EXPLORATIONS

Geri deGruy's blog of art, musings, and inspiration

Colorado Autumn Blaze - New Art Quilt

Posted on 4/13/2013 7:12:32 PM by Geri deGruy - 27 Comments
Topics: art quilts | new finished work 


OK, I know this is gauche to say, but I really love this quilt.

The silks have sheen and such deep, true colors!  And I love all those jewel tones contrasting with one another. 

That said, this was a difficult piece to make. I used only raw silks and a silk/cotton blend fabric. Raw silk frays all over the place (!!!) and the silk/cotton fabric is a bit stretchy. I think in my next silk quilt I might back all the fabrics with a thin stabilizer to hold them together and give a bit of stability.

I hope you like it!

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27 Responses to Colorado Autumn Blaze - New Art Quilt

Beautiful. Looks just like my Colorado mountains in the fall. The aspen leaf colors are right on against our purple skies.

Posted by Kathleen P McIntosh · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

I so agree Kathleen. I live in Denver and it gets pretty colorful here, but the mountains, with all the aspen! Wow. Thanks for your comment!

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

Geri, I grew up in the Cherry Creek area of Denver, but live in Evergreen now at about 8400 feet and love our ever changing view. The colors take your breath away and make me realize how lucky I am to be here to enjoy them and artists like you who can put it into fabric. Thank you.

Posted by Kathleen P McIntosh · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

We really are fortunate to live in such a gorgeous place. Thank you Kathleen.

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

The colors are vibrant and even though this is a "fall" quilt it is energizing.

Silk can be hard to work but the hand and color intentsity make it worth the trouble. I like its translucent nature and ability to morph when layered over other colors. Thanks for sharing this beautiful quilt!

Posted by Janet Thomas · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

This is absolutely gorgeous! I just want to eat these colors! LOL! Absolutely mesmerizing, Geri! I don't think I've ever connected so with another artists esthetic, colors used, etc. Thanks for sharing!

Posted by Shauna · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

Hi Shauna,

Thank you!!! I am really touched by your comments.

I'm laughing about eating the colors because I feel the same way. They are so yummy that I KNOW they would be delicious! Certain colors and combinations of colors cause a multi-sense experience in me; they have music and smells and tastes as well as the visual feast. MMMMMMMMMM...

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

Hi Janet,

You know, when I started I was shooting for more of a spring quilt, but seeing all the colors together made me think of the mountains in the fall, with the blue blue sky and the bright yellow aspen.

I agree with you... silk is worth the trouble. It doesn't behave as well as cotton, but oh my it is gorgeous!

Thank you for your comment! It is thrilling to hear that people have been touched by a piece of my vision. I'm not always sure if a piece of work is "good" or if I love it because it came from my heart.

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

Waht a gorgeous quilt....you should love it!!!

Posted by susan hyde greene · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

Thank you so much Susan!

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

Very nice.

Posted by Darcy Berg · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

Thank you Darcy!

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

RE: I'm not always sure if a piece of work is "good" or if I love it because it came from my heart.

I'm not sure those two things are mutually exclusive. I truly feel that if you make a piece from your heart, that heart can be perceived by others...thus they see it as a "good" piece as well.

I think Colorado Autumn Blaze is stunning! And I personally like the way you took something very organic and managed to bring it to life in a structured way. (I have also worked with silks and LOVE them but they do have a life of their own! LOL!)

Posted by Kelly L Hendrickson · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

THank you Kelly.

And there is the core of it all...I want my art to come from my heart and communicate to others' hearts. The issue of if it is "good" is a nagging question always eating me a little. And yet it is an elusive goal. As you say, it has to do with the heart more than the technique or expertise of the artist. I bump into myself.

Thank you.

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

I love color and this quilt has some. Embrace and Celebrate COLOR!

Posted by Dali Lobo · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 163 months ago

YES!

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 163 months ago

The comment about art from the heart reminds me of one of my (many!)favorite quotes.

He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”

― St. Francis of Assisi

For me, that says it all!(on this subject)


Posted by Shauna · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 162 months ago

Re: your answer to my previous comment about wanting to eat the colors - I'm so glad you got what I meant! I truly knew you would and you articulated it so well. Sometimes to me, colors are just so luscious, vibrant, "alive" if you will, that I want to internalize them and the way that idea manifests in my mind/imagination is to "eat them" :). Sometimes I think of them being a deep wonderful pool that I could just jump into and immerse myself in the color. Then the energy of the color/s would merge with my energy in a deeper way than wearing them or surrounding myself with them. Color is a big part of my life (no beige in my house!) and as an energy worker I utilize color for growth and healing as well. The colors you chose for your Colorado Autumn Blaze resonated with me deeply. Thanks for sharing your your beautiful art!

Posted by Shauna · via geri.fineartstudioonline.com · 162 months ago

Shauna, I too love to surround myself with color, pattern and texture. My daughter grew up in a room with Fantasia characters frolicking across the walls, my bedroom is painted as an English Rose garden, my studio is a terrace from Provence. I am drawn to colors rich and saturated in my quilts and love to layer silks to see those AH-HA moments as the colors blend. Thanks for the inspiring words!

Posted by Janet Thomas · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

Hi Shauna,

I love the St. Francis of Assisi quote!

I'm like you...my house is full of color. And I think you are so right that color has healing elements. It's almost like the light of the sun and the way it heals us and keeps our spirits higher. Certain colors and color combinations seem to have a deep effect on people. ON me!

Thank you again for your kind comments!! Ger

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

Hi Janet,

Your home sounds delightful and so upbeat! Your daughter is a lucky girl! Do you share your quilts online?

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

Shauna, I read a quote by Adrienne Rich that reminded me of our discussion of eating colors.

"I wanted poems good enough to eat, to crunch between the teeth, to feel their juices bursting under the tongue, unmicrowaveable poems."

OH! Yes!

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

Hi Geri,
I am building my site right now. I will share it as soon as I have it up and running. Since I'm a techno-phobe this is taking me longer than planned.

Janet

Posted by Janet Thomas · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

Hi Janet,

I know, it takes longer than you think to get it all set up. I liked the Fine Art Studio Online because they had a lot of templates already in place for artists. But still, it was awhile til I felt I had it set up the way I liked it. Good luck and persevere! It's worth it.

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

Geri,
What a wonderful quote by Adrienne Rich! Isn't it a grand feeling of connection when you share something with/from another that you can relate to on a deeper level? For me, that is particularly true when it is about something or an aspect of something that I didn't know if anyone else could relate to or even had entertained a thought similar. That's how I felt when you understood my original post about the colors and again with this quote you shared. Thank you!

Posted by Shauna · via geridegruy.com · 162 months ago

This quilt is absolutely gorgeous, Geri! The colors are so rich and play off one another so well! I think your idea of an iron-on stabilizer is a good one.

Posted by Judith · via geridegruy.com · 159 months ago

Thank you so much Judith. The silks are so rich in color. But I must say, I'll always use a thin stabilizer with silk from now on. MESS! It frays so much I'm lucky there was enough fabric left to make the piece!

Posted by Geri deGruy · via geridegruy.com · 159 months ago

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