Simple and Unique

Tied Stars - Maker Unknown

United States 1900-1940

Cotton and Cotton and Wool Embroidery

Gift of Mary and Al Shads to American Folk Art Museum

My friend Liz Anderson sent me the image of this wonderful quilt from Super Stars: Quilts from the American Folk Art Museum which will be on view until the end of December. I recently posted my completed Dots piece and Liz thought I might enjoy seeing this work. She was correct.

Last Christmas I was given a copy of Jonathan Holstein's book: Abstract Design in American Quilts: A Biography of an Exhibition. I had never seen this book and I was not aware of the show at the Whitney where these pieces were presented. (I find that hard to fathom but think it is wonderful. You can go here to read more.) In the book there is a piece titled Crazy which is one of my favorites. The piece is constructed like a crazy quilt but the quilt is essentially all white. The shapes which are pieced into the blocks which makeup the quilt are outlined with a sort of cross-stitch in brown or perhaps a dark red. The technique is a strangely sophisticated way to handle a very simple and potentially dull collection of materials. How wonderful. A nice demonstration of someone thinking outside the box.

Tied Stars - detail

I see Tied Stars in somewhat the same way. The maker employed unique thinking to create an interesting work from simple materials. I have no way of knowing of what spurred the idea of using the two shades of yellow to create a star pattern with the nubs of the knots which hold the quilt together. The stars are hard to see in the photographs but you can go the AFAM site and see a different picture. Many times the knots for tied quilts are arranged in grids or rows. I am confident this application of knots took much longer to do than the more usual rows as it had to be designed and marked and there are many more knots than is required to simply hold the layers of fabric together. This quilt-maker choose to make a statement.

The plaque next to the quilt at the museum said: The stars in this unusual bedcover are tied rather than pieced or appliqued. The pointillist effect of this technique creates a diffuse Milky Way when seen up close. At a distance the stars resolve into their defined forms.

It touches me to see the time that was invested in this work. It impresses me that the maker found a way to use this very intense red fabric. I love the hide and seek of the star pattern. I love the texture. If it was ever actually used as a bed quilt I bet it was fun to sleep under. I bet it vibrated. I know anyone sleeping under this had to sneak a hand out and stroke the little star nubs.

This work is a nice reminder that we don't need everything in the world to make art and ideas will always carry the day. Thank you Liz.

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Dots Return and Find True Love

Blue and Yellow with Dots

It's hard to believe but this piece, or at least part of this piece, has been floating around my studio for more than 18 months. I first wrote about the yellow side side of this diptych Here and Here.

I loved the yellow tinged with orange and the way the black dots floated on the surface. I added bits of the same fabric cut into squares as well as randomly cut bits of black fabric which I hand-stitched with rice stitching. The effect of the combination of those elements is very rich however I felt it needed a second panel to make the composition work. I tried a number of approaches to creating that panel including a canvas panel with painted elements in a variety of sizes and a solid fabric with stitched bits but it just wasn't working. I introduced the Yellow fabric to every piece of fabric I had but no matches resulted. I put the yellow piece aside.

As time moved on the yellow piece would surface and I'd study it again, my desire to pair it with a good mate still strong. I sound like a marriage broker. Actually it is similar in that I had one wonderful element(a girl) that wanted to be in a long-term relationship with another element(a boy).

Prince Charming

Prince Charming finally arrived in the form of a hand-dyed piece of fabric on which I had painted dots, discharged dots, discharged a connecting line and re-applied dots with a type of ink made for graffiti artists. (Isn't that funny. Graffiti go out and buy special art supplies so they can put their art on other people's property.) ((By the way, the ink worked nicely but I'm not sure that one day these black dots won't just fall off or eat holes in the fabric.))

So, one day as I was sorting some fabric I found the blue piece and put it next to the yellow piece and it was Kismet! They belonged together and I proceeded to invest in another round of rice stitching. It's a lovely little piece and I wish them a long and happy relationship.

So what did I learn? Sometimes you just have to wait for the right answer to appear....but it helps to have some awareness that you are still asking the question.

Thank you for spending time at Studio 24-7. I love hearing from YOU and Remember:

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DOTS AND PRICKLY PEARS

Dots and Prickly Pears

TC #2 2010

Welcome to Studio 24-7 ! Before I talk about my newest Weekly Textile Construction, I want to give a tip of the hat to Elizabeth Barton and her fine blog: Art and Quilts, Cogitations, Thereon.

Elizabeth writes on all manner of topics related to quilts, the making of quilts, shows etc. all with the clear understanding that we are making Art and what this means. During a recent exchange we discussed a little about the concept of making art intuitively and so she has followed this up with a very thoughtful article which generated some equally thoughtful comments. I invite all of you to popover to her site, read the article and comment.

My joke is I can't claim to work intuitively because I know too much! What this means to me is I have studied art and made art for a long time and I know that what some may call intuition, is action based on knowledge and experience. Does this mean I always 'get it right'? Well I wish, but then where would the fun be in that. I sketch, I cut things out, I talk to other artist, I visit shows, I read (when I can stay awake), and I work in my studio on a regular basis. I find if I am doing these things my intuition gets much better.

I think one of the most interesting aspects of this conversation for me is when you turn the light on 'so called' primitive artists. I say 'so called' because these are most often people who not only haven't gone to art school but may not be highly educated at all in traditional subjects. So how does their intuition develop? Well I have not made any kind of study of this, but because I love many forms of primitive art I have thought about this. I think they actually have had a kind of training and it came to them through family, community, and local traditions. I think of the wonderful work of some of the aboriginal people and how they are often encouraged to spend their days painting or making whatever they make. Likely they have sat next to someone else who made paintings or pots etc. Think of the Gees Bend quilters. As a group of people, they may have been making their quilts for utilitarian purposes but I think they may have shown their work to each other and maybe complimented one another and these activities influence what we do. My personal belief is that as soon as you see a piece of artwork, good or bad, you have been influenced....so be careful what you look at! For me the things I don't remember are works that are so bland there is nothing to remember.

So. Whether you have a studio Phd. or have learned your art from books, experimentation and workshops, I agree with Elizabeth, you learn your lessons so well you are able to internalize the concepts and use them without thinking about every little thing you do. Work, stop, look, absorb, change, adjust, stop, look, study, wait, appreciate, get happy.

Now. Before you head off to make something wonderful..... here is my report on Dotty.

Last week I showed you my little study of black dots on yellow fabric and the piece at the top of the page is how it looks now. I call this type of stitching seed stitch but that may not be a real name. I love this technique and I am pleased with the results. Actually I was not pleased until I had finished it all and put it on the design wall so I could see it with proper light.

I tried black thread and that did not work. I tried a kind of cream white and that didn't work. This one if an off white and I like that. I shows on the yellow and makes each of the black shapes and dots look like cactus and really animates the surface which was already pretty animated! I have not finished the edges as I may add another element to this little study. Only time will tell. Here are some details for you to enjoy.

Please drop by on Monday as I will have an Artist Profile on Joan Schulze.

Love hearing from you!!!