Tag Archives: landscapes

The All White Landscape

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m making a series of lessons showing how I make different elements for a mini fabric landscapes. What I neglected to mention is that I would be starting with white fabric (Thank you, Snarky Quilter!). Here is the piece in progress, which means these pieces are not attached and there may be changes. I find looking at a photo of the piece, using a mirror or walking away for a while, can be helpful in figuring out what may need to be tweaked. I have some ideas for change already. There will be thread play and quilting over the entire piece, so if it appears to be lacking that may just be where I plan to stitch more colors and nature bits.

I used different techniques for each of these elements – Rocks (as mentioned in previous post), the most forward foreground, second foreground, water & sky, tiny hills/mountains, and tree trunks. I hope you will stay tuned and thanks for stopping by!

Taking a walk…

One of my “kids” had an appointment and the other was going to the zoo to take photographs so I tagged along. I walked through Balboa Park which is where our world famous zoo is, stopping at the reflecting pond, it was nice to see this artist painting.

It was a beautiful day and the flowers were blooming pretty.

Speaking of flowers; here is a detail peek of my painted quilt (lighting not so good, sorry). See a reminder of what it looked like before it was a painted quilt.

Snow and Art Quilts

The Mister and I recently took a road trip to visit family in Reno, Nevada. We have driven through heavy falling snow a couple times in the past; this was much more enjoyable. We were traveling after a storm, the hwy had been mostly plowed and was only a little icy. There was very little traffic and sky was gorgeous. These photos were taken using my cell phone, through the window while moving pretty fast, please excuse any blur.

The smooth white land, sprinkled with black cows, horses, and odd old structures was spectacular. I must have said “It’s beautiful” one hundred times! It’s a nice place to visit but I don’t think I could live there. If you do, you are most certainly hardier than I!

At the side of the road the plow left a cut wall that, to me, looked like a slab of marble… miles and miles of marble!

Even though snow isn’t usually a part of my life, snowy scenes have found their way into some of my art quilts (with much artistic liberty ;<))

Overwhelmed but in a Good Way…

I have been finishing up some deadline projects and that feels good. There is always a bit of stress that goes with that and I often swear I’m not going to get myself into that situation again. But then the mind starts going and the ideas start flowing and I’m at it again (my own worst enemy!) I love making art and I know that I’m lucky to be able to spend my days creating.
Here are a couple pieces I share in my new course – How to Make a Photo on Fiber Mixed Media Art Quilt, at Curious.com. Here is a discount link if you are interested in my lessons and over 20,000 more on Curious.com.

snow bunny — Snow Bunny photo of bunny photo by J. Krefting

Garden Path is the main piece in my new course. From developing the design, to the fiber elements, to quilting the heck out of the borders, it was a fun project. I love growing a photo past the edges using fabric and fibers!

I often make landscapes but I think using a wedding or baby photograph would be great subjects to softly surround with fiber. Or maybe not so softly…I can imagine heavy metal too!

Bark…

judy madrona trunk — Photo taken by J. Krefting

Bark – The sound a dog makes (even though dogs can’t pronounce the letter “b” – or so I’ve been told!), the thin chocolatey confection, the outer covering of a tree. It is curious what we make of words.

It seems to me artists and nature-lovers are interested in, even fascinated with tree bark. I know I am. Is it because it takes on so many different appearances? The last time my Mister and I were in the Giant Redwood forest I took some photos of the bark on downed trees. I could have stayed there and studied bark all day! But I was not alone… and we did not stay.

I like to see if I can recreate bark on fabric… I’m still working at it…

Sometimes I’m especially happy with the results…

What do you think of bark?

Bonsai, Fiber, and Passion

Many years ago someone asked me “What do you do?” I answered “I make miniature landscapes.” In those days that was where my focus was. His response surprised me… He said “You do Bonsai?!” I said “Oh, no, I work in fabric.” and he replied with a disappointed “Oh” and that was the end of it for him.

could go either scape — “Could Go Either Way” a miniature landscape by Ann

Had he been interested I would have told him… (In a breathless run on sentence) “Why would I design beautiful tiny plant scapes and study the history that goes back to the 6^th century when I can create a little landscape today and recreate the exact landscape tomorrow, making it look totally different, using different fabrics, that only need to be trimmed once and they don’t require water and almost anyone can be taught to make one and it doesn’t take a life time to learn and, and, and… Uh-oh, my passion is showing!

mini landscapes fabric — Two landscapes, one pattern. Design by Ann. All commercial fabrics.

For the record – I love Bonsai and admire anyone who devotes their time and skill to designing and growing them. Thanks to Brian DeCarlo for allowing me to share his lovely Bonsai Islands video – Bonsai Art. What are you passionate about and do you show it?

b decarlo bonsai — One Brian M. DeCarlo’s Bonsai Landscapes

And onward I go…

I have received my “not accepted” notice so I can share this now.

Dwell is a landscape
Of ancient land and buried fossils,
Of old cave homes or modern cliff mansions,
Of winds and nature propelling progressive discoveries.

dwell fossil detail — Dwell
Back quilting detail

I enjoyed the challenges of creating this art quilt and I am very happy with the completed piece. It started as a hand painted whole cloth, it also has some painted fusing, hand stitching and a great amount of free-motion machine sketching and quilting (see detail of the fossils). It was fun to try to paint binding fabric that would work well AND succeed! It measures 30″ high by 42″ wide and will be for sale.

Painting skies

One of my favorite things to do in the studio is to transform white cotton fabric into painted sky fabric. Here are three little skies that kick off the same landscape. The sky is what determines where I will go when selecting fabric for the other elements. The landscapes (or waterscapes) will not look like they came from the same master line drawing in the end… I love that!

Mission Trails Art in the Park

The Art in the Park 2013 at Mission Trails Regional Park was a fun evening. It was especially nice to share the time with my son who was also one of the participating artists. The artwork of over forty artists will be on display until Oct. 18, 2013 – for more info go to MTRP

On exhibit at Mission Trails until Oct. 18, 2013 — “Trail” is one of four of my pieces on exhibit at Mission Trails until Oct. 18, 2013 Photographs by Cameron B. Scott

Fall

We have had a bit of a reprieve from the heat today. I do believe fall may be on its way although our summers often fool us by heating up again in October. Still I shouldn’t complain – our weather is beautiful. It had been too warm for working in the studio and so I have been going through some old quilt photos and wishing I would have taken better pictures of them.

This little art quilt makes me think of fall. I painted the back sky fabric otherwise it is made of commercial fabrics. It has machine thread play and quilting.

Fiber Designs by Ann

Fiber art Design, Instruction, Sales