There has been a very interesting discussion on the QA list the last couple of days. I threw my bit in this morning, in response to posts by Terry Grant, Pamela Allen, and Liz Berg, all of whom mentioned emotional or personal content in art. Of all the concepts around art, this one has been the hardest for me to get my arms around. It's come up with my brother in our discussions, and I've never resolved my questions about it. But I think I got some answers I can understand, and that will help me in my own journey, today. And that feels good!
I have been working hard on my rock art piece, which has developed out of the discharging I did with my granddaughter last summer. I think this is the closest I've come to capturing the true color, I've found the discharges to be notoriously difficult to photograph. I'm pleased, I got the black figures to 'pop' the way I wanted, and I achieved the texture in the background I wanted without the distraction of thread color. Now that I've found a monofilament thread I like, I think I'll be finding more ways to use it. (Sew Art thread, the same as Harriet Hargrave uses.) Anyway, here it is, the interior done, only the borders left.
And here's the detail, showing the texture. Believe me, doing the close stippling on this was not easy, I felt like I was sewing blind!
I'm now part of a small crit group, and one of them suggested the hand embroidery around the figures. I wasn't sure, but took a leap of faith, and I'm very happy with how it looks. That pale color is just the "zinger" it needed. I'll be using more of that same thread in the border, doing seed stitching. Once the border is done, I'll be stretching it on stretcher bars. I love how that helps them read like ART.
On a more mundane note, Sadie demanded a walk yesterday, so we hiked up in Spanish Fork Canyon again. This time, I decided to go through a cattle gate and climb up the hill- it was well worth it, though my legs let me know they'd had a workout last night. It was unbelievably warm for mid-November. Here I am in my short sleeve tee as proof--
If you are jealous, have no fear- we are supposed to be in the 40's by Tuesday, with the possibility of snow in the valleys. I have no doubt the skiers are anxious, but me, I am not looking forward to shoveling the driveway.
Sadie probably walks twice the distance I do. She runs ahead, then stops to make sure I'm still following, runs back to me, then ahead again. Even at nine years, she has loads of energy.
Love the colors of the lichen on this scrub oak!!!
Coming back down the hill, I was struck by the black lines of the trees against the red rock in the canyon. Part of the area we hiked burned last summer, and it was an interesting mixture of blackened trees and shrubs, with green grass on the ground.
One last note- I'm still open for takers on pay it forward. Kimmi has taken me up on it, I'd love to have two more.
I hope all of you have a blessed Thanksgiving, with family or friends, or both. Even in adversity, I've learned that we have much to be grateful for.
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