When things get busy, the busier I get.........

This is the fabric collage art Quilt that I just finished. I came in just under the deadline wire on this one. I am really pleased because I kept on stitiching till it told me that I was done. At other times I might not have pushed myself quite as hard to make the deadline. This piece had me in it's grip and would not let me quit. The title of this piece is "As Color Returns".

I have just been told that it has juried in to the "Viewpoints" National Show at the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts that will hang in March!! I am so excited! According to the Curator of the gallery, the Juror was quite tough and only accepted 39 pieces for this show. I am very honored to have my work chosen.

Every year at about this time, I start dreaming of Spring. I start wandering in the garden looking for signs of renewed growth. Are any of the bulbs planted last fall peeking out of the cold soil yet, are any of the buds ont he tree's starting to swell? Last week Becca noticed a huge flock of Robins in our yard scratching around amoung the leaf litter looking for bugs to eat. This is quite early for the robins to be showing up- a definate sign that Spring will be here in Virginia soon. Yet here I sit looking out at snow and ice......
Last year I took the photo that I used in this collage of new ferns emerging and unfurling to greet the warm air. I printed the photo on fine cotton and then stitched it to the background of woven found fabrics. The fabrics include a lovely soft raw silk, linen, rusted cotton and handprinted cotton that was then rusted. I tea and coffee dyed some of the cottons and a linen from a damask table cloth.
I have been inspired to create a collage in fabrics after seeing some of artist Jude Hill's amazing Slow Cloths and reading several of her articles in Cloth Paper Scissors. Looking at her pieces reminded me of simple weavings like potholders and rag rugs. Many of us who are still working with textiles, cut our fabric teeth on the square metal potholder frames and the accompaning bag of loops. As I was putting the background piece together I kept thinking of simple stitching projects and how those beginings in fiber works have led me here.

Once the background was together the stitching began and it was almost hard to stop. It really became a beloved project, one that I looked forward to sitting down to at every opportunity.

I have already started writing down ideas and sketching out plans for several more collages. Some will have much more color than this one but beyond that we will have to wait and see.

I will be back soon to share some of the other projects that have kept me running and creating lately. I have lots to share! Hopefully this snow that I am looking at will melt and reveal some new signs of Spring!!! Fingers Crossed!!!