Mosaics

Sometimes one word is enough to trigger a whole new design source to explore.  In 2016 while we were processing the teacher applications to teach at the 2017 Siyadala National Quilt Festival, I was bowled over by a workshop submitted by well known South African quilt artist, Paul Schutte.  The concept of the workshop was inspired by the mosaics of Gaudi.  It immediately took me back to the time my son Jopie studied architecture when the two of us loved visiting book stores to find interesting books on the old masters of architecture.   He particularly wanted to show me images of some of the iconic buildings of Antonio Gaudi such as Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, Casa Batlo to name a few.  I loved paging through these books filled with images of the legacy of this very imaginative and creative soul.  My daughter Elizabeth was fortunate enough to visit Barcelona and she brought me a beautiful mosaic thimble as gift, the detail is very small (and my eyesight bad) but it looks like a mosaic lizard, I presume it was inspired by the mosaic lizard from Park Guell!

Thimble inspired by Gaudi  from Barcelona

Every year, our Transitions group focus on the work on one of the masters of yesteryear to broaden our horizons.  As Gaudi presented himself to me in three different guises already, I decided that this was the year of Antonio Gaudi, an architect by profession, but well remembered for the mosaic work he used to decorate buildings and public spaces.  Mosaics can be so easily interpreted in fibre art and has the potential to open up a whole new design spectrum.

I also came to the realization that lately, my work has become smaller in scale - often with minute pieces of fabric.  Trying my hand at textile mosaics would be a wonderful new challenge to explore.  I also realized that I started using mosaics in my work since 2013, albeit in a more rigid shape (geometric squares and triangles) such as the backdrops for the Glow and Willa quilts as explained in previous posts.

As with this kind of work, I find it easier to start off with designing on paper.  It gives one an idea of scale and proportion and how intricate a design will/can be and as bonus, it creates a pattern to work from.  The primary focus of my first effort would be to create organic spaces within a specific design which could be filled with small fragments of fabric to create a mosaic and secondary to fill the surrounding areas (background) with a pleasing fractured layout in a contrasting monotone colour palette.  The design possibilities are endless, from abstract to pictorial whatever takes your fancy.

I started with drawing a few curved lines from a random point on the paper, often using the eraser.  The first tentative lines were all erased and I restarted various times - one needs patience to create original work!  Finally I got into the rhythm and the design took me where it needed to go...!  I wanted to incorporate circles in the design somewhere and used my round quilters perspex templates...  But somehow, I lost my mojo!  I stopped using the perspex circles and reverted back to drawing free hand and from thereon it flowed as I stopped thinking about the process with the pencil in hand finding its own path.  I found that the perfect rounds of the perspex templates inhibited my creative process, all I could focus on were the red perspex circles on my paper - it was most interesting to observe that!   After I was satisfied with the main elements of the design, I started filling in the background which was almost more exciting than drawing the abstract lines.... I extended the spaces around the circles of the main design in a circular motion.  The colour palette in the extended circles would be the same as the rest of the background - this would create interest and balance with the bigger size of the curved motifs, but would not detract from the focal design. I was so taken with my design, I immediately started working on a second while I was sitting outside on the stoep, sipping a glass of red wine while Willem lit a fire for our Friday evening "braai"!   For me this was a big breakthrough as it was my first new work since the 2017 Siyadala Festival!  I felt the excitement of being creative building and could not wait to start the project.  I just knew it would work and I could not wait to get into the studio....

These two pictures were designed in two layers and had to be cut in the same way.  The fabric used for the background of the main elements, would form the grout with the fractured bits fused on top forming the mosaic pattern.    Cutting these two pieces took more than a week as some of the pieces were really just fragments and I had to use tweezers to position every little bit.  Every piece was fused onto the backgrounds and raw edge applique doubled up as construction and quilting technique.  The edges of certain sections were sealed with couched cords to add definition and texture.  I used the same fabrics for both pictures and both were blocked on stretched artist canvas to finish it off.

Mosaic #1 - 2018

Mosaic #2 - 2018

I loved creating these two pictures and cannot wait to explore further.  I used a variety of cotton, linen and silk fabrics.   Both pictures are 30.5cm x 40.5cm.  For me, blocking small pieces of textile art on artist canvas adds an interesting and perfect finish as it hangs well, it can also be displayed on an easel.  

Snowflakes etc.

I'm so busy having a good time in the studio, that I forgot to write the blog :-)   The amazing thing is that I once again realized what truly makes me content (apart from a very blessed personal life).  Being creative makes me feel so alive and energetic..., what a joy!

