Friday, February 10, 2006

Comments......please!

You've see this before. It's painted WU (wonder under) fused to a piece of white fabric with a black pattern. Then tulle is fused to the top and it's stitched from side to side with a variety of threads and some interesting yarn.

This is the same piece, top side, down. With that fabulous "beginners luck" piece of painted fabric stitched all around. And a stick. Now I like it visually, but it isn't *saying* anything if you know what I mean. Is it a vessel, vase, metaphor or nothing much at all. I'm voting with door four right now. I see more stitching and perhaps something attached to the stick. I don't know why I want the stick--but I do. Right now. I wave in the wind on these things.

Now this I like. The eye picture is from an advertising insert. Paper. And there's the rub. Well, there is also copyright law, but do advertisements carry the same legal weight. After all they gave it to me. So if I don't use the eye--then the design is saying I need a STRONG focal point to bring this piece home. Any ideas????

5 comments:

Deb R said...

If you like the eye, why not draw your own version and then use more WU to create a fabric version? You could be inspired by that eye without copying it exactly.

Deborah Boschert said...

I bet if you flipped through those amazing sketch books of yours, you would discover a brilliant composition that this would work for... with some intense focal point... like the eye -- or maybe a whole face.

Sonji Hunt said...

I agree with DebR about making your own big eye. You could draw it on fabric with fabric markers or my favorite, Sharpies, and then paint it and attach it. Then, the continuity wouldn't just be the color, it would be your painterly hand.

The idea of a giant eye is really interesting to me. I also love using eyes or eye shapes (those leaf/pod things are the same shape).

Also, I was thinking, how about cutting away some of the negative space between the cirlces in the background fabric. Not a lot, just a few. I'm into that I-can-stick-my-fingers-through-my-art" phase right now. I think it would add a different level to the piece especially if you use the big eye idea. Oh, and how about an eye shadow...not makeup, but a cast shadow coming from the eye. That would be a great element. It could be a shock of different color/pattern, too. Ok, I'll shut up now.

Oh, before I shut up, I'll just say, go with your gut. Your collages are terrific and you'll know exactly what to do if you dive into it and commit. OK, I'll zip it now. Really.

Melody Johnson said...

O No! Art by committee!
Don't be tempted to ask for help from other artists. It is way too easy to sidestep the tricky part about being your own artist.


The wrestling with 'what should I do now' is what brings up outta the deepest recesses, those things that make our art original and personal and gratifying.

Let it rest, it will come to you.

Ms. Knowitall.

kathy said...

You have a good eye for composition (sorry, couldn't resist) as proven by some of your other works you've posted, so I know somewhere in there is the answer, but if not, I vote for the make your own eye advice!