For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .







''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007







Wednesday, May 30, 2012

backgrounds.....






I did warn you that I had developed a liking for these kind of  backgrounds...but never fear, it won't become a permanent ever present feature as I have very few paintings of my own. There are two here...little strips, studies of cherries and rose hips. They might not look like the best paintings in the world to you but to me they are marvellous.....I wrung them out of myself during a very stressful assignment way back. An assignment that I neither wanted, liked or enjoyed. Having said that....I am delighted I kept them. And the points, loops and puffs? Well I am consumed this week by titivation, edges, adornments because that is what the girls are on. I have been doing some titivating of my own too and will show you another time. I had better get looking for another painted background for them....
If you didn't stop by yesterday you missed my newsletter....you can read that here if you like and you can read about more classes here and here...
now I am off to rummage through folders in search of painting....

15 comments:

Unknown said...

I do love cherries and you painted them beautifully!

Jane said...

They look like masterpieces to me too! Perfect backgrounds

Dolores said...

Backgrounds add interest - not that you need any. Your work is interesting enough.

deanna7trees said...

i think your paintings are wonderful. they are a nice background for your beautiful stitches.

Unknown said...

I forgot to mention--Organic cherries were ten dollars a pound yesterday at HEB. And I thought the price was high on the non organic ones! I will just have to enjoy your painted ones...

Elizabeth said...

You give yourself too little credit. You might not have enjoyed the excercise but the result is lovely even after all these years!

Rachel said...

They're better cherries than I would manage!

Suztats said...

I think your backgrounds are wonderful! They showcase your wonderful stitching beautifully!

The Crafty Mugwump said...

Re. your painting Karen - I know exactly what you mean when you say that you wrung them out of yourself. I do as little painting and drawing as poss. as I find it's such an exhausting process, but seeing your work along side your paintings and drawing is mouthwatering. Very often the things we find the hardest to do produce the best work. Darn it!!

Helena said...

Working, working, working.
Kisses, kisses.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

If I could paint like that I would be over the moon! I once took a watercolour workshop and painted a lovely bunch of lilacs. I was quite thrilled with myself UNTIL I got home and showed them to my hubby who wanted to know if they were upside down. Obviously my talent lies in other directions.

Karen@littlebirdiequilting said...

Received your newsletter- thankyou for the great photos!

barbara l. hale said...

Love those cherry pics!

Anonymous said...

Love the painted backgrounds!The gentle shades of the watercolours are the perfect foil for your textured white stitching.

Anonymous said...

Hey I love these delicate sensitive paintings!