Ethereal Series

 There are times when I am just sort of floating around my studio wondering what new challenge I can find.  What can I dare myself to try that I have never been able to figure out before?

I looked at a painting I had done for a class that focused on vague figures with words all over their bodies.  I really liked the painting and had been wondering how to replicate the feeling in fabric.  So I dug around in my many drawers of supplies and found printed tissue paper.

Hmmmm.  It could have the right "look" but how could I use something as fragile as tissue on a quilt.  Last year I made a quilt of a face using paper napkins - so maybe the same technique would work.

And - it did!  Here is the first one of the series ------Ethereal:  Butterflies

I cut the tissue into scraps and collaged them into the person shape, fused that shape onto the background - and used water color paint to add enough color so they blended.  Then careful sewing to add the features.

Here is the second one ---- Ethereal:  Conversation

LOTS of embroidery and beading on all of these.

The third one is a little different ------ Ethereal:  Emerging

Three dimensional flowers growing out of the swampy watery background along with the creature.  I especially like his mask.

Not sure if I will continue on this path - but I may be able to use the technique with some others that I want to experiment with.

I did learn an important lesson with this series.  My previous quilts always have a background of a single fabric.  So it is all the same color - no lights and darks.  The first two quilts have definite dark and light areas - and that adds a LOT to the quilt.  So I need to find ways to include that in the future.