Back to the drawing board

After a wonderful four day respite in Yosemite with Dr. Phyl and two responses to my last post, I reapproached the bold workshop piece with a fresh outlook. Once again with Photoshop, I make a simple cut and rearrangement. This I like and the main figure stays! Many thanks to Wanda and Connie!

Stuck in the middle

This top is on up on my design wall as I contemplate quilting lines.
From last spring's workshop - Nancy Crow's Improvisations – Let's Experiment! - it was the second assignment: make it BIG & BOLD. The almost centered spot certainly commands attention, so I've satisfied the exercise. If you've taken a workshop with Nancy, you know you don't have much time to tarry. Piece it and move on.

My eye is drawn and glued to that center. That bugged me - too strong a center. I tried moving the spot off center by adjusting the edges. Nah, didn't work. So a virtual but simple re-piece with Photoshop: It's not as bold but I move between the two sides rather than being stuck in the middle. With another teal strip or two, I'll get a more circulation around the composition. Then it'll be ready to quilt.

Quilted for exhibition

I am co-curating another local guild exhibit which opens at the end of October and runs into January. My two co-curators will have quilts in the show. So why not me? Yes, why not? It is non-juried. I scrambled to find something to finish.

I picked a top created last spring in Nancy Crow's Improvisations workshop, previously shown here. Now it's quilted. Yeh! Another tally toward the goals! You can see this and others from the fabulous East Bay Heritage Quilters at:

Alameda County Arts Commission 2009 EBHQ Quilt Exhibit

Alameda County Administration Building

Tax Gallery, 1st floor & Board of Supervisors Gallery, 5th floor

1221 Oak St., Oakland CA
October 26, 2009 to January 14 , 2010, Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm

A tasty tidbit before of the guild's bi-annual show, Voices in Cloth, April 10-11, 2010.

Excruciating piecing

Here's an improvisational composition with black and white from the two-week Improvisations workshop. The composition came together quickly. But figuring out the negative spaces and piecing it all together was excruciatingly s-l-o-w.

The next exercise: repeat this in 30 to 40 colors. That's when I asked if I could proceed with it in color without finishing the piecing of the black and white. That's when she read me the riot act. No, I must finish the black and white first. And she wanted every exercise finished for the final presentation.

Later she came back to ask if I could do it in color without sewing together the black and white. Yes, I can pin it up. Well, she named a later time and would check back to see where I was with the piecing then. I was done and started with the color version.

Slowpoke me. I tried to catch up with everyone else. I'd hurriedly translated it into color then called Nancy over for a critique. Oh, I didn't get it. She wanted the colors to create a sense of depth. Oh, okay. Adjusted the colors, got Nancy's okay, and sewed it up. Used another approach but still another excruciatingly s-l-o-w piecing process with technical difficulties. Nancy loved this piece. I can't step back and say it's a good piece. I prefer the black and white study. Though I love this improvisational process, I remember the excruciating piecing. Twice.

The colored composition lost freshness and spontaneity. Due to the different approaches in piecing, there were some good things happening in the black and white that didn't happen in the color. The way the lines broke and shifted over adds interest.

We weren't allowed to make a pattern to repeat the shapes. Everything was cut freehand. The curves and shapes became studied and stale. The negative spaces distorted, sometimes through technical glitches.

Here are Robert Genn's thoughts on maintaining freshness when repeating a composition.

If I were to use this approach, I would do a black and white study cut without piecing. Out of fabric. Or even out of paper. Make it smaller. I may suffer piecing a colored composition. But I just don't want to go through the whole excruciating piecing twice.

Redirect the flow

Here's the result of another workshop exercise.
After unpacking and pressing, it was up on my design wall. The vertical straight edge on the right side interrupted the flow. That escaped notice at the workshop.

I shifted the far right module to the far left. Flows better now.

Figure & ground

The first few lessons in Improvisations are about creating figure and ground. Also known as positive and negative spaces. Nancy recommended Notan: The Dark-Light Principle of Design for further study. This is not an unfamiliar concept to me but she delved deeper. Like I said before, she's my guide into the quilt as art.

Here's my first study. Like in the strip-piecing class last fall, we start using only black and white.
Then she let us use a color with black. First a large bold study. This is the most successful one of these three. It's roughly 48x42.
Then from the remnants, a small busy study. It's about 7.5" x 11.5". I may cut it up more to make it even busier.

Final big composition

Here's my final exercise as shown at the final presentation:
Out of time, I hurriedly composed & basted it. Nancy preferred this composition over the first draft (see previous post).

