Mangroves on the Design Wall

A while back I posted about drawing in the mangroves and contemplated the possibilities  of translating the sketch into fabric ....  well I've been working on the idea and after playing with the possibilities for a while,  I finally have some ideas up on the design wall,   just pinned at this stage ....

It still needs lots of work, but after looking at the black and white version I think its taking shape nicely.  Looking at the value placement in the composition really helps me to see how its working and how my eye moves across the piece .... not always so easy to see in full color!

I haven't yet decided on the final format for the piece .... I'm contemplating whether to add strips to top and bottom .... although this long thin landscape format looks good in this post ...... what do you think?

Collage Possibilities

I often use a collage type technique to make my art works,  cutting shapes and fusing them in place,  but as I discovered this week, collage can be so much more! 

Wikipedia defines collage (from the French:  coller "to glue")  as a technique where an artwork is made from an assemblage of different forms to create a new whole.  At last weeks drawing class we made 5 quick drawings of coats, shawls and draped fabric forms,  some using ink with a calligraphy brush and one using a permanent marker, to create a set of source material.

Our task .... to tear or cut up these drawings to create a new work with a variety of tone, shape, texture and line.  Here is my effort   .....

This was a very fun project and the results so different from the subject of the source material. The process was to start by gluing down a couple of torn  pieces and then seeing what was needed without any image or specific content in mind ..... very liberating!  

Now I'm contemplating how I could  use this type of process in my textile art ... and  it seems it might offer some interesting possibilities for my recent monoprints .....

Past & Present!

This piece Leaflines #20  has just returned from exhibition at the 2016 Sydney Quilt Show .... and it has a bit of history!  

The original composition was completed in February this year but there was something that made me hesitate when it came to the quilting stage ...... and after much contemplation I decided on some modifications .....  as a result I had to scramble to make the delivery deadline for the Sydney Quilt Show!!

Original Composition

Final Version

While it's always interesting to see both versions side by side .... I am much happier with the final version!

This piece was hung on a rod for the Show ... now it is returned I plan to mount it on a stretched canvas.