"Interpret This" Group Wrap Up

My year of "IT" challenge pieces

Over this past weekend each of us members in the "Interpret This" online group wrote a final post summarizing our participation in this year long challenge to interpret a photograph each month.  Go here to read an overview of what the challenge entailed.  Then scroll down to read the individual posts.  It's interesting to see the particular piece each of us chose as the one that best exemplifies our year's work and to read about discoveries (both personal and technique-wise) as well as how this experience impacts current or future work.  The comments at the end of each post makes for an interesting read, as well.

If ever you receive an invitation to participate in a group that offers the opportunity to stretch outside your comfort zone, I advise you to take it.  It's a chance to go in directions that you may have not considered if it weren't for the challenge from an outside source.  I'm glad I accepted this one.

PS:  One of the members, Karen, had to withdraw due to time constraints.  Go here to see her submissions.

Moon River - IT Reveal

 Moon River - 13"x 17"

fabric, netting, yarn,

oil stick pastels, paints,

machine stitching

There were a couple of events that led me to the idea of interpreting Barbara's photo of weeds along the Mullet River in Plymouth, Wisconsin under moonlight.

One was the winter solstice in mid-December and the other was this piece that was the result of "just playing" (read about it here) earlier that same month.

Moonlit - 11"x 16"

Reveals of the final challenge for this particular Interpret This group began yesterday and continues through Saturday (three each day).  Go here to see all the pieces inspired by that one photo and to read the process of how mine was created.

Interpret This - November Reveal

It was a struggle for me to get started with this one.  This photo of a cottage in Sissinghurst, England. features an idyllic setting that is almost too perfect ... too idyllic ... too pretty.

After much study of the photo and a lot of pondering, I found it was  the patina of the aged wood that very much appealed to me.

Narrowing my focus to feature just the door let me get "into" composing a piece to meet the challenge... let me enjoy the journey of interpretation.

"Door of Yore" - 13" x 17"

fabric, tulle, oil stick pastels,

water color pencils, pastels,

and yarns

Go here to read the details of the process and techniques I used to create this piece ,,,, as well as see the results of the other members interpretations.  There will be 3 reveals on 3 days beginning with today.

"Interpret This" October Reveals Begin

Saratoga Spring Fountain

13"x 17"

fabric, wool roving, yarns,

tulle netting, oil stick pastels

My interpretation of Judith's chosen photo for the "Interpret This" blog is the second one to be revealed today.

Go here to see more detailed photos and process details for this piece as well as to see Barbara's, which was the first reveal posted this morning. There will be reveals by the blog members each day through the 30th.

Interpret This - October Teaser

It's time to be doing more than just thinking about what I'm going to do with this month's challenge photo submitted by Judith for our online "Interpret This" group.

I'm still thinking about this one.  However, cropping will very much be a part of it ...

... and not necessarily what I've pictured here.

Interpret This - September

"Nelliephant" - 23"x 17"

fabric, tulle, yarn

oil stick pastels, watercolor pencils, ink

Go to the IT link to read more about my interpretation of this photo of a fence in Indonesia taken by Debra.

PS:  ArtPrize News!  At this point in time my entry, "The Lake" is one of the top 100 vote getters!  Woo Hoo!

Interpret This - August Result

"Under the Bridge" 13" x 17"

Fabric, tulle, mono filament thread,

oil stick pastels, inkjet printing

Even though my life has been hectically full for the last two months, this challenge piece had been in my mind often.  It was physically begun and finished in one day.  Go here to read about the process to create it, as well as to see all the other interpretations of this photograph submitted by Beverly of "Fiberhart"

June Challenge for "Interpret This"

On The Forest Floor - 17" x 13"

Where this beautiful blue butterfly was photographed by Karen was the  first and strongest thought in my mind, for I have walked in  a few of the Forest Preserves that thread through the suburb's  of Chicago. That initial thought wouldn't leave my head so I took on the challenge of portraying the forest floor.

I've posted about the "groundwork" that began with the green scraps I set aside while digging through my bags for pieces to make waves on my BIG lake quilt.

 Click here to go to the "Interpret This" blog to read the rest of my story.  Be sure to check out the other interpretations of this same photo.  Six have been posted prior to mine and there will be another this afternoon and two more tomorrow.

June "IT" Groundwork

I've laid the groundwork for my interpretation of this month's photo for the Interpret This group's challenge.

It began with setting aside scraps of green fabric while digging for blue ones to make waves.  Speaking of blue, how about that butterfly in this photo taken by Karen of Threadstory.

Now I'm excited about adding the next layers to finish in time for my reveal on June 29th.  Click on the IT link at the top of this post to see the other members teasers for this challenge.

Spring Bouquet - May "IT" Challenge

Spring Bouquet (13"x 17")

The "Interpret This" challenge photo for May was chosen by Libby of Creative Endeavors.

