Monday, October 14, 2013

Wonderful Students!

A while back, I posted pictures of a workshop I recently taught in Charlottesville, VA. I had some wonderful ladies, all very enthused and talented. Each created very different pieces; it was interesting to see the different approach each person took in using this new technique. Two of my gals finished their pieces and were kind enough to share them with me, so now for bragging rights.
Ann Robertson was working in silk; she did a lot of overlapping with a fairly thin silk which allowed for some unexpected and welcomed shading along the mountain top. She also used screen printing to create the forest in the foreground. The whole piece would be covered with painted silk organza so the different design elements would be muted.
I think it's great fun when you're lucky enough to see the "before and after" of a piece and here is the "after".  Ann told me she was very excited about her piece and had to finish it that same weekend, well...understandably....it's a beautiful piece. I love the tree on the left which draws the eye upward. It's been screened on the top layer of organza to make it more prominent. I can see other trees in the foreground also. She really nailed it with her proportions.
Look closely at that little touch of bright blue. Ann calls her piece "Blue Hills Home" and it does remind me of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's truly a wonderful piece and I'm so pleased for her.
Mona Houle started this wonderful piece in class.  I was very taken with her choice of background  fabric; when she painted the organza to use as an overlay, I was thinking she had a winner. She used some great design elements underneath the organza like the caterpillar and the dragonfly which she silkscreened. Next a bluebird was added to the top of the tree.
On the top layer of painted organza, she incorporated the brighter elements but just enough. It's hard to know when to stop but I think Mona has the perfect amount. The piece is busy in the background but the organza softens it and allows you to see the brighter elements in front. It's a wonderful piece and I'm so happy to see these wonderful finished pieces. I'm proud as a peacock to meet and have the opportunity to work with these wonderfully, talented and incredibly nice ladies. The best part of teaching....
Congratulations Ann and Mona on a job well done - VERY well done!
Til next time...

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