Packing for Houston ... New Portrait and New Video

(Above:  Detail of In Box XCII including signature box.  Click on image to enlarge.)

This time tomorrow I'll be on a plane headed to Houston for the big Quilt's Inc.'s 2012 International Quilt Festival.  I've referred to such a trip as "going to Mecca".  I'm excited ... though admittedly, also a little nervous.  Last year's festival enjoyed attendance in excess of 60,000 over the four days.


(Above:  Comb bound book featuring all 107 Decision Portraits.)

In Texas, I'll be sitting with my solo exhibition, Decision Portraits.  Forty of the pieces were curated for this opportunity.  Yet, all the pieces will be there in a book I had printed at DPK Printing.  The Decision Portrait Series blog has also been totally revamped in order to "read like a book" too.  In fact, I wrote an "introduction" to this series too.  In six brief, illustrated pages, I've written a brief history ... how I started, how the project progressed, the concept and the exhibitions it has enjoyed.  To view this, CLICK HERE.


(Above:  Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin ... in the garage ... where I wear a ventilator to create the transfer.  I generally have two photocopies printed just in case the first one isn't quite right.  This one went PERFECTLY.  The transfer is on the left.  The extra photocopy is on the right.  Click on image to enlarge

While sitting with my show, I will be stitching on the first new portrait in over two years.  I've wanted to stitch this piece since the very start of the series but couldn't find a willing participant ... until recently.  This new portrait will be called Aylah. There is only one other piece named for the "model".  The stitched words will read:  I didn't buckle up.  It will also include the dates:  July 24, 1991 - December 6, 2006.  A local auto salvage company donated the seat belt.

(Above:  The seat belt laying on top of the portrait with recycled white acrylic felt and Thai Stucco paper backing.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Several threads, yarns, and beads with be added.  They are now packed along with the portrait.  I can't wait to get started.  This is a perfect piece to share with people browsing through the special exhibition area of the Quilt Festival.  It is powerful and an excellent example of what this series is about and why I am so passionate about it.

 

(Above:  In Box XCII, stapled to a stretcher bar and ready to be soldered and melted.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Before leaving, however, I had to finish my most recent "In Box Series" piece.  My last blog post showed how the work progressed from a recycled black acrylic felt substrata through the layers of polyester stretch velvets with metallic foiling and an overlay of chiffon scarves through free motion machine embroidery.  Next, I stapled the piece to a stretcher bar and plugged in my two sizes of soldering irons (which are generally kept in the tin can.)

 

(Above:  Soldering on In Box XCII.  Click on image to enlarge.)

It is easy to poke holes in the layers of polyester velvet.  I also use the fine tipped soldering iron to drag small lines through the material.  After every "box" is embellished, it is time to melt.  Steve shot a video of this.  It is now on UTube and on my video blog. 

(Above:  In Box XCII.  Click on image to enlarge.)

The image at the start of this blog post is a detail of the lower right corner, including my signature box. I've already started the next In Box piece.  It will be finished after my return from Houston.  I'm taking my laptop with me and hope to post from Texas.