So I have been back out of town again since my last post – I wasn't fooling when I said that I was traveling a lot. However, Sunday I was home all day and declared 'play time.' That meant an afternoon of fooling around with fabric. What a luxury for me these days!
The end result of the afternoon, captured in this photo of part of my workspace, were four separate works-in-progress. Two images that I had printed by Red Dog Enterprises while I was away are up on my design wall while I decide how they will be transformed into art quilts. A third lies on my work table as I consider its next step. And, finally, over in that fourth quadrant of my workspace photo is a print of a photo I am also working with.
I am excited about where all four ideas will go but that fourth quadrant represents my next big fused art quilt. The photo holds a special meaning for me. It was taken by my cousin Stephen who returned last September once again to Louisburgh, Ireland where our grandmother was born. While there he visited the remains of an old cottage near Bunlough Point where the older sister of my grandmother lived many years ago.
Bunlough is a remote location today and was even more remote in the early 1900's when my grandmother was growing up in Louisburgh. Marriages were often arranged in those days. I have often been told the story that the arranged marriage of her older sister to the owner of that farm spurred my grandmother to arrange transport for herself to NY and then send for some of her younger sisters. So, you might say that cottage contributed significantly to my existence.
I have always enjoyed that story - my grandmother was a physically slight person - she weighed less than 100 pounds when I was a child - but she was a determined Irish lady who knew her own mind. As I grew up I got to spend a good deal of time with her and she influenced me greatly. I strongly suspect that she will be peering down at me with an amused look as I work on my interpretation of that cottage.
I am excited about where all four ideas will go but that fourth quadrant represents my next big fused art quilt. The photo holds a special meaning for me. It was taken by my cousin Stephen who returned last September once again to Louisburgh, Ireland where our grandmother was born. While there he visited the remains of an old cottage near Bunlough Point where the older sister of my grandmother lived many years ago.
Bunlough is a remote location today and was even more remote in the early 1900's when my grandmother was growing up in Louisburgh. Marriages were often arranged in those days. I have often been told the story that the arranged marriage of her older sister to the owner of that farm spurred my grandmother to arrange transport for herself to NY and then send for some of her younger sisters. So, you might say that cottage contributed significantly to my existence.
I have always enjoyed that story - my grandmother was a physically slight person - she weighed less than 100 pounds when I was a child - but she was a determined Irish lady who knew her own mind. As I grew up I got to spend a good deal of time with her and she influenced me greatly. I strongly suspect that she will be peering down at me with an amused look as I work on my interpretation of that cottage.
Oh my. I love old buildings full of history...especially ones now falling away...Looking forward to what you do with this, Judy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice subject for a work of art. It will have such meaning to you and take you on many memory journeys as you make it. I made a memory quilt in honor of my grandmother and sewed some of her buttons,her tatting shuttle onto it, and some photo transfers of her when she was young. It remains one of my favorite quilts.
ReplyDeleteI am eager to see what you created with those ice water images. Lovely family story!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the encouragement. It is sort of fun to have a mix of projects to work on!
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