Button Tidal Wave in White

 

(Above:  Button Tidal Wave in White.  2024. Custom framed: 29 3/4" x 29 3/4".  Assorted white buttons with a tan button and bead outline, hand-stitched to a section of an antique navy/cream coverlet.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

I was worried about this piece despite knowing that I really wanted to stitch a big, white wave as the fourth and final piece using sections of this antique coverlet.  After all, there are more white and off-white buttons in my stash than any other shade or color.  Yet on the other three waves, I'd always used white buttons to define the wave's outline. White buttons provided the needed high contrast with the dark, navy coverlet.  I needed "something else" for the outline here.  Finally I decided that layering up three tan/brown buttons would do the trick.

(Above:  Button Tidal Wave in White, detail.)

Like the earlier three button tidal waves, this one was a joy to stitch.  I've amassed an enormous number of buttons, more than I probably can ever stitch ... and it was time to actually use some of them.  Continuing to keep things in my stash is not exactly "giving second life" to them ... which is my driving force.  Not using them is sort of like having these buttons in limbo.  Yet, when I finished, I didn't like the results.  The contrast wasn't enough.  The solution ended up a simple one:  Add gold beads.  It did the trick.  I'm really happy now with the results. 

 

(Above:  All four Button Tidal Waves.)

Best of all is the fact that these four pieces are in our cargo van.  Tomorrow we are headed to Spiralis Gallery in Easton, Maryland to deliver more artwork.  The gallerist couldn't easily decide which of the tidal waves she wanted.  We are taking all four and hoping that she loves them all equally!  They all need permanent homes!

Good news!

(Above ... That's me at the Smithsonian Craft Show in 2022!)

Yesterday was THANKSGIVING and I have so very, very much for which to be totally grateful!  First ... the notifications came from the Smithsonian Craft Show.  My artwork was accepted!  I'm excited.  I didn't even apply last year because the dates were too soon after our move to Cateechee.  In 2022 I applied with my Found Object Mandalas and was accepted.  This year, I applied in two categories:  Decorative Fibers (with my In Box and fiber Stained Glass series) and Mixed Media (with my Found Object Mandalas.  The mandalas did not get accepted but the "Decorative Fibers" will be going!  I have lots of new work to make now despite having several pieces ready to go!

(Above:  The Lace Forest as it was installed last summer at Featherstone Gallery on Martha's Vineyard Island.)

I am also grateful (and seriously "over the moon") to announce that The Lace Forest was accepted into Fiberarts International.  Getting into this triennial has been one of my top artistic goals for ages!  In anticipation, I am stitching even more strands of lace together.  There were thirty in the show this summer.  Last week, I passed forty and still have enough lace for at least another ten! 
 

 

A Commissioned Found Object Mandala

Mandala CCXII. Custom framed:  32 3/4" x 32 3/4" when hung as a square; 46 1/4" x 46 1/4" when hung as shown as a diamond.  Found chandelier parts, vintage poker chips, copper pipe straps, and assorted beads and buttons stitched to a section of a white blanket.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

This commission started with a big, heavy box of chandelier and lamp parts along with a vintage quilt.  It also started while Steve and I visited the home of a dear man we've known for decades.  This past year, he lost his wife, a lady we knew even longer than we knew him.  Like me, she often attended Bill Mishoe's estate auctions.  She collected many things, among them chandeliers and lamps.

 

(Above:  The chandelier parts laying on the vintage quilt.)

The design (with a few rearrangements of the individual pieces) was a good one.  The colorful quilt, however, seemed to fight with the design ... especially since we all knew that this piece would eventually hang on a dark, paneled wall in a mid-century modern house.  I suggested something "lighter" that would create more contrast between the dark elements and the dark wall.  An ordinary white blanket was suggested.  Though they aren't really visible in the final piece, the blanket's woven pattern included heart motifs that really infused the whole process with a subtle bit of love.  The blanket was almost "too white" for the chandelier parts but a layer of tan bridal tulle/netting was placed over the surface before any stitching was done.  This softened and warmed the contract perfectly.

 

(Above:  The back of the piece after stapled to its stretcher bar over which acid-free foam-centered board was glued.)

 

Like all of my Found Object Mandalas, the elements were hand-stitched to the substrata.  Then, the work was stapled to a stretcher bar over which I had glued a piece of acid-free foam-centered board.  Next, I used a super strong but thin brown thread to stitch the elements and quilt to the foam-center board.  This is done so that no section is supporting more than a few square inches of the weight.  Yet, this piece was HEAVY and I feared that with time and gravity, the holes created in the foam-centered board would widen ... and the piece might sag.

To combat this potential problem, a piece of thin paneling was cut to fit inside the back of the stretcher bars.

