\nWorking towards twentyONE+ targets and deadlines – fast and furious – and trying, trying, trying to get a hang-worthy 40cm x 40cm\u00a0Art Quilt ready to enter OZQUILT’s Australia Wide 5.<\/em><\/p>\n
The finish line is approaching for twentyONE+. Things are quickly falling into place with only a few hiccups. Still plenty of hours, many conversations, emails and head down action to come BUT we are progressing in a timely manner.<\/p>\n
My AW5 entry on the other hand, after many, many hours of intensive stitch has failed<\/em>. Invariably it is when I am in this rushed state of meeting a deadline that I end up being disappointed – so the poor result is no surprise. What doesn’t make sense at the moment is starting on yet another thought-line and technique when I have bigger priorities and shrinking time. My longed for works celebrating etching marks is almost certainly to be sent off to the back burner – joining many other brilliant thought lines….unless I can re-envision the idea in my head in a style that I have already resolved….? I’ll see how the next few weeks pan out…there is still a little bit of time…. Miff and the girls returned on the very wet Friday when a planned visit to the zoo with four grandies was rained out. A highlight for me that day was setting up Esther for painting….. and boy did she concentrate.<\/p>\n Painting at our place has been a Sunday night affair with George and Esther wielding their great-grandfather’s large brushes outside, dipped in a bucket of water. Our tiles, windows and pavement get painted. A clean and yet messy affair.
\nI am disappointed but I was also prepared for this gamble not to succeed.
\nStarting a new area of exploration can be fraught and when that exploration was in both technique and subject matter it is doubly difficult.
\nAND
\nI have realised of late that I need a long time to percolate initial works in a series – and I do much prefer to work in a series – they almost need to be born resolved.
\nThe ideas come fast and furious (and are always brilliant:) which is why I think I teach well and critique easily.
\nSo the ideas are there<\/em> and I see the completed work as a vision in my head but often the interpretation into quilt or textile doesn’t match that vision.<\/p>\n![\"engraved](\"http:\/\/janmullen.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/week-18-1.jpg\")
<\/a>Technically the piece I worked on is okay but it does not illustrate what I love about the subject matter so it does not work for me visually at all. The beautiful colours and sheen of the silks I chose have been obliterated by the black ‘engraving line’ stitch much more than I was prepared for.
\nI need to rethink BUT I just don’t have time to play and to get to know the subject – I have priorities elsewhere.<\/p>\n
\nHaving said that I did enjoy the process. The over the top stitching\/quilting was a lovely challenge.<\/p>\n<\/a>Whereas my joy in playing, albeit slowly, with the paint chips is making my heart gently glow. I love the process and I love the resulting visual. I love the solidity of these spare works.
\nIt is as though I have the base line sorted and so now I can start to both play and to sing…if that makes sense?<\/p>\n
\nOR
\nI could simply do a version of the paint chip feathers for AW5 –\u00a0 but it is a traveling exhibition and whilst they are VERY sturdy mounted on board and could be quilted onto fabric, as I have trialed that, I worry that they may struggle to travel for years if sandwiched between other quilts.<\/p>\n<\/a>So where is my brain nervously flitting?
\nPick another of the three sets of images I decided on last week? This time print digitally and work at it in a different manner?
\nReturn to another established theme?
\nReinterpret the ideas behind the paint chip series as a quilt?
\nOr put myself out of my misery and forget about entering anything?<\/p>\n
\nThe really interesting background brain chatter<\/em> that I have identified though is that I don’t want to be making quilts right now….<\/em>hmmmmm.<\/p>\n<\/a>Sandwiched between the constant bustle of the week’s tasks the slow<\/em> relief came in a few ways. A visit from a young family friend who is living, for the while, in Toronto. We had a long catch up early in the week enhanced by Miff and Flick and Esther’s company.<\/p>\n
\nSo on Friday when Esther asked to do some painting that was what she<\/em> meant.
\nI, instead, decided to set her up in the studio.
\nA drop sheet on the table, an apron of mine on her, her Tripp Trap chair <\/a>pushed in tight and a tray of old watercolours. We made marks together. We talked colours. She concentrated. Her focus and her two handed approach was a delight to see.<\/p>\n