Next Phase of "Dreaming"

So here it is. This is the whole work and a detail showing the portrait and the smaller embroidered figures. In the next stage I will be adding bead work and possibly more embroidery work. The whole work was pieced together in the manner that a quilt would be, but the pieces are very large.

The middle piece was done on canvas with charcoal, glue and acrylics. This was then stitched to the vinyl sections on the sides and top with the seams facing the front. I then pinked the seams. Working with vinyl was a challenge but I love the texture, sheen and especially the contrast with the canvas work.

"Dreaming"

The next three images are from a work I am doing currently. It is a mixture of painting, simiplified quilt and embroidery. I am a painter by history but enjoy many ways of working and thought I might try combining them. I am working on a conceptual series about woman as represented in history with the eye of the beholder being myself (a modern woman). The techniques and materials are chosen to suit the concept.

This is the work in which I have been using the French Knot....and yes, it is quite easy. Keep in mind, these are excerpts from a much larger piece so they are out of context to some degree. Also, remember it is a work in progress so it is by no means finished, cleaned up or photographed quite the way I will ultimately want. Next time, I will post a photo of the full, unfinished piece so you can see where I am coming from.

For those of you who are interested, this work is done with wool on white vinyl. Again, the choice of material has to do with the overall concept of the series.

This first image is how I laid out my plans for the painting. I investigated a variety of layouts and techniques before I began.

The second photo is the image of the dress that inspired the color scheme and the ribbon work. It is copied from a Cora Ginsburg catalog.

French Knot

Tricky at first but easy to master with practice, the French knot appears in many stamped and counted cross-stitch projects.

Bring the threaded needle up through the fabric, and wrap the floss around the needle as illustrated. Tighten the twists, and insert the needle back through the fabric in the same place. The floss will slide through the wrapped thread to make the knot. Don't pull the thread too tight or you'll pull the knot out.

-Better Homes and Gardens

I am currently using this stitch for a work that you will see soon. Here at Needle 'N Thread I found a great video of the French Knot. They have a whole gallery of videos...yeah.

Details of "Smoot"

Here are a couple of detail shots. The beading and sequins show up but unfortunately the free-style quilting does not. The other thing that does not show is the fact that the figures are in trapunto (slightly raised).

"Smoot"

This image is taken from an old daguerreotype (whew, thats a hard word for me to spell!) and inspired by period clothing...(I will explain later). My larger pieces deal with revisiting the past both in imagery and technique. This piece is quilted, beaded and embroidered. By the way did you notice the drastic departure from the small acrylic still lifes. What can I say, I live a dual life!

Dying Mum (Click here to bid)
8"x10", acrylic on canvas

Eating SeedPod (Click here to bid)
8"x10" acrylic on canvas

Thank you all for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoyed the paintings. You can expect more art starting this weekend. Have a peaceful and wonderful holiday.

Sincerely, Heidi

Lone Flower
8"x10", acrylic on canvas
$50.00

This post is to help connect with Technorati. Technorati Profile

Hibiscus Seed Pods
8" X 10" , acrylic on canvas
$75.00

Lucky Bamboo (Click to bid)
9x12, acrylic on paper

Agave plant (Click to bid)
9" x 12" , acrylic on paper

Dallias

Pale Dallia, 8"x10", acrylic on canvas, sold

Black Dallia, 8"x10", acrylic on canvas, sold

Artists Sites and Museums

Since this blog is a journal for myself, as well as others to critique or purchase my art, I am including some links to sites I like to visit. They help me keep informed as to what is going on in the art world being that I have two young children and find it very hard to get out into 'the scene'. Some of the sites reference artists and some are museums.

When I spent time in England I liked to visit the Tate Modern. In New York, I enjoy the Moma. Of course there are a host of small galleries that are great and maybe in the future I can add links to some of my favorite right now. As far as my home town, Richmond, Virginia. I have enjoyed visiting the Ada gallery, Petersburg Regional Art Center (formaly Shockoe Bottom Arts Center), Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center, and also cruising around VCU art school is always inspirational. Our Virginia Museum of Fine Art is always great. A much lesser know museum (although, in my opinion it should not be) is Agecroft Hall, a 16th century English Manor; facinating for history! An aside, the Muscarelle Museum in Williamsburg, Virginia is a very nice small museum.

Okay, sorry for the overload but it serves as my reference as well. Hope you enjoy some of the sites. Maybe it gives you a glimpse into where wmy interests lie and how they find their way into my art.

Woman Two

This is a detail of another piece in my current series.

My Daughters Work

Summer Elizabeth, done around age 3 1/2 yrs.

Here are some works created my my oldest daughter. In the future I will probably add a link to take you to a blog site in which I will include some of her work and some of mine, as well as posts about childrens development in the arts. Project Zero is a site I like to visit. I am starting to see similarites in some of our work. I think this is in part because she works along side of me quite often. This series of portraits she created seemed to be a way of her cataloging her friends and family. She drew most of her friends and family over a period of a few weeks. Anyway, I thought this would be a great place to archieve some pieces.

Tio Carlos, done at age 3 1/2

Leaf (Click to bid)
9"x12", acrylic on archival paper

Leaf


I know my tastes seemed varied....and they are. However, I like to try my skills at many things. I am training my eye and trying to practice realism. I have a strong love of plants and an equal one for botanical art.

Current Work

Here is a photo of my most current work. This is the work in which I spoke about under my profile. I have several pieces in this vein. These pieces use quilting techniques, reference daguerotypes, use colors and techniques drawn from historical fashion and fabrics, and/or some domestic arts, yet I still like to refer to them as paintings. This image is not yet the best but I am working on gettting much better photos. The detail is especially lacking, you miss many of the subtlties in these photos. More to come in the near future!



Woman One,25"x31",latex, acrylic, graphite on canvas,

Lillies, 18"x36", acrylic on canvas, NFS

These images are from a show I had at the Glen Allen Cultural Art Center. I have a link to that site on the sidebar. I was interested in reinterpreting the Art Noveau style. I was also practicing with capturing texture and using glazing techniques. I have dabbled with faux art techniques and I tryed to incoprate what I was learning into some of these works. I am interested in period clothing and its patterns and textures.

Poppies, 18"x36", acrylic on canvas, NFS

Lottie and Friend, 24"x36", acrylic on canvas, belongs to Lottie Field

This is a painting of my grandmother and a friend, just out of college and about to take their first cruise together. I love the nostalgia of this piece.

Potatoe Vine (Click here to bid)

PotatoeVine, 9"x12", acrylic on smooth bristol board, $50.00

Please Post Comments

Welcome to my site. Please post some comments. I am trying out new stuff every day. I'm not really sure what I am doing yet but it is fun. I will probably change the look of my site often until I find the look I like. And even then I will probably switch it up a bit, 'cuase that is how I am. Enjoy and please post some comments...if it is criticism, thats fine to, Im used to it :)

Have a terrific day!

Dallia with Vase

Dallia with Vase, 8" x 10", acrylic on canvas, NFS

Dallia

Dallia, 8" X 10" , acrylic on canvas, sold

Pink Zinnia

Pink Zinnia, 8" x 10", acrylic on canvas, $50.00

In this piece I began to get interested in the cup which is holding the flower. As I was working I realized there are so many elements to the whole composition. I thought I would work further with the glass on another day.


I'm just trying this out. At first I am going to try and post a study a day. I will probably miss some. Eventually I will add some more creative endevors.