Friday, September 19, 2008

Progress

Or maybe that should be "lack of progress."


Mostly I've just been thinking, which is ok, I suppose.


I have come to the conclusion that I don't want to tell a story with my quilt. I don't want to create something that is necessarily obvious to the viewer. I don't want to feel obligated to go in a certain direction. What I do want is to be loosely inspired by our theme. I want to feel free to take a small nugget of the concept and then twist and turn into around into something that might be unrecognizable -- but still art. That's what I want to make: art. I want to use the elements that I love: surface design, handwriting, improvisational embroidery, fusible applique, layers, sheers, unexpected embellishment, abstractness.


I asked my best friend Lucy what she thinks of what I say "shelter." She said she thinks of an adirondack shelter. I had never heard the term. She explained it to me (a three sided, roofed structure used by backpackers on long hikes). And I found this stunning image.


766px-AdirondackShelter.jpg


Isn't it beautiful? The lines, the leaves, the rocks, the color palette? Now I must take this inspiration and mix it up with my own style and see what happens.




4 comments:

Gerrie said...

Having spent much of my youth in and around the Adirondacks, this was my fist visual, too. I love these simple, yet effective shelters.

Dale Anne Potter said...

THANKS for showing the Adirondack shelter!
I am enjoying reading all your takes on "SHELTER" and I agree with you Deb, if I was in this challenge I'd be taking bits of that and developing something in my own mind.
Maybe its the roof of a shelter, a wall, etc.....
I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!

Kristin L said...

The contrast of the rounded, random, rough rocks and the smoother, linear, organized wood is especially nice. I look forward to seeing what you distill from this theme.

Terri Stegmiller said...

A lovely little structure and glad you showed it as I didn't know anything about these. Looking forward to seeing the art you create!