First, I plan to collage about 16 canvases of various sizes, using photos taken in mid-October of the construction site. I will manipulate the photos with Photoshop Elements, and add touches of texture, metal, oil pastel, whatever, to enhance the images. This arrangement of canvases will hang in the stairwell of the building. I'm going to go with a clean, modern look. After all, the "rusted and deconstructed" look might not send the right message about a brand new building.
The other project is meant to hang in the waiting room, and it is already started. It is a modern take on the traditional Log Cabin. At this point, it is mostly single blocks on my design wall.
The red squares are meant to be the focal point, and most of the other fabrics are very greyed-down, with a transition from darker in the upper right to lighter in the lower left. In that way, it is a bit like the traditional log cabin, with one side dark and the other light. The outside edge is meant to be irregular. I will probably finish it with a facing.I plan to have a look at the current arrangement in a black-and-white format, to gauge the contrast. Also, I am considering whether to add very small touches or red, or at least rose, in the lower left, for more unity.
Your input would be welcome. Also, I'm looking for advice about the physical hanging of it. Right now it's about 5' high and 6' wide, and I intend to add more blocks, especially on the left side and the lower edge. Design wall is only 6' wide! (Isn't it interesting how the size of my work is growing now that I am in my bigger space?)
i like the way it's developing, Heather. It's going to look very dramatic. But my eye is getting stuck on the lower left red square. Something to bring the eye the rest of the way down..... Also, I have a lot of iron on batting that I've used for making bags. I'll see that you get a piece.
ReplyDeletea lovely choice for where it's going to hang heather. my eye is getting stuck on the darkest purple square. not sure if that's what the camera is doing to your piece or if the purple one is jumping out. purple is a healing color - so that is good. i like it very much.
ReplyDeleteWow, Heather, what a compliment - and what lovely exposure as an artist.
ReplyDeleteYou may regret asking us all for our opinions.
It all depends where you want your focal point to be whether to add red on the left - that may be a little distracting if the eye has to jump backwards and forwards across quite a large piece. I, too, am finding the darkest purple piece a bit dominant where it is and would like to swap it with the red block bottom right maybe - to spread the purples a bit? The gradation from dark to light is looking good.
The whole piece reminds me of Habitat67.
How to hang? Firstly I would consider leaving the edges relatively uneven (add a facing instead of a binding) - though make the top edge fairly straight. I would choose your batting vary carefully - the firmer, stiffer the better. I might even think about felt. Then because this is going to hang in a public area (and the size) I would think about either a sleeve or Velcro and screw the batten to the wall. The batten is going to have to bigger than the normal 2" x 1" to take the weight.
With regard to the other project - it sounds like another great piece and right up your street. Don't dismiss rusted, deconstructed all together - I doubt many people would make the connection. If you do what you love best it will have integrity.
That new studio is already paying dividends - thanks for inviting us in. Please keep us posted with how the projects progress.
Hilary
- and it is going to be a
Fantastic piece. I go with what the others are saying in that the strong purple maybe needs looking at however remember we may be seeing more into it than there is and where it will hang, lighting etc could change it all.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your input to date. I have given serious consideration to your comments. Oddly, the purple you mention is repeated elsewhere. What makes it stand out so is that it borders on some very light strips. I may do something about that. The juxtaposition of dark and light is what gives the piece sparkle, though, so I have to be judicious. Don't want it to turn to a mud puddle.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I will add red to the other areas, but perhaps a suggestion of red with the use of rose, pink, etc.
My plan right now is to sew together the better part of the upper right. This would allow me to shift it off the design wall a bit to the right. Then I will make more blocks in the middle value range and see how things develop.
An art quilt I happened upon a couple of days ago that may offer me some guidance can be found at
www.saqa.com/gallery-detail.php?ID=874
It is a large, luscious piece made by Janet Kurjan, using the square-in-a-square construction and a beautiful interplay of darks and lights, yellows, greens and blues.
Thank you again all. Hilary, I value your suggestions about backing and hanging too.
Further comments also welcome! Will post again soon.
I love work based on this square within a square and particularly like your value graduatation. I recently bought a piece of very bright hand-dyed fabric from Ineke Berlyn that is asking to be used with this technique.
ReplyDeleteIngrid Press (http://www.sewn.net.au/HaveASay/GuestCorner/IngridPress.aspx) had some very successful pieces on display at FOQ using almost all neutral colours as well as the brighter pieces in this web article.
I met Ingrid several years ago in a series of classes run by Lesley Morgan, June Barnes and Claire Benn - pre Committed to Cloth days. I love her work which is very often understated. She had an exhibition at Festival last year or the year before.
ReplyDeleteRight, Linda F, we'll wait with bated breath to see what you do with the Ineke Berlyn cloth...
Hilary
thank you for that link to ingrid press's work linda. she's a master in my humble opininon. outstanding balance of color and design. i really loved every piece of hers that i saw on this link. i love log cabins - use them a lot in many non-conventional ways. thanks again
ReplyDeleteYou are so fortunate to have this wonderful project to be placed in an area that so many will see and enjoy! Can't wait to see the final results! Please be sure to post pictures after it is all installed...being part of this process is very much appreciated.
ReplyDelete