no decision yet

 

So this is where I left off. I liked to try the opposite: Instead of working with cream strips on orange background I decided to tear up the orange fabric and work on a cream fabric. And I tried to curve the strips.

Torn strips

The result: more depth, but less interesting texture wise.

This is the back of the new one. I like all the stitch lines and rubbed some inktense blocks over them. Quite cool! But just for fun :)

So now I am left with 2 pieces, neither of them completely satisfactory. But I still gravitate towards my first piece, although the 2nd has more depth. I might just go for it, frame it and get it over and done with :)

In the meantime I have been mulling over the next verse: 1Ch 3:16

And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.

I'll let you know my thoughts in the next post.

fail

Ok, I tried....And it looks quite cool. But it doesn't portray a valley with water pools. Maybe...with a bit of imagination :) I think I am going to give it another try. By doing this I think (I might) have figured out how to bring in the depth. Risking another fail, but alas that's how I learn. If the second try fails I might give up though...

Feel free to give any tips on how to bring in the depth of the valley!

And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

random play

Some fun experiments. Ideas I will use in future work.

Tried sun printing

Painting with lemon juice and make it visible by ironing it.

Making stamps with a hot glue gun.

Printing.

And adding more. 

valley progress

This process looks deceptively simple. But curving strips while trying to keep the space in between all even is not as simple as I thought. Look closely at the 3rd picture. If you start curving up, all the strips will be curving up. But I would like to start curving up and slowly move the curve down.
I came up with a solution by slightly tapering the strips and stretching the outer curves. It is kinda working....It's exciting, I so like to know if the end result will look anything like a valley!

I like experimenting and in doing so you have to be prepared things are not going to work out.
I keep reminding myself :)

cutting strips of bias binding

make them slightly tapered

So far so good

Better pictures and a design start on 2 Kings 3:16

Blogging on my phone.... easy to upload photos.  Takes long to type and I wonder how it'll look on the computer screen.

A better picture. 

Detail

 The new verse! 2 Kings 3:16 And he said, thus saith the LORD, make this valley full of ditches.

Jehoram, king of Israel has teamed up with Jehoshaphat from Judah. And the king of Edom has joined them to attack Moab. But the land is very dry and the troops are running out of water. Jehoshaphat suggests asking Elisha the prophet . He tells them to dig in the dry land.  And God gave them enough water to survive and gave them victory over the enemies as well.

I am inspired by an Australian artist: Dianne Firth, she uses torn strips of fabric to create depth. I like to try this. And bought bias tape as that is easy to curve. It's going to be an experiment and I hope it's going to work! It's also going to be quite abstract.

Design for 2 Kings 3:16 And he said, thus saith the LORD, make this valley full of ditches. 

Colour scheme, desert, cream bias tape for the hills, and one of these blues. I think I am going to use my hand dyed aqua for the water.

One of Dianne Firths' pieces. See how she creates depth with lines.

1 Kings in the making

Wow, it has been a while....With a new studio, new energy. Hopefully!

The verse I have been working on is from 1 Kings 3:16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

King Solomon wished for one thing: Wisdom. And this story shows how wise he was.

2 women gave birth, one of the two babies has died. Each woman claims to be the mother of the live child. There are no witnesses. Solomon is asked to resolve the dispute. His decision is to cut the live child in half. The true mother soon reveals herself, by disclaiming the baby so that it will not be harmed.

King, baby, judgement, throne, harlots.

These are the elements which possible go into the artquilt. Time for colour choices...

The outline

Colour scheme, needs to be 'regal'

Made fabric by writing the word Wisdom lots of time. Make a template from wax paper to paint a throne.

And upside down....I am working on a different computer and it doesn't really work. But I just want to post it anyway.

I decided it needs a proper binding. First time I have used bias binding. I painted it gold to match the throne.

I see that I have to go back into the groove...I haven't taken enough pictures of the process. The 2 women faces are made from silk organza and then free motion stitched on. One has tears, the other the sword. I really have to make a better final picture.

 So yes, I have to work from another computer. And I have to make more pictures to capture the process. I enjoyed making this piece. The decission making process is always the hardest: which colours, which techniques, composition, lines vertical or horizontal? etc. But I guess that's one of the things I like about creating.

It hasn't happened before, but....I already have my ideas ready for the next one! And even slightly some thoughts for the one after that!

Unveiling 2 Samuel 3:16

And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

This is my interpretation. You see the crying man face on the left, and Michal returning to David. Symbolized by the golden city up the hills. On the foreground is Bahurim and you see some tear drops scattered over the piece. 

The finished piece, I added the hills and the city of David and painted most of the tear drops blue.

Detail of the multi dimensional layers.

Another detail. I cut away some of the silk to reveal the face, tears and city structure.

I am glad I have finished this piece, it was almost scary to work on it. Mostly because I never knew how it would turn out. I thought about it so much and now I see the outcome it makes me happy to know how it's so multi layered in different ways. Hope you enjoy it too!