For only the second time since 2008, this year I didn't put a piece in the annual SAQA Benefit Auction. With all that's been going on -- my 15 x 15 Group participation, the Lacombe Art Show and Sale in April, My Corner of the World in May, The Wedding in July (with its accompanying quilt), and the up-coming Mark on the Body exhibit...plus work in my final year as SAQA Co-Rep (Alberta)...well...I just ran out of days!
I didn't even make the deadline to create a SAQA Dream Collection for posting on the website, darn it! :-(
To make up for that, though...earlier this month I posted a Dream Collection on the SAQA Western Canada blog...so I am linking it HERE for you to enjoy. I plan to watch this year's auction unfold and see if I can make a winning bid on a special piece by one of my colleagues. I owe them -- and SAQA -- a great deal for bringing out the 'artist' in me.
Meanwhile...here's my piece from last year's auction, inspired by Steve Martin's "Daddy Played the Banjo", which found a new home with a banjoist and fan of Mr. M...
In art, the term 'resist' -- or 'mask' -- generally refers to a substance that is used to cover an area of paper or fabric...so that when one paints or dyes that paper or fabric, the covered area 'resists' the paint or dye.
Alas, that's not what I mean here.
Instead, I'm referring more properly to 'resistance' -- also known as 'procrastination'.
Sigh.
I've had an inspiration for weeks -- maybe even months -- for the 2015 SAQA Benefit Auction. Inspired by a song on a CD I got for Christmas, I could close my eyes and envision it, whole and complete.
A few weeks ago, I made a sketch drawing:
I "sat on it" for a while...something wasn't quite right. The tree...the banjo...
Finally I looked up "the tree in my head" and found this image (I'd already looked up the banjo...) :
Note: it's an oak, and I don't have much experience with oaks as they don't grow in these parts, generally...but there you have it! (This is why I'm thankful for the Internet.)
Of course, the proportions meant I had to figure out the size of the...um...figure under the tree...(another Internet search):
So...this afternoon I bit the bullet, took the bull by the horns, put my butt in gear (insert your favourite cliche here)...and began the lay-out of the piece.
First, I prepared the foundation fabric, using a 15" square piece of light-weight cotton recently acquired from my friend J (she's been cleaning house):
Prep = applying fusible web (in my case, Wonder Under) to one side. The colour of the fabric doesn't matter because it's going to be covered.
Next I placed the background fabrics -- both auditioned beforehand -- for sky and foreground:
The sky is a self-dyed piece of muslin; the 'grass' is a commercial batik (but I bet you could figure that out!)
Once the edges were trimmed, I auditioned the positioning of the key elements:
NOTE: I use off-cuts of laminating plastic -- lovingly donated by my daughter from her office -- for my "patterns" or "templates". In this case, I taped 2 pieces together and drew my general outline on them in a defined 12" square -- the size of a finished SAQA Benefit Auction piece. You can see quite easily that I didn't stick with the over-sized banjo player!
Satisfied, I put pieces in place and fused them. Here's the piece (thus far) on my design wall:
"Yellow Tree" (WIP) - 2015
Of course, I'm wondering if a) it's going to be 'good enough' for the auction; and b) whether or not I should have quilted the sky/foreground before adding the smaller details (too late now!)...
Then I remind myself that a) the quilting will make a difference; b) the quilting will include thread embellishment on tree and banjo, and create a hat for the banjo player; and c) there will be leaves added to the tree and hints of grass (in stitch) added to the foreground...and it will all be trimmed from 15" square to 12.5" square before binding/facing...
And so...I relax a bit and start something else...
First, the April "Zen" BOM (Block Of the Month), now cut and ready to assemble:
Stay tuned for an EB Master Class posting before too long.
Blessings for Passover or Easter for those who celebrate...and to ALL of my Gentle Readers, Happy Spring!
Oh...and that inspirational song? Pour a cuppa and enjoy...."Daddy Played the Banjo" - Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) and Gary Scruggs (yes, that Scruggs family)...
