for a quilt and arrange them on the copy machine, you get a range of grays that tell you if there is going to be enough contrast. 

References and Samples:

Grace Errea teaches a great class on value.   if you go to her website, and click on workshops, she has a nifty chart with the grey scale on the left and all of the colors that correspond with every level - purples, greens, etc.   She also sells a little value tool that is invaluable in choosing your fabrics.  If you look at her quilts, you will see that value is a key element in their success.

www.amazingquiltsbygrace.com

Piet Mondrian, a Dutch painter, was the creator of non-representational art.  Except for his cubist period, he always used color in his paintings, but started with a white canvas and added bold lines.  A few of his paintings show at least 3 gradations from black to white.

Mondrian's book on Neo-Plasticism became one of the key documents of abstract art.  In it, he detailed his vision of artistic expression in which "plastic" simply referred to the action of forms and colors on the surface of the canvas as a new method for representing modern reality.

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-mondrian-piet.htm

  

Meaning in Nonrepresentational Art - http://tinyurl.com/FFFC91-1 or https://www.boundless.com/art-history/thinking-and-talking-about-art/content/meaning-in-nonrepresentational-art/

Gray Scale and Value Finder - BLICK art materials –

 www.dickblick.com/products/gray-scale-and-value-finder

What Gray Scale Means in Painting -- Art Glossary Definition:  http://painting.about.com/od/artglossaryg/g/defgrayscale.htm

Grayscale art on Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=grayscale%20art

Grayscale Art for Sale - Fine Art America: http://fineartamerica.com/art/paintings/grayscale/all

Grayscale quilts: http://tinyurl.com/FFFC91-2 or 

https://www.google.com/searchq=grayscale+quilts&hl=en&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4LENP_enUS577US577&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=UKAvU5uwA8iy2gXkkIHoCw&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=611

Even though a lot of the artists of that period used black and white, coupled with primary colors, we can attempt to recreate the abstract while still using a variety of values instead of just bold colors.

And one more thing: have fun with this!

Trillium Grandiflorum

It is almost Spring in Michigan and that can mean only one thing – it's trillium time! Trillium grandiflorum, also known as the great white trillium, are low growing woodland flowers that are one of my favorite signs that Spring has finally decided to grace us with Her presence.

I love traipsing through the woods in search of these rare and delicate little flowers. In creating this piece, I used a photo that I took in 2012 in Columbus, Michigan (St. Clair County) on the eastern side of the state. Set against a mottled, impressionistic background of woodland decay, this delicate little flower offers the promise of more Spring beauty yet to come.

I hope that you enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed finding the trillium inspiration for it. We still have lots of snow here - several feet in many places, but the grass is trying really hard to poke its way through in many others. . .that can only mean that the trillium can't be too far behind. 

14.5" x 17“

Raw-edge fused applique

Hand dyed and commercial cottons, tulle, pencils and paint

Sign me. . .

Anxiously awaiting Spring.

Cheryl Casker

Your comments and critiques are welcome.

Spring is in the Air

We are experiencing the early signs of Spring with the buds on the trees thickening a little more each day.  Today is overcast with light snow, so Spring isn't quite ready to arrive.  This 12" x 12" piece was made by dyeing white fabric with bleeding tissue paper in blues, greens and purple.

Snow and Crocuses

13½" x 17"

A picture of early spring, I think I have it -- Impressionist style, probably not!  However, I always love the sight of the first crocuses to pop up among the leaf litter from the previous fall.

With this piece, I began the sacrifice of a mattress pad for my backing, and found that the top layer of that pad could be pulled off and made a nice impression of snow on the ground.  All the other pieces are cut from various cotton fabrics, and then I over-painted with some glitter fabric paint.

I would love any comments on this.

Reawakening

This was a really fun piece to do.  I simply freehand cut all the fabrics, pinned them onto the background layered onto batting and started stitching.  The snow is a sparkle organdy in two colors layered over a blue hand dyed fabric.  All the fabrics are hand dyed except for the organdy.   The larger tree trunks are strips of fabric, but all the rest of the trees, branches and the grasses are all thread painted.  The crocus and leaves were each cut from a single piece of fabric, then enhanced with stitching and Inktense pencils.  

I think this represents the theme and the light and shadow aspect of this challenge.

Here is a close up of the thread painting...so much fun to do!

It's been quite awhile since I have participated and this challenge gave me the 'bump start' I needed to get back in the groove...Thank you Cheryl!

As always, your input is appreciated...Cherie

Challenge #90, February 28, 2014

Hostess: Cheryl Casker

Title: Hurry, Spring!

Theme: Interpret the gift of life (Spring) that rises from the death (Winter) that came before it

Technique: Impressionism incorporating broken color theory that depicts the subtle play of light and shadow

Due date:  March 8, 2014

Having set a historical record for the most snow in one month in January in the state of Michigan (as well as others), we are more than just a bit winter-weary and anxiously look forward to the exquisite flora and fauna that Spring gifts us with each year. 

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!

