The amaryllis wall quilt is finished. ( See previous post.) I painted the background with Liquitex acrylics. The paint is just transparent enough to let the first background show through so the green is mottled. I finished it letting the petals stick out around the edges and satin stitching all around the outer edge. All that green and red is a little too Crhistmasy. I don’t love it but it’s better than it was. I’m leaving it. Onward to better stuff, I hope.
Maybe I should have used the title, “Can This Be Saved?” This small art quilt is of an exotic amaryllis. I like the flower. It’s a good flower. But-OMG! The background! I started it last spring. For some reason I wasn’t happy with the background and I put paint on it. Terrible, terrible, terrible. I was ready to throw it away, but just put it away for the summer. Pulled it out again last month and took it to the UT retreat where it was suggested that I paint the whole background. So, I have. But there is still much work to do. More later.
The first, larger black and white study is finished. Not sure I’m happy with the shape. In my mind, I thought of it as a rectangle but it ended as a 24″ square. Photography and Photoshop are so great. I can photograph it, crop it, and see it both ways. Instant gratification! Which do you like better? The square or the rectangle? Let me know. 
SQUARE
RECTANGLE
Finally – I’ve done some fiber work this week. This was inspired by one of the small works It’s about 25″ square.
I’ve started quilting it, but black on black doesn’t show. For me, the quilting is the HARDEST decision. After pinning it to the design wall and seeing all the safety pins, I love them. Engergy. Direction. Now I think I know how to quilt it and what to do.
My friend Nancy has just asked that question. Well – I just came home from TWO retreats. The first was with my Uncommon Threads Art Quilt group at Lake of the Ozarks and the second was in Arkansas at a yoga retreat, in a cabin, in the woods, on the Buffalo River.
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Wow! Am I restored and inspired. I don’t remember seeing such gorgeous fall color here in the Ozarks before. Most of our trees are oaks which just turn brown; lovely browns, but just brown. This year the reds and yellow and oranges sang. Sumac, hickory, dogwood, etc.
Lake Stockton, MO
Little Buffalo River, Arkansas
Now it’s back to the work in the studio. I’m actually working on something that I’ll share with you next week.
The following picture is scanned from the latest White Flower Farm catalog. Click link to see the actual page.
Note that this bulb is in a vase of pebbles. Years ago I bought a bunch of amaryllis bulbs and put each one in a tall vase with just a dab of water in the bottom. Roots formed, gorgeous flowers emerged, and I gave them away as Christmas gifts. Last year Susan gave me three wonderful bulbs that I photographed repeatedly and shared on this blog. I’ve tended them all summer and now leaves just started forming a few weeks ago. In moving them into the house for the winter, their pot fell off the deck, dropping 10′ or so, the pot smashed but the bulbs look o.k. except that most of the roots broke on the biggest one. Since they are out of the dirt, I put them in vases with clear glass marbles or pebbles. We’ll see how they grow. Will keep you posted. I know you’ll be breathlessly awaiting the outcome!!!!!
I spent a week in California with a dear, dear friend. We did little except talk, read, talk, knit, and talk some more. There was a lot of catching up to do. Besides, we were sitting in front of an incredible view. Our one big excursion was to the Getty Villa Malibu, a museum of art and culture from ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Here are a few pictures.
California Coast Line
Bucket Full of Guava Fruit
Recycling Plastic On The Beach
The End
Time flies when you’re having fun and I’ve been having fun spending time with a Dear, Dear Friend and traveling. Will show a few of the travel pictures later, but since returning home I’ve done a tiny bit of creative work, like cleaning the studio and finishing some of what was started before I left home. It’s time to DO ART.
I was cleaning out the flower bed yesterday, pulling grass and weeds when I discovered this chrysalis attached to a lower limb of a rose bush. I hope it survives; it should be a Monarch. We are also having early morning heavy fogs and I found this dew laden spider web a couple of mornings ago. Both are such treasures; better than jewelry.
As it turned out, I took 1391 pictures on the trip to Durango and Wyoming. Don’t cringe. I’m only going to show you three more. These are three of my favorites which turned out to be quite minimal. As my quilting is going minimal, so seems my photographs.
I am a fiber artist whose always been in love with anything "fuzzy." My evolution has been from a weaver to knitter to silk painter to quilter. I knit for relaxation and currently do pieced, fused, and/or appliqued, art quilts inspired by my photographs.
