Fiber on the Edge

Welcome, I am so jazzed that the opening night for Fiber on the Edge is tonight, Tuesday, August 6th from 6-8 p.m. in the Julia C. Butridge Gallery located at the Dougherty Art Center (Austin, Texas)! The Austin Fiber Artists exhibit  was juried by Beverly Mangham and features over 30 artists along with a non juried membership wall. There is even a performing exhibit by my good friend, Rob Bartlett at the Opening Reception. How cool is that?! This event is free and open to the public. The show will be up through August

28th. I will have two pieces, Primavera and the Giving Tree. I got a sneak preview when I dropped off my artwork and I must say, this is one show you will not want to miss! There are so many wonderful pieces of fiber art from so many talented artists. Come see what is being done with fiber, today. You will be amazed! That being said, I am sad to say I will try to pop in for the reception but I am teaching my New Mixed Media Art Cloth class this evening at the Dougherty Art Center. If you get a chance, stop in and say hello! I would love to see you!

My Creative Journey as an Art Quilter

Hello, welcome to the next stop on  the "How I Got Started Blog Tour" hosted by Cheryl Sleboda. I am Barb Forrister and I am an Art Quilter. My roots stem from very traditional quilting. My first quilt which I do not have a photograph of was a rail fence. This is my second quilt. It does not have a name because at the time, I did not know that you had to name quilts. I got my start from a friend who would bring her quilts  

Esmerelda

for me to see from time to time. I soon found myself falling in love with the texture. I asked her if she would show me how to quilt but she declined saying that I should learn "the right way." And so, I took a class at the local shop where I was then living in Phoenix. I made three quilts in that class and fell in love with the age old art. Afterwards, I found myself totally hooked  on quilting and texture! I made so many quilts for so many members of my family. Later, when I moved to Colorado, I began learning applique and made the switch from pieced quilts to appliqued quilts. Soon after, I realized that I could make my own designs and patterns. That is when I came up with my first original art quilt, Esmerelda. What a revelation!

Little Boy Blue

I lived in Colorado for two very short years before we moved to Austin. Upon arriving, I heard of the illustrious International Quilt Festival and now I was actually in range of making that trip! How fun! The first year I was here, I went to the IQA show not knowing what to expect. Boy, was I in for a surprise!  I saw things way beyond my expectations and was so elated and ecstatic of what was being done in the field. I vowed then to one day have my work in that show and so I purchased some art supplies and came home to create Moroccan Play, different for me but still, so fun!


Morrocan Play

From there, I experienced a huge growth spurt and soon began to find my way, making nature inspired art quilts. My very first real intentional art quilt was Little Boy Blue. This piece was created in 2007 out of commercial and hand dyed fabrics, tyvek, dyed cheesecloth and fibers; inked and painted, heat distressed, machine appliquéd and quilted. Yep, by this time, I was totally inspired by learning to hand dye and heat distress fabrics, So cool!!!! And so,  was falling in love with texture all over again! Seven years later, I found myself returning to teaching, creating art, sharing my work in various venues, museums and galleries, judging art/quilt shows and having a wonderful time. I absolutely love the art of quilting and wouldn't change a minute of it! Today, I work primarily in both abstract and nature inspired themes, primarily focusing on texture and 3 dimensional aspects.  I am currently writing an article for Quilting Arts magazine regarding my 3 Dimensional flowers. Stay tuned for the December?January 2013 issue where I will be sharing some insight as to how I make my 3D flowers. For now, I am currently working on a teaser.

Primavera
 

Thank you for visiting. I hope you have enjoyed the ride and will continue on the blog hop to Aug 5. Jackie White - http://jabotquilt.blogspot.com/ . To see more of "How I Got Started Blog Tour," please visit
Aug 1. Cyndi Zacheis Souder - http://moonlightingquilts.wordpress.com/
Aug 2. Becky Glasby - http://bumblebzs.blogspot.com/
Aug 3. Cheryl Sleboda - http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/blog/
Aug 4. Barb Forrister - http://www.barbforrister.com/category/blog
Aug 5. Jackie White - http://jabotquilt.blogspot.com/
Aug 6. Tracy Mooney - http://www.3littlebrds.com/
Aug 7. Lisa Chin - http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com
Aug 8. Laura Krasinski - http://laurakrasinskisartontherun.blogspot.com/
Aug 9. Catherine Redford - http://catherineredford.com/blog/
Aug 10. Sylvia Lewis - http://bunchberrystudio.blogspot.com/  

