Started

After I chose my fabric for “Marseille VI - L’Estaque’ I started to draw my design on a fabric stabilizer.
I prefer to draw and then sew on fabric because I thread paint a lot once my basic sewing is done. With the 2 or 3 layers of fabric I can finish with an almost flat surface.
One big advantage is that I don’t have to tear the ‘stitch and tear’ stabilizer !
I don’t always stick to my coloured drawing and to the chosen fabrics. I love to have the ability to change my mind !I started to layer ‘the background’ ; the sky, the greens, a part of the bridge and the shadows in the buildings.

As you can see, I didn’t draw the tree on the foreground. I haven’t decided yet how I will finish it.

“Everything you can imagine is real.”
Pablo Picasso

Write you soon
Nathalie

L’Estaque

I chose the fabrics that I will use for ‘Marseille VI L’Estaque’

There are not that many different colours but many sun and shadow spots, thus the black tulle will certainly be used to temper some used colours.

Short blog this time because it’s DH’s birthday today, he’s turning 51 years young. This evening we’re going to one of our favourite restaurant with only the two of us.

“As we grow older, our bodies get shorter and our anecdotes longer.”

Robert Quillen

Write you soon
Nathalie

Sketching and new book

Today the postman brought me the book I ordered from Terri Stegmiller
‘Creative Paper Quilts’.
Terri has autographed it and also has put a little word in it.
She also has put an ATC in the book as ‘thank you’ :

The book is full of refreshing ideas on making little paper quilts.

On the other hand I started to sketch again, on this project :

This is a picture I took while in Houston. I altered the colours a bit with my photo software and started to sketch.

I see some fibre possibilities in the picture but I have to make some more sketches.
Some works need to grow a bit. What I like already are the colours : a purple background with some pink and some green and the yellow/orange flowers.

For the ‘Marseille VI L’Estaque’ I started to look for the right fabric in my stash.
I do not want to buy new fabric, so let’s be creative and inventive !
And I do not want this quilt to be larger than 1 yard.

Almost Christmas and still no decorated tree. I have to admit that I love Christmas trees but not in my home. When the children were little I had a little tree, but now that they’re grown up and more away than at home and that I’m working all days…. I prefer to create when I have some hours off.

“You see things; and you say, 'Why?'
But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw

Write you soon
Nathalie

Marseille VI L'Estaque

Most of you know that our city trip to Marseille left a huge impression on me.
Most of you also know that I started an art-quilt series about Marseille.

This is the next photo I want to adapt and make in fibre : L’Estaque
Georges Braque and Paul Cézanne painted this little village near Marseille many, many times !

When, in L’Estaque, you can follow a walking route that retrace their paintings.
I took many pictures of the different views. I can’t show them all, but here's another one :

Over the years many things changes but the spirit stayed.

I traced the (first) picture with EQ6 – wanted to practice the program a little more – and this is the result :

The design isn’t perfect : you still can see some blue background between the houses but the essence is present.
I removed some of the annoying details : the electricity cables…
I have to simplify the design a bit more : still too many details !
I want straight lines. Looking for a cubism style !
But I want to have a contrast with the flowing of the leaves.
Add a little frivolity in my work to be.

I just love it when I can go ahead in some of my ideas and knowing that it will become a nice work.
Sometimes I see my work already finished in a glimpse. Then I have to remember and write the idea down.
The same happened for this one.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
Winston Churchill

Write you soon
Nathalie

Happy Dance

I finished module 1 from the C&G creative sketchbooks.
Laura Kemshall and Edwina Mackinnon wrote me that I may start with module 2.

I love the result from this exercise and with some adaption I could make this in fabric.

The official opening of the exhibition was a HUGE success. We had a lot of people who came from about everywhere.

On the picture above my brother who came specially for that event and

on the picture below, my parents.

The traditional quilts on the walls were made by Gerda, Carine, Julie and Magda.

I'm so thankfull that they accepted to exhibit some of their quilts.

Since the name of the exhibition is "From patchwork to Art Textile', I needed some traditional works. Most of them were hand sewed and hand quilted.

The critics on the exposed works were very positive.

The pictures from the works below are mine.

I now know I’m going in the right direction never the less I’m making art primarily for myself and that others do like it is a nice positive addition.
I have sold several of my works which made me even more happy.

The only scary moment was when I had to speech. I had to speak real close to the micro but wasn’t able to read my paper any more because I had forgot my reading glasses !

"Speeches are like babies - easy to conceive but hard to deliver."

Pat OMalley

Write you soon
Nathalie

Better Late than Never

Some days ago I received a Kreativ award from Louise Schiele .
Thank you for nominating me and telling such nice things about me.