 My interpretation of Libby's photo is limited to the end of one branch.

Those blossoms were "virtually picked and arranged" in one of my favorite vases ... a water globe.

The decisions I made and how I constructed my interpretation is revealed on Interpret This.  I'm one of the last members of the group to post.  So while you're there, check out the preceding interpretations for this photograph of a full blossomed tree in a park on a beautiful spring day.

Strata - "Interpret This" April Challenge

I have loved this photo that I took of a crumbling bank while rafting the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in 2006.  The exposed strata of rocks, soil and roots above the clear running water intrigued me.  And of course, I knew just how I wanted to portray it for the Interpret This challenge.  But wait ... what I had in mind is what a lot of people would expect me to do.  I like a challenge, plus participation in this group is pushing me to stretch beyond my comfort zone.

Strata - 13"x 17"

All those round stones led to my remembering a selection of decorator fabrics featuring irregular circle designs that I had tucked away a number of years ago.  This led me to the idea of portraying the whole scene with circles.  What you see is not ALL that I did with this interpretation.  Go to "Interpret This" to read the rest of my story for the first reveal of this month's challenge.  Then continue going back to see the reveals by the rest of the group members:

April 26:  PM: Barbara

April 27:  AM: Judith
              PM: Kim

April 28: AM: Beverly
             PM:  Debra

April 29: AM:  Libby
              PM: Karen

April 30:  AM: Kay
                                            PM: Rian (as time allows)

"Waiting"

"Waiting"- 17"x 13"

cotton, lace, wool roving, thread ravels, & tulle

oil stick pastels & colored pencils

machine quilting

Dolls.  I love dolls.  I've collected dolls.  I've restored dolls.  I've made dolls.  I've dressed dolls.  This photo of dolls delighted me.  Consequently, I didn't stray far from the original for my interpretation.

Click here to read about the process of my thinking about and making this piece.  If you've missed the other participating members creative interpretations of this challenge photo, scroll down to see them while you're there. 

Playing With Dolls

Well that is, playing with the faces of the dolls in the photo that's selected for this month's "Interpret This" challenge.

I used the photo from the group's blog and increased its size and quality in my iPhoto editing program.   My printer was set for the highest quality photo and then printed on fabric.  The image was still pixelated.  I fixed that by "drawing" over lines with watercolor pencils and markers.  Then I shaded and highlighted with oil stick pastels.  Of course, the outside edges were smoothed by the process of cutting the image out of the whole picture.  Then too, quilting lines have something to contribute, as well.

Now I know that I could have requested an image with a higher resolution than the 40 KB of this one to reproduce.  As it is, my solution worked better for my purposes ... there's more of me in the fix which adds my hand to those dolls painted faces.

To see bits and pieces and clues for how my fellow participants are interpreting this photo go to the "Interpret This" blog.

A Clean Plate Deserves A Fortune Cookie

I've had mixed feelings about this "clean" plate.  There have been moments when I've looked forward to scrapping this piece that was created to meet last months challenge for "Interpret This" and using the "good" parts for something else.  Now that there's a fortune cookie on it, I LOVE IT!  After all, a clean plate deserves a treat.  Doesn't it?

"Clean Plate Club" (17"x 13")

I saw a fortune cookie made from fabric online sometime ago.  At that time I made  one up thinking that I'd make more as funky presents for friends.  It had crossed my mind to have one in this piece.  However, I misplaced it and had not bookmarked that site.  The deadline came for the "Interpret This" challenge piece and I had run out of time to look any further in my studio or online.

I've been spring cleaning in my studio and found the baggie with the  supplies I had gathered to make Christmas fortune cookies plus the completed one.  I made up another with the perfect fabric that makes it look real.  Woo Hoo!  Now the piece is complete.

I'd like to share with you how I made the cookie.  Cut a piece of fabric large enough for two circles.  Fuse a light-weight stabilizer to it.  Draw one circle on the wrong side, or stabilized side, of the fabric.

Fold the fabric in half with right sides together.  Machine stitch around the complete circle.  I shortened the stitch to 2.0 on my Pfaff.

Trim  away the excess fabric close to the circle with pinking shears.

Make a 3/4" long slit through the stabilizer and one layer of fabric.  Use tweezers to turn the circle right side out.

Press the circle with an iron to smooth the outside edge.

Fold in half with right sides together.

Sew a line of stitching as shown.

Flip, or fold back, each side to the center to form a fortune cookie.

Press a crease on each side with an iron.

Write a fortune on a strip of paper and slip it inside.

Mine says, "Be direct.  Usually one can accomplish more that way."

A New "Interpret This" Challenge Photo

This intriguing photo is the one selected by Kay.  Go to her blog, Out of the Basement to read the story behind it.