Sacred Threads 2013

Hello, I thought I might let you know of a very special show called Sacred Threads that runs July 10th through the 28th. Sacred Threads is an exhibition of quilts exploring themes of spirituality, joy, inspiration, peace/brotherhood, grief and healing. This biennial exhibition is a way for quilters to express their work as a connection to the sacred and/or as an expression of their spiritual journey. The objective is to create a dignified exhibition of artwork that touches on both spiritual and personal levels all those who view it.  I love this show as it is a wonderful way of connecting

 with artists and their spiritual journeys. I am graced to have two pieces in this show. The first piece, Emerald Treasures has and always will be an inspirational touchstone piece for me. After it was created, it left immediately for a show where it placed third. On it's way home, it was caught in a conveyor belt and the large turtle head was completely decapitated along with a large piece of her shell missing. I was completely devastated especially after having received notice that it had been accepted into IQF West Coast Wonders special exhibit. Not knowing what to do, it sat on my table for a couple of weeks. Finally, I knew I had to try and fix the piece in hopes that she might travel once again. I had no idea how to do this or if it could even be done. I repainted another head and attached it. Next, I began rebuilding her shell. Luckily, I still had beads and leftover materials that matched. There were holes that went through the entire quilt. I used Mistyfuse and fused fabric over these area. Finally, she seemed ready to travel and make her way to festival where she was featured in the program. You cannot imagine how tickled I was that she could be resurrected and shared with others, once again. Emerald Treasures has been an inspiration to me to never give up even when presented with adverse situations; hope prevails.

    The second piece, Welcome to My Garden is part of the Peace/Brotherhood Exhibit at Sacred Threads. Welcome to My Garden was designed to encourage fond memories of time spent in the garden. The leaves on the right bear the words, "welcome" and "garden" in languages including French, German, Italian, Swahili, Spanish, Norwegian and many more. It reaches out to people from all around the world through text and beckons visitors to enter the garden and gather inspirational phrases like they would flowers. Here, many things have been planted and cultivated ranging from flowers, vegetables, teas, herbs to dreams for the future. These seedlings brought to full fruition are captured by phrases found on the leaves of the plant to the left. They include messages about special times experienced with friends and family, secrets whispered, conversations held and intimate moments from long, long ago. It is so tranquil that it seems to invite the recollection of the last time I walked through the garden, hand in hand with my lover or shared a cup of tea with my best friend.

As the memories flashed before me, I soon found myself reaching back to my own childhood memories and the sensations I experienced when I first walked through grass and felt the blades between my toes or breathed the scent of a favorite and endearing flower. It is here, where I am reminded of the past. It is here where I have learned to dream. This piece has been inked, painted and texturized with fibers. If you are in the area, I encourage you to visit the show. It will be held at the Floris United Methodist Church located at 13600 Frying Pan Road, Herndon, VA 20171 (near Dulles Airport). Show hours are 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Admission is $5 and there are quilts from almost 200 artists! Wow, what a show! This year, Sacred Threads is sponsored by Dee Brehm and eQuilter.com . Quilts will be offered for sale and if you are not able to get to the show, you can order the CD at http://www.sacredthreadsquilts.com/ for only $7.95 including postage. Special thanks to Shirley Pignatelli and Lisa Ellis for putting this fabulous event together!  

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, lies the small, charmingly elegant town of Estes Park, Colorado. At night, the picturesque atmosphere conveys a magical feeling with its cool, crisp air, clear sky filled with an abundance of stars, trees heavily laden with freshly fallen snow and lights twinkling all about. Marked by beauty and an eerie silence, it imparts a deliciously peaceful and breathtaking moment, a point when time stands still. Having lived in northern Colorado, I have spent alot of time in Estes Park, Colorado, visiting family. Walking in a Winter Wonderland was inspired from a photograph taken on a cold winter night. When I first began painting several years

ago, I started this piece. It was rather large at about 45"X60." At the time, I was just beginning to transition from traditional quilting to art quilts. I really had no idea what I was doing but I was determined to jump in and experiment, nonetheless. Somewhere along the road, I gave up on this piece and it got stored away as a UFO (unfinished object). Fast forward to February of this year, I was under the gun with several deadlines. I pulled out this UFO and finished painting the snow and quilted it. In retrospect, the snow looks very different from what I might have done years ago. I can definitely see the change and maturation in my work. When I study it, there are so many things I would do differently today. Still, it is a lesson in learning priorities and maturing both personally and professionally. I am thrilled that this piece has been accepted into Tactile Architecture for IQF 2013. It has been a fun ride and I am most grateful for athe opportunities.

