I confess: I am constantly thinking about textiles. I often try to hide my love for fabrics, quilting, sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, yarn, and wool. It is like I married paper but have a secret relationship with textiles. If you look at the collage, can you see it?
Creating Textile Inspired Art
When attaching the pieces on paper, I feel that whatever glue or medium I use, the pieces still look like that they are floating. Then I pick a pen and add a stitch line here and another there. And soon I am lost in the details!
When people try to find their own style, they often deny what they know best. It is probably too mundane, something they take for granted. Often, it is easier for other people to see where our strengths are. Anything genuine touches people.
I want to thank Denise who pinned the last week’s horse themed collage art to her Pinterest board called “Clever Stitch Artists”. I got curious about what she saw in the collage. She had written in the description: “Embroidery inspiration”. I tried to hide my love for embroidery but she saw it! So this week I decided to create a project that is a celebration of felted fabrics and hand stitching.
The concept is very easy. Just add some shapes on the painted background paper and then: take your markers and stitch your heart out! Here pens really replace the needles!
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I can’t wait to try it, keeping this idea in mind. Thank you.
Thanks, Stacey!
take a look at http://www.irenabluhmscreations – she practices quilt first paint later. she uses color pencils, paints, whatever to paint on quilted designs
Wow, she quilts first and then paints later, I have never seen that before! One more thing to try out! Thanks for the great link, Pat! (the link: http://www.irenabluhmscreations.com)
The little details, like the faux stitching, have always been the things that bring a project to life in my eyes. Edging designs anchors them, small dots or swirls add visual texture to large flat areas, and so on. Without those little details, a piece feels at best minimalist, at worst unfinished.
So true, Jenn! Thanks for the great comment! I often see beautiful work from people who have just started art as a hobby but they did not finish their work. I have actually blogged about it here: http://www.peonyandparakeet.com/finishing-the-bursting-cirle/
Your post just struck a cord in me! I too have always loved quilts and have a long and varied past with sewing in general. Lately I have been trying to find my into acrylic painting. Checking out various artists work and taking a couple courses. Trying to do something that is mine and not just a copy of someone elses work and really struggling. This gives me a place to go to for inspiration, ideas, that come from where I have been. Thanks
Dianne, thank you for your lovely comment! So great to meet people who love both quilts and painting! Remember, you do not have to create fine arts to express yourself. There are many great artists in the art history who have created masterpieces in decorative art. I am encouraging for you to explore the borders of fine and decorative arts!
What a great post. I love your paint an pen stitched example. It is so rich bad luscious.
Thanks, Denise!!
This post struck such a deep chord with me. I quilted, taught quilting, sold my work, and patterns too. Then I was in a bad car accident and I can no longer sit for long periods at the sewing machine. I found art journaling and painting and I feel almost as complete as I did before. It saved me!
Gail, inability to work with the textiles must have been a big loss but how wonderful and consulting that you have been able to replace that with painting and art journaling. See also the post http://www.peonyandparakeet.com/things-learned-from-quilting/ to read more about the subject.