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!

Getting Lost!

Scraps cut out of a larger piece...stamped cloth, beaded and embroidery and machine stitching.

I could easily blame too much summer fun and too many days away from the work table for this fiasco. I'm not sure where I went wrong and if I can bring these fragments alive again. I made choices that resulted in problems that I corrected only to become a catastrophe and that led to desperate rescue attempts that became for me, a fit of frustration . From high levels of anxiety, I reached for the scissors and began cutting away and this is what I've salvaged. Now what? I'm going to the movies today (Blue Jasmine) to get away from myself and when I return I will look at this again. I do know I'm still interested in the series about ancient gardens so it must be a matter of next steps.

I remember  years ago sitting in a coffee house with my artist friend and mentor Josie  (an Abstract Expressionist who worked in a large format) and on occasion she would look at me with serious eyes and say "Mary Ann, I need a breakthrough" and I would nod and agree both heart and mind. My friend died several  years ago but I still hold to her advice and determination. I miss her and so fondly remember those coffee dates that could go from serious art talk to outrageous laughter! Oh well!

Tell me how you pick up from getting lost?

"Leaves over Bone"

11"x12", painted cloth, painted paper, stamped cloth, machine stitching , embroidery and hand sewn bronze beads.
This piece is rather small and the center stamped rows are of a muddy leaf motif. The bronze beads scattered about are difficult to recognize. The title "Leaves over Bone" describes for me, the many layers of revealing what was before...sweeping away dust and seeds, uncovering, exposing gardens and patios only seen in dreams.

I don't know much but I do know my work is changing. I have clear preferences on materials...assorted cloth, mostly cotton mixed with papers and trim. As for techniques I have plenty to explore and right now machine and hand stitching have my focus (I'm afraid of by sewing machine instruction book?!) as well as the addition of beadwork. Sewing beads knots up my fingers and strains my eyes but I do love the end results of those shiny beautiful colored beads. Archeology (Middle Eastern) is a passion and lately the study of ancient gardens have been taking me to interesting sites. So the summer is rolling along. Here we have damp misty mornings and sunny afternoons with the fog rolling back in by evening.. Our new year begins in Sept and making art with cloth continues!