I didn't press the seams. They sure do stand out. More work to do. I'll rearrange the blocks to minimize the horizontal seams. The column of rectangular blocks on the left blend in more than the column on the right. I'm not sure which I like more - maybe the more definite one. I may reintroduce the first set of blocks - might work as a thin column or as a base.

As it stands, this is approximately 48x48 - no where near the six to eight foot size Nancy wanted for the final composition.

I think she wants us to think BIG. Aim for that size then edit. It's usually downward. The other option – make more blocks to maintain or increase size – is usually not viable during the workshop. We run short on time and materials.

Dilemma & choices, part 3

I have great respect for Nancy for teaching and sharing her knowledge. Because she willingly expresses her viewpoints, she deepens my understanding of art. She's an interpreter -she translates art into quilting.

Thursday night Annette accused me of getting into a fight with her over the colors of my final composition. What fight? There was no shouting. Just expressions of differing viewpoints. Okay, so I may not always agree with her, but I like to hear what she says.

It's a classic student's dilemma: whether or not to yield your own opinion in favor of the instructor's. In the process of going along with the instructor, you may learn something new. But ultimately, the work is yours – your decisions, your mark, your eye, and your convictions. How else can the work be truly yours?

Here are the three sets of blocks that make up my final composition. First, brown and blue. Colors are flat she said.

Second, blue, green and fuchsia. Colors are flat and combination is especially depressing.

Then finally, blue, green, fuchsia, yellow, pinkish cream, and another brown. She liked these - colors are rich.

She expressed disappointment because she thought I have better color sense and I could do better. I am a colorist but not every color combination will be successful. But then not every color combination needs to wow! For this exercise my intent was to start with a subtle two-color combo and build up from there.

This is my first draft on the design wall when I asked her for feedback. She didn't like the arrangement – the separation of areas. She said I could sew it up but it was only okay. She recognized it as an exercise I needed to work through. You know, I wasn't really happy with the arrangement either. Not so much the separation into blocks of areas, but the proportions.

Friday morning I worked on it more – a failed attempt to integrate the second and third sets. Worked on the proportions and arrangements. Then ran out of time. For the final presentation I basted blocks together and left seams unpressed. Didn't have time to add the first set of blocks. Oops - didn't have time for a photo either. I'll post one later.

I was about done with the final presentation, when Nancy pressed me to talk about my color choices for this. She's not afraid to retread murky waters. I like that about her. So I related my intentions for this piece and the story of our disagreements.

She thought it looked better. So did I. You see there is more than one way to skin a cat.

This piece is not done. I'll work on it more. One of my classmates said don't back the first set of blocks. But don't be surprised if those blocks worm their way back in.

Dilemma & choices, part 2

Saturday Karen and I went to the fabulous Kimono as Art exhibition in Canton (see previous post). In outer Canton we found a Thai restaurant for an early dinner. Good thing she likes to drive because by the time we got back to Pickerington, she has driven for seven hours. We were ready for dessert so we stopped at Panera (at Taylor Square) near the hotel and my roommate, Annette, joined us.

It was close to closing time. But the staff said no problem. They'd be there cleaning up anyway. We can sit and visit with each other as long as we like. Very true. They didn't disturb us, we didn't notice them, nor they did shoo us out. How refreshing to be treated that way in a restaurant.

I am generally leery of chains, but I recommend this place. Annette and I frequented this locale just about every morning for breakfast instead of partaking of the free hotel breakfast buffet. The staff is friendly and on the ball and the menu is broad. The food - I've had breakfast sandwich, egg soufflé, bagel, and bear claw - is good. We were back again at Panera for brunch the next morning - great salad and sandwich combo.

When Nancy announced the studio weekend hours, I was torn between r&r with Karen and working at the studio. When a good friend drives three hours one way to visit with me for the weekend, I'd be a cad not to spend time with her.

Initially we planned on Friday night too. But that's a busy night for her massage business and that would mean lost customers and income. An idea was hatched.

After a week of hunching over a cutting table and a sewing machine, my classmates and I could all use a massage. Nancy has been unsuccessful in getting a masseuse from town to come to the studio. After getting the go ahead from both Nancy and Karen, I got a list of those interested.

Sunday was such a beautiful morning. Karen and I first took time for Tai Chi on the east deck at the Barn. She and I separately studied Tai Chi, Wu style. She has been a practitioner for many years whereas I have discovered it only in the last couple of years. It's been a great aid at this workshop. Doing it helps me relax and focus. And breathe deeply.

