Daffodil Quilt

Below is my first quilt, a tribute to daffodils.  I love it when daffodils finally show their face... always when the winter is so dreary and lingering that daffodils, in their garish yellow, remind us not to loose hope.  They say 'Fear not'!  Spring is right around the corner!  Daffodils were featured in my wedding bouquet.  In Louisiana daffodils meant Mardi Gras was in full swing.  When we visited Keith and Gerry in the UK the daffodils celebrated Easter.   These daffodils in my yard are a sweet reminder of home:  bulbs my mother dug up from the Tietje farm, bulbs my great grandmother and grandmother planted, multiplied and divided, and now a remnant lies in this SC soil.  And my quilt is done right in time for the daffodils making their debut (a whole month earlier than last year).

I based the color scheme on the whimsical color pallet of a field of daffodils.  Pale blues, blue-greens, yellows, and then really strong yellow.

  

After many iterations, I settled on this layout for my quilt.  I tend to over think things, especially in the planning phase.  I really was doubting this whole project at this point - I just wasn't reacting to it visually and I really wasn't sure how the colors were going to react with each other. 

The pattern for both the layout and the printing scheme wasn't a typical one for a quilt.  It is not symmetrical, it does not repeat, it isn't predictable.  I wanted to convey a sense of movement, I wanted to  blur the edges between the foreground and background.  I really wanted to create depth by layering elements visually.  So the printing was really complex. 

 3 different stamps (daffodil foliage, small face and large face), printed in three different colors (yellow, orange, and brown).  This really changed the whole project in a way that I couldn't have predicted.  Color is so reactive... my cool color palette got alot warmer.  Whatever planning I did was just an outline because once I started printing I abandoned the plan and started reacting to what was happening visually.  It was a really exciting process and I'm glad I didn't get discouraged because it wasn't what I had initially intended.

All of the foliage stamps were printed before the quilt was assembled.  The flowers were printed over, or on top of the seams of the assembled pieces.  I used the sewing machine for the quilt assembly, then quilted and completed most of the binding by hand.

There was one day last week that I wasn't feeling well.  I didn't have school and couldn't motivate myself for housework, so I curled up with this project and spent the ENTIRE DAY quilting by hand.  Wow - I might have underestimated the task.  I had blisters by the time Matthew returned from his day shift at 8:30.  Two blisters on my thumb and forefinger.  I'll definitely look into thimbles next go-round.  I have to say the process of quilting added another dimension to the piece as well.  It added another layer of visual depth, and it reinforced the original layout of the fabric pieces.

If I could change one thing:  Less printing.  I think it is just a little overwhelming - I probably would have left more pieces with just the originals solid color to let the eye rest.

The last lingering question:  Who is it for?  What is it's function?  My professor suggests that it should be a wall hanging.  But this denies its obvious function (it's a wonderful, washable cotton quilt!) and my walls are filled.  It is a child size blanket, so I expect it to be a gift for a special kid one day.  Maybe it can hang on a wall until then.

This Semester

It's only fair to update you on the situation.  This semester at USC will be a bit abbreviated for me because Matthew and I will be absent the month of April.  He'll be serving as a medical missionary in Karatina, Kenya, and I'll be helping out and tagging along for moral support.  More on that later.

But with this obstacle in mind I arranged two independent study classes at USC so that I could work at a faster pace early in the semester and take off the last month.  My proposals for my two independent study classes, in ceramics and printmaking, centered around themes of African Art.  At least initially.  

Ceramics
In ceramics I began by researching and studying the forms of traditional African pots.  And the best way to learn the language of such form is to replicate!  And so I have.  Here are a few pieces that I'm particularly proud of.  This is a red claybody, but still higher fire (Cone 6-10).  These pieces are not glazed, but washed with iron oxide, and fired to cone 10.  I wanted a finish that accented the textures and gave the pots this dry, primitive look.  I'm going to throw a couple of these into the soda kiln next week and see what that atmosphere does to this clay body.  

What I love about these pieces are the completely round bottoms they have, like they are floating on the surface which they stand.

It is worth noting that traditional african pots are quite different... they are hand build and they use low-fire clay (earthenware). 

Printmaking on Textiles

Originally this was the idea and in my mind I saw my product looking much more like an african textile. But I really took this another direction completely and I'm excited about the way this will turn out.

First I began by exploring new materials.  Instead of using oil based ink and woodcuts, I opted for a screenprinting ink, which is water based, because it is designed for fabrics.  All that is needed is to heat set the print once it is transfered.  Then instead of wood for my design I found this nice rubber material that is used to make your own stamps. 

I initially wanted to create a design that could be replicated, creating a printed textile to be used for bags or clothing, ect.  But I got bored with that idea pretty quickly.  And something in my mind said 'Quilts'.  I could use the same replicated patterns, but the pieces would look completely different depending on what it was printed on and which color ink I chose.  Bingo!  So, without hesitation I began making a quilt (which I've never done before), and I have to say I'm pretty excited with the way it is turning out.  Mostly because it surprise me... color is relative and reactive, and this process has proved that to me many times over.

The quilt is a homage to daffodils because they are my favorite and they remind me of grammy and catholic school and Louisiana.

Much more on this project once I have the completed product!

What does a Landscape Architect do?

I get this question A LOT!  And finally ASLA, (American Society of Landscape Architects) produced these nice public awareness animations that give an overview of our profession.  I can't say any one of these videos actually describe what I did when I worked in the profession... my projects were never this exciting.  And no project is ever this straight forward.  But I digress... this is definitely worth sharing, as I'm sure many of you are still fuzzy on the matter.

From Industrial Wasteland to Community Park
Designing for Active Living
Leveraging the Landscape to Manage Water
Revitalizing Communities with Parks
Building a Park out of Waste

Photoshoot

If you ever need a confidence boost I suggest having your work photographed professionally.  Gordon Humphries, my photography professor from last spring, volunteered to shoot my work.  It only took a few hours and I learned alot about how best to light things and how to set up the backdrop.  And the best part is he let me pay him in artwork!  Check out the results below!  Thanks Gordon!