One of the assignments is to take something you dislike and use it as the starting point of a piece. Typically students chose a piece of fabric. The objective is to continue working with the item one step at a time until the piece says it's finished. Later on in the course we talked about knowing when to push through and finish the piece and when to give up and be finished with it but for the purposes of this assignment, the students were not allowed to quit. Success was finishing. Masterpieces were a bonus. That requirement to not quit allows our inner artist to begin weighing out options and asking what if questions and allows for risk taking and experimentation. MUCH better than a masterpiece.
The napkins in the first picture are part of a placemat set that my son brought me back from Guatemala. There are still six placemats and a table runner intact in the drawer however the napkins were unused and small, about 11" x 9", in a combination of colors that doesn't really appeal to me. In other words, they were ugly fabric. My first thought was to overdye them in a blue/green. The goal was to change the white to blue/green, the yellow to lime, the red to brown, and darken the green. My assumption that the fabric was 100% cotton was wrong. I have no idea what the fibre content is but it doesn't absorb dye well. I ended up with ugly fabric with a neon overtone.
Before I went any further, I cut the fringe off each end, pulled the threads apart and spread them over a black (recycled from a dress that didn't work) dupioni base, placed a layer of green tulle and wash away stabilizer over top, and used variegated gold thread to make thread lace. This is the result. It'll be an interesting accent element for a purse. AND THEN...
... doing one more thing to hopefully save the fabric, I added a layer of blue paint. Dye is absorbed into the fabric while paint sits on top. I'd hoped the paint would pull differently and it did. The napkins then had a neon blue overtone. Still ugly fabric.
Right now, I'm waiting for oil paint sticks to set. I used an antique gold to add a glitter element to the fabric. It's now glittery, still ugly, fabric and not progressing significantly BUT... I'm going to stick with it. Not only has finding a way to use this fabric become a challenge - just as in class - my what if, evaluating, artist-come-out-to-play, juices are running and this is always a good thing.
The weather warmed up only somewhat - not to +6 - and that's okay because I spent most of the weekend tucked up in my studio creating. The second coat muslin is finished and fits well and I'm ready to figure out the sleeves. I worked on the bag fabric above, made a bracelet prototype that needs a bit more adjusting, watched more how-to videos on YouTube, ordered some tools and fabric to help with jewelry making and some purse frames and other parts to help with bag making, and discovered two possibilities for strengthening the necklace pendants that I'm experimenting with. Mostly, I just enjoyed that feeling that all is well, wonderful, and creative in my studio. It was a fabulous weekend. I hope yours was equally wonderful.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - ideas and warmth
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Personal Growth - Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers. I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor." - Job 42: 1-6 (The Message)
Sunday's sermon talked about how God doesn't owe me anything and about how our impression of God will influence how we handle pain and suffering. I thought about that in terms of being a parent. My children did not ask to be born. I chose to have them. I've raised them with as much love as I can shower them with and have attempted to transfer whatever wisdom I might have in order to best equip them for life as an adult. I did my best and now it's their turn to care for themselves to the best of their maturing ability with my continued love and support. I don't owe them anything. I do not expect to take care of them for the rest of their days. I cannot make their lives run painless and perfect. And yet, I will always be there with love and support.
If I think that God is a "divine butler and a cosmic therapist" as the pastor put it, I may think His role is to make my life smooth and wonderful, to bring health and wealth, and when it turns out to not be so, I might believe that God has not kept His promise to me (one He never made) or that He is less than who He is. It's delusional to think that no pain or suffering should happen to me. Why not me? It has come in the past and it will come again. Pain and suffering are an inevitable part of life. Thank God that when it happens He will be my comforter and my guide, that he is always there with divine love and eternal support. That's a promise He did make and will keep.
Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. - Mathew 28:20 (The Message)
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