sewing saturday on making something for another artist
I did a gift exchange with Rose from my art quilting group.
Now, artists have their own style. Rose has told us more than once that she enjoys pale colors, washed out deconstructed fraying edges, and NO bindings.
So when the time came to make her something she would like, I put aside my style a bit, left out high contrast saturated colors, fancy edge treatments, beading and pulled out my box of painted and inked fabrics. I get going with paint, and do a lot of components, to use in collage later. Placing an 11" square of peltex down, I began to layer the components, along with lace, fibrous paper, wood paper (the bridge) and just let my scissors trim pieces to over lap and fit.
I found a little female on some fairy fabric and trimmed off wings. The tree was made by pressing the inked stencil onto fabric, after stenciling a tree image onto other fabric, that's the messy ink that was left on the plastic stencil. I love the ground fabric, the striations of light and dark to look like roots and shadow. I used pinking shears to cute the edges. No glue or fusible at all.
You'll see metallic thread... that's all me! I couldn't not put myself in the piece at all.
Some programmed stitches, some free motion (LOVE) and all frayed edges.
I hated not finishing the edges, so not me, so I did some hand stitched bars across the pinked edges in places, and some french knots in others. Lastly I got out my box of word embellishments.
That's more in my style. I restrained myself from ironing on sequins in the tree.
The back is a piece of pretty words sewn to muslin I stamped with a house surrounded by flowers.
Inked the house to stand out, let all messy bobbin threads show, and wrote a quote by Brenne Brown on the finished piece
It is small enough to place on a shelf or desk. Large enough to hold my message
What I learned... it's hard to make something in someone else's style, but you also want them to enjoy looking at it. Easier to make a body of work, then let who is attracted come buy it.
Making something in another style helps define your own... you learn what you like and the importance of design principles that apply to you.
If feels good to see another person's face when they open your gift and like it. Even if they don't know the effort it took to make something out of your wheelhouse.
A history of when Christmas songs were written, sung beautifully in harmony
Hi LeeAnna, So true! what you wrote about style..."What I learned... it's hard to make something in someone else's style, but you also want them to enjoy looking at it. Easier to make a body of work, then let who is attracted come buy it." especially the "Making something in another style helps define your own... you learn what you like and the importance of design principles that apply to you."part! Live and learn! Thanks for the peltex tip! I hope what you created and shared today will encourage others! I wonder what your art quilting group exchange will be making for you! If you made the exact same thing/thought but in your own style what would it look like ? How would you feel looking at one or the other? A comparison photo! Have a creative weekend! hugs, Joanne
What a lovely gift--it is really hard to make things in someone else's style for sure,,,(and even harder if you don't really know your own style lol like me--I seem to like them all!!) Beautiful work on this..hugs, Julierose (I would have liked sequins on the tree, too ;))) and beads and foo-fahs galore lol )
This is more reserved than your usual mixed media work, but it does reflect the more subtle style you use in your watercolors. You enjoy new challenges, so this was right up your alley from that standpoint. Pat
I understand the need to make your gift in her style and agree what a challenge that can be. You, my friend, rose to the challenge! The completed piece is SEW sweet.
Yup, I think we should stick with making what we like and let the recipient appreciate the labor of love we've given them. Of course, then we run the risk of it getting tossed into the dog bed. YOIKS! Lol!
This turned out beautifully! I agree, I would much rather make something first, and then if someone likes it they can buy it, instead of me trying to make something hoping that a particular person will like it, even if they give me lots of directions on what they want.
Hi LeeAnna,
ReplyDeleteSo true! what you wrote about style..."What I learned... it's hard to make something in someone else's style, but you also want them to enjoy looking at it. Easier to make a body of work, then let who is attracted come buy it." especially the "Making something in another style helps define your own... you learn what you like and the importance of design principles that apply to you."part! Live and learn!
Thanks for the peltex tip!
I hope what you created and shared today will encourage others!
I wonder what your art quilting group exchange will be making for you!
If you made the exact same thing/thought but in your own style what would it look like ? How would you feel looking at one or the other? A comparison photo!
Have a creative weekend!
hugs,
Joanne
ah ha! A challenge! I think it would have more depth and contrast, and piecing, much more bling.
DeleteWhat a lovely gift--it is really hard to make things in someone else's style for sure,,,(and even harder if you don't really know your own style lol like me--I seem to like them all!!) Beautiful work on this..hugs, Julierose
ReplyDelete(I would have liked sequins on the tree, too ;))) and beads and foo-fahs galore lol )
This is more reserved than your usual mixed media work, but it does reflect the more subtle style you use in your watercolors. You enjoy new challenges, so this was right up your alley from that standpoint.
ReplyDeletePat
What a beautiful gift! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI understand the need to make your gift in her style and agree what a challenge that can be. You, my friend, rose to the challenge! The completed piece is SEW sweet.
ReplyDeleteIt's also fun to stretch experimenting with new styles. Very kind to consider what the recipient would like. I think you were very sweet and creative.
ReplyDeleteYup, I think we should stick with making what we like and let the recipient appreciate the labor of love we've given them. Of course, then we run the risk of it getting tossed into the dog bed. YOIKS! Lol!
ReplyDeleteYour gift is beautiful, I love how you did the tree! Stepping out of your creative comfort zone is rewarding, but I admit, very difficult for me! :)
ReplyDeletea beautiful work, once again so imaginatively designed!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful gift!
ReplyDeleteThis turned out beautifully! I agree, I would much rather make something first, and then if someone likes it they can buy it, instead of me trying to make something hoping that a particular person will like it, even if they give me lots of directions on what they want.
ReplyDeleteYour gift turned out beautiful and your artist soul shows through in this wonderful piece.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job keeping within her style request - it's a beautiful piece.
ReplyDelete