October 19, 2011

Purple Meadow Rue

Purple Meadow Rue
30" x 30"

Purple Meadow Rue is a wildflower that is used in the production of anticancer drugs.  I made this for a special cancer survivors exhibit at a local hospital.  It will also travel to Auburn for an exhibit later on.  This piece has special meaning for me as I lost my mom to cancer over 28 years ago.  If only a treatment were available then to help her.  It is my hope that the viewers of this quilt see the peace and hope that I want it to convey.  It is machine appliqued, machine quilted and I used fabric paints.  The Purple Meadow Rue is not an easy flower to depict in fabric.  It sometimes grows 6 feet tall with long, purple stalks.  

October 18, 2011

Still in Shock!

Landscape 11-1

My quilt, Landscape 11-1, was chosen for part of the permanent collection of the Art Museum at Michigan State University.  It is part of the SAQA "This is a Quilt" trunk show that is currently traveling.  It will travel until 2013 and then reside at the museum as part of their collection.  My artist statement is below:

A walk in the woods inspired me to create this art quilt.  I decided the best way to interpret my memory of the many earthy colors was by the use of paints on fabric combined with quilting stitches to give it definition.  The background fabric was the previous result of randomly painting, stamping and mono printing over a commercial fabric.  As I looked at the fabric, I could see a forest background with a stream running through it.  I painted a few more greens and added some brown grasses.  The trees are painted on white PFD fabric using acrylic mixed with fabric medium and appliqued to the background using raw applique and machine stitching. 

Doing cartwheels and happy dances.  : )
Vivian : )