Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Two Hand-stitched In Box Pieces

(Above:  In Box CDXXXVII.  Framed:  19 3/4" x 15 3/4". $375. Layers of polyester stretch velvet on recycled, black industrial felt. Entirely stitched by hand. Melting techniques.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

Weeks ago I knew I would need a couple of hand-stitching projects for hours riding in the cargo van.  Trips to Florida for the recent show at the College of Central Florida, the Artist Talk at my solo show at the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, and trips to see the renovation progress at the church we bought have meant plenty of time with a threaded needle ... stitching these two In Box pieces.  I've actually finished stitching another one!  I just haven't melted it, mounted it, framed it, and photographed it.  That's coming!

(Above:  Detail of In Box CDXXXVII.)

I've also started another Found Object Mandala and am thinking about a totally new idea!  I'm pretty sure that the future will see me stitching an abstraction of a tornado!  My mind sees swirling lines of cording on a section of a vintage quilt.  I'm still mentally tackling some of the construction problems.

(In Box CDXXXVIII. Framed:  19 3/4" x 15 3/4". $375. Layers of polyester stretch velvet on recycled, black industrial felt. Entirely stitched by hand. Melting techniques.)

I've also been working on another anonymous photo.  It's been scanned, put through various Photoshop filters, and ordered from Spoonflower, a print-on-fabric-by-demand company.  I can't wait to start hand-stitching on it!  I really don't need to stitch another In Box piece right now ... though I truly love seeing all the colors coming together.  A little variety is needed for the upcoming trips! 

(Above:  Detail of In Box CDXXXVIII.)

This coming weekend is a trip to Washington, DC to deliver my artwork to the permanent collection of the Department of Interior ... plus ... Steve and I will continue visiting the church we bought.  So far, the wiring is in place, plumbing pipes have been installed, two new HVAC units are sitting on pads at the back of the structure, and duct work has been done.  The contractor is waiting for the first inspection!  We are super excited!

2 comments:

Cindy P. said...

I don’t think I’ve seen a hand stitched version of the colorful mosaic like pieces. I remember you standing up stitching with your trusty sewing machine at our workshop years ago. I looked at the closeup photo and was amazed at the details! You must have the strongest fingers and hands to do all that detailed stitching. I’m so excited for you two with your church renovation and love seeing the progress! Do you have any idea when you may move in once it’s livable? Enjoy the ride of your life!

Susan Lenz said...

Cindy ... Thanks for the comment! As for my fingers and hands, my husband Steve says that I'm in training for the grip strength obstacles on the American Ninja Warrior's television show (which we adore!) I'm very lucky to have great use of my hands and sincerely hope that the future continues in this vein! As for the church, we really don't know when the contractor will be finished enough for us to move things into the space. Lots of progress has been made but there's no drywall or paint on the walls ... plus ... the sanctuary's window sills and framing need to be addressed. All this would cause lots of dust, etc. Therefore, we are still waiting. We know that the permits end on December 27th and we are praying that they don't need to be extended! So ... we think we are still on course to move before the end of the year and even spend Christmas in our church!