The Giant Triptych

(Above:  Me with the two side pieces for a giant, commissioned triptych.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

For several months, I've been working on a couple of VERY LARGE commissions. They all started with correspondence discussing size and price, a proposal, a contract, and a schedule for required updates. It's been extremely exciting ... mixed with an expected touch of nervousness.  After all, this triptych was commissioned by an art consultancy for their client in Seattle, Washington. The artwork needed to please lots of people in very faraway places.  Thankfully, I know what I'm doing when using my own melting techniques!  Yet, this is bigger than I normally work!

(Above:  The finished triptych.  Please excuse the glare from the Plexiglas.  The sizes are 48" x 30" for each of the two side pieces and 48" x 40" for the center piece.)

Along each step of the way, I snapped photos in order to create the required PDF updates.  Some of the images are below, including ...

 

... a picture of me constructing the various layers of polyester stretch velvet on the center piece ...

... and a snapshot of the two side pieces after all the shapes were fused together on the two side pieces.

 

Here I am doing the free-motion, machine stitching on my Babylock Tiara.   

Here I am melting holes through the layers of synthetic material using a fine-tipped soldering iron.  There's even a video showing me melt one of the side pieces.  Because I posted it on You Tube, it has already been viewed more than seven-hundred times.  Yet, until now, I never mentioned that this was part of a commission.  Honestly, I kept this triptych under wraps until both it and a diptych were finished, crated, shipped to Seattle, and the final invoice was paid.  Yes ... there's a diptych too.  I'll be blogging about it as soon as I publish this post!