Getting From Concrete To Abstract

Many art quilters seem to struggle with creation of abstract work, whether from scratch or from a recognizable photo or drawing.  Even if you don’t want a totally nonrepresentational piece, abstracting can help simplify and strengthen your design.

To work on my abstracting skills I signed up for Lyric Kinard’s Abstract-a-licious online course. To quote Lyric, ” Lessons consist of  concrete design exercises that are clear and easily understood as well as ample encouragement from an award winning teacher. You don’t need to have drawing or design skills as this course is designed to inspire and teach  both the timid beginner and the confident creative.”

The course consists of five play exercises that use pencil, paper, and scissors. There’s no projects involved. So far we’ve done three lessons. The emphasis is on using design principles to develop abstract designs.

First class lesson, unit 1, sketches with line only.

Second lesson, unit 1, adding value to line.

Third class lesson, unit 1, rearranging elements of iron sketch and adding color.

Lesson 2, unit 2, abstract of Degas painting with color added. Lesson 1 was to abstract the painting.

Lesson 1, unit 3, line doodles. I did several.

Lesson 2, unit 3, shaded doodles.

Lesson 3, unit 3, fabric versions of a doodle.

Extra: Fabric doodles with organza overlays.

Once I complete the remaining units I’ll let you know how it all went.

I’m linking this post to Off The Wall Fridays.

Artistic Endeavors – Just Dance

Fred Astaire. Restored by Nick & Jane for Dr. Macro’s High Quality Movie Scans Website: http://www.doctormacro.com. Enjoy!

I have shortchanged dance in this feature, so I want to remedy that by featuring a seven minute montage of dance moves from about 300 movies.

If you’re movie obsessed, you can track which movies the clips come from, thanks to the list on Open Culture’s post. What a mashup – Blazing Saddles, The Deerhunter, Pulp Fiction, A Hard Days Night, and Groundhog Day all have their moments.

If You Love Vintage Quilts

and live in northeast Ohio, then be sure to visit the Summit County Historical Society‘s Perkins Mansion and see the Society’s quilts on display during October. The special exhibit, called Patterns of History: Quilts of the Summit County Historical Society, will be displayed in the Perkins Stone Mansion, John Brown House and the Carriage House.

Single Irish Chain

If you want to preview the exhibit and enjoy some appetizers and desserts at the same time, then come to the preview party on Monday, October 1, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available from the Society or at Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preview-party-for-patterns-of-history-quilts-tickets-50086500070.

1870s embroidered tied quilt

I’ve helped inventory the society’s quilts and coverlets, so I know there are some gems.

Artistic Endeavors – Aboriginal Art

Because Australia’s Aboriginal people have no written language, they told about their culture through stories and symbols and icons. Traditionally paintings by Aboriginals were drawn on rock walls, ceremonial articles, as body paint and most significantly drawn in dirt or sand together with songs or stories.  Artwork we see today on canvas and board commenced merely 50 years ago, according to this article on Artlandish. Roughly the same story is told on this art gallery’s website.

In the 1930s Arboriginal artists such as Albert Namatjira painted watercolors of desert landscapes near Alice Springs.

Until the 1970s watercolor was the medium used in commercial Aboriginal art. Then, Geoffrey Bardon,  a school teacher, noted that storytellers would draw pictures in the sand while telling stories. He encouraged them to paint their pictures on canvas.

Since then Australian Aboriginal Art has been identified as the most exciting contemporary art form of the 20th Century. Aboriginal Artists need permission to paint particular stories.

They inherit the rights to these stories which are passed down through generations within certain skin groups. An Aboriginal artist cannot paint a story that does not belong to them through family.

Aboriginal art differs in character and style depending from which region the artist is from and what language is spoken.  Most contemporary art can be recognised from the community where it was created.

Dreamtime or Jukurrpa and Tingari (the term varies according to their particular local language) is the translation of the Creation of time for the Aboriginal People.  Most Aboriginal Artists paint facets of their Dreaming which forms a share of their inheritance and identity.

This is the ancient story of the Milky Way and the Seven Sisters (Pleiades). This Dreaming was inherited by Gabriella from her mother, handed down to her from her paternal grandmother, Long Rose, given to Gabriella by her father.

aerial view used by some artists

indigenous painters at work

In May 2007 the first piece of indigenous art sold for more than $1 million –  Emily Kame Kngwarreye’s work ‘Earth’s Creation’ to a private buyer for $1.056 million.

