The Beauties Revisited - Blogger's Quilt Festival

Now I've been participating in Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival for five years now and I realized that I've mostly shown my traditional work - not the "artsy" stuff that has dominated my time lately. So this time around, I thought I would enter this in the original design category.

The Beauties, 2012,  33" by 46"

Anyways, I thought I would share a favorite art quilt of mine.  It was originally made for  an invitational art show at a local gallery.  The theme of the art show was seasons.  Living on Lake Erie, we sure get all four seasons and it was fun to create two pieces that reflected them.  The Beauties was my idea of a perfect day at the beach.

I remember when making it, I complained a lot since art quilts never come easy to me. By the time it was done, I totally hated it and thought OMG why did I bother?  Still, it was chosen to represent the

art show in promotional advertisements and got a ton of press, so obviously somebody liked it.  It took me putting the beauties away for a year before I could see their true appeal.  Now they hang on my wall ever summer.

And when Fall comes I hate to put them away.

The particulars for those that are into that kind of thing is that is that its made with commercial fabric, hand dyed and painted fabric by the artist.  Rough edged appliqued and  thread painted with wool, cotton, rayon and polyester thread. Its an original designed inspired by a wood block print. Here is the whole arduous journey.

I would also like to invite all you would be art quilters to share your journey on my weekly blog link up - Off the Wall Friday.  Its a drop in easy going group and all are welcome.