Saturday, January 13, 2007

Setsubun-New Shoes for the Festival


Hi Everyone, I'm posting my 12x12x12 piece now because it's as done as I can get it with all that's going on right now. I am definitely using this as a learning experience of what to do and what not to do...I am not sure what the next pieces will bring but I am sure that there are a couple of things I will not do. found that for a piece this size-I didn't like the fused effect. It's o.k. for smaller things like post cards and trading cards but I really must say I like a finished edge. I am having a little trouble with the concept of loosening up too. It's a small piece and I just fussed over stuff. It reminded me of when I was a young girl and test taking. I was a great student except when it came to taking tests. When I have more time and am more comfortable with this I think I will have more fun too.
Anyway, this is my interpretation of Setsubun -around Feb 2nd the Japanese celebrate Setsubun- It is a celebration of spring and renewal. I cut up and manipulated a photo-copy of a Hiroshige woodblock print. It is really much larger. I used it because I had this wonderful Bali fabric that I've used for the binding and it looked almost exactly like the water in the print. Inside the store, I used a couple of sweet, actual wooden zori that I found at the craft store. There was a little Kimono there too and so in it went. Cherry blossoms are very representative of this festival and so I included these -known as Sakura. I sewed lines into the flooring to make it look more like wood and had planned to use my Aquarelle pencils to make wood grain but I have just run out of time and hope to do that when I get back from our trip.
On my next piece, I plan to do something that more reflects actual handwork which is sorely missing on this piece. This is really about collage and, not that I don't plan to do that(it's fun) I wanted to put more of my own handwork into a layout rather than using photocopied art as a background. It feels like cheating. Of course, as soon as I was finished, I thought of a thousand things I could have done differently.
Anyway-I hope you all like it and I'll do better soon. I'm so impressed with the work that has been posted. You women are so talented and it makes me proud to be in such good company.I can't get over how lovely the things are that I've seen posted the past few days. Real artists are present here in the Quilt Studio.

4 comments:

Kay said...

I think you're too apologetic about this. By manipulating the photo and giving it your setting you made it yours, so I don't think it's cheating. Also, maybe because I've done traditional sewing and needlework of all kinds for so many years, I am more interested in work that isn't all about the technique but about using fabric in new ways. You did that. That said, I know how you feel about finished edges and fussing over things because I do the same. If it makes you feel better, zig zag or buttonhole around the edges. :)

You're an artist too, by the way!

Melody Johnson said...

Excellent, and so Asian in composition, even without the imagery being obviously Asian. I love this.

Leave the edges alone. Fabric frays, so what? That's the difference between fabric and paper.

Debra Dixon said...

I am not a big fuser, either, & I like a bit of a traditional finish to my edges so do what is comfortable to you. but, I thought the photo imagery was very clever & not cheating at all--innovative.

You must loosen up -- I do believe you are way too hard on yourself. The plan is to have fun!

Anonymous said...

I love this!! It looks as if you have not done any quilting on it which does give it a more finished look. I, of course, amd perfectly happy with the unfinished edge, as you know.

Don'e be so hard on yourself.