I have hesitated posting any photos of what my studio currently looks like while working on this commission for the church because, well, (oh say it ANNE!)…….it is an utter disaster!
It has been a long time since I worked with Fiber Art—which is what this is—as opposed to liturgical hangings, which are a different type of sewing all together. They basically consist of a small amount of fabric choices, but in large pieces.
This is painting with fabric, and I have bits and pieces absolutely everywhere! Because for every shade, nuance, tone, or shadow, you need a separate fabric. And you have to pull a copious amount of fabric, some that are never used, to have everything out in visual range to make it easier to work.
So I am coming clean and posting some photos…..just so you can appreciate the bedlam I create in every day. I’m not trying to make you feel the need to come help clean up….hee hee! But if you should be so inclined……. ;-D So here we go!
This is just part of the greens pulled for the leaves……some have migrated elsewhere…..they seem to migrate all over…..
My little corner of the world, for some time now…..
Wall miscellaneous….used patterns, sketch, pearls, etc. Patterns are kept until every piece is finished. If anything does not work, the pattern is still there to replace with another piece of fabric.
A close up of some of the *goodies*…….ahem……
Important STUFF. Everything handy, even if it makes sense to no one other than me!
Felt leaves and *nuts* that I cannot wait to start working with!And the fringe? That is what the little balls came from, and it has a good chance of becoming tufts of grass….
The last part of the leaves, sectioned down into workable pattern pieces, in progress. Constant checking for contrast, etc. This was the hardest piece to put together.
And the final pattern sections pinned up. Ladies and Gentlemen, for the most part---We have A TREE!!!
Fiber Art, as I now recall, when done properly, is slow. But I cannot imagine doing this in any other way. It has to live and breathe. It has to have a life of it’s own. To sway in the breeze—to reflect the sun—to be real.
I think I’m getting there.
Pax….
40 comments:
Anne - I cannot imagine. It's like making a stained glass window, only much more complicated - lol! I can only say you have the patience of a saint. Saint Anne. Loverly ring to that! Beautiful work. I am amazed at the detail! xoxo Pam
I don't think they have a patron Saint for the confused and disorganized Pam! The closest I can come is Saint Dympsna (sp?) who is the patron saint of mental illness, and there have been days this has come close! ;D
But, it's coming along good, and the tree makes me happy!
(that's good...right???)
XXOO~~♥
Anne
a) always glad to see someone else's studio look like mine and b) the piece looks amazing! thanks for sharing- this is a process that looks like it take WAY too much planning for me, but i love to see how you do it-
Hey Marianne,
I hate to admit this in public---I really don't plan. I have done this enough that it is more intuitive now. I found that trying to figure it all out ahead of time resulted in nothing working, so I take it one problem at a time and am always thinking in terms of how that fits into the next section....if that makes sense!
XXOO~~♥
Anne
I think your rack for hanging your fabrics on is a great idea!! I had no idea that this wall hanging was as big as it is. Oh my, I would never have the patience to work on something so big!!
WOW! You are just about buried in fabric and more. But, I love having all that stuff around me when I am creating, Anne. Your studio looks as it should ~ an artist at work surrounded by beautiful magical supplies!
I LOVE THE TREE!!! It looks amazing. You are very very very good at this, Anne. It is slow meticulous work but the outcome is WOWZA!!!
♥ audrey
Hey Janet,
This is actually smaller than the banners I made for other churches. It is just the tree had to be the focal point, and perfectly detailed, sooooooo......
That was my grandmother's laundry rack; I need to do some repair on it when I am done, but it is great for holding an abundance of fabric while in the process of working. Everything thing where I can see and grab!
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Oh Audrey---trust me. I have 5 office cabinets full of fabric. Whenever I pull a piece out I live in fear of REALLY getting buried by fabric! HA!
I need to go through it all sometime......*sometime*.....
hahaha! ;D
Not now!
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Wow! We have been following this for such a "long time" that it is wonderful to see the progress. More and more people are getting excited about this and are following your blog to check on the progress, too! I think you are building a new fan base in more ways than one! Thanks for sharing all this with us--yet another form of your artistic expression that blesses all of us,
shalom in grace and peace,
I absolutely loved being taken on this tour and to see how fiber art is done. I don't know if I will ever have the patience but it really was fascinating to see how it's done.
Thank you.
Tallboy,
Does this mean I have to behave on the blog now? Because that would really dampen the content.... ;D
The hanging is coming good--it will be beautiful. It is just that it is *art* and requires more thought than a straight liturgical piece.
I hope everyone will be happy---that is my goal. That they are VERY HAPPY!
Pax my friend....
A.
Hi Rita,
This is a much larger piece than most ever do. Small pieces can be just as effective; don't be discouraged. I love doing small work for myself; I find it can be equally impressive---this is just a large installation and thus, requires about 10 x the thought, work, decisions.
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Wow Anne! This is looking great! I cannot imagine how difficult it is to do a piece of art like this!
Looking forward to seeing it when it is complete!
You go girl! :)
Hi Cathy,
It's mostly hard mentally--the lenght of time having to try and stay *in the zone* for the work is hard. (standing on that step stool after falling in the hole is hard! LOL!)
But it is just coming together nicely and I can *see* the next steps, so I am feeling good about the progress.
And yes, it will be on blog when done!!! :D
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Yeah, yeah, yeah!! You are in the home stretch!! I'm cheering you on from the sidelines. This tree is amazing!!! And when you are all done, you can just lean against its trunk and relax... TSUP!! Silke
oh!!! you are very orgnised !! i can't believe you are able to find yourself among so many material... i would be asking for hepl.
this is fantastic ... lookas like a real place where real things really happens .
again .
wonderful post .