It was off-set clamped into place.  This allowed me to add the copper straps ... which were screwed through the blanket, the foam-centered board, and the wood panel.  There is now no way that the weight of this mandala will cause anything on the front to sag!

 

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXII.)

As shown in the detail photo above, there are two copper straps on each of the eight heaviest chandelier parts!  I hope my friend in heaven is as pleased with her husband's commission as I am!

Button Tidal Wave in Tan

(Above:  Button Tidal Wave in Tan.  Custom framed:  28 1/2" x 28 1/2". Assorted tan and light brown buttons hand-stitched to a section of an antique coverlet.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

Recently I finished Button Tidal Wave in Brown.  It required me to sort through my buttons, separating the tan and lighter brown buttons from the darker ones.  As the two piles grew, I knew that I would start a tan wave after finishing the darker brown one.

(Above:  Detail of Button Tidal Wave in Tan.)

The variety of brown buttons is amazing, but so seems to be the shades of every color.  Some of the buttons used in this tidal wave could easily have been sorted into the orange container.  After all, orange seems to go from dark cinnamon and rust to light apricot and pale peach.  Yet, I think the range adds to the texture and visual appeal.

 

(Above:  Detail of Button Tidal Wave in Tan.)

There will be one more Button Tidal Wave using the antique coverlet. I wish it had been bigger!  I don't know whether or not this theme will continue.  It depends on both the selection of the background material and the quantity of buttons I have in my stash!

In Box Experiment

(Above:  Steve with hand-stitched In Box CDLXI.)

I've been stitching pieces in my In Box Series for approximately two decades.  CDLXI is four hundred and sixty-one in Roman numerals.  Some are significantly larger.  Some are significantly smaller.  Most are created by free-motion machine stitching with only 100% cotton thread but some are hand-stitched with cotton floss. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to share my unique melting techniques through various workshops.  A frequent question concerns the black, recycled felt I've always used as the substrata for the layers of fuses polyester stretch velvet.  "Have you ever used another color?"  My answer has always been "No ... but go ahead and try that yourself."

 

(Above:  In Box CDLXI.  Layers of fused polyester stretch velvet on white recycled felt with hand embroidery and melting techniques. Unframed:  17" x 10 1/2"; framed:  23 3/8" x 18".)

 

I've used the black felt for a couple of important reasons.  First, it was FREE to me.  My black felt was once the protective covering for a kayak or canoe being shipped from a manufacturer to my friend's outdoor shop.  He didn't want to throw it away.  After all, it is a synthetic ... which will not decompose in a landfill.  I wanted it because it is a synthetic ... which will melt when exposed to the intense heat of my heat gun.  (Click here to see one a commissioned piece being melted.)  Second, my machine stitching has always been done using black thread, like an ink drawing of each motif.  Finally, black is a neutral and high in contrast with the colorful shapes ... but so is white!

Above:  Detail of In Box CDLXI.)

Last week I decided to try the experiment that I so often suggested to others ... use something other than black felt.  In my stash, I had white synthetic felt.  I also had a nice silver frame.  The frame is a leftover from my days as a custom picture framer and my shop that sold lots of beveled mirrors.  Before we retired and moved, more than one hundred mirrors were offered at 50% off.  Lots of them sold but others were moved and became the wall decor in our upstairs bathroom.  There were still more mirrors ... including one in a silver frame.  I decided to design my experiment to fit that frame ... in case the experiment worked!  Well ... it did work!  It worked so well that I'll be making more of these ... not in such a big, silver frame but something nice!

Button Tidal Wave in Brown

(Above:  Brown Tidal Wave in Brown. Framed: 29" x 29".  Assorted dark brown buttons hand-stitched to a section of an antique coverlet.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

This is the second "button tidal wave" that will result after cutting up the antique coverlet. Though part of me hesitated when taking the scissors to this old material, I had such a wonderful time layering buttons that I couldn't wait to start the second one.  I did have to sort through more of my button collection but I had fun doing that too!

 

(Above:  Detail of The Button Tidal Wave in Brown.)

I know that the third button tidal wave will feature light brown and tan buttons.  I know this because I'm already working on it!  The final wave, however, is still undecided.  It could be black buttons but I think that won't have the desired contrast with the dark, navy blue coverlet.  It could easily be off white and white buttons because I have more of these than any other sort of button ... but what would the outline be?  Questions! Questions!  These ideas keep my mind occupied while my fingers attach buttons!

(Above:  Detail of The Button Tidal Wave in Brown.)

Mandala CCXI

(Above:  Mandala CCXI.  Custom framed:  40" x 40".  Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt. Objects include: Parts of two antique lamps; wooden textile mill perns/spindles; toy car wheels; keys; blocks cut in half;  wooden, decorative bird ornaments; brown coasters; bright blue coffee K-pods; Mardi Gras doubloons; prisms; and assorted buttons and beads. Click on any image to enlarge.)

