Decisions on Chiffon

(Above: 40 yards of chiffon rolled out at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios....before being ripped into 18" x 12' to 14' banners. Click on any image in this post to enlarge.)

City Gallery at Waterfront Park is an enormous space. My solo show opens on September 15th. That's like in fifteen weeks! I'm working on a stack of Decision Portraits, trying to get approximately 90 done. (Over fifty are finished!) Yet, there's another part of this exhibition to completely create. I want to use the amazing, two story space for a series of chiffon banners on which free-motion embroidered "decisions" will appear.

I bought the chiffon.....40 yards of it.....60" wide. Over last weekend I tore the 18" widths and cut them into 12 to 14 foot lengths. The photo above and below is the fabric rolled out on the floor at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios....and down the very long hallway. (The photos were taken from each end of the forty yards! My studio is located very near the photo below!). I stitched a sleeve in each panel and folded forty-eight of them into a large stack. This took five hours. I used muscles I forgot I had. I think sort of artistic day is called an ART WORKOUT!



I've been writing down "decisions" in the spiral bound notebook that Julie gave me last March when I met her in Nottingham. She made the beautiful cover and also gave me all these fabulous materials. Thank you so much, Julie!



I've filled the entire notebook and will free motion stitch from it. The decisions cover all sorts of things: Should I wear the blue shirt or the red one? Am I too drunk to drive? Should I dye my hair auburn? Do I trust him? Should I ask for a raise? Will I get caught if I cheat on my income tax? Is it time to put Mom in a nursing home? etc.



I'm generally terrible about posting the nice things other people do for me....but, finally I posted these wonderful gifts from Julie.....which reminded me to post the beautiful lace donation from Anita, a friend of a friend! (Hopefully, soon, a new Facebook friend!) Seriously, this is WONDERFUL! Thank you Anita. The lace will likely be used in future Grave Rubbing Art Quilts....which I'll return to stitching after the exhibit opens in September (though I do have one that I'm still working on while riding in the car!)



So...to end this post.....look at this photo below! This is a shot of another exhibition at City Gallery at Waterfront Park. I want to transform the space with chiffon banners......



...like I transformed Gallery 80808/Vista Studios last February with these chiffon banners in my show "Last Words". Of course, the chiffon I'm using this time isn't quite as transparent. This should help viewers read the words even from a greater distance. Now.... to stitch approximately four per week in addition to everything else!