Art Nouveau/Mucha

I've been working on trying to finish up two smaller quilts (17"x20") for our upcoming Inspired by the Masters exhibit. We're actually hanging the exhibit on Monday at the Fenton Library (Sept/Oct) then they'll be on to the Auburn Hills Library for Nov/Dec.

So..to refresh..this is small piece I did in 2007....hand dyed fabric that I laid a piece of tyvek fabric (not the envelope kind - this tyvek has a right and wrong side and is softer) that I had painted a design on. I laid the design on top of a sandwiched piece and then quilted the bugger. Then I laid my silicone sheet on top and used my iron to heat/melt away areas.

One of our Master Artists is Alphonse Mucha who did a lot of art nouveau work. So I enlarged my design above and painted again on tyvek fabric; placed it on a commercial background and I'll now free motion quilt the entire piece. Once all the quilting is finished I'll use the iron again to burn away sections. Don't really worry about what I burn away or what remains. I think the contrast will work out for what shows underneath. I hope!

So Mucha did a lot of women in art nouveau fashion so I thought I'd do a woman. This is a dover design for art nouveau that I painted on the tyvek fabric.

For this piece, I free motion quilted the background first, then I cut out the lady (leaving just the slightest edge to the paper) and now I'm stitching her down. If you click on the picture, you'll see my threads hanging that I haven't tied off yet. I won't most likely use the iron on her but I will use my soldering iron instead. I'll have more control as I want to burn away the edges of the entire piece and inside areas to show some of the background fabric.

For those who read my blog, please forgive me for some redundancy in my techniques and postings...I maintain my blog for several reasons, first, to save me hand writing in my journal daily which I did for years (because I'd rather quilt then write - too lazy!).

Second, for my friends and family to catch up on what all I'm doing, again saving me typing the same note to send out.

Third, to inspire any one who just happened to read my blog who doesn't even know me and fourth, so I can go back and see how I did something 6 months ago! I've already used my blog to look up some of the techniques I posted! Short memory, I know but thank heaven I have my blog! Now to just make sure I always have a computer! Wonder if they'll let me have one in the nursing home! Oh, guess it doesn't matter...my mind will go and I'll forget what it was I wanted to look up anyway!