For me, the most important thing for a fibre artist, is the play aspect...   By playing (technically experimenting, but I prefer to call it play as it sounds more like fun), we often stumble upon wonderful ideas.   In our Transitions group, one of our members Brenda Dickeos reintroduced us to the simple paper folding and cutting technique, also known as snowflakes.   It reminded us of our childhood and art classes at primary school - this simple technique provides endless design possibilities for a quilter who enjoys pushing the boudaries.

I used the technique in the Glow quilt as well as the Bag-a-Square workshop where I used the technique to prepare tiles for certain sections.   I so enjoyed the process that I decided to make a table runner for a small side table using this technique.   I prepared 8 tiles, each using different fabrics in  neutral shades.  The continuous thread would be the one tile design. The cut out section was fused to the base of the tile with the use of applique paper, the excess of the base fabric was cut away to match the edges of the tile.

Paper Cut Tile

The next step was to prepare the border section before the tiles were stitched.   Recycled sari silk ribbon was used for this and randomly fused to the sides of the runner and roughly stitched down to the foundation fabric.   

Border section 

After the border section was stitched, the tile section was placed and fused on top of it.   The raw edges were secured with raw edge applique in a matching colour thread, this also doubled up as the quilting.   A lovely ivory shade DMC crochet cotton was couched around the edges of each tile to give it a lovely finish.   This added some texture and definition.   The outer edges of the runner was finished off with couched cords.  

Finished runner (bad colour quality!)

Paper cutting designs is a simple way of creating your own patterns.  The only complicated question is how to stitch the blocks...  I used a washout marker and connected the spaces to try and find a stitching path which will somehow add movement and interest to the block!

In a similar exercise, I cut a bigger block/tile for a cushion cover.  This was more complicated due to the size, but I'm thrilled with the result!   I used a fat quarter (border section) as colour inspiration. 

Paper Cut Cushion Cover 

After completing the stitching, it somehow looked incomplete and flat...   After staring at it for a few days, I realized that the edges around the cut out section and around the teal border, looked "bare", it needed additional work!  Because I thought it would be tricky to navigate couched cords around the edges, I decided to embroider whipped chain stitch around the teal edge and bead around the cut out design.   I had a huge packet of flat, neutral shade wooden beads which were perfect...  It transformed the entire design and I was so happy with the end result.   I used the outer edge of the motif to echo quilt the border.  

Embroidery and beading detail.

Happy stitching, hope you have time to play!

Being a quilt teacher...

I love teaching quilt related workshops, it makes me feel alive and gives me great pleasure to see how my efforts can influence the work of students.   With teaching though, comes other challenges and irritations - the dreaded situation where classes are "borrowed" by other teachers without permission.  I call this poaching or pirating, the word just not really matter as it remains unethical.  I know that I'm not the only teacher affected, it happens all over the world and not just with quilting.  Although I always share new work on this blog, this practice has been bugging me for such a long time and I felt that I needed to get this boulder out of my shoe.  No matter how often we discuss the matter at teacher forums, poaching of workshops is alive and well!   You might feel that there is nothing new, you are correct...  The thing is, when I recognize motifs almost a carbon copy of those which I drew with my own pencil, struggling to create a variety to best teach what I want to, in another teachers' sample, then I think it is time to speak up...!

I started teaching a variety of quilt related workshops in 1988.  The focus of my first teaching efforts were traditional patchwork and applique techniques, mainly from patterns available in the public domain (as just about all the quilt teachers were doing at the time).

I joined a quilters Guild for the first time in 1989 and never looked back.   Being part of the quilting family, has also brought much needed perspective in my responsibilities, vision and future as a quilt teacher in South Africa.   One of the first topics of discussion after I joined the Guild, was the issue of copyright of quilting patterns - it really made me think!   I started to feel uneasy using patterns from the public domain or books/magazines as I did not want to take money from students for work which was not entirely my own.   At this stage (about 1989) I tentatively started designing patterns for patchwork quilts as well as candle-wicking patterns for cushions and quilts for my students.   I really struggled, but persevered with the enthusiastic encouragement of my students in King William's Town.   I knew that if I wanted to be successful as a quilt teacher, I had to put in the time and effort to create and teach my own body of work.  I slowly developed my own style of quilting, firstly with Ndebele styled geometric quilts followed by the realistic themed quilts with the focus on the flora, fauna & bird life of South Africa and even historical buildings.    After that phase, I progressed to art quilts which really touched my soul.  Again the transition was difficult, but soon I lost my angst and started to enjoy the process wherever it took me. Most of my freestyle workshops were developed from quilts which I made.  I might identify an interesting aspect or technique from a quilt and develop that further into a workshop.

