Another Prairie Flower Study

This one began as the first prairie flower study.
I had gone online to research photos and information. The foreground flowers were constructed with bits and pieces based on my findings. I kept them loose and impressionistic, but still recognizable. At this point I was most excited and pleased about this project.
I added more bits and pieces for the impression of flowers in the background along with some wool roving plus bits of yarn and thread. After layering on the tulle I quilted the foreground flowers. To my dismay they lost their "punch". So I made an additional strip of larger flowers and machine quilted it. Then I positioned the new strip of flowers over the bottom of the quilt and made a wavy cut through both layers. The edges of the strip and quilt were butted together and connected with two rows of zig-zag stitching. Additional quilting lines of grasses secured the seam.
At this point, it had become a lot of work and I wasn't feeling too happy with it. That's when I decided to make a small study in the style of my lake pieces. Now, that was FUN and I very much liked the result. So, I made another one. Both are featured here.

Back to work on the larger study. I finished the machine quilting. It looked static and I was thinking about starting over. However, there was a deadline. These studies had to be in the mail for a client presentation and there was no time to begin anew. Just before I fell asleep that night, it occurred to me to cut it up and rearrange the pieces. The next morning I printed several copies of the above picture. Each was cut into 5 vertical strips. I played with varying arrangements and settled on this one.

Prairies Flowers I - 28"x 29"

Yeah, it worked! Fracturing the picture improved the dynamics greatly. I'm pleased with the flow of the foreground flowers ... they seem to be swaying in a gentle breeze. A wide zig-zag stitch holds the panels together. A hand-dyed flat rayon yarn is couched over the seam.

On the back the seams and outside edges are concealed and at the same time secured with flat tubes of fabric. The shaped top and bottom have interfacing and are lined with the backing fabric.

A flat metal bar was cut to size and sewn into the sleeve. I adhered Duck tape to the cut ends so as not to damage the quilt.
Before attaching the sleeve I marked the appropriate corresponding holes for hanging. A buttonhole stitch attaches a metal ring around the hole cut in the fabric sleeve.

My solution to the problems in this piece has led to the proposed configuration of a very large wall piece. I could construct it in banner style pieces of up to 12 inches wide. Whereas, a one-piece construction style would limit what I can physically handle. A large piece could even have each panel finished separately and hung individually side-by-side. Then there would actually be a slight swaying movement to the flowers ... and grasses ... and clouds.

WOO HOO!!! The clients were pleased and there will be a commission. They even purchased the three studies.

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.