The following is what is expected from my nominees :
1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from in your blog
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

So I am passing the Kreativ Award to the following:

Sue Bleiweiss
Because she’s running the ‘Fiber and Stitch’ e-zine with such an enthusiasm and always willing to share some great ideas together with
her friend Terrie Stegmiller
We had the chance to meet each other in Houston and had –all the three- a great time.

Susan Italo
I love to read her blog because I recognise myself in her writings. She makes such nice things.

Dale Anne Potter
I love to read here ramblings in here blog and love the fact that she’s updating her blog on regular base, just as the other nominees.

Carol Clasper
I had the chance to follow one of her online workshops in the past and continued to read her blog to stay in touch.


"Blogging is a way to tell your story to others who do the same."

Write you soon
Nathalie

preview

We started to set up all the quilts for the exhibition.
A fast count of the number of it : I believe we have about 80 works to show.
From the most traditional handmade and handquilted (kingsize)bed quilt to the journal size artworks.
I will go back tomorrow to have a final control of all the works. My speech is written and approved by my critics (my dad and one of my best friend).
We already had many people stepping in the gallery to have a peek.

I had to ask them to come visit when the exhibition will be open.

DH made such a publicity for the exhibition that we will have a great number of visitors.
Those who have met Marc in Houston, know that he is my greatest fan and that he support me more than most can imagine.

The statues that Fernand Vanderplancke will exhibit are stunning.

This is one of my favourites :

I decided that I will sell some of my work. Pricing a work is one of the most difficult things.
You have to be objective and putting the emotions aside. But I can’t help it : it will be like letting my babies leaving home once they’re grown up.
On the other hand : I will have some space again on the walls to (make and) hang new work. Most of my work were hidden in closets.

I’m also working a little on my City and Guilds creative sketchbooks module one, drawing lines and filling squares. I combined oil crayons with watercolour crayons because I was curious about the result.
I know I’m doing more than I have to, but I gave myself the time till end January to do the first module so I can take all the assessments further.
I also want to play further with EQ6 just for fun.

DH asked me if I wanted to have a mini trip to London. I said not this year, no way…but in January well why not. He will turn 51 years young next week (December, 19) and my birthday is next month so we can go between the two birthdays. One present for two.

It’s already decided : we go to Birmingham in august for the exhibition.

"It doesn't matter who you are or where you've come from. You can achieve great things and make a difference in this world. You only need to believe in yourself enough, and you do that by reaching your goals one step at a time. "
Mark Llewhellin


Write you soon
Nathalie

Altered Journals

I enjoyed painting the two journals I started to alter with Sarah Whitmire.
This one is all finished and almost dry. It’s ready to be packed and to be used during the exhibition. I hope people will enjoy writing their comments in it about the exhibition.

On the back I added a picture of a well-known statue from the village where the exhibition will take place, I also added a small piece of street map and some street names. I added some horizontal waves to evoke the North Sea.
The front of the journal has a picture of a shell, some fabric shells, feathers, threads and some more.

The other journal I’m making for my sister-in-law is not yet finished.

I want to add a poem so that, when she reads it, it makes her happy and thinking positive.

The next thing I will alter, will be a table agenda. I will add more texture on the surface so that the paint pops out.

In two days I will start to hang all the works at the exhibition. I will also take some pictures and add them on the blog. You will have a little preview of all the exhibited works.
So, stay tuned…

“You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”
Rosalynn Carter


Write you soon
Nathalie

Decisions

I made some major decisions lately. Well, major is maybe a big word.

First : I joined the SAQA, huge step… It is a sign that (I thing) I begin to feel and act like an artist. Since I do not have the support (in the ‘traditional quilt world’) I looked for in my neighborough, I will seek it elsewhere. Sue and Terri : you were so right !

Second : I will start a City and Guild creative sketchbooks online course from Linda and Laura Kemshall .
This will help me to sort my ideas and to let me –more than now- work in series.

I must admit that when I took the workshop with Sharon Bogon , past summer about having a journal and using it, I enjoyed the sketching and the doodling.
I didn’t want to take a patchwork and quilting course because I want to enlarge my vision of making art. I wanted to have a look from another side.
There are more than one road that lead to Rome !

I wanted to add a picture of a quilttop. Started as a doodle and then as a mathematic play.
Will be finished soon…

“Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.”
Wendell Johnson

Write you soon
Nathalie

Last Details

I’m laying my hands and my head on the last details for the exhibition.
I received the invitations for the ‘vernissage” Saturday and have posted most of them today.

I had a last check up on the works I will exhibit : would you believe that I sometimes forgot to put my name on it ?
I counted my ‘OK to exhibit’ works : there will be 35 works !

I asked a friend artist Fernand Vanderplancke to “dress” the exhibition up with some of his statues and he agreed. He’s making fabulous things !

I’m also trying to finish the ‘comment’ book.

This is the back cover :

The front cover is in a previous post.

“If you rest, you rust.”
Helen Hayes

Write you soon

Nathalie