Shangrila

Hello, I am finally back again and beginning to blog. Sorry for the hiatus but I have been busy this month preparing for family events. This morning, I have just  

received word that Shangrila, my 3 dimensional triptych has been chosen for part of the In Full Bloom special exhibit at the International Quilt Festival that will make it's debut late October of this year in Houston, Texas. Wow, what an honor! I am so tickled to hear the news! This piece measures 85"X29" and is set on a hand painted background that has been silk screened and stencilled. The 3 dimensional flowers include wildflowers, calla lilies, poppies, irises, tiger lilies, tulips, lilacs and tea

roses. The center stalk of the calla lilies consist of beads set on a wire such that they stand up and add even more dimension to the flower. Large callas peek out from the 3 dimensional leaves that are created in a variety of ways while scrumptious yarns represent the stems. Nearby, bright red poppies add a cheerful inviting view. The scarlet poppies were stitched to add definition and assembled before appliqueing them onto the quilt. I love the way the saturated red is set on it's complementary background shades of green ranging from light to dark. Here the leaves are created with painted lutradur that has been stitched and embellished. 

The irises were considerably more involved and were soft sculpted to mimic that found in nature. The stems are composed of dyed batting and the stalk like leaves were individually created and attached such that they extend off the quilt and cross over one another creating more depth to the flowers.

I really enjoyed creating the irises and would like to revisit this idea in yellow, white and hybrid colors. I think they would make a quite stunning arrangement! I love the way the inner petals bend in towards the center while the outer petals gently roll and curl out towards the stems. These flowers extend about 3-4 inches off the surface. Yet another of my favorite flowers are the large tiger lilies that have been painted, stitched and soft sculpted to add more warmth to the overall piece. Here again, I would love to create more of these flowers varying the colors and creating a pleasing hybrid floral arrangement.  

Accompanying these flowers are yellow tulips to coordinate with the yellow calla lilies and draw the eye from one place to another. In fact, color has been deliberately placed such that it allows the eye to travel from one place to another. This triptych is currently hanging in my living room and while I am thrilled that it will travel, I must admit I will be sad to see it go. Guess I had better get started on planting another garden. It is summertime, after all and what better way to bring in the season than to begin planting seeds! If you are interested in taking a workshop to plant your own 3 dimensional garden, I invite you to check out http://www.barbforrister.com/workshops . Next week, I will be posting a brand new never before seen quilt that has been accepted into Tactile Architecture. How fun! Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you all a happy and creative summer!

 

Embellishing With Foil

Hello, I am finally back and getting a chance to blog. Feels so good to return to the studio if only for  a few hours. Yesterday, I was experimenting with various methods of foiling. What a blast! I had such a great time and learned so much. Thought I would share my findings with you. So, here goes!Essentially, foiling requires a bonding agent to adhere the foil to the fabric. There are four main types of bonding agents: 1)Liquid Adhesives such as Jones Tones Foil Glue, Foil Transfer Adhesive, Modge Podge or Gel Mediums 2) BoNash Bonding Agent 3) Fusibles such as Mistyfuse or Wonder Under and 4) Transfer Tape or Stitch Withchery. Also, foiling can be done with or without heat. The secret to foiling without heat is to let the adhesive get "tacky" to the touch. Foil can then be applied, shiny side up and burnished with a spoon.  The first photo shows a vine that has been foiled with Jones Tones Foil, burnished with a spoon, no heat required. I love this raised 3 dimensional effect. 

Jones Tones may also be used with heat. If applied and allowed to dry thoroughly, the foil can be adhered with an iron. as shown on the right. Here, a plastic snowflake ornament was used to make an impression on a blue foam moldable stamp, The glue was painted along the edges of the design and stamped onto fabric. Once dry, foil was applied with a medium/hot temperature setting and subsequently burnished with a spoon. This creates a more 2 dimensional effect. There is also a thicker paste called Foil Transfer Adhesive put out by Laura Murray which works quite well. When applied and allowed to dry thoroughly, it creates a soft elegant look.

