Embroidered Collage

I've been thinking a lot about strata lately - you know, those layers in rock formation, like in the Grand Canyon.  My mind has bounced back and forth with this as a compositional style.  You've seen a little in my visual journal but my ideas are far beyond the work of my hands.

So I decided to try one of those ideas out.  What if I used papers, or paints, to make a larger sheet (9x12) with layers and then cut it up to make atcs, or maybe they'll be aceos instead.  I didn't know where to start, so I finally reached for my Somerset Studio papers.  They don't feel precious to me and I wouldn''t mind if I messed up a piece, where I sometimes would feel that way using the cherished handmade papers.

I added one paper at a time, cutting by eye to achieve overlapping curves, then played a bit with some things I had been thinking of, like incorporating a collection of realistic images as a layer.  It looks a little odd because I didn't try to make the whole piece cohesive since the point was to cut it up.

I did some other collage work at the same time, two of which were different strata experiments, which I'll show you later.  I used all my scraps to start building up another sheet.  I'd like to continue this practice, at least until this sheet is full, and see what happens when I cut it up as well.  More to come when the cards are cut!

"I could have written that!" was my reaction about halfway through the magazine.  Not that I would have though about it in the way that Lynn Krawczyk did.  My reaction was more a reflection of my tendency to create art in a similar way as described in the article "Embellishments as Inspiration."  Lynn went through the mental steps that an artist would need to design around and incorporate an object or objects that appeals to them.  This is so natural to my way of working that it never occurred to me to describe it.  I'm far more likely to need to carefully think through creating artwork from an image or an idea.

The technique that appealed to me most was Angie Hughes' "Textural Book Wraps."  I just wanted to reach out and grab the photos in the magazine.  Oh, I'll probably never try it out since it involves melting and much sewing machine work, but the complex patterned surfaces were fantastic and I would have loved to cut make them and cut them up and use them in my canvas works.

Overall, this was an extremely well-balanced issue in subject matter.  They covered all the bases, with technique articles, design articles, artist profiles, reader submissions, and creative ideas.  I really enjoyed looking at the results from the "Doorway to Imagination" challenge.  A nice addition was one article on a topic I don't recall Quilting Arts discussing before - "Where and How to Show Your Artwork."  It's not something that needs to be covered every issue, but I imagine that it is of interest to many of their readers, especially since it included tips ranging from that a true beginner would need to someone who had tried a couple shows but maybed didn't know where to go next.

This set wasn't complicated to make, instead the effort went into choosing the materials.

The theme for the swap was "funky trees".  I tried drawing some, as the hostess had done a wonderful job with pen and ink and paint, but really wasn't satisfied, so started thinking about collage.  I wanted something patterned and interesting and found this blue and gold paper in my stash.  Then I needed a background, so I started auditioning various hand-decorated papers from previous swaps until I found this bright pink and gold one from Melissa.

I cut rectangles, but then tore out the tree shapes, deliberately making each one a bit different.  After I was done, I realized that the leftover bits would make great trunks.  With the gluing complete I still felt that they needed something, so I added some stitching, overlapping the edges of the tree shape in some places and staying within it in others.  I tried to choose shapes that would complement the shape and pattern of the tree. 

I did make five, not four, because I'm keeping one for myself. :)

I added some colored tissues on top of page 2.

This made the back of page 1 look very glaringly white and boring.  Which was when it occurred to me I might want to decorate both sides....  So when I put in the planned line of stitching on the front of 1 I also colored in some shapes that would correspond with it on the back.  I ended up adding more stitching than my original intent and I'm not done yet.  I'm thinking a web of greenery over that yellowish sky like area...

While I was collaging other works I found this window image that I'd always loved and meant to do something with.  It's originally from one of Somerset Studio's collage sheets.  So I pasted it into the journal before I changed my mind.  Now I'll have to develop it somehow!

I thought I'd try something different this zoo trip - sketching instead of photographing.  I was moderately successful. 

My husband and I went to the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown a couple weeks ago and I took my camera.  They're a smaller local zoo that focuses on American animals, both North and South.  I took some decent pictures, but Matt's were much better, partly because he has a considerably better camera with a telephoto lens, and partly because he just has a better eye and higher passion for photography.  Any art I do based on what we saw will be using his work as reference photos, not mine.

So when we went to the Philadelphia Zoo yesterday I decided to take my sketchbook instead.  I knew that at some exhibits I wouldn't really have time, but at others I would, since he'd be waiting for animals to turn around and such.  It was a struggle, trying to get lines down, knowing they weren't right, and not being faster than the creatures.  Some I didn't even try to draw because I knew I'd end up with a mess.  A couple times I was interested in something Matt wasn't and didn't think to ask to stick around for a few more minutes to try and get it.  But I think here is where the photos will come in.  I've paid attention the scene and tried to capture the lines.  I can work from his photos to try and capture more lines.

Sketching was kinda fun, more than looking through the camera lens for me, even though I'm not too proud of the results.  If I was by myself I would need to do both.

These sketches are in my expeditions journal, by the way, which I have only sporadically remembered to take with me to places, so I've only added about half a dozen pages since last year.  I did scan them in and update this journal in the sketchbooks section of my webpage, though.

I REALLY want to be in this exhibit.  There's no particular extra prestige attached to it that I'm aware of, although any touring exhibit shown in university and gallery spaces has a certain level of prestige.  It's not particularly a selling venue, although it would certainly increase my exposure.

Mostly I want to be in it because of what the Embroiderer's Guild of America has meant to me.  EGA was one of the influences, internet communities being the other, that helped take me from "follow the pattern" needlework into the creation of art.  Even though I don't tend to use detailed handwork in my pieces, I value it strongly both for its tradition and for its future.

I have enough pieces to enter that I could fill out the form today.  But I hope to create another embroidery intensive piece or two by the April submission date, something that shows my development, if at all possible.  I'm a little worried about TRYING to create something impressive, though, since that always seems to backfire on me.  Maybe I'll just brainstorm a bit and keep in mind that a heavier level of embroidery on a couple 12"x12"s would be good.

If you're interested in submitting original needlework  - or even highly adapted work from a pattern - the information is on their website.  And here needlework just means anything in which a significant portion of the art is created with a threaded needle.  Based on the 18th Exhibit, which I was able to see in person, significant does not necessarily have to mean area in regards to the whole, although the majority of pieces were entirely needlework, but can also mean significant in terms of composition.