The market for such art has helped strengthen Aboriginal culture and provided much needed boosts to local economies. Aboriginal designs can be found in cotton fabrics sold online and in quilt shops.

Art Nouveau Rococo

A while ago I blogged about a silk piece based on a tissue paper design I made for use with organza. Because the design features stylized curves I thought the design had an art nouveau flavor, but the flamboyance of the finished work led me to call it Rococo.

I had the quilting done by Janice Kiser, a local longarm quilter who has an affinity for curves. Here are details of her quilting.

The batting is wool, which gives a 3D effect to the petals. Rococo finished at 30 by 35 inches, and has a faced edge.

I’m surprised at the amount of silk fabric I still have, so I need to design more projects for it. While I love its sheen, I find it a bit finicky and in need of backing before sewing with it.

Linked this post to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/2018/09/finding-inspiration-off-wall-friday.html.

Artistic Endeavors – Illustrated Books

Many books are illustrated, from medieval manuscripts to children’s picture books. However, not that many illustrations feature books themselves.

Jungho Lee won the 2016 World Illustration Awards for his dreamy, surrealistic work.

Jungho Lee: Promenade

The professional class winner, Jungho Lee, who also hails from South Korea was commissioned by Sang Publishing to produce a series of book illustrations for Promenade, making use of graphite and charcoal overlaid with textured papers scanned and composited to create beautifully muted, minimal landscapes.

“Jungho Lee’s picture book is distinguished not just because of his outstanding technique, but great imagination. I think this is why the jury chose his book as the overall winner,” says Daehyun Kim, Book category judge. https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/40th-annual-world-illustration-awards-040816

He bills himself as an artist who has worked as an illustrator since 2007. I know that illustration is viewed as the bastard child of art by those who deem it unworthy of fine art, but yet I see far more than literal interpretations of written work in the finest illustrations. As a book lover I’m drawn to Jungho Lee’s inventive use of books in his works.

May Sound More Impressive Than It Actually Is

Occasionally I like to send my creations out into the world of quilt shows. Recently I submitted Torii Traces to a national show, and it was accepted. A few days ago I received emails from the show organizer that encourage me to blow my own horn and, not incidentally, do a bit of marketing for the show.

First, the quilt.

Next, the press release I can share with my local media.

“Local Quilter Accepted into Pennsylvania National Quilt Competition

NEW HOPE, Pennsylvania – Quilt artist Joanna Mack from Akron, OH has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Quilt Competition at the 2018 Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza (PNQE). The renowned event, produced by Mancuso Show Management, Inc., will be held at the Great Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, September 13-16.

Following acceptance by the competition’s jury, Mack’s quilt, Torii Traces, will be displayed at the show along with other entries from across the U.S. Winners will be selected at the show, and publicized on the show’s website starting Thursday, September 13, 2018. Quilt and textile art enthusiasts will have the opportunity to view Mack’s quilt among the other magnificent quilts exhibited at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza, September 13-16, 2018.”

There’s more, but it’s about Mancuso Show Management, not me. I do love the sound of “quilt artist.”

Finally, I received a button to share on my social media. Please don’t ask what it means to be a finalist, as I don’t know. I think it means simply my quilt was juried into the show.

Now, Mancuso Show Management seems to do a good job with its shows. I’ve had no issues whatsoever with them. I just get depressed at all the efforts put into branding everything and everyone on social media. Maybe my brand should be

I’ve link up to Off The Wall Fridays.

 

Artistic Endeavors – Yves Saint Laurent Exhibit

I’ll not weigh in on whether fashion can be considered a fine rather than “just” a decorative art, but I will share a gallery of the Yves Saint Laurent creations exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The 2017 exhibit, called Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style, was drawn from the archives of the Fondation Pierre Bergé—Yves Saint Laurent and other private collections. In addition to haute couture and ready to wear clothing, it included accessories, photographs, drawings, films, and video from the Fondation’s archive. Saint Laurent’s hit parade included the trapeze dress; the Mondrian dress; and garments, such as the safari jacket, the pantsuit, and the tuxedo, that liberated women from strict gender dress codes. That liberation made its way down the female clothing design chain, and in my mind is Saint Laurent’s enduring legacy.

The trapeze dress from 1958.

Dress from 1966

Coat from 1970. Back says “or never.”

Trio of dresses. Could the middle figure be a Blue (Wo)Man Group member?

smoking jacket from 1966

There are several other photo galleries on the ArtDaily website that you might enjoy perusing as well.