Experiments

(Above:  Fugue 1.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".  Click on image to enlarge.)

The artwork for the Smithsonian Craft Show is coming along beautifully.  I'm way ahead of schedule and I'm also quite nervous.  Why?  Well ... the unemployment rate in the DC area is climbing.  Even those who aren't in the midst of cutbacks are living in an environment of uncertainty. It is a scary time, especially considering the high costs involved in doing this sort of show. There are artists in my state who think the application fee is the only expense.  They have no idea that our booth rent is $2300.  Okay, I'm in one of the largest booths:  20' x 10' but the 10' x 10' booths are all over $1300 ... and that's before gas, hotel, meals, etc.  This is risky business.  To calm my nerves, I spent a couple days just playing around with a few ideas.

 

(Above:  Fugue 2.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)

 

Using the same polyester stretch velvet that I use for my In Box Series and my Fiber Stained Glass Series, I started fusing them to a canvas that was loosely painted years ago.  For the most part, the canvas was just splashed with runny acrylic paint and marked with oil pastels.  The arrangement of rectangles and squares are the same as my In Box Series.  Yet, the canvas substrata is entirely different and totally un-meltable.  My idea was to see how these shapes would work on a colorfully marked background and stitched with a variegated thread.  I liked the first one well enough that I made a couple more!

(Above:  Fugue 3.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)

 

I figured that I might as well use all of the loosely painted canvas I had.  It was fun.  It was relaxing.  It kept my mind off the Smithsonian Craft Show!  The photos here aren't particularly great but I'm guessing they really don't have to be. (I prefer a little better alignment!  Trust me, the mats are cut correctly; they aren't wonky!)  These were the results of experimentation.  I knew that I would only put them in standard sized mats.  The photos show only a little bit of the mat.  Trust me!  The proportions are quite nice! LOL!

 

(Above:  Fugue 4. Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)

After finishing several of these pieces, I asked Steve for a title.  He was stumped but asked me what my intentions were.  I told him that I was experimenting with my own materials and using my basic design approach.  He said, "So, they are like variations? Right?"  I said yes and then together we googled for synonyms for the word "variation".

 

(Above:  Fugue 5. Artwork is approximately 9" x 6" and matted to 14" x 11".)

We considered several words until reading "fugue".  We both liked the suggestion of music.  We liked the suggestion of counterpoint, which when not applied to music means "an idea or theme used to create a contrast with the main element".  Yet, I think the word "interweaving" sealed it!  It suggests a relation to fiber art!

noun

noun: fugue; plural noun: fugues

1.

Music

a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts.

 

 

(Above:  Fugue 6. Artwork is approximate 11" x 10" and matted to 20" x 16".  Hand and machine stitched with beads.)

While I was working, I noticed this scrap of paper and wondered if I could incorporate it on top of two layers of polyester stretch velvet.  It worked.  It didn't look quite right on the loosely painted canvas but there was a piece of upholstery material nearby.  Voila!  Another successful experiment!

(Above: Fugue 7. Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)

After that, I just continued playing with things sitting around my studio table, including a couple peacock feathers.  I'm glad I took the time to simply experiment.  It was fun!  If anyone reading this wants to purchase one of these, just write to me or leave a comment with your email.  Nothing is over $125!  You can reach me at mouse_house@prodigy.net.

 

(Above:  Fugue 8.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" matted to 20" x 16".)

 

 

(Above:  Fugue 9.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" matted to 20" x 16".)

(Above:  Fugue 10.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and despite the fact that I didn't show even a sliver of the mat, it is a standard 20" x 16".)