Works in Progress

In between running my sewing machine back and forth to the shop in the last month, I have managed to finish the surfaces of many new landscapes.  I free-machine thread paint when I have the machine, and hand embroider when I don't.  So far so good!  I have some finishing touches and edging to get done.  Then I can mount, mat and frame them all.  I feel great because I am way ahead of schedule for the next show.

2x3 inch to 8x6" landscapes

I can't get enough of Bloom 2.  I love it.  I think I could stitch Bloom out several more times.  It was such a joy to create.

I added some variegated thread to the foreground of this one, so it looks much more natural than before.  I also stitched out all the clouds, and I really love it now.  I may put teeny rayon threaded french knots to represent the canola blooms still.  I stuck a bobbin in the photo so you can see how small this is.  Plus, I learned that shades of grey in a photo will correct the color that your camera thinks it sees.  Ah ha!  It works.

Highway 16 in Summer

And I completely restarted this one again.  I had a bazillion french knots already done for a flax feild, but it just looked wrong - the colors were terrible.  This remake is awesome!  I am so proud of it.  It has already been sold, and I have a second one started.  This photo was taken at a low angle - you know, the 'glam shot'.  It's 8x6, and double matted in a beautiful big blueish worn barnwood frame.

Flax at Jackfish Lake, 2011  6x8"  SOLD

It was from this photo that a friend took for my Mother.  My mom sent the photo to me.  It presented quite a challenge!  Blue, blue, blue and blue.

I am not sure I will fill in the whole bottom with blue.  I like the effect with the green.  It is like the view is from a lower perspective at the beginning of the flax crop.

And this next one... it's so teeny, and SO vibrant.  It's my favorite ever.  I love the deep, deep color.  This didn't get sliced up into the snowglobes because i was in love with that sky!  The problem is framing.  I can't cut my own double mat.  It's very expensive to have a custom double mat made.  The precut mats aren't the right shape.  Maybe a shadow box?  The background would have to be white so it doesn't disappear into the darkness.  However this gets presented, I want it to SHINE.

Winter Comes At Night, 2011

I couldn't cut this up either!  I love the texturous land.  That thread just glows.  Maybe I'll add stars to the sky of this.

Prairie Night, in progress

Oh!  And I added some light and some depth to this one.  I think I have told you in three separate posts now that it was finished?  It wasn't.  NOW it is.  lol  More stitches in the foreground, and that yellow line into the horizon was the magic it needed.  Now there is great distance in the piece I think.

Flourish, 2011

So there you go!  That's what I've been working on.

Thank you everyone for all the excitement over the scholarship!  You've been asking what classes I will take?  I will take Explorations in Fibre 2 / Advanced at the University of Saskatchewan (in the certificate of Art & Design program).  I am also going to sign up for the Learn Hand Quilting class at the Studio on 9th, because I feel it's becoming a lost art and I really want to hand quilt my work.  Then there will be just enough funds left to take the Journal Making / Mixed Media weekend course (also through the University).  I want to create a fibre book.  mmmm ! : )

And yes - I will blog all about it!  In the mean time, I still will work on Karen Ruane's class.  I have all of December and January for that before my class begins.  : )

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