Nellie"s Needles

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

My Irish Eyes Are Smiling!

Yesterday I made the BIG decision to create another installation.  Today  my Irish eyes are smiling because I mapped out a plan and made a mock up for a huge lake piece.

"The Lake"  -  7' x 9'
To do this I used the image of Lake #1, the first quilt in my 100 lake piece series.  That one got chosen because the installation piece will have beach grass growing in the foreground.  I printed two photographs of Lake#1 on a heavy matte paper.
Then I figured out the scale for each piece that represents a panel based on their being mounted onto mounted canvas foundations that measure 20"x 16".  Originally, I had done a layout for the twenty canvas frames that I purchased on sale earlier this year with just a thought towards this project.
The foreground pleases me. I like that the edge of the water breaking on the shore falls at the space between panels.  These panels will be framed with the same soft-edge finish of couched yarns as I had done for "Prairie Performance".  The horizon line between sky and lake needed to fall well away from the space between the top two rows in order to be defined as such.  The area that's left became lake.
I want more lake!  So ... I printed out a photo of one of my other lake pieces, cut it up,  and inserted another row of lake in the center.

I got out my oil stick pastels to blend as well as to define elements so the eye flows across the whole piece.  I'm really happy with what I see.  Tomorrow I begin preparing the foundations for twenty-five panels.  These will count toward my goal of making 100 lake pieces - beginning with #69 and ending with #93.  No, make that #94.  I just remembered my plan to compose every twenty-fifth piece with the cut-offs from the previous twenty-four quilts.

mmmm.... that means with the completion of this project, just five more quilts PLUS the 75th one made up from the cutoffs and the 100th one made-up from the cut-offs of #'s 76 thru 99.

13 comments:

Merry said...

Oh wow...I can't wait to see this venture grow. I already think it is fantastic.

Maggey and Jim said...

That is a lovely scene.. Great job, looks so real.
Maggey

Joyce said...

It's going to be amazing. Where will it hang?

Magpie's Mumblings said...

You are amazing and so too is this piece going to be! As for the complicated math about counting the lake pieces...it's over my head (and I can't swim!)

Unknown said...

There you go! I had a feeling the lake needed to be done as a large piece. Love it!! Is this one a commision as well? I know it is going to be stunning!

Heather said...

This is going to be another masterpiece Nellie. I would be completely daunted by such a large piece of work, but I suppose tackling it in sections makes it more manageable. Looking forward to seeing it's progress.

Unknown said...

Mind boggling! The whole planning of it, the execution, the . . . way over my head. I was just wondering a couple of days ago what your next large piece might be and now I know. The journey of what is already marvelous will be exciting.

Kay said...

You are ambitious! I too am curious about the final destination of this. It should be stunning.

Mermaid's Purse said...

I like more lake too ........... it's wonderful!

Barbara Strobel Lardon said...

After seeing Prairie Performance I
was thinking how beautiful your Lake Series would look in this size too.
I love seeing more lake in this as well. So now you will once again be busy at the lake house this summer!

Beverly said...

All I can say is OMG!! It will be stunning, I have no doubt- but I'm curious to know where it will hang.

Libby Fife said...

We all want to know where it is going! The lake is a good subject for this piece.

Helen said...

Just gorgeous!!! I can almost feel the spray from the water rushing in!