Then we got down to business. While I was upstairs working on my exercises, Karen was downstairs giving massages. I was happy to get more work done. Karen was happy to provide her services. And classmates and I were happy and much relaxed after a terrific massage. Win-win all round.

If you're in the Detroit area, look up my friend for a great massage. Otherwise, check my schedule. She might be back when I'm at the Barn again.

Dilemma & choices, part 1

Last fall after the one week Strip Piecing I & II workshop, I spent a few days in Michigan. It was a wonderful reunion with my friend Karen whom I hadn't seen since her return there 11 years ago.

This year with a two-week workshop, much as I would like to, I could not afford to do that again. So Karen decided to come see me for the weekend in between. She insisted. You must realize it is a three hour drive one way for her. What a great friend! It didn't hurt that her cousin is still squatting at her home and she needed a break from him.

Little did I know two things. First: even though the workshop is Mondays through Fridays, Nancy would open the studio during the weekend for us to work. Second: Nancy would read me the riot act: every exercise I started must be completed at the end of the two weeks. (That didn't happen but I came close.)

Lest you get the impression that Nancy is an ogre, listen to this. When Nancy realized I'd planned the weekend with my friend, she advised me to do just that instead of coming into the studio. Thank you, Nancy! My dilemma was how to make everyone, including myself, happy and do it all – workshop exercises and time with my friend.

Friday evening is a busy time for Karen's massage practice, so she wasn't driving down from Michigan until Saturday morning. I could definitely use the studio time, but it wasn't opening until 10am.

I sweetly asked Nancy if she could open the studio earlier, say 7am so I would be able to work until Karen arrived. Thanks to Joan, Jennie and Annette who all said they would start early too, she relented. With plans already made for Saturday, she and her sweet husband, John Stitzlein, juggled and got the studio open at 7am. We were there waiting. Thanks again, Nancy!

I worked for about 5 hours until Karen's arrival.

A splendiferous workshop

I am back from a two-week workshop - Improvisations – Let's Experiment! at the Barn with Nancy Crow. What an invigorating experience!

There were 16 of us - including three women – Chiyo, Yoshi and Ayako – from Japan, a mother and daughter – Myna and Margo – from the Netherlands, and one woman – Debbie – from Washington state who's temporarily living in Shanghai. Rest of us from the states. Despite of or maybe because of all the various personalities, the class really gelled together.

During the second week we indulged in two activities to provide momentary respite from the intensity and demands of the workshop. When anyone spoke the word of the day – i.e. amazing, fabulous, lyrical, and splendiferous – we'd whoop it up with ya-hoos which effectively vented emotions and energy and rejuvenated us.

The other activity was more physical: stand with feet apart, arms outstretched, hand flexed and make like Elvis – swivel hips around first in one direction then the other. The sight alone offered moments of mirth! We even got Nancy swiveling with us! Sorry! No photos were permitted! It was a great way to loosen up those tight waist, hip and back muscles and stretch the tendons to the hand.

The workshop itself was so fabulous! My straight cuts and strip piecing from last fall now look so yesterday. I'm just itching to explore more of what I learned.

But I am really tired now. Partly because I don't sleep well especially in a strange bed. Partly because of the three hour time difference. Partly because I get so wound up I can't sleep. I functioned mostly on adrenalin the first week.

Long hours at the studio: arrived before 8am and left about 10pm. Or so. But never stayed so late that I was shoo'd out. These hours were necessary for this slow poke to get the work done and contributed little my exhaustion. Myna and Margo set their hours from 8am to 8pm and got lots done. They worked a lot faster.

I'll post more about this workshop later. I don't intend to scare anyone off because I really believe Nancy Crow provides the best art education for any art quilter. She's taught me principles and techniques and developed my visual acuity. All these will serve me well no matter what direction my art quilts will go - even if I never piece again.

Shipping out

They're off! I've shipped my fabric and supplies to the Barn. Here're the stacks of fabrics before they went into the boxes.
There aren't enough fabrics. What? How can that be? Looks like a lot of fabric. Well yes, there are about 100 lengths of fabric. Not including black, white and grays and not including prints.

But look how many skinny folds as opposed to fat folds. For this two-week workshop Nancy calls for 1.5 to 2 yd. cuts. I'm bringing the one-yarders for more color choices and more fabric. But then I risk running out of a color.

Also need more darks. I think they went into my ribbons.

So I'm off for last minute shopping, washing and ironing.