Dolls!  I love dolls!  I'm excited about exploring the elements in this one ... to choosing and translating some of them into my own vision.

If you haven't seen all ten of the art pieces interpreting last month's photograph, click on the "Interpret This" icon in my sidebar to do so.  The humor and slightly skewed points of view and personal connections brought to each resulting piece of art by my fellow participants will make the "trip" over there worth it.

Interpret This - February Reveal

 "Clean Plate Club" (17"x 13")

Interpreting this month's photo was a BIG challenge.  The execution of my interpretation led me to experiment with solutions to get effects that had not previously come up in my work.   Details and photos of the process can be seen at my reveal post on the "Interpret This" blog.

I'd like to share this one that was not included.  I had bought this marking tool by Fons and Porter quite some time ago.  This is the first project that needed marks on dark fabric.  It makes a fine, distinct line with hardly any effort.  I love it.

Right now,  I couldn't say whether I like this interpretation ... or not.  There are moments when it just looks like a glorified placemat with a dirty dish to me.  There are moments I think about cutting it up to use the appealing parts in something else ... postcards maybe.  My mind may change.  It's possible that I might decide it's alright.  There are some pieces that need the perspective of time away from it in order for me to "really see" if it is successful ... or not.

While you're at "Interpret This" be sure to scroll down and see the six interpretations that preceded mine.  There will be one more reveals this evening and then two more tomorrow.

"Interpret This" Reveals Begin

Today begins the reveal of interpretations for this picture.  It's a photo taken by Rian on a trip to China.

Go to the Interpret This blog to see a surprising interpretation by Rian, the first reveal.  Check back again in the afternoon for yet another interpretation by Debra.  There will be three more reveals per day on both Friday and Saturday and then the last two on Sunday.

This photo is of the fabrics that I chose to portray my interpretation that will be revealed on Saturday at noon.

"I'm All about Color"

Color ......

I'm All About Color (13"x 17")

Color ...... Color is a prime element in my work ...... there is no Color that I don't like ...... my world is full of Color!

This piece began with a picture taken by the camera built into my computer. This point of view seemed appropriate for my self-portrait since my husband claims I spend so much time on the computer. He often sees me peering up over my glasses and the screen to acknowledge his presence ... or interruption.

Go to the "Interpret This" blog for the whole story. This morning is my turn to reveal all about how I interpreted the self-portrait challenge for January. If you haven't read the posts of the members who've already revealed their portraits, scroll down beyond mine to do so. Also, there will be a new reveal every half day through Sunday.

Self-Portraits

In my experience self-portraits are tricky and not easy to execute. It amazes me how others readily observe what we look like as well as all our little mannerisms and tics while most of us are often clueless. How often have you looked at a photo and reacted with "I don't look like that!" When it comes to seeing ourselves it's really hard not to be myopic. After all, we're looking from the inside out. Through the years I've attempted to create portraits of myself. None of them worth completing ... all were scrapped.

The closest I had come was a portrait of the inner me and that was accidental. As this piece neared completion, I felt the patches of colors reflected how I perceived myself.

Patchwork Perspective - 1993
36"x36"(point-point)

The light sunny colors represent my optimism, while the cool stable ones reflect my surface serenity. Tucked under these two are the strong hot colors of emotionalism. And then there's the dark corner of personal history I don't think about or have forgotten. But then, there's the fading, but still present (a lot more so at the time this was created) emotional pain lingering in the purples. It was almost titled, "Pieces of Me". To read more about and see close up photos of this art piece go here.

Finally, I've created a self-portrait piece that's worth keeping. It was prompted by the January challenge for the "Interpret This" group. Because of my past failures, this particular challenge almost made me change my decision about being part of the group. But then, I don't back off commitments easily so I took on the challenge.

Today is the beginning for reveals of the self-portraits made by my fellow members of
Rian and Libby are the first to post. Tomorrow, the 28th, Kay and Judith will post theirs. Friday, the 29th, Karen and I will be on. Then you will see what I did with these glasses.
Go back to the "Interpret This" site on the 30th to see Debra's and Beverly's and on the 31st to view Beena's and Kim's reveals. While you're there, please leave a comment with your reaction and observation of each person's revelation(s) in the tricky task of meeting this particular challenge. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the other's interpreted this.

"Interpret This" Teaser

It's time for teasers that hint at the self-portraits being created by member artists of "Interpret This". Click on the icon photo located in my sidebar for that group to go there. Your comments and observations are welcome. This photo is one of my teasers.
I have a love/hate relationship with my eyeglasses. They are a part of every outfit ... everyday. They've become my only neck jewelry. The top pair is made from fabric and will be an important element in my self-portrait. Our finished pieces will be revealed over several days at the end of the month.