Thursday, August 16, 2012

Nasturtiums

Last week I told you I was starting a piece that was going to have more painting on it than I normally do. I started with printed fabrics and put down a fused image of nasturtiums in a pot.


Then I started adding paint and then I stitched all over it.

 I added some pebbles around the base of the pot. They seemed to ground it a little better.

Then I painted more.


Then I trimmed it to size (26 x 33.5 inches) and finished the outer edge. It's bigger than you might think from the photo.

 Here's a detail.


I am too close to it right now to know what to think. It was fun to make. I'm not sure the paint really works.

I am thinking about entering it into a show with the theme of  "Rhythm and Hues." It was going to be dancing nasturtiums, but they don't seem very dance-y. I think there are hues, for sure. Do you think there is any rhythm in this?

18 comments:

  1. I love how this turned out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The paint works! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:44 AM

    I think it is gorgeous!!!! You are amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, I feel the beat. My eyes jump for one little Nasturtium to another. Your work is always special and I think this is one of your best. It will be a perfect entry for the show.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I actually really like all the paint. i'm generally not a huge paint person but it gives so much depth and movement to your flowers. The difference is especially striking comparing the final picture to the first one (with only the fabric). What a lovely piece!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love it! You should definitely enter it into a show. The painting really brings it to life and the stitching is gorgeous and gives it a lot of movement. I feel like I could pull it out of the photo and sit it on my table.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jean S.8:46 AM

    I love it Terri! My eye dances from one petal to the next. I don't think you would have the depth that you've achieved without the paint. The one comment I might make is that it comes across as a "still-life", but that isn't a detriment. If it were mine, I might add some dashes of pure color here and there. Bright yellow, an orangey red and bring a little of that bright blue up into the nasturtiums. I can see your tiny dots, but I think you could use even more - perhaps on the tips of a petal, edge of a leaf etc. Overall, it's gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Terry,
    I love this piece and I think the painting adds wonderful dimension. You are right, it's not "dance-y", but there is a certain design rhythm in the repetition of lines in the wallpaper and the repetition of shapes in the flowers. Jen

    ReplyDelete
  9. From what I can see in the photos, I really like what you have done with the paint. The flowers are so rich and the pebbles at the bottom do ground the pot. Love the pot piecing.
    The repetition of the flowers and leaves provides plenty of rhythm. Well done, girl!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What kind of paint did you use?

    I think the paint adds lots of dimension and depth. I know the black paint gives it more contrast, but I think I really like the subtleness of the second image better. The orange flowers themselves stand out more for me in that image.

    The final piece represents your style more and is nice, too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hmm, I'm going to seem like the grumpus in the bunch. I really like where you are going with this, and I agree that the paint adds a lot of dimension. But, though it's definitely Hue, I don't get a lot of Rhythm. I do think that the style is worth exploring more and that you should do another with more dancy nasturtiums (perhaps not contained by a pot).

    ReplyDelete
  12. LynneP5:07 PM

    I think this is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The blue added was a bonus for this piece. It makes the quilt sensational.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just beautiful and I love your selection of colors.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The paint definitely adds to the piece! It toned down the contrast, added depth, and, in general, strengthened the piece.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You need a DEEPER saturation of color in the flowers. If you think about nasturtiums in the garden it is the "light up" colors that delight. The PURE golds, yellows and oranges with the sunshine shining through. It is also the flowers dangling and dancing over the leaves. I have some in the garden and the little golden flowers seem to levitate over the varigated leaves. Everything looks too controlled (and lovely) but I miss the exuberance of real nasturtiums.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This work is a beautiful like almost everything you do. Yet, when I think of nasturtiums, I don't see them in a controlled environment brought my the pot. Would they seem more like dancing if there were a few that got free and are blooming along the ground?

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a beautiful piece of artwork! And yes I think there is lots of movement in it so it will look great in the 'rhythm and hues' section!!

    ReplyDelete