The very first art quilt workshop which I taught, was a direct result from my very first attempt at making an art quilt, Transformation - Glow Beyond the Scorched Edge 2010.   Making the quilt, was a process beyond difficult as I battled to let go of my very regimented way of working into a completely unplanned way into unknown territory (for me!).   This quilt is a relatively small piece, but the time, effort and skill spent on it was enormous - I had to delve very deep.   The process and success of the quilt set me free of my self imposed boundaries and brought the purest form of creative happiness and freedom.  The starting point of this quilt was to choose a shape and develop that into an art piece.  Somehow my chosen square of the main panel developed into a multi paneled wall hanging with different textures and elements.   

Transformation - Glow Beyond the Scorched Edge 2010

Won BEST ON SHOW ART QUILTS at the 2011 National Quilt Festival in Stellenbosch, South Africa

After the initial battle to get started, I developed this quilt into a very successful workshop Explore Machine Stitching & More 2010 which I taught at the 2011 National Quilt Festival in Stellenbosch.  I changed the square shape of the quilt to circles for the workshop, all drawn without any geometry tools.  The aim of the workshop was to create a study in free form and to break every quilting rule!  I always try to teach students as much as possible to give them value for money.  I included a mixture of interesting techniques in the course for the benefit of the students, this definitely has been one of my most successful and fun workshops to date.

Explore Machine Stitching & More 2011

The circle as focal shape and embellished it with a variety of hand and machine stitching/embroidery and beading.

My second major art quilt was GLOW 2012.    Making this quilt was a huge challenge as I wanted to incorporate many different elements and colours.    I battled to create unity in this quilt as the elements which I used was very diverse.  The centre mosaic panel, was originally a solid piece of fabric and it made the quilt look very flat and uninteresting.   After weeks of being frustrated, I decided to give the panel a fractured look by covering the solid piece with small squares in the same colour range creating a mosaic look - it immediately transformed the panel and created the effect which I was desperately seeking.

Glow 2012

Made for 2013 Kaleidoscope National Quilt Festival in Bloemfontein, South Africa 

Won 1st Prize Masters Freestyle Category.

Two workshops developed from GLOW - Freestyle Ways 2012 and Bag-a-Square 2012.  

The centre mosaic panel of GLOW inspired the  background of Freestyle Ways as well as the upper section of the bag of the Bag-a-Square workshop.  The fused small mosaic squares of fabric were set in a colourwash format for both workshops.  

Freestyle Ways 2012 - Teaching Sample

Small mosaic squares on background, similar to Glow, embellished with handmade braids.

Bag-a-Square 2012 - Teaching Sample

Paper cut tiles (snowflakes) combined with small mosaic squares - aspects from Glow.

I could relate to the saying that the more you do something, the easier it becomes.   Through the years, I've spent so much time auditioning fabric, designing, cutting, fusing, stitching (machine or hand) just to discard the experiment and restart with renewed energy and ideas as I don't like to give up...  I have invested lots of time and effort exploring to give students a wonderful experience in my workshops and I love the interaction with them.  It truly is a great feeling if I manage to inspire students to take up the challenge of a workshop and see how they flourish, to know that I ignited something in them and share their excitement.   For me it is a wonderful feeling of achievement if I open an email with a photograph of a finished project from a student...

I took the conscious decision to offer new workshops at every National Festival I apply to teach.  Our quilting population in South Africa who regularly attend festivals, is relatively small compared to that of other countries such as the USA, UK, Australia etc.    Since I started teaching at National Festivals, I felt that if I did not continually present new work to keep students interested, my workshops would become stale and students would simply not be interested in my classes.   Most of the workshops begin with a "light bulb" moment when I get an instant idea which I then develop further, sometimes an idea starts from doodling in my sketch book at Guild meetings!   Developing new work, remains a battle, but I never stop trying as the feeling of getting it right far outweighs the laborious path.

 As most of my workshops are intense and jam-packed, I compile notes with step by step images and instructions to assist students to finish their projects at home.  The following notice is printed on each set of notes:

This workshop was designed by Marilyn Pretorius in (year).     These images and patterns are for the use of the workshop student only and are not to be reproduced in any way whatsoever or for use by other teachers for teaching purposes.

Unfortunately some people just don't care about a decent request!  Twice now I had the unfortunate situation that some of my workshops were "poached" by people who attended my workshops...    I'm not going to "name and shame" anybody, I just need to voice my displeasure as it leaves a bad taste in the mouth!  It certainly makes me wonder why quilt teachers attend workshops offered by fellow teachers...?    Quilt teachers in South Africa cannot copyright workshops and we rely on the ethical behavior of students...  Going the legal route is just not possible as it is too expensive and income from teaching quilting cannot cover legal costs.  Teachers who love to "borrow" from other quilt teachers must remember that the quilting community in South Africa is small and word gets round.  To top it off, we have the ever popular social media - students love to post/share their latest achievements and quilts...!   And this is where teachers who poach workshops from other teachers, are exposed...! 

