back to the boneyard

I'm working on a piece for a new group I'm in (more about that later). My first dilemma was I didn't like the finished piece that was my first attempt. It just came out differently than I expected. It's hanging on my wall, waiting for a spark that will transform it into something I'm willing to put my name on.

So the next dilemma involved two pieces of fabric I liked together. I had started with white cotton and made them into complex cloth in my Jane Dunnewold workshop--and they look good together and I could see a finished piece for this project in them. The dilemma is that generally it's a no-no to show or sell work begun in a workshop. But these pieces had no input from the instructor--she was around, but the designs and steps were all of my own making. So I have convinced myself that it is ok to use them. What would have been the difference if I had made them the next day in my own studio? Maybe that's a rationalization because I really like the piece they've become...

But they needed something else. So it was back to the boneyard--where I found the perfect complement. At first I couldn't remember how it was even made, other than it had been melted at some point. Turns out it was a piece of ribbon sewn together with acrylic felt. I only had a bit of it, but by cutting it judiciously and melting it some more, I made it work. Here's a glimpse (can't show the whole piece yet):



Nice color scheme, huh? Well, in real life it is because of parts you can't see here. But the main point (other than the whole ability to rationalize thing) is that it's nice to have this boneyard to pull from. Of course, that means I never throw anything out...you think moving would have taught me something...

Meanwhile, here's my current inspiration:



What a life. Lounging in the springtime sun, wasting the day away.

That is all.