(Above: Death of Desire. 12" x 12". SAQA Benefit Auction donation. Crayon on silk grave rubbing from the tombstone of Mrs. Desire Peronneau who died in 1740. Free motion embroidered with hand stitched blanket binding. Click on image to enlarge.)
This will be my second year donating to the annual SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Benefit auction. All the pieces are to be 12" x 12". I knew exactly what I wanted to do ... my current favorite gravestone! During a recent trip to Charleston, I stopped by the Circular Churchyard with my silk, crayons, and the permission slip from congregation member Carolyn Thiedke (who said I could use it for return visits!) I used my favorite King Tut thread ... a subtle variegated, slightly heavier weight brown ... perfect.
(Above: Death of Desire, reverse. Vintage napkin with an overlay tatted doily. Click on image to enlarge.)
In all my stash of vintage and antique household linens, I couldn't find a single one that measured 12" x 12". (That's not quite true. There actually were several ... just none with a scalloped or interesting edge that I liked.) I used a larger napkin, slicing and stitching it in both directions to achieve the needed size. I did find, however, a gorgeous tatted doily that was the perfect size ... and used it as an overlay. The doily also provided spaces for my name, the title, and additional information.
(Above: The tombstone of Mrs. Desire Peronneau who died on Dec. 30, 1740. Click on image to enlarge.)
(Above: Unique art quilt for an upcoming "Quilt Bomb". Click on image to enlarge.)
I spent a little less than an hour on this next piece. It really isn't "for charity" but the event does serve a really good cause. A fellow fiber artist and Facebook friend, Carol Warner Mesimer in Richmond, is planning a "quilt bomb". The idea comes from other media ... especially knitters who have anonymously left pieces of knitting in public locations. So ... at some future date, Richmond will be learning about art quilts! Carol created an "open group" on Facebook to promote her idea. It is HERE.
My donation is three layers of chiffon, including a colorful, center layer that came from my Grandma Baker's stash of fabric. She once made a fancy dress with a sheer chiffon overlay ... a popular style in the late 1960s or early 1970s. It was perfect, cheerful, and springlike. On this "sandwich of chiffon" I used a nice, heavy weight teal variegated thread from Oliver Twist in the UK and free motion stitched the SAQA's new definition of "Art Quilt":
The art quilt is a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure.
All this charity work does seem to have more than "feel good" benefits. I received a beautiful ceramic bird from one of the people who got my "fiber bonus" in Virginia Spiegel's Foto/Fiber fundraiser and my friend Margaret dropped off a collection of old keys for my artistic use! I'm so thankful!
(Above: New ceramic bird from Kirsten! Below: Keys from Margaret!)
3 comments:
Must run and find out about the art quilt bomb!! I ahve aprticipated in Knit bombs with a friend in Australia and we are doing one at Fredericksburg Spinners and Weavers Guild in Oct. But an Art Quilt Bomb is the BOMB!! and in Richmond!! Must let Lorie know as well!! that Stone is amazing!!! Love your piece as well!! So excited for you about Key West- I am assuming Steve is going with?? Hope so!!!! Hugs!
Really cool idea. I've heard of things along the same lines and I am fascinated. I suppose if I'd do something like that here in Bayern, I'd get arrested. ha ha Really nice piece for the donation. Isn't it freaky what they had on the grave? I mean that scary face. You have such an eye for finding the unique.
Love the idea of an Art Quilt bomb!Desire Peronneau - what a beautiful name.
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