Living This Creative Life

I have two favorite quotes. The first one is by Emile Zola, "If you asked me what I came into this world to do, I would tell you that I came to live out loud". I don't know who the second one is by, but it goes like this, "If you're not living on the edge then you might as well jump". Both of these sentiments sum up my personal philosophy of this experience we call life on earth. Enjoy!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Art Every Day, Monday, February 25th, 2013

Good Afternoon,

Here is today's new piece. Steph recently commented on how she was beginning to prefer simpler design to the more complex.  I'm with her one hundred percent. Thanks so much to all of you who send me comments they are very meaningful for me. 

After yesterday's silken debauchery, this piece is much, much simpler. I began by layering a sheer white on top of black batting which I stitched down simply along the edges. Then I added the blue swoop and stitched around it and across it with gently waving lines. Finally, I added the three swirls in heavy black stitching.  I really love these swirls, they're so playful and bold. 

The white is occupying the negative space well, probably because so much of the black batting shows through therefore making the white more gray - except where it overlaps itself - and I like that look too.  The blue is sitting in the midground and the black swirls are in the fore ground.  I just love it when something this simple can be at once peaceful and energetic.

Till tomorrow,
Heather

2 comments:

Steph said...

Love the simplicity of this piece and absolutely LOVE the black swirls! They are so smooth and, uh, swirly. :-) I also like the extra rectangles made by overlapping the sheer white. They add a subtleness and interest to the background.

Yes, I really do love clean, simple, uncluttered pieces.

me said...

It is a very cool trick to use the black batting behind the white to dull it a bit. Otherwise it would have likely taken some heavy stitching to keep the white from coming too far forward.

I think the thin black border is very effective as well.

The blue swath is nicely textured and shows great movement to support the swirls.

The swirls are a lot of fun, and I think if they had been in a bright color, they might have been harder to tame. The black is bold but classic.