Every evening during this four-week art residency, I've quit working on The Clothesline in order to hand stitch on a small, 12" x 12" mini art quilt. Each one is a digital image printed on fabric by Spoonflower. My thought was to stitch all three and then decide which would be donated to the annual SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) charity auction. I didn't have a plan for the other two, but that changed recently. At least one of the three will be headed to Art Quilt Elements, an international juried show .... including my Second Marriage. The venue is going to hang small, 12" x 12" art quilts by the the artists in a separate area. The idea is to encourage visitors to start collecting by providing affordable pieces by the accepted artists.
Each of the three 12" x 12" mini art quilts incorporates a technique called trapunto. This involves stuffing (or additional batting) between the layers. For me, this allows the central image to literally but subtly bulge out a bit from the textural background ... sort of like a bas-relief sculpture.
I took the photo while visiting Arizona. I've stitched fuller pictures of this plastic Virgin twice before and sold both of the results.
Amazingly, my stash of vintage linens included this brown handkerchief that was the perfect size for the reverse. The stash also included two fingertip towels that became the hanging sleeve!
Of course I'm not spending every waking moment with a threaded needle. At least every other day I'm taking in one of the many tourist destinations in Springfield ... Lincoln's home. Oak Ridge Cemetery is just a short walk from my residency duplex. It is the second most visited cemetery in the nation, just after Arlington outside Washington, DC.
Inside Lincoln's tomb is a mammoth marker. The president is ten feet under it.
There are plenty of sculptures along the circular walk inside the tomb. Mary Todd Lincoln and three of their four sons are also buried here. The rest of the cemetery is quite beautiful with rolling hillsides, war memorials, family plots, other dignitaries, and the solemnness of snow.
A few blocks in the other direction from my residence duplex is the Old State Capitol. This Greek revival building building was renovated in the 1960s to illustrate the Lincoln era period, a time when it was the seat of state government (1839-76).
Every room on two floors was furnished with appropriate antiques.
The details were as impressive as the framed maps, ornate clocks, and specialty desks.
Originally there had been a spiral staircase but the architect for this structure wasn't actually licensed. Changes had to be made ... including requirements for future architects! (The Supreme Court for Illinois was located in this building. It was here that Lincoln argued many cases. The room, however, had to have giant pillars erected down the middle to prevent the floor above from caving in, and I couldn't get a half decent photo of the room!)
President Lincoln lay in state in this general assembly chamber. All the desks were removed in order to accommodate the 75,000 people who came to pay their respects.
I also toured Frank Lloyd Wright's Dana Thomas house. Unfortunately, photography was not permitted inside. This house was Frank Lloyd Wright's first "blank check" residence. It was built for Susan Lawrence Dana in 1902 and boasts the largest collection of site-specific, original Wright art glass and furniture. The 12,000 square feet of living space is divided into thirty-five rooms on three main levels ... but there are actually sixteen different levels in all.
Obviously, I am having a great time at this art residency ... both inside my temporary studio and outside in the city of Springfield.
1 comment:
I'm enjoying your "art residency" as well, and the place you've temporarily domiciled in has plenty of art fodder for you, to have at your fingertips - sooner or later...when you return home. Enjoy
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