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







Sunday, December 13, 2009

Beginning........but of what..

This is the next piece, the piece that follows the first piece. The first piece I showed you last time. On it's own I think this piece is enough, too beautiful to be added to the first piece, it's going to detract I know it is. This has got me thinking...these pieces are 'fragments', maybe. Or these pieces are the beginning, the start of something bigger and I mean much bigger, not merely a series of pieces stitched together but the key that binds something, completes something, that the ''something'' needs in order to be whole. Confused??? Me too. What I am trying to say is I need these to be more, I need these to be special in their own right, to be the precious thing that is all it takes to reach a conclusion. ( it's o.k. I haven't been drinking, just doing a lot of pondering and yearning. I don't know what for or why so I don't expect you to either)



I have been arranging and rearranging several of my pieces, trying to make them fit and if they don't fit to spark an idea of how I can resolve the whole dilemma. These two together just don't work, too busy.


These two together work better but are still not quite right.




I think plain is the way forward but in what form I don't know. I am going to think about it whilst I wrap gifts and start work on a commission.

14 comments:

Jane said...

Reminds me of when I was growing up and I used to say to my mum I didn't feel right, but I wasn't quite sure why. I am sure something will click further along the line and you will know exactly where they all fit in

méri said...

I've already seen them on flickr. They are beautiful.
I don't know its size but I can imagine it on a black dress...

Diane Cransac said...

They are all three gorgeous in their own rights but I can see how you might want to make them more. I agree up next to each other they seem to busy but I am sure that you will come to a satisfactory solution!

Anonymous said...

Oh! I gasped when I saw the picture. This fragment is beautiful! It reminded me of a foxglove flower and I suddenly saw all the pieces arranged as part of a delicate embroidered flower garden.

Victoria said...

Oh Karen, these are simply stunning! My first thought was that they look like they are fragments once belonging to some sort of grand clothing... the wedding dress of royalty, or something of that scale. The layers, texture and delicacy are incredible.

Marie said...

They're getting really complex- I imagine them covering a wall like lichen- the texture alluring from far away and the detail surprising up close. So beautiful Karen!

Dolores said...

Both pieces are stupendous, heavenly, wonderful, beautiful, - well, you get the picture. Thank you so much for sharing them with us.

Jackie said...

They are so beautiful Karen...by any name.

Chrissie said...

they are all so beautiful on their own - I do love it when you introduce colour

Anonymous said...

i am breathless karen!

Elizabeth said...

Sounds very intriging. They are more than drop gorgeous, so I am looking forward what you wil come up with.

JP said...

they are really beautiful - I just find the detail of your work sooooooo amazing

gunnelsvensson said...

They are so very beautiful Karen !!!

Jean said...

I love them dont think they are too busy. How about some flowers in vase or a tree of flowers. To frame attach to a bag cusion hair slides etc