This can be seen in the sample at left with the grapes on a vine. I love this soft, ethereal look. I also tried using the more readily available Modge Podge and Gel Medium. The directions said to allow them to dry but I was never able to get them to work in that manner. Instead, I repeated the experiment by lightly brushing on a coat of adhesive and ironing foil on immediately. This produced a more solid foiled look. The photo below shows Modge Podge. Where you see flowers outlined with Lumiere 3D black paint is where the initial experiment took place of allowing the glue to dry, however very little

 foil transferred. The large flower in the bottom corner was created by stencilling a light coat of Modge Podge and applying foil immediately with heat. This seems to provide a more even coverage. Though, I will say, a little goes a long way! The photo below shows the same experiment with Golden Clear Gloss Gel Medium. Glue was applied and foiled immediately with heat. The results are quite similar. this concludes my results with Liquid Adhesives. I will also mention that the Foil Transfer Adhesive had a quicker drying time of about 30 minutes.  

   

Each adhesive has it's pros and cons. The second bonding agent, BoNash http://bonashstore.com/ was quick and easy to use. BoNash is a solid "grainy like" particle that may be sprinkled lightly over a stencil. Stencil is then removed and excess particles are cleared away before glue is activated with a hot iron. Once activate, apply foil, shiny side up and cover completely withh a pressing sheet. Iron and let cool before pulling foil away from fabric. This method transfers designs quite well as can be seen in the photo below with the butterfly. The third type of bonding agents  

includes fusibles. Choose your favorite fusible and cut out your shapes, place them on fabric, cover with foil, shiny side up. With a pressing sheet, iron on foil. In my mind, there are two main types of fusibles, Mistyfuse and Wonder Under. Mistyfuse has a looser web whereas Wonder Under is more of a solid sheet of glue consequently, Mistyfuse gives a more amorphous, organic feel whereas Wonder Under provides a more solid even coverage. Both work well for different applications.

Lastly, foil can be applies with Transfer Foil Tape by Jones Tones or Stitch Witchery. This method is great for achieving nice crisp lines on a design. Below is a photo of Stitch Witchery. You can see that there is more solid even coverage in some places and where the tape has stretched, the transfer becomes more weblike in appearance.

As I mentioned earlier, additional media such as 3 dimensional paints, acrylic textile paints, rhinestones or swarovski crystals, and mica or pearlescent powders provide interest to designs. When applying paint, remember to heat set with an iron. Bulky or 3 dimensional elements such as crystals should be added at the end. I would suggest using some form of craft glue or E 6000 to adhere embellishments. Foiling is a wonderful way to create eye pleasing designs but it is not wash fast. Jones Tones Foiling Glue is reported to have the best adhesive properties for washing. That being said, foil is heat sensitive. I recommend hand washing your foiled creations with cold water and woolite or placing them in the gentle cycle with cold water. Do NOT place items in the dryer; foil will melt. Also, NEVER, apply iron to a foiled surface; foil will come off leaving behind an adhesive residue and it will ruin your iron. Always use a pressing sheet with iron on a wool setting.

Some examples for foiling projects include wall hangings, doll clothes and scarves. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed embellishing with foil and I wish you much happiness and success in your creative journey. 

Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop

Hello, welcome to the Studio Blog Hop. This is my quilting studio. My sewing cabinet was lovingly made by my father. It is made of oak and has three leaf extensions, three large drawers and a drop in sewing table. My fabric is stored in the large china cabinet shown in the far left corner of the room. On top of the 

china cabinet are bolts of fabric and an embroidery machine. To the right of the china cabinet is my ironing surface and underneathe is my thread cabinet that has seven drawers. I also have a cabinet with sliding glass doors where I keep books and magazines. On top is a wooden bin with six compartments  

for storing beads, buttons and other found objects. I also have an old treadle sewing machine which I use to hold my felting machine. In addition to my quilting studio, I have a painting studio. Here, I have an easel table for drawing and painting. My paints and mixed media supplies are stored in the  

colorful ten drawer carts. The large clear drawers on wheels house my stamps, stencils, heat gun, foils, etc... The leaf table provides a great area for working on projects. I absolutely love my paint rack that I purchased at a garage sale for only a dollar. What a bargain! I like to keep my color wheels on the   

