Winter Solitude

The Southern Highland Craft Guild has several exhibits each year in the main gallery at the Folk Art Center in Asheville, NC. At least one exhibit features the members of the Southern Highland Guild. This year, we were given the challenge of a collaboration of teams - with 2 or more members working on the same piece. My good friend and incredibly talented quilt artist - Barbara Swinea and I paired up for the challenge. We first listed our strengths, both being very different, which makes for a good marriage. Barbara is a piecer extraordinaire - I AM NOT....and I like appliqué and surface design. We clicked and were off and running.

 We thought it would be fun to make a triptych using 3 panels - each 8" x 24". We also decided on a fall theme with Barbara creating a pieced background and sky.

 The ground was beautifully pieced but the color did not work so good old Dye na Flow came to the rescue. I held my breathe as I applied this very watery, transparent "paint" knowing once it was down, it WAS DOWN and no turning back. I wasn't pleased at first, but then went back and added some gold - much better.

 Barbara also made the sky which was beautiful; I especially loved the touch of pink.

 Some of the pieces, I would not have thought to use, but they worked so well together.

 Next came the trees and it was my turn. Barbara had perfect fabric from years ago.

 So you can see the finished tree on the left and the fabric from whence it came.

 I had to doctor it up a bit with Lumiere metallic textile paint, decorative thread and markers.

 I also outlined each tree to give them more definition....

 The branches were to have leaves on them but wound up looking better without. I added the background moutains out of painted silk organza. Their transparent quality gave them a sense of distance.

 This is taking on a very wintery look, not our first intent but one we both liked.

And the finished piece which became a winter scene and appropriately titled "Winter Solitude". The exhibit - "Fellowship" opens August 13 and runs through November 6. Please stop by and see it if you're in the area. There will be a lovely mix of mediums and think very exciting to see.