Like several others in the group, I was taken with the strong diagonal lines created by the closer stems. The yellow flowers also drew me, and I loved all the greens. I knew I wanted to try abstracting the photo. So on my first attempt, I came up with this:
I knew before I finished it that it wasn't right. I liked the hand stitching at the top, but the bottom half just bugged me. I finally decided that the mixture of abstract and somewhat realistic just wasn't going to work.
So before I finished this one, I started another, determined to make it abstract- all of it!! So here's my interpretation of Barbara's photo. A name didn't come easily to me- I finally settled on the title from a favorite children's book, since the wildness of the scene was one of the things I liked.
'Where the Wild Things Are'
19.5 X 17.25
Hand dyed and commercial fabrics, machine pieced and quilted, hand embroidered
I wanted to go for a fractured effect, so I pieced and then cut and reassembled with the insets. The 'flowers' are just small torn pieces of hand dyed cheesecloth. The embroidery is what took the most time!
I enjoyed watching the interplay between the machine quilting and the hand embroidery as I worked.
I finished the edge with two strands of yarn twisted together, then mounted it on a separately quilted 'mat'- the same process I used for the piece I did of Nellie's photo. I like the way the dark fabric grounds the scene.
So there you have it. Not a perfect rendition of my vision, but better than the first.
I loooove those "wind blown" flowers and the scattered hand stitching, as well. Giving it a quilted mat is a fitting and clever touch. I know scale matters and I would really like to see this one full size. I imagine it to be spectacular.
ReplyDeleteWhen I looked at the picture initially I had a vision of a dandelion too. I am glad to see that you developed the idea so well. I particularly your combination of techniques in this piece--the hand embroidery helps to soften the edges of the strip piecing. I hope you will work with this idea more. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteBoth pieces are wonderful. I must admit I prefer the 'first attempt.' I find it more tranquil.
ReplyDeleteI like both attempts for different reasons. Good thing you did too right? The scattering of those straight stitches in both pieces reminds me of little bugs-maybe fireflies-so then both pieces have kind of a night time appeal to them. The top one is my favorite but I like the frame on the second one too.
ReplyDeleteAnd by too, I mean two!
ReplyDeleteYou did a very successful job of abstracting this. I love the colors, the channel quilting, the way the hand stitching works with the quilting, and the fluffy yellow flower. That quilted mat is a great idea too. I didn't remember it from before. Lovely interpretation, Beverly.
ReplyDeleteOh I love what the insets added to this piece. I also am intrigued how many of us interpreted this piece in a fractured pattern. It is what I saw right away in the photo and obviously many others did too.
ReplyDeleteCheese cloth flowers is perfect to add texture and some dimension. I think both attempts have value but I do think I favor no. 2.
I also thought it was interesting how many put a raggedy yarn edging on their pieces.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! And you know I love the embroidery in this! I like both of your renditions- the cheese cloth flowers are a really great touch. The colors just sing here. Well done!
ReplyDelete