            ~Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!
            ~L.H. Bailey

  

Color As Light

Impressionism was a new style of painting that emerged in France at the end of the 19th century. The Impressionist artists were interested in trying to capture the changing effects of light on the landscape by using a more exact analysis of tone and color. Their ideas were inspired by Eugene Chevreul's scientific research into color theory.

The Impressionist artists abandoned the old idea that the shadow of an object was made up from the color of the object with some brown or black added. Instead, they enlivened their canvases with the new idea that the shadow of any color could be mixed from pure hues and broken up with its opposite color.  For example, the shadow on a yellow surface could have some strokes of lilac painted into it to increase its vitality.

As the Impressionists had to work quickly to capture the fleeting effects of light, they had to sacrifice some of the traditional qualities of outline and detail. http://www.artyfactory.com/color_theory/color_theory_1.htm

Broken Color

http://www.larrymoorestudios.com/broken-color/

Role of Colour in Impressionism

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=43792 

Characteristics of American Impressionism

http://www.flogris.org/learning/foxchase/html/about_impressionism.php 

Resources:

Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926)

 “When you go out to paint, try to forget what objects you have before you, a tree, a house, a field or whatever. Merely think here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact color and shape, until it gives you own naïve impression of the scene before you.”

Snow at Argenteuil, 1875

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_at_Argenteuil 

The Water Lilies (series), 1899-1920

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Lilies

Garten at Giverney, 1902

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Monet_-_Garten_in_Giverny.jpg

Garden Path at Giverny, 1902

http://www.claude-monet.com/giverny.jsp

Camille Pissarro (French, 1830–1903)

The Garden of the Tuileries on a Spring Morning, 1899

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1992.103.3 

Fields: http://www.camille-pissarro.org/Fields.html

Gelée Blanche (Hoarfrost), 1873:  http://artchive.com/artchive/P/pissarro/frost.jpg.html

Snow Effect at Eragny, 1894: http://www.camille-pissarro.org/Snow-Effect-at-Eragny,-1894.html

L'Hermitage, 1868  (scroll down to #7):  http://camillepisarro.blogspot.com/

Rye Fields at Pontoise, 1868 (3rd painting down): http://camillepisarro.blogspot.com/

  

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French 1841–1919 )

“No shadow is black. It always has a color. Nature knows only colors … white and black are not colors.”

Boating on the Seine, 1879

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/boating-on-the-seine-pierre-auguste-renoir.html

Two Sisters, 1881

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Renoir_-_The_Two_Sisters,_On_the_Terrace.jpg

And one final note – have fun with this!

Blue Rose

Blue Rose Center

When the 'Coming Up Roses' exhibit was announced, I choose to create this blue rose.  I decided I needed to post before the next challenge comes out in two days.

I wanted to create something dimensional.  This is my first try after seeing the wonderful dimensional flower quilts by Barb Forrister at Houston last fall.  I also attended her demo and got to meet her.  What a thrill.  She makes it look easy.  However, I found I ripped out a LOT.  If I had more of the blue satin, I would have just cut more.  Having a limited amount of fabric really pushed my creativity.  

I have been experimenting with different ways to finish out the quilt.  I have already thrown out three tries.  Because of my fabric limit, I try ideas out using other fabrics.  However, for me, the blue satin is the only fabric from my stash that works. Perseverance is the name of this game.

Blue Initials

This little quilt was from a guild challenge to use

our initials. I like blue. It's nice to make a quilt just for fun.

Cityscape: A Study in Blue

51" x 61" 

Commercial cotton, silk and polyester fabrics and threads

This piece has been on my drawing board since last fall: the pattern was drafted, the blue fabric palette had been auditioned, and the quilting design was determined.  All that was lacking was the time and motivation to begin.  Thanks to this timely challenge, I have not only started the piece, but finished it too (albeit a week late in the posting).

I have toyed with the idea of a series of cityscapes since last summer, and have drawn inspiration from many quilts and quilt artists on the Internet, our own Fast Friday contributor Meena Schaldenbrand's "I Love Detroit" http://fastfridayquilts.blogspot.com/2013/09/i-love-detroit.html, and the many incredible art quilts created by Ludmila Aristovta http://ludmilaaristova.squarespace.com/.  

This imaginary cityscape serves as a practice piece to sort out a few techniques for my future cityscapes including selection of appropriate fabrics for building surfaces, the quilting of water, working with reflections in water,  and getting proportions right for a realistic look.  While admittedly, this work is not even in the same class as one of Ludmila Aristovta's works of art, I certainly aspire to her level of artistry and look forward to creating more cityscapes that reflect many of the great cities that we all know and love.  This is my first step in the process and I thank you for allowing me to share it with you.

Your comments, suggestions and critiques are welcomed.

Warmest regards,

Cheryl Casker

Comedy/Tragedy

Sorry for the bad picture but I have a new program and can't seem to make it work for cropping.  I saw a picture of this small comedy/tragedy block and fell in love with it .  I knew it would look good in blue and white so here it is.  It always makes me happy to see these masks.

Pat Havey