Gathering Again

Just love some of these methods for marking and printing fabric. It's been a full year since I began art making this way and I've enjoyed the challenge...learning new stitches, fabric printing and composing with soft cloth. I'll give myself another six months and maybe even a complete year to see what might be next. I have here for my first gathering three very open weave cloths, beads and screen frame. This post covers my "intention" and my beginning "gathering"  of the creative process. Need to set to work as the third step, which is called the "explosion" can be rather fun! Maybe a big mess....unexpected colors, shapes and just general surprise! Have a great week art making!

Ancient Gate

12"x12", embroidery, machine stitching, screen print with metallic fabric paint, paper, painted cloth, aqua metallic thread, dark blue satin.

I "found" this gate in a piece of abstract screen printing that had been laid aside for months. Once I cut out a gate shape, the story of the ancient garden began on my journal pages. Writing about secret mystical gardens, walled gardens and how the garden might appear in both daylight and starlight. I've had this aqua metallic thread for years and was so happy to finally use it for the first time. Each corner has a piece of tattered fringe denoting the four corners (directions) of the world. I did finally get my camera to pick up the sheen and color of the dark blue satin but at the same time I lost some of the depth of the metallic fabric on the gate. Oh well, I need about three more pieces to complete the journal I'm creating so it's onward to the work table!

It's been a perfect Indian Summer. Our High Holidays are over...yesterday we walked the beach still barefoot watching the birds and sailboats. Today the wind has picked up! The evenings are getting shorter and I've ordered some new thermal tops...yes, it is all changing!

Garden Relic 3

8"x12", bleached cloth, painted cloth, glass beads, paper, embroidery, satin.
Question: What is moving me forward on these cloth pieces?
First, the story and in this case, ancient gardens brings up for me, a world of exotic images. The other is my fondness of putting together unlikely fabrics with beads, trim and stitching. The hope of seeing a dream realized. So I continue on...slow going but I'm on my path. This time I used two cameras and trying to adjust to the very different results. One darker image I posted on facebook and this one is from my new camera which is still a mystery to me. The colors seems truer but the sheen is flat, beads and satin are rather dull. I took both photos at the same time, same light. The newer camera is small and harder to hold, to steady my hand so this image is askew. I'll keep trying as the old one is really old and could give out on me.

I spent some time this week re-visiting all the houses I've lived in from New York to California...12 houses counting my grandmothers home. I didn't have any expectations...most homes held up well with modern improvements and only two showed some neglect. Sadly one half of my grandmothers flower garden was turned truly into a parking lot?! I so enjoyed peeking at these houses and neighborhoods...thank you Google!