My summer silhouette marks a number of departures from the prior two embroideries: first, it is a less dense all-over pattern than the others; and second, I put down a base layer rather than just starting to fill in the head space. Finally I changed the title from "Inside the Gardener's Head" to "Gardening in my Head."
For this portrait the first layer was composed of random pieces of silk in a variety of green shades along with a fragment of mauve silk.
Then coneflowers were stitched on top of this "leaf" layer using twisted strips of hot pink chiffon. The centers of the flowers are masses of different beads. I stitched the beads virtually top of each other for a dimensional effect that would be as dramatic as the petals yet texturally quite different.
The exhibit at Olbrich includes a variety of types of fiber pieces like the one below, "Noah's Ark" by Donna Freiman.
At the opening reception on Oct. 30, I had a chance to meet artists whose work was new to me and I also saw lots of old friends which made the evening even more special.
I'm discussing my group of silhouette portraits with Jane LaFlash of the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society (above and below).
That is summer in the gardener's head -- like a party!
Posted by: Cindy at enclos*ure | Monday, November 04, 2013 at 12:59 AM
What fun. I love the bead work. It makes the piece seem so lively.
Posted by: Lisa at Greenbow | Monday, November 04, 2013 at 05:22 AM