progress

©2013, Paula Kovarik

Working on a piece for the Earth Stories exhibition sponsored by SAQA. This is a large piece that has stumped me several times. I was 3/4 done with it back in February when I realized that I had ruined it. That piece is still residing under my work table in a tumble of frustration. I guess it proves to me that I can not do too many things at once...ending my business...taking care of my ailing mother...reinventing myself in the transition of ending my business and starting to work full time in the studio. It was all too much. Then, mom got worse. So plans went on hold.

For now, I am making progress. Slow, step-by-step progress. I still tear out 10 stitches for every 50 I put down but I am finally seeing results. And that is a blessing.

I can't really post whole shots of the piece due to honoring my committment to the show organizers (who want the opportunity to unveil it in its entirety at the opening along with the other pieces). So here is a detail. This little section is in the rural area of the quilt. There are rural and metropolitan areas depicted. I am using a wool batting that is fluffier than my normal bamboo choice, so it is significantly more dimensional. It is the story of a river running through it.

A fleeting shadow

This fleeting shadow on my studio floor reminded me of a wonderful show I recently saw of Carrol Cloar's work at the Brooks Museum in Memphis (The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South). His studied observations of life in the south, sense of design and mastery of his medium inspired me to see the world differently after I walked out. That is the power of art.

ladders link up

The earlier version of this pattern (see July 7 post)) was about compartments that fracture across the surface. When I add color it reminds me of something Dubuffet might design for fabric. The second version below holds a layer that adds a sense of web-like syncopation that I like. Buried within, rough ladder shapes repeat vertically. Must look up the significance of that. Why ladders?

ladders, ©2013, Paula Kovarikladders 2, ©2013, Paula Kovarik

compartmentalizing and prioritizing

Playing with a pattern that tries illustrate the process of organization and focus.

You might notice I am getting nowhere.

I thought this might be a good start to fracturing the sense of order instead?

Compartmentalizing, ©2013, Paula Kovarik

A little bit of press

Round and Round It Goes, ©2013, Paula Kovarik

My Round and Round It Goes piece is mentioned in a review in the Columbus Dispatch (click here)

A little bit of press gets me inspired to do a lot more work.