Coloring Outside the Blocks: Artists Do Lunch

Artists Do Lunch measures 77.5" x 51" and is a group collaboration with Leslie Jenison, Frances Holliday Alford, Kathy York, Connie Hudson, Sherri Mc Caulley and Barb Forrister. Frances set the plan in motion. We began with a muslin tablecloth which was spread on the table during our Art Bee meetings. We took turns rotating the tablecloth such that everyone had a chance at some point to work on all parts of it. Once the cloth was almost completely painted, it was divided into 6 equal portions. Each of us went home with a piece which we were to further embellish and quilt. We were also supposed to incorporate black and white somehow in our individual pieces to unify them altogether. Additionally, we were to create a symbol that was unique to each one of us and stamp it in various places of our individual piece. My symbol was a leaf which can be seen on two of the headresses with single eyes. I am still uncertain as to how the eyes managed to work their way into the pieces but they certainly have a presence. It reminds me of the saying in Avatar, "I see you." Funny, how we seem to have an influence on one another even when we are in different places. Frances is in Vermont and Leslie is in San Antonio and still the eyes are present in both their pieces. Kind of uncanny! Once the individual pieces were finished, we met again and cut them in half to reassemble them into the final design. We decided a black and white patterned border would further strengthen and enhance the design elements. This piece was alot of fun to make and somehow symbolizes the bonds that we have all forged and the good times we had visiting with one another. It is here where many voices come together as one.