I hope you didn’t think I forgot about my circus tent. I worked on that as well, but find my body is getting in the way of that project, too.
Here’s the drawing.
Here’s what I submitted for the blocking after I made a few modifications. Yes, that’s an ant in the upper left corner. I have no idea where it came from.
My aim was to do mirror images of the tent, with one being a ghost of the other. I cut out 2 copies of my drawing on freezer paper with an Xacto knife. One I ironed to the fabric and the other I ironed to red felt with fusible attached. Then I cut out the spaces. I’m sure that didn’t help my hands and arms.
I had planned to do the ghost image with Paintstiks, using the freezer paper cutout as a mask. Elizabeth had other thoughts, however. Here are her exact words and spellings. I think she’s turned off spellcheck.
“These are amazaing I really like these cut outs. I think what I would do is a row of three of them…all the same way up – could be marquues one way, footed vessels the other way doesnt matter.
I don’t think I’d make ghost images either…these are beautiful in and of themselves…but a row of three would be more of a statement than two together like this. I’m glad they’re not fused down because I find the back ground a little wimpy…Try three bold saturated colors….think of Andy Warhol’s Marilyns …..and once you have these shapes fused onto the backgrounds – I don’t think you need to do anything more. don’t fuss with them…they’re strong enough to stand alone – place them on squares by the way – 3 brilliant squares in a row…you could go with 3 neon colors, or with red and white (red behind white and v.v.) or one deep rich color – say a midnight blue – behind all three.
Bold clear elegant simple!”
I went ahead and made the ghost image separately just because I wanted to see how it would come out.
Then I tried out the red felt cut out on top of several pieces of bright silk I had. Despite the reflection off the silk, the deep purple really sets off the red.
Just to refresh your memory, here’s one version of Warhol’s Marilyns.
The Snarky Quilter 
I rather like the ghostly one, personally. I think the contrast when you put the multiple images together will be quite interesting. As for your hands, if there is a good acupuncturist nearby, you might try treatment. I was starting to develop carpel tunnel some years ago, and it really helped.
I’m now working on expanding the ghost, though it’s quite tentative. I’d need to ask around about a local accupunturist as they’re not thick on the ground in northeast Ohio.
I love the way the lines and spaces interact with each other, and look like they are continuations of each other, yet they are independent; and each is interesting in its own right. So many little variations but unified too. It reminds me of the lines of a shell or a skeletonized leaf, very organic. As with most of your pieces, it draws my attention for much longer than most pieces do!
What a lovely compliment. I was thinking of Art Nouveau when I developed the shape – probably too much Antiques Road Show.
Ha! I WISH you would do the logos for Antiques Road Show, I would like them a lot better! 🙂
And oh, I was going to link this set of paintings. Some are strong and some are ghostly. Makes me wonder if there is a combination that works, too.
http://hyperallergic.com/285645/fresh-geometry-gary-stephan-and-alina-tenser/
I really like Sides 2/3/4 of Stephan’s work. The whole installation is a great example of what can be done with variations on a few themes. Of course, I’ve never heard of any of the artists mentioned in the article. Thanks for making this connection for me.
I like them both, differently. The vivid colors will be “stronger” to be sure. The ghost image invites me to look more deeply, to wonder where the tent flap is so I can go in…
Sorry your hands are so uncomfortable. I expect that is discouraging as well as painful.
Thanks for your healing thoughts. My hands are Ok as long as I do absolutely nothing with them. My husband has put me under orders not to sew until mid April. Yes, he is a professional. The idea is to get them healed.
Very cool–I never imagined it coming out like this! With all due respect to your teacher, are you allowed to ignore her direction and go your own way? Or is the point of this instruction, basically, that you’ve made a commitment to follow her advice?
Of course she can be ignored. The idea is to get an outside opinion with suggestions for improvements. On this piece, however, I’m planning to have it both ways – a bold set of multiple images (I’m happy to use my silks for this,) and a ghost image with a subdued palette. Of course, I need to regain the use of my arms/hands before I do any of it. My guess is that further cutting into felt is a ways off as that is hard on my hands.