June has finally arrived! I realise that I'm late, but the 6" inch square format is a tad ambitious, when you consider everything else that's on my plate. Don't worry, I'm not discouraged! I love the process and intend to follow through until the bitter end. I won't be crossing the finish line first, but that's okay! I still haven't mounted my 2008/2009 triangles and they were finished on time! That reminds me, I should probably post them here one of these days. Then you'll be able to see how I started on this journey!
Now to June! What the heck could green, purple, a rusty old belt buckle, a dome fastener (known in these parts as a "snap"), buttons, string & beads, possibly relate to? Nothing much, just the button jar, my quirky imagination and another step on the crooked path!
A combination of old and new elements, including beautiful shell buttons, a slightly skewed compass button (gifted to me by a friend who found it in a fabulous quilt & bead shop in Seattle), a fabric and thread wrapped pipe cleaner spiral, a slice of raw edge cloth weaving, a little stone bear and a metal bird. Hmmmm......is the theme coming through yet?
Abandoned square stitch from an aborted bracelet, large acorn cap picked up on my recent trip to Sault Ste Marie (smaller, twin acorn caps show in the previous photo) and a very small part from a large pair of circa 1980's earrings. Deb, I still can't believe that you wore them and your ear lobes are still intact!!!
Oh look!! The bird is sitting on a beaver stick I picked up on last year's trip to visit the family in Sault Ste Marie. The ends have been carefully singed with the barbecue starter. Not authentic, I know, but you get the idea! Anyway, this section also includes more of the weaving, the other half of the dome fastener, the metal bird (I just couldn't have a branch without a birdie) and a small collection of leaf beads. You can't really see it, but there's also a needle hiding in the grass.
The great reveal!! This piece started out as an exploration of the colour green but the mauve/purple crept in during the stitching stage and decided to stick around 'til the very end!
Serendipity acrylic paint monoprint, free motion machine embroidery and raw edge cloth weaving (using failed monoprints). Bead techniques include peyote, square, back, stacked, fringe and boucle/bocce stitches. The weaving is courtesy of Kaite's blog posts about Jude Hill's "Cloth to Cloth" class. Of course, Jude and Kaite would be using recycled natural fibres and acrylic paint would NOT be part of the program. Call me a rebel!
The leaf shape was a natual for this one! The monoprint could have been interpreted as hills and water, but after I turned the fabric on it's side, a tree was born! Next to the ocean and stitching, I love woods and nature the best! I grew up in a city, at the edge of the forest, on the base of a mountain, with a view of the ocean. Do you think I'm still exploring my childhood?
Now, on to my class samples, my Textile Museum Shadow Box, the "President's Challenge" for my quilting guild, my "Silly" drawing class and then the July BJP! Who needs to clean, sleep, work and eat?
21 comments:
I see the needle! Gives a whole new meaning to searching for a needle in a haystack, only this time it's beads. Great piece Anne Marie - thank you for showing the detail photos!!
Loving this piece, the little acorn caps are very special. I couldn't find the needle, but I'm going back and look again. Fabulous piece, so much to look at!
You Rebel, you! This piece is so fabulous! I just love it. All the different elements are brought together in such a cohesive manner that just shines. I am going back to try and find the needle. Well done Anne Marie!
Wow!! By the time I finished reading, I was dizzy!! The compass button is very cool!! I have been wanting to use some very small pine cones in one of my BJP page, but I am always afraid that they will eventually break or crumble... Did you use glue for the acorn caps? Your work is very inspiring!!! I found the needle too!
Superb work!!
Anne-Marie (Val-des-Monts, Québec)
To the Queen of Found Object Multi-media BJPs... You've done it again... an exhibition indeed! You just take however long it takes to keep these exquisite pieces coming in their own good time! I'm an expert needle-finder... much practice in my lifetime, so I spotted it right away. It's very obvious in the click-to-enlarge version. Know what I love most about this piece? It's the yarn on the buttons, the little piece of yarn that kept them together in the button jar for lo these many years. That and the snaps and the rusty buckle all say (to me) that old things are important. It relates to the tree as well... Old trees and old things have a place in our lives!
Robin A.
This piece is amazing. Such a lot of different material composed to a beautiful, harmonious whole. So much to discover. Just amazing.
Very magnificent, it will take me a whole month of contemplating it to really appreciate the whole, you keep outdoing yourself. and i just love the colour combo. great work Anne Marie, k.
just gorgeous!
One word...RICH!
I just love how you've worked all these wonderful colors and objects together!!
Oh wow, Anne Marie, you've outdone yourself, or so I think every time you come up with a new BJP! Wow. it's lovely and I really enjoy your method of introducing the pieces....
Help! I can't find the needle. But I do truly enjoy your comment 'another step on the crooked path'. Isn't that a wonderful definition of life?Wonderful piece.
I'm running out of ways to thank you for all your lovely compliments. This work is very rewarding for me, and as such, your words truly hit home!
I'm glad that most of you have found the needle, but if you can't, let me know and I'll give you a few hints! Privately, of course, because I wouldn't want to spoil it for the others.
Robin, you're too funny with that nickname and I couldn't bear to separate the string from those buttons! Old pieces are oh so charming and terribly hard to resist!
Anne-Marie - I coated the acorn caps with a spray fixative (Krylon, Crystal Clear, Acrylic Coating) and then glued them to the background with E6000. They'll never come off! The pinecones may be a little more fragile, but don't be afraid to use them. You know that I wouldn't! I have some larger ones that I've had for at least 15 years, despite my less than respectful treatment of them.
Kaite, contemplate away! I'll be asking you to write an essay at the end of the month. Just kidding, of course, but wouldn't it be fun?
Gorgeous AM! Want to see the triangles now! You're going to have to tell me what BJP is.
i just love how you can take so many objects and make them work together so fabulously. this piece is wonderful! the colors are calming to me...they remind me of the forest too, and i love the forest! so well done!
As usual, your BJP is awesome!!!!Your beadwork is totally amazing.
how cool!! Love the process you documented and how you documented it!!! Great piece!!!
How magical this piece is. All those lovely 'found' and 'gifted' objects placed hither and yon. You've done a beautiful job of gathering all sorts of the special things and putting them into one beautiful place.
never stop exploring! I am enjoying your journey too much!!
~good morning my friend...i am so delighted you and i have crossed paths and will be swapping!! this piece is ethereal beauty...the colors and elements you chose to incorporate are simply gorgeous...i have not really coem across another artist who creates pieces as you have...quite beautiful...warm wishes and brightest blessings~
My friends, belated thanks on your kind comments! I'm so happy that you're enjoying my enchanted forest of dreams!
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