Sunday, December 27, 2015

Tag, you're it!



It all started with this gorgeous hand-dyed fabric, which I’ve had in my studio for over a year.  It was made by Carol R. Eaton Designs, using some kind of magical dying technique involving snowballs, I think.  For some time I’ve wanted to use this fabric, but I really didn’t want to cut it up or cover it with objects or images.  So this month I decided to make the fabric an essential part of the composition.  The splashes of color remind me of airbrush or aerosol spray paint, which led me to thinking about graffiti and street art.

To answer the 3D challenge, I made a realistic-looking “spray can” (also the reflective element for my overall theme).  The shadow provides an illusion of perspective in a 3 dimensional space, as if the can is sitting on the ground near a spray-painted wall. The can was also stuffed and sewn so that it curves slightly out from the surface.



Technical details: Finished size 35”w x 40”h
Hand dyed and batik fabrics, hand-guided machine quilting, raw edge applique
Spray can was made with a remnant of a previous V9 quilt

5 comments:

  1. Super use of the previous V9 fabric and the current fabric background is perfect for your subject Kate.

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  2. This is great, Kate, and clever! Thought I recognized your African fabrics from round one :) Gorgeous Carol Eaton fabric!

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  3. Thanks Martha! I had the idea to use actual metallic spray paint to add a small "tag" or message on it, which could serve as the reflective element as well as the graffiti theme. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to write by the deadline, so it went without a tag. But as you can see, the things that are "done" are perhaps never really done... :-)

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  4. Oh Kate, you have such a way of creating beauty from everyday objects. The fabric is phenomenal, kudos to you and your friend Carol Eaton!

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