Prairie Flowers

Instead of lake pieces here are two of prairie flowers constructed in the same "ortwork" technique.

Summer Prairie Flowers - 13"x 11"

Spring Prairie Flowers - 13"x 11"

These are two of three studies I have made in preparation for a possible commission project. Between getting settled back here in Tennessee and working on this project there's been no time to add to my 100 Lake series. Number 51 was the last. I most likely won't have the time or space to create more until after the new year.

More is to come about this prairie flower project.

Happy Thanksgiving from Memphis

Wishing you a happy day from my "turkey" with his singing Elvis lobster.
He's already visited Graceland to shop for more stuff(ing) for the Elvis Shrine Room.
I am thankful to have this Elvis fan and his quirky sense of humor in my life.

MORE About The Lauguage of Values/Emotions

The values we use in our art is the language of emotions that triggers reactions. We each naturally respond to various combinations whether we're viewing OR choosing them for our work. Most of us create with what "feels right". That is the heart of individuality. Just as our verbal language is full of nuances depending upon the tone of our voice and words we choose, such is the combinations of values, hues, and patterns that we put together in our art.

Kay had left this comment/question on my post, "Value vs Color".

"This is a fascinating post. I've never heard the ideas about the mood created by different values before. I also have a light value quilt on my bedroom wall (with less contrast than yours) and I agree about the mood effect. I find it peaceful early in the morning. The only one of these I question is the last contrast, medium value (low contrast). Surreal and mystery fits your piece, but aren't the fabrics partly responsible for that? Would all colors create the same effect, do you think? "

She has a good point. I realize this particular piece for that study is on the edge of acceptance for the given description. My choice of fabric patterns does play a role in the surreal mood of the piece. It was the last one I had done of the six pieces because working in a limited middle value range of colors is not easy ... and by then I was DONE. Now that I've shared this theory and those pieces, I guess I'd better address that category more thoroughly.

The book, Color and Fiber, includes a seventh value combination whereas I had presented six. There are two listings for the category of a weak contrast of medium/middle values. The first pertains to a limited range of values. To quote from the book, the mood conveyed by a close range of values is "atmospheric but with a quality more reminiscent of twilight or an unreal dreamlike condition. Words such as slumber, peace, fog, and calm" are descriptive. I went through my photos and came up with these examples. Lake #3 printed in black and white and in color:


"Aquamarine" in black and white:

I had to do quite a bit of pastel work on the fish to make it stand out from the background. There's a warm/cool contrast between the colors/hues but very little contrast between their values.

The second listing for a weak contrast of medium/middle values extends the contrast to some degree in the direction of black and white. It is this extension of the range of values that suggests a feeling of fantasy, mystery, or surrealism. This is the one I had employed in the study.

Many pieces that I make with this weak contrast of middle values get lights and darks thrown into the mix.

"Land of the Unicorn" - 12"x12"

"Coming Unstrung" - 28"x24"

I added dark values, even black and white, to the framing which adds elements of a strong value contrast (strength, directness, richness, openness) to the feelings of fantasy and surrealism within these pieces. (Go here to read more about these two quilts.)

Kay's latest project is about Ghost orchids. I consider that her main choices of middle value hues extended with the addition of dark gray and lights work to give it a ghostly, surrealistic mood. Now, she didn't consciously select these values to get that feeling. However, her innate sense of the effect she desired for this rare and unusual flower led her to choose them.


Many times trouble with a color combination is a value problem. Theories and principles are good to know when there is a problem in getting the results we're after. This knowledge gives us a direction to look for a solution.

"Inner Spectrum"- What's In My Bedroom

Making the rounds of quite a few blogs is the question,"what's on your bed?" The usual response is a photo of a beautiful quilt on a bed. Not mine ... there's a down comforter in a plain duvet cover on my bed, BUT each morning I awaken to this quilt hanging on the wall across the room.

"Inner Spectrum" (51"x 51")

The windows of light reflect the inner self, the soul. The window frames and borders represent the protective layers and boundaries we set up to shield our fragile and private selves. Even though the subject matter is deep, it makes me feel stimulated and happy. (In reference to my previous post, that's the result of the strong value contrast with the light values dominating.)
This piece is made from plain and commercially printed fabrics that I hand painted. There is both hand and machine quilting. I whip stitched a silk thread around the quilting stitches within the window frames to accentuate those lines.

1. Exhibitions:

• 1999 Dogwood Arts Quilt Show - Knoxville, Tennessee awarded Honorable Mention
• 2000 - "Patchwork Pleasures", Folk Life Museum - Farragut, Tennessee
• 2000 - "The Millennium Art Show" - Knoxville, Tennessee

PS: There is a quilt on my bed at the cottage in the "land of OZ". Go here to view and read about it.

VALUE versus COLOR

Quite a few years ago I came across information in the book, "Color and Fiber" that translates to:

"The first visual response is to value contrasts rather than to colors."

Colors have "local" meanings depending upon the culture (see end of this post for examples) whereas the relationship of values (lightness/darkness) is a universal language of moods to which each of us responds.

The full mooned Halloween small quilt is one of six pieces that I made up to more fully comprehend this theory. Each features the same composition. The consideration for my choosing the fabrics was according to value organizations for strong OR weak contrasts.

STRONG CONTRASTS

light values dominating = positive, stimulating, happy

medium values dominating = strong, direct, rich, open

dark values dominating = mysterious, dramatic, dignified, somber

WEAK CONTRASTS

light values = delicate, atmospheric, serene

medium values = surreal, mystery, fantasy

dark values = somber, depressed, brooding

For these reasons, understanding value and their relationships is a valuable tool for establishing the mood of a piece. Value and the expression of a pattern holds more importance for me than color. In so many situations any number of colors will work. Consequently, strange colors can creep in and create unexpected excitement.

To isolate value from color in my work, I view it through the wrong end of binoculars. This creates a faraway viewing distance which obscures the colors and patterns allowing me to more easily assess the values and their interaction and progression as well their as impact or mood.

What I've presented here is only touching the surface of this topic. My intention is to bring awareness to an important element that is often overlooked ... even though it's something we all intuitively feel. So, the next time you have a color problem or a particular mood is not being conveyed, check out your chosen values and their contrasts.

(This conversation is continued in a future post here as a result of Kay's comment at the end of this one.)

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RED
China: Good luck, celebration, summoning
Cherokees: Success, triumph India: Purity
South Africa: Mourning Eastern: Worn by brides
Western: excitement, danger, love, passion, and stop

ORANGE
Ireland: Religious (Protestants)
Western: Halloween, creativity, autumn

YELLOW
China: Nourishing Egypt: Mourning
Japan: Courage India: Merchants
Western: Hope, hazards, coward

GREEN
China: exorcism
India: Islam
Ireland: Symbol of country
Western: Spring, St. Patrick's Day, go

BLUE
Cherokees: Defeat, trouble
Iran: Heaven, spirituality
Western: Depression, coldness, royalty, wisdom
China: Immortality
Middle East: Protection

PURPLE
Thailand: Mourning
Western: Royalty, luxury, sensuality, magic

WHITE
Eastern: Funerals India: Unhappiness
Western: Brides, angels, peace

BLACK
China: Color for young boys
Thailand: unhappiness, evil
Western: Death, mystery,

To read more about the symbolism and psychology of color go here.