"Painted Flowers"

The studies of Monet's flowers about which I previously posted led to the making of this art piece. The best photograph I have of it is a collage I had put together of photos taken of each section. Most of the photos presented here are digital images taken of those photographs.

Painted Flowers - 78"x57"- 2003

These are the materials I used to create it. The basket on the left contains silk flowers plus silky and silk fabrics. Behind it is a bag of silk leaves. The center basket has wool roving and yarn. Propped up on that basket is a bag of silk threads that were shed from the edges of cut yardage. These were saved by my mother-in-law when she cut silk fabric in her shop. On the far right is a wicker basket of tulle netting.
This large quilt is constructed in pieces. Finished sections were laid in position next to the one I worked on. In the upper right of this photo is the one I'm assembling in reference to the other two pieces.

Each section is machine quilted. I used Monet's name in script just as I had on the third study. The two sections butted together on the left are quilted while the the one slipped under them on the right is not. Quilting changes not only the physical texture, but the visual one as well.
Here's another example. This is the upper left corner section before it was layered with tulle netting and quilted.
This is an isolated photo taken after the quilt was completed. To view photos of each completed section of the large quilt, click on the album for "Painted Flowers" in the sidebar.
Here is a detail of the quilted piece.
And a detail photo of the border.
I hand-painted yardage for the backing.
As I mentioned, the piece was made in sections. These sections were butted together and sewn with a wide machine zig-zag stitch. Narrow strips of fabric were blind-stitched by machine over those zig-zag seams on the the back. Wider strips of a mossy green fabric were sewn in the same way over the seams on the front.
"Painted Flowers" was purchased for this conference room. The man who bought it had reluctantly come to the quilt show with his wife. The art quilts in the show astounded him ... and he absolutely had to have this one. He stated that he only wanted "soft" art in the newly constructed building for which he bought this piece plus another from the show.

2003 Smoky Mountain Quilt Guild Show awards:
-Dogwood Arts Festival Choice
-3rd Place in Large Art Category

Of special note: Paula has posted about this piece and her take on my art over on her blog, Self-taught Artist. I'm overwhelmed and honored.

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