I've run out of the colorful, wooden bird ornaments that I bought at the Creative Reuse Shop in Springfield, Illinois.  I'm a little sad about it because the shop had even more of them.  I never thought I'd use the ones I got but I did.  However, I have lots and lots more toy car wheels despite using more than fifty of them for this Found Object Mandala!

 

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXI.)

This past week was exciting.  Two medium-sized In Boxes and an older piece over which I poured UV filtering epoxy went to the GreenHill Center of NC Arts in Greensboro, NC (despite the fact that I'm not really from North Carolina!) and another Found Object Mandala went to the Holiday Ensemble Show at Spalding Nix Fine Art in Atlanta.  Meanwhile, another mandala sold at Spiralis in Easton, MD.  I finished two large In Boxes and another smaller, hand-stitched one.  Plus, I'm working on a commission!  Life is good!

In Box CDXLII gets a frame

 

(Above:  In Box CDXLII framed.  40" x 40".  Polyester stretch velvet squares and rectangles fused in layers on recycled synthetic black felt.  Free-motion machine stitched.  Unique melting techniques.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Last November I created In Box CDLXII for a traveling special exhibit called Behind the Seams.  This exhibit was organized by The Quilt Show. (Click HERE for a page on the Quilt Show's website that features the work and a free video of Ricky Tims and me demonstrating my techniques ... though the incorrect Roman numeral is listed! LOL!  CLICK here for my original blog post.) 

 The required size was a minimum of 30" x 30".  This series is generally not this large.  Why?  Well ... standard sized mat board is 32" x 40".  Also, standard glass is never over 32" in width.  I knew when I made this piece (which was shipped and shown without framing) that over-sized materials would be needed.  During the last year, the piece went to various quilt shows across the country.  Last week it returned.  Steve and I framed it with over-sized materials.  I think it looks great.  Perhaps I really should start making more of these large ones!

Button Tidal Wave in Gray

(Above:  Button Tidal Wave in Gray.  Custom framed:  30" x 29 1/4". Assorted gray buttons hand-stitched to a section of an antique coverlet.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

I might have to rephotograph this piece.  It seems that the intense autumn light bouncing around in my sanctuary-sized studio reflected off of some of the buttons.  I will attempt this in a few days ... when photographing the next Button Tidal Wave!  This tidal wave was so much fun to stitch that I immediately started a second one ... with dark brown buttons. That one isn't mounted and framed, but when it is, I'll take more photos of both of them.  In the meantime, this post will stand.

(Above:  Button Tidal Wave in Gray, detail.) 

I'm not sure how many button tidal waves are in my future.  Plenty of things will determine the number.  First, I haven't figured out how many are possible using the antique coverlet in my stash.  I've had it for a couple month.  It was donated to me by a friend who was also moving away from Columbia.  At first, I couldn't imagine cutting it.  I've never owned a coverlet.  I've always thought of them as rare and valuable and something NOT to be cut.  Yet, this one wasn't in great shape.  There are several "problems".  Plus, it was given to me "for art" ... because it needed a "second life".  

 

(Above:  Button Tidal Wave in Gray, detail.)

Second, I'm not sure how many buttons are used ... obviously hundreds if not many more than a thousand.  It is hard to know whether or not I have enough of any shade.  Obviously, I knew I had enough dark brown buttons for the second tidal wave.  I'm also sure I have enough light brown/tan buttons for a third.  My collection could likely produced several off white/white tidal waves, but that idea comes with a puzzle.  What buttons would define the outline?  I'll be thinking of this in the coming days.  In the meantime, I'll be stitching on a Found Object Mandala and mounting the brown button tidal wave.

Mandala CCX

(Above:  Mandala CCX. Custom framed: 21 1/4" x 21 1/4".  Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt.  Objects include:  Part of a lamp; poker chips; two teams of foosball figures; toy car wheels; sun-shaped parts of napkin rings; prisms; vintage electrical capacitors; four rotors from toy helicopters; keys; beer caps; expired medical devices in clear/green plastic containers; bright yellow electrical wire end connectors; red, plastic circles from a beer yoke; assorted buttons. Click on either image to enlarge.)

I've had the two teams of foosball figures for several months and have no idea why I waited to use them!  Perhaps it was the colors.  I just didn't respond well to a limited palette of red and yellow.  When I finally pulled out the green and blue poker chips to accompany the red and yellow ones, the design just fell into place.  Sometimes, the center inspires the mandala.  Sometimes, it's one multiple arranged in a focal circle that inspires the mandala.  Sometimes, it's the colors.  This is one of those times!