Late 2016 I joined the Quilter's Rest Quilting Arts Group, now called Tangled Threads. They have an Exhibition annually but rotate between Kingaroy and Wondai Galleries. Each year they set certain challenges which we are not obliged to participate in all, but are encouraged to do. These pieces then become the basis for the exhibitions. This year we have a Word Challenge each month and they are restricted to 10" x 8" portrait. January was Wacky. Mine is titled " Wacky Red Hatted Moon"
I am trying to use these words as inspirations for a lunar series. This size is a good size to try techniques/styles etc. This one is all pieced. They are mounted on canvas, I have used black gesso to paint the sides and back. They are ready for hanging with D rings and wire across the back.
March, the word was Fantasia. I think the person who submitted this word was really thinking orchestral. I interpreted it as a play on words for me. Fantastic, Fan, Sound, wind fanning out from a source. It is a combination of applique, FMQ and straight line quilting.
April was Seasons. This one was quite difficult for me in this size. This is the 3rd attempt for me. The other 2 will probably end up in the bin. I titled this one, " Seasons Change but does the Moon?" It is a wholecloth with texture created by stitching.
For the month of May, the large piece Combination was due also. This had to be 0.5m x 1.5m long so it was a huge effort to get this finished. I have also been working on my Tracks Series of landscapes.
In my spare time in January I started studying with Lisa Call for her Design Elements Online Class. It was definately money well spent. I have had no formal art training at all. I did science /maths subjects at school, and university. Learning to sketch, draw and how to view art has been an eye opener and I hope I can use these skills in my artwork.
This course went for 6 weeks with lectures/ assignments and live review sessions online. One thing I have learnt is how dependent we are on the internet these days. Luckily for me we upgraded to NBN satellite a few weeks before enrolment had to be finalised otherwise I don't think our previous satellite service would have coped. I had a 2 week break then we started the next one I wanted to do, Design Principles Online Class, which was the same format but covering how the elements are used.
I now know what people mean by expressions such as figure/ground, focal points, rhythm and balance in art. Do you? If not maybe you should look at her website if you wish to make art quilts/textiles.
I have still been making a few more landscapes for my tracks series. Am thinking of a spin off series just pure landscapes. I have still been fitting in some real work, so juggling all of this has been fun, hence the lack of blog posts. To keep the habit going from Lisa's classes I am endeavouring to study one artist a week and try sketching one of their works.
I also made a major health decision when Water Aerobics commenced at out local pool for the rest of summer to attend. I found I enjoyed it that much that I intend to visit the heated pool in a neighbouring town regularly for winter.
I am also jaunting off to Indonesia in July for 2 weeks to learn and make batik fabrics. That has been on my list for years so should be fun. I have also booked into Fibre Arts Summer School Ballarat in Jan 2018 for more batik.
Hopefully one day, I will be making pieces that I have coloured all of the fabric for. Must go, off to do some more creating.
