I stitch all day on the front side of my quilts. The journey from idea to final is often full of surprises. I look for that in each piece like finding a needle among pins.
These blocky forms cry out for some textural details.
So when I started this piece, now called Disruptors, my focus was on the front. The images are strong geometric shapes with details that look like animals or confused beings. My challenge is to bridge the blocky forms with line work that makes sense.
I'm always looking for ways to bridge differences. I ask myself these questions:
- How does one fabric, color or texture relate to the next?
- Where are the direction lines in the composition?
- What would texture do to make this piece stronger?
- Where can I add an element of continuity without sacrificing the chaos that I am going for?
Bridging gives structure, action and depth.
I started here by outlining the blocky shapes with a bright orange thread. Then did some ricochet stitching in the white areas of the piece. By ricochet I mean that I travel across a space until I hit an imaginary barrier than pivot and do the same until I hit another. It's like a ping pong ball bouncing in an empty room. The texture often ends up being an assemblage of triangles. Those complement the triangles in my print. Each character in this stage has a unique personality. So I decided to use a different texture in each element. Easy right? The variety of the shapes and textures added to a sense of chaos and disruption and the orange thread pumped up the drama. I thought I had it.
The textural differences in each character adds depth to the piece.
And then I turned the piece over to clean up any loose threads.
Disruptors, back side, Paula Kovarik
Oh my. Hello stranger. where have you been these past two weeks?
Disruptors, back detail. Paula Kovarik
This is the back side of the second image in this post. I'm loving that orange/yellow line.
There are always two sides to every stitched story. I am entranced by this one. I am even willing to sacrifice the front to continue on the back. I'm not sure what this side is telling me but I will continue to build on it before I end this journey. Perhaps the message will emerge.