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Back update: I saw the Doc this afternoon, and he feels that it is just a muscle strain in my upper back. I am to continue icing 3 times a day and double up on the Advil. I am going to try some stretching exercises to loosen up my tight muscles. I am thinking of getting a massage appointment tomorrow if I can.
Some really good news — I sold my first quilt off the website last night. Square Dance is going to live in Astoria, NY. The buyer found me through Lisa’s blog.
This morning Terry, June and I had our crit group. I took my Fragments piece. Overall, I got very high marks, but they suggested some design changes that I agree with so I will be doing a little tweaking. Terry showed us a beautiful mandala quilt from 2004 that is quite large and uses her special fusing technique so that it looks pieced, but is not. June had a gorgeous whole cloth painted landscape from her artisit in residence at John Day Fossil Beds. It was quite wonderful.
I am still sorting beads (almost finished!)
A few days ago, Brenda of Serendipity Patchwork posted about the book “Landscape in Contemporary Quilts” by Ineke Berlyn. The cover shouted Ton Schulten, the Dutch landscape painter, whose work I love. So, I went directly to Amazon to order it and of course the Amazon wizard who knows me too well, suggested that I might like the “Quilt Visions 2006.” On the cover is Patty Hawkins piece which I love. Her Aspen quilts have always inspired me.
On the cover of Ineke’s book, you can see the Ton Schulten look alike quilt and inside, I found that she had indeed been inspired by his work. She pieces the landscapes from vintage and home decorator fabrics. The trees are fused on afterward. This is not the only style of landscape in the book. I found that so many of the landscapes in the book coud have come out of my head – I mean things I have thought about and haven’t done. Does this happen to any of you? For instance, look at this felted landscape – so lovely with the stitching. It is what I have wanted to do with the roving I bought in the fall.
I find myself drawn to so many styles of work that sometimes I don’t know where to start. I really loved many of the quilts in the Quilt Visions show that use cool surface design techniques like discharge, shibori and digital images printed on fabric.
We are having some nice sun breaks and spring is in the air. I am getting used to the new time. If I can work through the back pain, I will be back in the studio tomorrow.
Boy, sorry to read about your back. I twisted something in my lower back last fall and occasionally it still bothers me, but nothing so bad as what you’re going through. On the other hand, great news about your sale!
How exciting about the sell of your quilt!!!!!!!!! Do you know if the person is a collector of quilts?
I have the landscapes book also, but as of yet, really haven’t worked any of the exercises (so typical for me). I said I’m not buying anymore books until I really use the ones I already have well. I really have everything I need, I just need to “work”…such a unique concept 🙂
Congratulations on selling your first quilt from the website! May it be a portent of good things!
I remember discovering Tom Schulten when someone posted a link on Quiltart; it may have been you, Gerri. It was a year or so ago, I think, and I fell in love with his landscapes.
Helloooooo!
Just dropping by to check on your back. Am glad to know that you may even have a massage to loosen up those tight muscles! Treat yourself, kiddo!
I’m always dreaming about the next project and the next and the next, especially when I am out walking. Poor C, when we walk together: I NEVER talk to him because I’m off in dreamland. Oh well, it could be worse!
Congrats on your quilt sale! WooHoo For You!!!
xo
I have been fortunate enough to take 2 short classes with Ineke and she is the most lovely person.
The first one was making a fabric postcard and this week it was creating a small picture.
I was also able to see 2 of her wwinning quilts at Birmingham Quilt show last August. They were very inspiring. Her technique is so simple but so effective and anyone can try it.
She is working on a new book!
I love to read about your art and your family. I love Portland having spent 7 weeks there in 1988 at the end of a year in the US with my family.
Susan
You said: I found that so many of the landscapes in the book coud have come out of my head – I mean things I have thought about and haven’t done. Does this happen to any of you?…
Oh yes, indeed! It used to worry me a great deal, could I go ahead and finish something or should I ditch it completely? And there is no copyright on the natural world, which is where most of my inspiration comes from, so I’ve stopped worrying. Now I tell myself that because someone else has come up with a similar idea and published it just means they have applied themselves a little harder than I have (ie. I’m lazy!). I’m not a big presence on the quilt art scene, so it’s unlikely to cause problems, and I’m not doing any of this to make a name for myself, but simply because I enjoy it. I started sketching some ideas for a Ton Schulten inspired piece when I first ‘found’ him some years ago, if I ever finish it, no doubt there will be some who will assume I’ve been inspired by Ineke B’s beautiful book. How do you deal with it, drop the idea, change it or forge ahead?