Tag: art quilts

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More “Visions of Spain”

The art quilts in the Visions of Spain series are expressions gathered from travel to this wonderful country. Today I want to share with you 2 additional pieces–Metalworks: Wrought Iron #3 and Column at Crystal Palace (Madrid). Both of these are small whole-cloth quilted pieces mounted on a tan linen-like covered canvas. The quilting line provides the design on a solid piece of fabric.

First, Metalworks: Wrought Iron #3 was influenced by the designs and motifs I saw on many old stone buildings, grand wrought iron fences and gates surrounding quiet gardens and parks, and the wonderful flowered-filled balconies hanging over narrow streets.

DSC02255WrghtIron
Wrought Iron, 7 1/2 x 9 12″, rayon on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach. Whole-cloth quilting.

The second piece, Column at Crystal Palace (Madrid), was inspired by large white columns towering overhead in the beautiful palace of glass and stone near a fountained-lake where black swans swam at Retiro Park.

Column at Crystal Palace (Madrid), 8 12" x 10", rayon on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach. Wholecloth quilting. ($90)
Column at Crystal Palace (Madrid), 8 12″ x 10″, rayon on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach. Whole-cloth quilting.

These two pieces are currently showing in the exhibit, Lifeweavings: A Creative Journey, at the Eucalyptus Massage Center Gallery through April, 2014. For more information about the Visions of Spain series and individual pieces, see my website Art Gallery! 

These works are available through Eucalyptus Massage Center Gallery.

 

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Sunday Stroll in Retiro Park

Today’s piece is another work from the Visions of Spain series and is currently on exhibit in Lifeweavings: A Creative Journey, at Eucalyptus Massage Center Gallery. It is entitled, Sunday Stroll in Retiro Park (Madrid). One of my photos had lines and colors that inspired me. I loved the way the guy’s shirt and the boats just happened to match…the lines the walkway and the wall made with each other to provide the perspective and depth to this scene…along with the accent of the row of bright red boats resting along the shoreline. A nice afternoon stroll…

Sunday Stroll in Retiro Park (Madrid), 17 3/4" x 19 1/2", rayon and cotton on cotton. Applique, free-motion quilting, piecing, threadpainting, © 2014 Joni Beach.
Sunday Stroll in Retiro Park (Madrid), 17 3/4″ x 19 1/2″, rayon and cotton on cotton. Applique, free-motion quilting, piecing, thread-painting, © 2014 Joni Beach.

To create this piece, first different fabrics were auditioned to see which ones could create the image I wanted.

AuditionFabSunStroll

The background was then composed…

SunStrollBlgrd

The boats and the guy were constructed separately as appliques before applying them to the background.

SunStrollAppilqueEditedBlogPix

Thread-sketching and thread-painting was used extensively to add details and shading. The machine is used similar to the way you would draw with a pencil~~viewing the original photo as a guide, while drawing lines and shading.

GuyThreadpaintSunSTroll

Dense-stitch quilting was used on the background elements~~the lake, trees, sky, ground and walkways~~to add texture and dimension. Using heavy threads and embroidery floss, two cables were added to tie the boats together.

DSC02254(1)SunStrollBoatDetailEditedForPrintBlog

You can see this and other pieces in this series, Visions of Spain, on my website Art Gallery!

 Available Artwork May Be Purchased Through: Eucalyptus Massage Center Gallery.

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A Different Perspective

After a snowy weekend I am back in the studio. Winter has really shown itself this year and we are digging out of 17″ of snow. Though, it is beautiful while it falls and white snow brightens the gray days.

Today’s photo is of the piece, A Different Perspective. I loved creating this design…A photo that I took in a backyard garden was the inspiration. I loved the vivid colors and the composition of the small flower as seen from the bottom. I thought the unusual design it had from this angle gave a different perspective, or view, from how we normally look at flowers. And of course, what could brighten a February day better than this!?

A Different Perspective, rayon on cotton. 45" x 45", © 2014 Joni Beach. Pieced, free-motion quilting. applique, threadsketching.($2000)
A Different Perspective, 45″ x 45″, rayon on cotton , © 2014 Joni Beach. Pieced, free-motion quilting. applique, thread=sketching.

The photo was enlarged and a size was selected. I used the copy as a guide to make the individual pieces and assembled the flower on batting. This was shown in an earlier post...See Here! A glue stick was used to “tack” the design together. This allows for moving pieces and making changes as I work. After the basic flower was formed, details were added and layered on top.

The background was then placed around the central design. Extensive thread-sketching was used to finish the raw edges and bring out the sections of the flower. Thread-painting was then used to add contouring and shading. I used dense-stitch quilting using free-motion techniques on the background, which gives dimension and accents the flower. A facing was added to finish the edges and a hanging sleeve was added to the back. I try to remember to always sign and date the wall-hanging in thread, using free-motion quilting!

You can see this and other art quilts in my website’s Art Gallery!

Available Artwork May Be Purchased Through: Eucalyptus Massage Center Gallery.