thread, stitches, fabric

It seems like I have always incorporated thread, stitching, or cloth in my mixed media works. In my Expecting Series (2007), I adhered string and thread on my oil paintings and embedded the same in the encaustic paintings. The idea behind that was the connections between generations: grandmother, mother, child. Woman to child, and so on and so on.


winthrop_f
Winthrop
8×6 inch handbound blank journal
mixed media cover
created June 2011

Last year around when my father passed away, I started to really incorporate stitching markings into my paintings. The idea of mending, patching together, holding together.


life_of_trees
The Life of Trees
handbound blank journal
mixed media cover
8×6 inches
September 2011

And this year I have been piecing together bits of paper or pieces of cloth fragments into my mixed media paintings.


fragmented_time_bound
Fragmented Time
handbound blank journal
8×6 inches
mixed media cover
September 2011

These ideas have always been with me, working subtly or more overtly. I have always been drawn to the idea of life as a pieced together quilt. Each experience and each person in my life, forming a part of my life’s quilt. Held together, pieced together, forming a whole. At times, seams coming apart, unraveling.


thread_that_binds
The Thread that Binds
handbound blank journal
7×5 inches
mixed media cover
October 2011

It’s interesting to me to see themes in my work that have always been there and that I continue to work on, to ponder while I paint or collage. And their voices get louder and stronger with each piece. I often want to work in a series, but it never quite works out as I always seem to be trying to work on multiple projects at the same time. And yet, whether I am working on my mixed media panels for my journals or on my encaustic paintings or acrylic paintings- I am still working out the same issues, the same symbols, getting deeper in the depth of my meaning and what I’m trying to say.


living_memories
Living Memories
handbound blank journal
7×5 inches
mixed media cover
Ocotber 2011

Never sure if my meaning gets transmitted to others, but I know that it makes sense to me. And my art makes sense of me. And really, that’s what it’s all about.

Recently I have been working on journals as I will be sending some out to the Tubac Center of the Arts for their Holiday Artisan Show. I will also be sending a few out to Everett, Washington for a new venue that will carry my work called 3231 Creatives. And of course, I always try to keep a few of my handbound mixed media journals for sale over at amanobooks.com.

Unfortunately whenever I start binding in earnest, I am reminded why I needed to put a halt to that. My hands just can’t handle it. So, while I have slowed down production in journals for some time now. I am beginning to get to the stage of acceptance- that I will need to stop making journals to sell. It pains me to say it and I have a feeling it will still take me some time to accept that.

20 Comments

  1. Autumn seems to be a time of reflection for artists. Maybe you are headed into a new season with your art that will be functional in a different way….hanging on someone’s wall for them to enjoy each time their eyes look at it. Each piece of art on this post is lovely.

  2. I’m sorry to hear your disappointment. I know how it feels to have to change things in our art practice to respect our bodies. The others have put it well, your work will continue beautifully on canvas. BTW, the first time I saw one of your pieces 5-6 years ago in Sommerset Studio I felt a strong connection to it. It’s easy as a viewer to have a subconscious ‘conversation’ with your work.

  3. I love your journals and hearing about the different forms of symbolism that inspire your use of fabric and thread makes me like them even more.

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