Gifting...

So much has happened since my last post...  I was the Chairlady for the Siyadala - We Create 2017 SA National Quilt Festival which was hosted by our Guild here in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.   It was a huge success, but due to the volume of work, I just did not have the luxury of being creative.   I sometimes think that I have a split personality - I thrive on being creative, but I also have this other side which needs to be stimulated in a more structured way...  I love it when I take charge, ideas flying and making things happen, but the "rush" can be so exhausting...!   After the Festival, I decided I've experienced enough excitement to last me for the rest of my life and retired from all committees - so lovely not to be glued to the computer anymore...!   I also realized I needed a sabbatical to restore my energy by doing different things at a much slower pace.  I again have time for a walk in the mornings and that sets the pace for the day, peaceful and relaxed.   I've also had lots of time for introspection and realized that my creative work happens in cycles of about 10 years...   After all these years of quilting and dabbling with fibre art, I know that I constantly have to shift my goalposts as I cannot do the same thing all the time - I need variety and for me, exploring is the ultimate fix....!  I have started playing in the studio again (pure joy) as being creative puts me in a different zone...  It must be the release of masses amounts of endorphins...  My own "be happy" therapy!   Hopefully I will have new work to share soon...!

Our May Guild meeting had the theme of "Gifting" and it reminded me of a few small quilts which I made as gifts last year and two others which were gifted to me!  I undertook to make small quilts for the 3 International teachers who taught at the 2017 Festival as we always like to give our teachers a handmade gift.   It was a challenge to choose a colour palette as I did not know the favourite colours of the 3 teachers, Jenny Bowker from Australia as well as Ekramy Hanafy and Hany Mahmoud, two Tentmaker teachers from Cairo, Egypt.

As time was limited, I chose to make them small mandalas as I was teaching Design a Mandala at the festival and it was the logical option for me at that stage.  Choosing a palette for Jenny, was a bit easier as she shared her new kitchen with her Facebook friends (I used her lovely new tiles as colour inspiration).   The 3 quilts below were individually designed and made for them and were all about 50cm x 50cm.    All the motifs were fused down and raw edge applique doubled up as construction and free motion quilting method.  Cords were couched onto certain sections to add texture and definition, my only regret was that I did not have enough time to add more detail...   I mainly used my own brush rags fabrics combined with Bali prints, batiks, silk, commercial printed and plain cottons.

Siyadala #1 for Jenny Bowker

Siyadala # 2 for Ekramy Hanafy

Siyadala # 3 for Hany Mahmoud

We had a wonderful time at the festival with Jenny, Ekramy and Hany and our three international teachers were extremely popular with sold out classes and lectures.   

Ekramy and Hany presented me with a beautiful wall quilt stitched by Hany, how absolutely special and much appreciated.   The participation of the Tentmakers of Cairo in our National Quilt Festival is a memory which I will always treasure and a visit to the Khan Khayamiya – The Market of the Tentmakers in the heart of Old Islamic Cairo is definitely on my wish list!  Hopefully I will be able to twist Willem's arm for a trip up to the north of Africa sometime...!

Ekramy Hanafy, yours truly and Hany Mahmoud with my beautiful gift.  

Photo taken at the Siyadala - We Create 2017 National Quilt Festival at Collegiate Girls' High School, Port Elizabeth.

To top up this lovely gift from Hany and Ekramy, I received a huge surprise at the first Guild meeting after the festival!   After I thanked the festival committee and guild members for all their hard work, support and commitment, I was given a huge parcel!   I had no idea what was in the parcel, but all the faces looking at me from the floor were beaming!  The parcel contained a lovely quilt made especially for me from my very own brush rags fabrics!  I was so gobsmacked and speechless as this was the first quilt ever made for me as a gift!   I was so busy with Siyadala that I did not even pick up any sneaky business going on behind my back!  Guild members were asked to make and donate blocks for this quilt.   So many blocks were handed in that there were enough for both front and back for a reversible quilt!   I believe the quilt was the idea of Angie Franke, the Creative Director of Siyadala.  I felt so blessed as I could feel the love and goodwill from my wonderful quilting friends and co-workers. 

 

Yours truly sitting in front of the beautiful quilt made by members of the Dias Quilters' Guild 

July 2017

JENNY BOWKER:
Congratulations:
The renowned artist added another achievement to her list when she was made an officer in the Order of Australia in Monday’s Queen’s Birthday honours list, which recognises her work on Australia-Middle East cultural relations through the preservation of traditional arts.   

Note:
It was through Jenny that we secured the attendance of Ekramy and Hany at the 2017 Festival!   It was the first appearance of the world renowned Tentmakers of Cairo at a SA National Quilt Festival!    We salute a very special lady and quilting friend!