The title refers to the title of a book I have just read by Peter Godwin about life in Zimbabwe in the recent past (harrowing). It is what the indigenous people say when there is a solar eclipse - a crocodile has eaten the sun! I love that.
So my piece is an elephant which is my sewing machine with the LCD screen (and me!), knobs, thread, rotary cutter AND the crocodile eating the sun!
It is a wholecloth, painted and machine quilted. I used a black laundry marker to draw the outline, then quilted the sandwich in those lines. I have used Inktense pencils and blocks, ordinary artist's acrylic paints, Fabrico markers, Koh-I-Nohr paints and ink pad (to stamp) - and NO water. It was all done with Aloe Vera gel and I didn't have a single bleed of colour anywhere. I thoroughly recommend this idea.
This is the work of Andriacci that inspired my piece. Thanks, Rosemary.
Hilary
What imagination Hilary, makes me grin from ear to ear, well done.....
ReplyDeleteAnother humorous, fun piece and another with a 'self portrait'. Glad the aloe vera was the solution. Well done. Love it.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun you had creating this piece which is really charming . Fantastic
ReplyDeleteYou crack me up Hilary!! I love it - what a brilliant interpretation. I also wanted to try and include the tile aspect but just couldn't find a way to do it, so well done!
ReplyDeleteHave you also read Mukiwa or The Fear?
Hilary, I forgot to say - I also love the new stitched banner you have made for us at the top of the blog. xxx
ReplyDeleteI like the new banner too: I hadn't noticed it until Claire said.
DeleteVery clever Hilary. You have brought in so many elements and made them such fun. Like our artist's work the more you look the more you see and the same goes for your piece. As always it is beautifuly put together. I too liked your choice from our artist's work and wanted to bring the face/head in somewhere but it just didn't work, so well done on a very clever piece of work.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Somehow you've managed to get all the elements of Andriacci in this, and made it completely your own at the same time. I loved his crocodile too, but couldn't fit it into my chosen NZ theme.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Hilary! You really brought an 'African' theme to our artist's work and also so personal, with a self-portrait to boot! Well done!
ReplyDeleteLove it! So much fun. You have really taken the artist as inspiration and run with your ur own idea. I have never heard of using aloe Vera gel. Another new idea to try.
ReplyDeleteLove your piece Hilary. It's very clever, and I like the idea of it. Interesting idea to use a gel. Does it need to be aloe vera or is that just what you had on hand. Because bleeding was difficult to avoid - I tried to have a very dry brush, but then the paint didn't always go on as I wished.
ReplyDeleteI have used a gel medium with the same success. A damp sponge to dab the brush alongside helped to keep the brush in shape.
DeleteI find hand sanitiser gel or even hair gel works too.
DeleteThis makes me laugh. I love the way your machine has become an elephant (or should that be the other way round?) and that you have featured yourself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your kind comments. Isn't it funny how you can be so engrossed in a piece that you forget to stand back and look at it dispassionately. I now wish I had managed to make the ellie a bit more quirky and have splayed his legs somehow (though not sure how...). Also I think the design could have filled the space a bit better. Ho hum. I still enjoyed making it. H
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