   

my easel. There are two sets, one done on black fabric with opaque paints and the other done on white fabric with transparent paints. They are wonderful references, especially for mixing colors. I have also acquired some book shelves but they are not pictured here. I would love to get that set up but life has 

been kind of crazy lately. The large stacks of plastic cubes have 2 inch squares of fabric and are all sorted by color. They are fantastic eye candy and I hope to do something with them at some point. There is also a bathroom and a large closet off of this studio that provide easy access to water and additional storage. My family tease me that I have taken over the house but hey, I am the one that spends the most time here! So why not? Right? I hope you have enjoyed the tour. Thank you for stopping by. Please be sure to visit Amy Wright Weaver http://theweavershand.blogspot.com/
JudiHurwitt http://approachableart.blogspot.com
Jim Parrillo http://thinkjimcreative.tumblr.com
Lisa Chin  http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com/
Barb Forrister http://www.barbforrister.com/category/blog
Frieda Anderson http://www.friestyle.com/
Lynn Krawczyk http://fibraartysta.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Sleboda http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/blog/

  

3 Dimensional Mixed Media Flower Workshop

Hello, it has been a while since I last posted. I have been busily creating in the studio but in the meantime, I thought I would share with you, some of the delightful pieces that were created by my students in the 3 Dimensional Mixed Media Flower workshop that I taught earlier this year. The first piece, "Not Your Grandmother's Flower Garden" was made by Josie Davis. I love the stamping and stencilling she has done in the background and her lovely 3 Dimensional irises and calla lilies. Josie writes, "I'm bringing my piece to put at Wesley Show. It's called "Not your grandmother's flower garden". I really enjoyed making it and have tried some ideas of my own to make other leaves. Thanks, Josie Davis." Yay, Josie, I am thrilled! It's a beautiful piece.

 The second piece was created by Anita Mester and measures 8X10. I love the textured leaves that she has created along with her calla lilies and red rose made from variegated ribbon. Each of the pieces have been set on a painted background, layered and quilted. I really enjoyed seeing how different they all are and how each artist is able to create with their own signature style. Fantastic!This was the first time teaching this class and the students were a joy!

The third piece is a free standing iris that was created by Andrea Brokenshire. Here, Andrea opted for very rich shades of purple velvet. Yummy! I love the way she has created the stem and leaves. Can't wait to see what she does with it! She is a marvelous artist. In fact, every one of my students are brilliant artists and I was elated and honored to have them in my class. It's not every day, you have a superstar class! My good friend and student, Rob Bartlett writes, "I am not a stranger to fabric, but the idea of altering it, in terms of creating my own textiles, was daunting to me - much like a blank sheet of drawing paper can be daunting. Barb's workshop was a big stepping stone in helping me get over some of my fabric manipulation trepidation. I did not expect to be exposed to so many options for altering the color, texture, and structure of fabric and fiber. Barb gave us so many things to try that I couldn't complete them all. While I did not finish my flower, the techniques I learned while making it have inspired ideas for other projects, and I've since jumped into experimentation mode. Barb shared ideas, suggestions, and information freely during the workshop - something that I highly value. If you want to learn a lot of different ways to create your own textiles and effects, I recommend that you take her workshop!" Thanks, Rob! And thanks to each of my students for allowing me to share their work with you! They are amazing!

Quilt Con Comes to Austin

Wow, things are heating up here in Austin! I can't believe Quilt Con is just around the corner. In case you are wondering, Quilt Con is the first international quilt show for modern quilts hosted by Heather Grant of Austin Modern Quilt Guild. I think it is awesome that Austin was able to get in on the action. It is a fun town that is very amenable to showcasing art and modern movements. When I first heard the show would be held here, I was quite intrigued and had to do some studying on what exactly constituted a modern quilt. They are in fact neither art nor traditionally based but tend to be more utilitarian in nature and encompass a whole new palette of  

their own. Modern quilters employ alot of white and varying shades of gray in their work along with a predominantly solid array of fabrics which lend a very fresh and modernistic look. They may be pieced or appliqued and seem to focus on the use of negative space and minimalist design. I love working with negative space but minimalist design is quite a challenge for me and even more so, the use of solid colors as opposed to prints or tone on tones. Still, I had to try my hand at this new method of creating quilts. Time Travel is my response to the modern quilt movement. I am thrilled that it has been juried into the first ever international modern quilt guild show! How fun! Quilt Con will be held at the Austin Convention Center located at 500 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, Texas 78701 on Thursday, February 21st through Sunday, the 24th from 10-6 p.m. I will be helping to white glove on Thursday. On Sunday, you can find me at the Mistyfuse booth with Iris Karp. I understand she has a few new products you will not want to miss out on! Time Travel was created with Mistyfuse and my favorite Goddess Sheets. If you are in the area, please stop in and say hello. We would love to see you!