And all this time Silke, I thought they might hang me from it when it was finished! LOL!!!
I'm not bragging, but yes, IT ROCKS!
Cheer, Baby, CHEER!!!! :D
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Oh Caio--
I am so far from organized, it is pitiful! Spent 30 min. trying to find my scissors....
But my fabric, yes, that is all organized by color! Or I never know where to find it.
Thanks for the good words!
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Anne I am absolutely amazed at what I see. This is the closest and only opportunity I have ever had to see such beautiful work going on. You are a genius. There is not way this could be done fast.
QMM
Hey Peggy,
Thank you.
This could not have been done without all the encouragement and kind words from friends---to keep me going and motivated.
Art is always a two way street and I have been blessed with who I have met here on the blog!
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Anne, that is so remarkable and beautiful!!! I tried making a pillow like that once, it is still sitting in my "to do" pile, so doing something that big, hey, really gotta admire you for it!!
Take Care, Ulrike
Hey Ulrike,
You ought to see my *UFO* pile.
I hide it in the cabinet! LOL!!!
When you get hired, you push through.
As for me getting pieces done for myself? Different story! ;)
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Oh wow Anne,
This is absolutely fabulous!
Lurve seeing your work space, Hm, you should see some mess's I get into to!
You're place is pretty neat with heaps of bits and bobs!
Take it easy friend,
Hugs,
Anna
Hey Anna,
I sort of avoided the table that is overflowing....haha! I thought that the mess pertaining to the work was enough.
When this is done, I see a full week of organizing and putting away and trying to find things....oy.
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Holy Crap, Anne!! As my 2 year old grandson, Aiden, would say, "That's freakn' hard!!" I'm really quite impressed with what you're doing...somehow it still looks very organized...kind of like my studio, chaos in organized motion!! LOL
Anyway, lady, looks fabulous...can't wait to see it complete...bet you can't either!! LOL
Love ya,
G
It is organized chaos. Except the chaos is a little heavier than the organized....haha!
Getting closer to things being done in this section; then on to the rest, which has it's own challenges. I'm padding out leaf sections now and smooshing them with the iron, to get them all stuck!
XXOO~~♥
Anne
OMG! The tree is alive!!!! Just beautiful!!!
(big smile!)
Thanks Robbie! I got it all fused today; am ready to shut the studio down for the night and take the felt leaves and *nuts* upstairs and work on them this evening.
I've been dying to stitch them into units, and each will have a bead on the end! ;)
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Here I am, a bit late as usual to be able to view your blog. Your studio looks exactly as it should when you have a project like this going on. I have used those wooden laundry racks before too, they are perfect. Your work looks absolutely fabulous, it is coming along so great. I'm glad you are getting closer to having it finished. I mean, fun is fun but being done is good too. Hey, is that some kind of a poem? Fun is fun but get it dun...Okay, I will go now and leave you to play with your nuts;-) Oh, is that some melted tyvek stuff I see hanging on the wall? It looks rather like some long pearl like bits. Cool.
Anne, this is amazing. I am in awe of the enormous size of this hanging. This tapestry is a masterpiece! This is the first time I have truly grasped the enormity of this project and I might say, I have a newfound admiration for what you do. This is great!
I spy some cans of spray starch! I love ironing!
I'm so glad I crawled out of my sick bed to check a few blogs.
Wow, this is beyond phenomenal!!
My jaw is on the floor!
Superb Anne, really.
~♥Lolo♥~
Hey Jan,
I just need to stay on the computer later! I've been so tired, have been cutting out early in the evening.
That wood laundry rack is a lifesaver---makes it so easy to keep the fabrics in order. Also great when working with strips!
Off to the salt mines..... ;)
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Hey Ces,
Yes, it is BIG! The previous photos did not reflect that, so I thought it would be fun to pair it with the other things around for perspective.
Oh spray starch! LOL! I could not live without it for the fiber work or for ironing my jeans, shirts, etc. The only one I use is the Faultless Heavy---perfect!
I hoard it---I am never sure when I can find it! ha!
TSUP!!♥
Anne
Lolo!
Stay in bed and get well!!!!
All this blog stuff? It will still be here! ;)
Hope you're feeling better soon.....
XXOO~~♥
Anne
OMGoodness OMGoodness OMGoodness! What a beautiful, organized mess! How you do this boggles my mind.
**head spins and pops off** Unbelievable. Really. **kisses** Deb
My head popped off when I first saw this. I put it back on only to realize a little while later that I had put on Deb's head instead. Let me tell you, it is NICE to look like Deb for a while!
My GOODNESS, Anne! I was utterly speechless! This is HUMONGO! And such an incredible undertaking. You have an incredible amount of patience and enough strategizing and foresight to become a master chess player, I'm sure. WHOAAAAA! Can't wait to see the little nuts hanging. And WOW, so much grass area to cover. I am in complete awe and bow down to you. Bow. Bow. Bow. Bow.
I am so PROUD to be mooned by you!
Now girls, get your heads back on the right bodies....okay? It takes so little to confuse me at my age.... ;)
I have to admit on the grass area, there will be large parts left without much other than a wash as there is Psalm text that will fill one side; want the emphasis to remain on the tree and creek.
And I do want to get the next step firm in my head before jumping in....there is no *correcting*.
XXOO~~♥
Anne
Fantastic work- this is utterly gorgeous! And huge! Can't wait to see it finished (I'm sure you feel the same!).
I am late on this post, this is absolutely outstanding that tree is jumping out so real and alive. You are a true artist. Love it.
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