Tag Archives: nature

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!  

Temporarily Sidelined

Unfortunately, I’m on week two of the flu. A couple of days ago I started an embroidery piece because I can only lay and rest for so long! When it’s finished, if it isn’t a foggy headed mess, I’ll post it. One of the worse things is that I’m a walker and haven’t been able to since becoming ill (really makes one appreciate good health) and we’ve had wonderful walking weather too. So I’m going to share some of the photos from past walks and a couple my daughter, (and walking partner) has taken on her lone walks recently. You may notice for me it’s all about the texture!

just sitting in the center of the sidewalk, wish I had brought it home
Sadly, expired
Mushroom bowls
Tiny egg shell, I brought home because I knew it was a close match to one of my garden rocks
Leaves on leaves
Asphalt on cement… What do you see?
One of the eight cat walks through a near by neighborhood (taken by Zoey).
We usually look for friendly cats but yesterday Zoey came upon this friendly beauty!

Where do you find inspiration?

Nature and Art

I think all the rain has really caused Spring to SPRING around here. I’m finding all kinds of things to photograph on my walks… nature that has or will spark a work of art.

Early yesterday I fished a tiny pale aqua colored bird’s egg shell out of our waterfall and set it on a near by rock that was almost the same color. The image below is fabric I painted to mimic a stone that contained Map Lichen. I enjoy trying to replicate rock and stone texture on fabric.

Then later on our walk we came upon a beautiful garden with gorgeous roses, all splattered with morning dew drops. The quilt, I’ve shared before, is Gifts from her Garden.

Then today on our walk there was this, ivy climbing up a tree. I wish I could have gotten closer or had a camera rather than my phone. The contrast in color and texture really struck me. It reminded me so much of my photograph on fiber piece – “Coexistence”. I’m happy and fortunate to be able to take walks and find inspiration, I know I write about it a lot!

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.

Looking back toward the artist

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.

Now That Was Surprising!

Last post I was writing about lizards copulating in the garden. Today as Kona and I were hanging out on the deck she became very alert at some noise coming from the side yard ivy. I heard it but couldn’t figure it out until I spotted it running past the shed… An iguana, at least two feet long! It was thirsty (it is pretty warm here today) and found the waterfall very quickly, ate some of the Evening Primrose (hope it’s not poisonous!) and some romaine I gave it, posed on the top of the waterfall and then moved down and perched on top of my garden bench under the tree (sorry, bad photo). Then he moved up into the tree, they are really fast! No one here was brave enough to catch it and what the heck would be have done with it if we had! There are dogs in the two yards that abut ours near that tree so we are hoping it doesn’t head that way. A couple hours later it was no longer in the tree. I just hope it doesn’t surprise me next time I’m out there!

Last post I also showed a bit of a quilt I have been working on. I had a pinched nerve so was slowed down for a couple days but I finally got it quilted (wool batting, lots of quilting) and blocked. Here is a photo of the back. Next I’ll paint the front and then post a photo (with an explanation), unless it is terrible in which case you may never see it!

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 ;<))

Spring Dreams

I walk, a lot and I love how easy it is to snap photos with my phone. Here are a couple from a recent walk. With all the rain we have nature springing up everywhere. The wooden fence, stone, and flower vignette makes the texture lover in me very happy! I felt inspired (and I needed a card for a loved one who is celebrating her 90th birthday!) and so made this quick little fiber flower card. Maybe it will brighten your day too!

Fabric is Just a Different Animal

There is just something about working on and with fabric that I love. As I have mentioned before – generally painting on fabric is more challenging than on paper, especially when trying to achieve a watercolor effect. Paint doesn’t move much, if at all, when placed on dry fabric. Even wet on wet has limited movement when the surface is fabric, and there is no “lifting” the paint once it is down. I like all of the challenges and exploring ways to produce pleasing fabric and art despite them. And sometimes it seems that the planets align and there’s a surprising outcome. That was the case with my elephants and they (along with a nice photo) became a Photograph on Fiber series piece.

elephants
Textile paint poured & tilted  on fabric. The elephants just happened!
the elephants detail
The dimensional leaves are painted and cut Lutradur
elephants photo fiber
Elephant photograph taken by D & A Guild while traveling in Africa

Pieces from my Photographs on Fiber series will be on Special Exhibit at the 2016 San Diego Quilt Show . I teach a 15 lesson course at Curious.com/fiberdesignsbyann on how to make a framed version Photograph on Fiber pieces.

Composition

I walk every morning and take quick shots with my phone. I’m happy when I catch a bit of nature in a neat composition. I spotted this face down, soft yellow flower and didn’t really see anything else at the time but after viewing the photo on the PC I noticed the texture of the walkway and the stress crack that has collected tiny bit of plants and dirt. All that texture sends me to a happy, inspired place!

flower down

And sometimes the inspiration is right in my own garden as with this Golden Dewdrop/Duranta erecta, flowing through our fence.

gloden dewdrops

I’m participating in the most recent Visions Art Museum Member Challenge and I can’t help but think that the cascading Duranta erecta inspired my composition. The theme is “Surface Design” which, to me, could mean so many things, unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to create a new fabric. Since I have been the fabric coiling queen lately I decided to make an art quilt using some of the coils… It is titled Fiber Flow and it will be on display at VAM from July 16 – October 2, 2016, along with many awesome art quilts and textile pieces.

fiber flow fin