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In plain sight - working from the everyday

Washing up and looking out the kitchen window to the mountains, the national park, the ridge of ironbark looking refreshed after recent rains, the grassy top acres of the property, the secret garden and vegie patch. The septic tank lid. A wry smile in the midst of suds and rinsing water.  Spoils the train of thought - from majestic mountains to (hu)manly muck. Why does it have to be THERE? It has been for maybe 70 years. That's about when I noticed the circles within circles, their placement and the morning shadows. I grabbed the camera.  My process is simple and thorough. It's not necessary to do any more than steps 2-3, then 12-14 to make a quilt.

  1. Really notice something. Really pay attention to the shape, scale, textures, shadows, colours and contrasts  
  2. Take a photo - especially when the earth is still rotating while you're thinking about it and before long, it was true, the shadow had completely passed over the lid 
  3. Convert the photo to a quick sketch - try making the image black and white to show areas of contrast. The drawing can be representative, an abstract interpretation of the shapes. Circles within circles, Different scales and textures (concrete, ceramic, plastic pot) but all circles. Add the lines of shadow cast from the corner of the house.
  4. Put the idea away for a while - time to think beyond a first response of "this would look great as a quilt" - which is true and it will and make sure there is time given to the second, third and fourth response. What am I trying to say? Do this however many times it takes  - and it takes time.
  5. Research I - septic tanks were invented around the 1860s, what were they made from, are they made from? Are they efficient? How do they work? Notice all the similarities between septic tanks and politics/the operation of Parliament. Why are they banned in some areas? What is the science? What is the cultural significance (did every back yard have one at some time)? Document.
  6. Research II - circles, circles in circles, circles in art, circles in daily life, circles in different cultures, their use, design, construction and materials? Two or three dimensions? Portal, utility object, sci fi, editing, perfect, open, closed - what makes a circle? Does a negative circle create a hole? Circles, circular - meanings, symbols and signs - rounded, lack of sharp points, eternal? Document.
  7. Research III - shadow, shadows, shadow play, intangible, real, cutting through, proof of the unseen and unknown, the underworld, the other side, of the moon and lunar, created by objects blocking a light source, demons, changing the temperature, moving / living / nothingness? Document.
  8. Research IV - what does the flight of a circle sound like? How does a circle travel, create movement? What happens in the wake of a circle on the run? Does concrete mean fixed and stable or trapped and imprisoned? What happens to a circle in the shadows? Does a shadow deconstruct / segment / leave no trace? Is it the shadow that moves and the circle is frozen? Document.
  9. Experiment - drawing, testing, fabric selection, scale and cutting, stitching, piecing, contrasts and contradictions, try again, again and again. Document.
  10. Make it (whatever it turns out to be) five different ways - colours, fabrics, size (how big can this go?)  - and consider what worked and what didn't.  Document. Mix it up, try again and document.
  11. Now it's time to marry the "what I want to say" with the design - colour, fabric and stitch. 
  12. Choose the fabric palette - a critical element as important as the final pieced design and quilting.
  13. Create the pieced base - a single large statement or the Warhol treatment? 
  14. Quilting and stitch - as important as the fabric selection and piecing. Open, loose or tight and controlled? A different story - colour of thread, type of thread - a new and different design of follow the shapes of the design? Include shadow? Place black tulle or netting over the shadows to absorb light and give greater ? Stitching over or under, in the ditch? Contrasting, variegated, plain, high value or invisible stitching? Experiment, document and test.
  15. Mark making and handstitching - consider elements of fabric paint, rubbings, text, freehand embroidery - what am I trying to say and do any of these help me say it? Document.

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Comments

  1. chris17 February 2021 at 16:12

    Wow - love your thought process - will print this out so I can ponder it in depth.

    ReplyDelete

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