Kick Off Your Heels with Peacock High Heels

I'm back. Been playing in the studio these last couple of weeks decorating a pair of 5 inch high heels. Have to say, I had never done this before and now I am wondering why not?!!!! What a blast and I love the way they turned out. Late last year, Sue Bleiweiss and Jamie Fingal contacted me to ask if I might be interested in making a pair of shoes for Kick Off Your Heels fundraiser to benefit the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California. What a great cause! I have been wanting to try this for some time so I was

  happy to be on board. These shoes started off as a black pair of patent leather, designer 5 inch heels by Jessica Simpson. I really wanted them to be wearable so comfort was a big issue in deciding which shoes to start off with plus I loved the cutout of the inner arch. I next began by lightly scuffing the shoes with a super fine 400 grit piece of sandpaper to make them amenable for painting. They were painted with white textile paint by ProChem. This stage was definitely not the fun part as it took several coats of paint to cover the black entirely.

Once done, I pencilled in my design. Next, I gave them a wash of Celestial Alchemy interference paint by Stewart Gill. The idea here was to get a very light background color. In retrospect, I should have waited for this stage to pencil in my design as it was somewhat difficult to see once  the wash was applied. Next came the fun part; the decorative painting. I used a very fine brush and started painting the feathers with Silks Acrylic Glaze in a delicious array of colors including Ginger Peach, Rich Cobalt, Boysenberry, Mallard Green and Pretty Peridot. Wow, just naming those colors makes my mouth water. 

Once the feathers were completely painted, I continued with the peacock's head, crown and back in a variety of Stewart Gill and Setacolor paints. Next, the underside arches of the sole were painted a Venetian Gold color and the heels were embellished with a deep cobalt blue glitter applied with Modge Podge. I have to say, I was reticent about the glitter as it tends to come off and make a mess but this method worked beautifully! Finally, I decided I needed to add a little bit of my own 3 dimensional aspect to these shoes but in a subtle way. After all, I still wanted them to be wearable. Hence a fringed feather was painted and attached to the outside of the top of the heel to complete the shoes. They were then sprayed with several coats of clear gloss protective finish.

I love the way these turned out and can't wait to try my hand at a more casual pair of shoes. How fun! I am hoping these shoes will find their Cinderella. Please take a moment to chime in and offer comments. I would love to hear from you! To find out more about how you can help with this cause, please visit http://KickOffYourHeelsFundraiser.blogspot.com/ .

The Art in Fiber 2013 Show at the Copper Shade Tree Gallery

I am so jazzed to be a part of the Art in Fiber 2013 exhibit at the Copper Shade Tree Gallery. This year's show features work by so many talented artists and was juried by Karey Bresenhan of Quilts Inc. Wow, what an honor! One of the nice things about this venue is that all the work is original and made specifically for this event. This year, I have contributed two pieces, The Gift of the Magi and Plantasia. They are perhaps two of my best pieces yet and I am hoping they find a good home. The Gift of the Magi measures 30.75″ X 38.5” and was inspired from a photograph I took at Mayfield Park in Austin, Texas. It is the third piece in my peacock series and is a wholecloth painted piece embellished with stitch to add definition to the peacock's feathers.

.Plantasia measures 39.25″ X 28.5″was created as a 3 dimensional garden piece. To commemorate the new year, it has 13 large flowers consisting of 5 Calla Lilies, 2 Poppies, 3 playful imaginary flowers and 3 Irises. It also has a Lilac bush and a Tea Rose bush. The flowers extend off the quilt anywhere from a half inch to 5 inches off the surface. They are made with a variety of materials including beads, ribbon and yarn. If you get a chance to visit, I encourage you to stop in and visit the Copper Shade Tree Gallery located at 101 N. Live Oak at Henkel Square Market in Round Top, Texas or visit http://www.coppershadetree.com/wsx_store_selector_detail.php?selector=grouping&selector_id=aif2013 for more information. Thanks for stopping by.