Guessing Colors
Last week I posted a photo of thread I was using and asked everyone to guess what color of textile painting I quilted with the colors.
Thread for Structures #110
What did you guess?
Structures #110
Structures #110
©2012 Lisa Call
72 x 72 inches
Textile Painting (Fabric hand dyed by the artist, cotton batting, cotton thread)
It took a leap of faith to stitch bright turquoise and orange thread over pure white fabrics. Was I wasting 60 hours of my time or would it work? The only way to tell is to try it out.
I could have played it safe and gone with white thread but I’ve found that playing it safe doesn’t move me forward.
Sometimes I win when I try something new and risky. Sometimes I crash and burn and the resulting artwork is not fit for general consumption. Either way I learn something and grow.
Turns out this time around it was a fabulous idea and I love how surface stitching brings a shimmer of unexpected color to the surface of this textile painting. Structures #110 enters the world bold, energetic and confident as a result.
Where do you need to take a leap of faith? Where are you playing it too safe?
Structures #110 – Detail
©2012 Lisa Call
Structures #110 – Detail
©2012 Lisa Call
What’s Next
After completing this very large six foot square textile painting I’ve now gone to the other extreme and am working on a set of twelve textile paintings that measure three inches square.
From huge to tiny.
These new pieces will be mounted on stretched canvas and exhibit at my upcoming solo exhibit in Philadelphia at Bluestone Fine Art Gallery. The show opens in less than a month!
PS – I’m teaching a workshop at the gallery April 2-4. There are only a couple of spots left as I’m keeping enrollment small. Details are here: Cutting and Piecing without a Ruler.
Not templates either.
Or strip piecing (yawn).
We’ll be doing intentional piecing to create the composition of your dreams.
Don’t have any dreamy compositions you want to piece? I’ll teach you a trick to create a fabulous with a few shapes and lines.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
That is fantastic, Lisa! A whole new direction.
I wish I could see it in person :)
Thank you Dahlia! I’m really enjoying all of the thread work.
Maybe someday it will appear in an exhibit near you. I can hope. :)
—lisa
Very beautiful! This takes subtleties to another level, your work already has the interest from afar and from up close of being two different experiences, but this pushes that further. I really feel this is a strong factor in great work, where from a few feet away it not only shows the craftsmanship but also has so much interest … I’ve been told it is also the distance people buy from.
I plan to get down to San Jose for the show you are in, would love to see something large of yours in person!
Gregory,
Thanks!
That is interesting to think about – the 2 different experiences. And its interesting to note that people buy based on distance. I was having a conversation with a friend about detail shots of our artwork and what value they provide. I’m still pondering my answer – you’ve added more to think about here.
Let me know if you get down to San Jose – I’d be curious to hear what you think of the exhibit.
—lisa