(Above: The Virgin of Guadalupe, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt Series. 21 1/2" x 15". Crayon on fabric rubbing collage with vintage doily, severely light damaged curtain salvaged from an office, and buttons. Click on image to enlarge.)
My weekend started on Friday with a trip to the Grovewood Gallery in Asheville. Although I've been a BRAND NEW ARTIST in this fabulous retail center for about a month, this was my first time inside the place. (My husband Steve made the first delivery of my work.) Meeting the knowledgeable staff was great. Bringing new, requested work was fantastic. Looking at all the breath-taking artwork while knowing that mine was among such talent brought tears to my eyes. I am SO PROUD! We bought two cereal bowls to celebrate!
(Above: Me posing beside two of my large "In Box" series pieces at the Grovewood Gallery.)
While riding in the car, I started stitching on another Grave Rubbing Quilt....because The Virgin of Guadalupe was in my studio in the last stage of completion. The final blanket hole edging was done on Saturday. I'm thrilled with the buttons....a recent purchase at the local auction house. There's hundreds, maybe thousands, more just like these; all for five dollars!
(Above: The Virgin of Guadalupe, detail. Below: Reverse of The Virgin of Guadalupe. Click on either image to enlarge.
Finally, the "Angels in Mourning Series" is underway. I've been thinking about them; "hunting and gathering" things for them; listing potential titles; and even blogging about them. The first one was finished and posted on September 2 (Here!) Yet, the stack of xylene transferred cemetery images were set aside....until now! Evidently, more mental "peculating" was needed but now progress!
(Above: 'Til We Meet Again, Angels in Mourning Series. Framed: 37 1/2" x 29". Paper: 30" x 22 1/2". Xylene photo transfer, found objects, hand stitching. Click on image to enlarge.)
(Above: 'Til Angels Bid Us Rise, Angels in Mourning Series. Framed: 37 1/2" x 29". Paper: 30" x 22 1/2". Xylene photo transfer, water soluble crayon, found objects, hand stitching. Click on image to enlarge.)
(Above: She's Dancing With Angels, Angels in Mourning Series. Framed: 37 1/2" x 29". Paper: 30" x 22 1/2". Xylene photo transfer, beads and sequins, hand stitching. Click on image to enlarge.)
(Above: In Loving Memory, Angels in Mourning Series. Framed: 37 1/2" x 29". Paper: 30" x 22 1/2". Xylene photo transfer, found objects, hand stitching. Click on image to enlarge.)
(Above: Grieving, Angels in Mourning Series. Framed: 37 1/2" x 29". Paper: 30" x 22 1/2". Xylene photo transfer, water soluble crayon, hand stitching. Click on image to enlarge.)
It's been wet, rainy, and unseasonably chilly here in South Carolina recently. I worried that the best time to create two large panels/curtains of grave rubbings had past. My plan was to go to the nearby cemetery on Sunday. Well, the sun came out, the temperature rose, and the grass in this section (not perpetual care) was even cut! The chunky black crayons I bought and misplaced in my studio were found. It was a glorious several hours alone composing these two pieces. I have a unique idea for how they'll function in next February's solo show! Each panel is 48" x 7 1/2 feet.
(Above and below: Crayon on fabric grave rubbings. Each panel/curtain 7 1/2 feet by 4 feet. Click on images to enlarge.)
I also reaped another wonderful harvest of artificial flowers from the commercial sized dumpster at the back of the main section of the cemetery! They have all been disassembled and washed.
As if all this wasn't enough, I received the photo below from my fiber friend Jill Rumoshosky Werner. It includes 18th Century Angel, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt in a very, very nice hanging location in the Wichita National All Media Craft Exhibition 2009. Jill lives in Kansas, went to the show, took the photo, and has her piece featured on the cover of the catalog! Congratulations and many, many thanks, Jill!
Very impressed with your new Angels in Mourning series. Fantastic how well you able to integrate the found objects with the transfer.
ReplyDeleteHoly Smoke! You are so busy!!! But getting things done! Wow. I am so happy about the Asheville gallery. It is really thrilling. The Angels in Mourning is off to a wonderful start. Andt he latest Grave Rubbing is beautiful. Things are really moving along Susan! I'm so happy!!
ReplyDeleteIf anybody deserves to have her work in a great gallery, it's you. I can't wait to see what you do with those large grave rubbings and I sure do wish I could see your Angels in Mourning for real! I bet they're even more stunning in person.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see this series in person so I can look closely at the little pictures and read to clippings. This will be a wonderful series (of course).
ReplyDeleteYour series are so very beautiful. If you are willing, will you please tell me if you needed to gain approval to crayon rub the tombstones???
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteDiane, I would have written to you directly but you didn't sign in an account linking you back to a blog, webpage, or email address....so I hope you look here! I have been to three or four graveyards in which there have been signs prohibiting grave rubbings. I always obey such rules. There are many cemeteries that do not have such signs, so I make rubbings there. I never make an impression of the names of the deceased....just the words that capture my creative vision. Many of the rubbings I've made have come from cemeteries that are not perpetual care. In these locations it is very obvious which graves are tended by the family and which are covered with weeds and dirt and haven't been visited by anyone special for years. I tend to like the neglected ones best.....and there's no one to ask about these! I hope this helps. I find being in a cemetery very peaceful.