Gnarled Tree

I finished this piece a short time ago and now it's a perfect opportunity to share it...no studio time right now...it is filled with stuff due to our painting project.

 I started with one of my photographs - some roots and vines. I then printed it on fabric which then hung on my design wall for ages. It was to be a small piece with this as the focal point. I thought it needed an overlay of a silk screen to make it more dimensional.

 I framed it out with fabric to get a feel for the piece.

 I thought this was a good color to pull out the subtle peachy rust color in the vines.

Whenever I make a silk screen, I also screen it on top on clear plastic which becomes a design tool. On the left is an example of a tree on the clear plastic. I can then lay it over areas to see how it will work. 

 This grouping of trees I photographed along the Blue Ridge parkway and made into a screen.

 Just too heavy for the vines.

 Next I tried this one and it was way too busy - covered up most of the digital print.

And this one...I like but still too much ...

This is my favorite silk screen...the tree is not solid so a good deal of the design allows the background to show through. I screened more rocks on the bottom and right side and quilted it following the lines. Thistles were screened along the left...so the finished piece - "Gnarled Tree".

But on another note.......

Well, we've taken on a huge project...after 11 years in our home, we felt it needed some fresh new walls. So the plan is the laundry room, pantry and kitchen before Christmas....family room, front hall afterwards. Deciding on a paint color has always been agonizing for me...what looks good on a chip doesn't relate on a wall...so 10 samples later, along with mixing my own, I think I came up with something I like... In the meantime, it's emptying out those parts of the house and what better place to dump stuff than my studio...Yikes!!...

 So I'm sky-high in stuff....not much creating going on in the near future...as you can see, every empty space is filled....Now where did my sewing machine go?

 We brought in extra tables to pile stuff on and the overload...

 went into the dining room.

 What a mess...but on another note...

 my good pal Mary and I (we share a booth at Woolworth Walk) decided to do a little spring cleaning and add some autumn related fiber art to the walls.

 We're hoping all the leaf peepers that Asheville is well known for will pay a visit to our booth.

 Lots of new inventory in the way of wall hangings, scarves and cards...

and Mary's wonderful felted items as well. Stop on by if you're in the area. Woolworth is in the center of downtown Asheville, NC and just a fun place to visit.