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!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Art Every Day, Tuesday February 5, 2013
 
Good Afternoon,
Well, I'm finally getting around to posting today's work.  I had to get up at the un-godly hour of 6:30 this morning to get it done before going off to my first day of Boot Camp - exercise that is.  What a horrifying thing to do to ones body! But I digress, our trainer A.J. is a doll and though the hour kicked my big ass, I know it's good for me (I know it is, I know it is) so, along with learning the discipline of making art every day, I am adding the discipline of exercising regularly too.  Maybe this is what growing up is supposed to feel like!
Anyway, as for today's piece, I needed to get it done fast, but I wanted to learn too.  So I began with black batting and laid four different white fabrics that have some of my stamped designs printed on them in black, down.  It's a stark black/white contrast has lots of energy.  I quilted the background really simply with white thread. Then I ripped some long strips of brightly colored fabrics, tied them with a piece of green selvedge fabric then twisted them and couched them down. I like the arrangement of the colored strips and I am quite pleased with the gentle contrast of the small color on the big black and white ground.  I do wish that I had looked at it from a few feet away before I stitched the color down because I would have originated it in the opposite corner because I think the black and white flower print is fighting for attention.  All in all though, it was a good morning.
Till tomorrow,
Heather

2 comments:

Cathy R said...

OK, so now I'm going to ask YOUR question... how would it look if you rotated it 180 degrees? That would put the BW Flower at the bottom and the pretty colored bits would be "growing" up out of the bottom like plants. I think that might help with the balance issue.

me said...

OMG, you are hilarious! lol And terrific at pushing your ego out of the way, which is one of the reasons you are such a wonderful artist and teacher :)

These are great stamps and they are a perfect background for the burst of color of the fabric strips. I love seeing the background "energy", since we just discussed this the other night.

I see for myself what that means in this piece. I now also understand how the focal point is supported by the background. Even though the negative space is busy, the color trumps it and takes center stage. The colors have more impact BECAUSE they are so well supported by the background.

I do agree with Cathy- by turning it upside down, all of a sudden the visual weight is all at the bottom. It feels more organic and the struggle between the b&w flower and the concentration of color is much less.