Arty Girlz Challenge ~ Butterflies

Better late than never, here is my submission for the Arty Girlz Challenge this week. I had the idea from the moment I saw the topic...finding the time to create was another story. While working on this collage all I could think of was my youngest son and his affection for caterpillars, Monarchs in particular. As much as he loves to raise them and watch the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly, he is always so sad to say goodbye to his caterpillars. Sometimes change is hard to accept in any form.

This collage is available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

"Imagine Monet" Is Finally Finished

I thought it was finished ... and most of you considered it done, too. But then I began to wonder if I could soften the transition between the dark binding and the body. I tried a variety of yarns and this gray-green chenille is perfect.
It not only is a value transition, but a the fuzzy texture serves to soften the hard line.

"Imagine Monet" 30"x 32"

Here's a peek at the back side. As you may recall the center panel and the four border pieces are constructed and quilted separately. They are connected with a wide zig-zag stitched seam. To cover up the stitching and to strengthen that join, I place a tube of fabric over it and hand-stitch it in place on both edges.
All photos are clickable for a larger picture.

A New Favorite

I have completed a collage on what is sure to become my new favorite substrate. The 6 x 6 x 1.5" premier gallery profile canvas...I love it. I don't know if it's the size or the chunky feel to it, but I do know that I will be ordering more!

The first of many collages on this type of canvas is entitled, "create." and is available in my my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

I'm Done

"Imagine Monet" is finished ... I think.

Imagine Monet - 30" x32"

The binding and hanging sleeve are sewn in place. A bit of work with oil stick pastels has been added. There is definitely a tree standing on the right side. The trunk at the bottom was filled in by shading with black and gray pastels.

The pink and orange to the right of the couched yarn is added pastel work as well. I also strengthened and lengthened branches at the top. You can also see the added blue and violet pastels along with a bit of branch drawn in the top corner of that right border where it had been just background. To strengthen the illusion of a tree, I lightly drew dark broken lines in the center panel.
I thought I'd share the sample used for trying out ideas and different quilting threads and pattern as well as for getting the tensions adjusted on my machine for the stitching. It's a sandwich made with the same materials. You can see that at one point I considered coloring some of the leaves in my quilt pattern. They looked good, but I opted to keep the spaces open.
I use oil stick pastels to accent and shade many art quilts. They are heat set which also melts them into the fibers. But to have a heavier coverage of pigment requires more of the pastel on the surface. It concerned me that the colors may rub off onto other surfaces ... specifically hands and other quilts.

I did a research online for information of how artists set them on the even less porous surface of paper. The brand of fixative that tested as the best to "fix" pastels to paper was Krylon. Other brands of spray fixatives didn't set the pastels as well ... they more easily flaked off the surface. A number of fiber artists use Workable Krylon. I've discovered a Krylon spray that is UV-Resistant and is non-yellowing. To quote the product information:
It is a clear acrylic coating that provides a permanent, protective coating which protects art, crafts, and valuables against harmful UV light rays. Use to protect photography, watercolor, fabric, display materials, pencil, charcoal, florals, and more. Moisture-resistant and smudge proof.

There are strong cautions about spraying this product without using a face mask. One of those layered paper ones works well. It's also a good idea to spray outdoors.

"Getting There"

Wow! I'm surprised and pleased at the attention this quilt has gotten. A big "thank you" to all who have responded with comments and suggestions for the dilemma of "am I done?".

I very much liked this piece as it came together, but there was the pestering question about how the center was "being read" ... how it related to the bold flowers. The more I looked at it, the less I was enamoured ... the more that question niggled around in my head.

Whenever this happens , I know I'm not done ... that the piece requires something more, but what? Often, possible solutions rise to the surface of my mind during sleep. When that happens I can hardly wait to get to the studio to try my new idea.

This morning I woke up with a clue as to what is bothering me about this piece. Very possibly it's the orientation. In my mind, while creating the center piece the red and yellow areas were flowers while the blue and white was distance and sky which made even the thought of rotating the piece not even a consideration. Although, I had turned it upside down at one point to confirm which way was up, a vertical orientation instead of the horizontal landscape one never entered my mind. So anyway, I hurried to my studio to rotate it one turn.
Amazingly, how the center piece "reads" changed tremendously. It no longer has the feeling of deep distance, or "a hole" as I referred to it previously. It has come forward to work better with the up close border flowers. Now the yellow has become tall shrub flowers in the sunshine and the white just a nebulous corner. I'm also seeing that previously horizontal fragmented limb as an upright tree ... mmmmmmmm.

30"x 32"

I had made what was the bottom border wider. That makes for another dilemma ... can that wider border remain on the left side? In the first set of photos a strip of the binding fabric is pinned where it would be cut to make it even with the other three. I'm looking at it on my design board without the binding ... and it's growing on me. I think it can stay wider than the other three sides.

Oh, and it now has a title "Imagine Monet".

Am I Done?

All four border pieces are quilted, the yarn is couched over the seams, and several choices of fabric for a 3/4" binding is being auditioned. I also filled in color with oil stick pastels to extend flowers across seams in the border. It's looking good. However, I'm having the problem of deciding what more, or if any more, is needed in this piece.

32"x 30"

I chose the strong pattern of water color flowers with the same coloration in a wide border to balance and compliment the center. But does it? The quilting patterns help to unify the two parts. Is it wishful thinking on my part that it's finished? Am I too attached, too much in love, with that center piece the way it is? I like the branch with its implied extension across the width of the quilt as well as the angled sweep of flowers on the vertical. Does it need something more? The center piece is about air and atmosphere. That aspect is reinforced by the variegated yellow and green yarn that is slightly fuzzy plus the flowers floating on the light valued background in the borders. But does it work to have "distance", a big hole, as the focal point? Am I done?

Victorian Bushfire Appeal

I am proud to take part, along with many other artists, in the fund raising efforts for relief for the Australian Fire Victims. Metsy team member Stacey Merrill coordinated the efforts of many Metsy artists to create houses to sell on Etsy for the cause. My donation is pictured here and, for me, represents that heart and home are ONE.



For a wonderful assortment of creative works (and free shipping) please visit the Etsy shop for Fire Relief. Purchasing handcrafted works of art and helping in a worthwhile cause...it's a win-win situation.

© Nancy Lefko