Monday, August 24, 2009

Here Lyeth the Body: Grave Rubbing Quilt Series


(Above: Here Lyeth the Body, Grave Rubbing Quilt Series. 23 1/4" x 26". Crayon on fabric, vintage tablecloth, hand and free motion machine embroidery. Batting: Recycled black felt. Reverse: Vintage quilt top and linen. Click on image to enlarge.)

Last Wednesday night my husband Steve finally decided that we would attend the antiquarian book auction outside Washington, DC the following evening. We were up and gone by 7 AM. Such last minute plans don't phase me at all. I always have an embroidery project on which to work while riding for hours in the car. Here Lyeth the Body was nearly finished and the next one, On Earth a Bud, was started. Photos coming soon!


(Above: Detail of Here Lyeth the Body. Click on image to enlarge.)

Once back home, I finished the free motion embroidery, created the reverse from vintage linens, and button hole stitched the edges. The "black" crayon rubbings came from Eccles, UK....just outside Manchester. The "brown" crayon rubbings came from Birmingham. The heavy kantha styled running stitch, however, had almost obliterated the embroidery that decorated the tablecloth. I used a black crayon to bring out the highlights and am really pleased how the "grayer" shade really helped tie the elements together.


(Detail of Here Lyeth the Body. Click on image to enlarge.)

I will be posting soon about my trip to Washington, DC. I went to the Textile Museum to see Obama's mother's collection of Indonesian batiks and the Amish quilt exhibit. From there, I went to the Renwick, Sackler and Freer. Steve went on a thirty mile bike ride to Mt. Vernon. I picked him up outside the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. It was an awesome time to soak up great art....visual "eye candy".


(Above: Reverse of Here Lyeth the Body. Click on image to enlarge.)

Why am I not blogging about this now? Well....tonight is the second meeting of a new Artist's Way group that I'm facilitating outside my studio at Gallery 80808. I've got to get ready...and also I've got to paint a bolt of WonderUnder. I'm teaching at Saluda Shoals Park for the next three Tuesdays in a row. There are eleven signed up.....should be great!

1 comment:

Wanda said...

Great that you have so many signed up for the class. From what I get from other blogger's classes, that's really alot of people to get for one class! Is the background pattern on "here Lyeth the Body" all embroidered? I clicked to enlarge but couldn't quite tell if the flower/paisley pattern was embroidered or rubbed. It is very nice. Sort of disconnect. Which I think is fitting. After all, they ARE disconnected from life!