Week in Review 2019 - 02/15

Detail from Finding True North
Clicking on the image should provide
an enlarged image.

The images in this post may look very similar to the images in last week's post. There are some subtle differences. As promised, I further defined the geese (yellow triangles) to enhance the contrast between them and the background. I did this by outlining them in a deep yellow variegated thread using my machine's zig zag stitch with the width and height set to produce a satin stitch. This lead to adding satin stitch around the rays of the sun and a few of the sun's arcs. The sky has been quilted using a cloud like free motion quilting pattern I came up with intuitively as I stitched. It is repetitive, but there is variety within in the clouds. Just one of the reasons why I like free motion quilting, versus using pantographs for all over quilting.

Finding True North
24" H x 18" W

Repetition is a design principle I often use intentionally. Another intentional choice is the rule of odd numbers. When I am planning how many rays of the sun to include or the number of geese skeins I will opt for an odd number. Therefore, there are three rays and three skeins. There could have been five, but that would have been too busy. Four skeins of geese wouldn't have given the central focus where the skeins meet the middle sun ray.

This is a shout out to my brother, who follows my blog.  Nick pointed out I had used the wrong word to describe the trails of geese last week. I was thinking of contrails. However, when writing this piece I opted to see if there was a word for what I was trying to say. Turns out there are three: team, trail, and skein. I love the idea of a skein of geese, as I am also a knitter, so skein of geese it is. Thanks, Nick.

I am linking up with Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays.

Week in Review 2019 - 02/01

Page 20 from the January 2019
issue of Audubon

Finding True North
Roughed out design using EQ8
Actual coloring will be different
and the central sun ray will be
visible in its entirety. 

I was very fortunate to have an amazing creative writing teacher when I was in 9th grade. Each week Miss Dwyer would give the class a prompt to jump start our next assignment. We had a few days to write a page or two. Every student took turns reading their work out loud to the class. To this day, 51 years later, I recall one of the pieces I wrote, several of the tips shared, and bits from pieces my classmates wrote. It is only recently I have come to realize what a precious gift this class was, and how it help give me the courage to share my art work.

Paper piecing of the geese entrails in progress

Detail of the geese entrails, show just a few more to go.

I have recently joined Art Quilter's Bi-monthly Challenge, hosted by Carol McDowell. It is very much like my 9th grade class, only instead of writing, the assignment is to make an art quilt based on a prompt. The January/February prompt is to make a quilt inspired by pg. 20 from a magazine - any magazine, so long as it isn't about quilts. Since I don't subscribe to magazines, I turned to my library's online collection. Right near the top of the screen, since the magazines are alphabetical order by title, was Audubon. Pay dirt! Page 20 was perfect.

I could have chosen any word, the sky, the geese, the color palette or even reflections. What I opted for was the title, Finding True North and the geese as my catalyst. The figurative definition of True north is what guides you in your life. When it comes to making art quilts, my true north, or what I return to time and time again, are traditional blocks pushed a bit beyond traditional. I also enjoy insider hints based on the block's name. No surprise my piece features several flying geese entrails. Gradating my work from light to dark, is something else I enjoy. Therefore, my geese go from brilliant yellow to the palest of cream yellows. Finally, I will be leaving plenty of open sky, so that when it comes time for free motion quilting, I can go town.

I am linking up with Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays.