Catching up....Part Six: FIBERS!

(Above: Artist, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt. 12" x 16". Crayon on silk grave rubbing collaged with vintage linens and recycled material. Hand and free motion embroidered. Click on image to enlarge.)

Anyone reading on a fairly regular basis will see all these blog posts today and think, "Isn't she stitching?" Well....YES! Of course I'm stitching! I stitch every day...no matter what....on the plane to and from California and England, every evening before bed even when traveling, and also while Steve drove the big rental truck to Charleston to pick up the oil paintings rescued from the River Course Clubhouse fire!

(Above: Artist, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt, detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

During the past two weeks I finished these two pieces in my Grave Rubbing Art Quilt Series. One is a special gift to my mentor Stephen Chesley....who helped Steve and I install and dismantle my recent solo show at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios, who talks about art concepts and ideas with me nearly every day, who continually supports me (even listens when I'm whining and feeling sorry for myself), and who painted an oil for me on my birthday last summer....which totally blew me away! It was high time for me to create something unique for him.

(Above: Artist, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt, detail. Click on image to enlarge.)

I knew exactly where to find the one, special word for this gift. It came from a local artist's grave in Elmwood Cemetery. I took this piece with me to San Francisco.....where, in the historic cemetery in Napa, I found "wise mentor". If I hadn't already started...and nearly finished...I would have put "wise mentor" on the front. It had to be part of this piece. So, it went perfectly on the back with my free motioned inscription. Stephen loves it!

(Above: Artist, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt, reverse. Click on image to enlarge.)


(Above: In God's Care, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt. 27" x 26". Crayon on silk collage with vintage linens and recycled felt "batting". Vintage crochet covered buttons. Hand and free motion machine embroidery. Click on image to enlarge.)

I also finished In God's Care. The vintage linens and the running stitches were worked to the point where the individual pieces became too integrated. I'd managed to stitch it so heavily that I lost the contract between the large, circular doily and the small table covering on which I'd placed it. In my studio I considered several solutions but selected additional free motion embroidery....using button hole thread to bring out the outline of the doily. I'd never used such a heavy thread for free motion stitching....but I might do it again! It worked like a charm!

(Above and below: In God's Care, detail. Click on images to enlarge.)

(Below: In God's Care, reverse. Click on image to enlarge. I'm very pleased with the reverse of this art quilt. The recycled black felt gives great contrast for the delicate withdrawn work on the vintage tablecloth....something I lacked on the front until the button hole thread was applied!

I don't remember if I mentioned that I got a piece into the national juried show in La Grange, GA. It's the 26th biennial. Juror J. Richard Gruber, PhD, selected only 24 pieces for the decorative arts exhibition. Our Darling Sons, one of my Grave Rubbing Art Quilts, received a merit award! No money this time....but there's a catalog being produced that will include the image of the art quilt! I'm thrilled of course!