Monday, November 26, 2007

I turn to Thee

Artists don't get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working.
~ Stephen DeStaebler




I spent yesterday in my studio...
I started a lot of projects,

I even did a few affirmation pillow wings and put them for sale on etsy .


"I turn to Thee"

Would you like a peek into my creative process?
it goes a little like this:
my studio days start around 8:40 after the kids are off to school....
more often then not its starts with putting stuff away...
now after a large project there are always lost of scraps of papers and piles of fabric and I must say now that I have a rottery cutter there is a lot more cast offs.

now yesterday as I sat at my table and pulled out the trash and started to toss stuff out I found a small paper snippet with the words "I turn to Thee" came across my hands... so I put it aside then a small felt heart that I had cut out was also found so this went in the keep pile... then a very small shard of mica started it all... it was just the size of the words "I turn to Thee"
so I pulled out my diamond glaze and sandwiched the word between the mica...


I reached for my my punch that I have used cents I was in high school (I used to make my own leather sandals, my aunt is 10 years older then me and was a flower child and she and I would always craft together) I punched holes in the heart and and started to burn it a little with a tea light candle (I have found that this size of this flame works the best and gives you the most control when burning fabrics)


After I toured the little felt heart I dug a little in my pile on my desk I found a little wad of red and black thread ( I do keep a small cup with thread castoffs as I like the texture it adds to my work) I started to wrap it around the heart I then used resin covered papers for the wings.

I took a piece of 100% wool felt and wet it with hot watter and then put it in the dryer so it would fatten up for more texture, then I started to build up the layers of fabric and papers, I then took the piece over to my sewing machine to stitch it all up then I hand stitched the heart to the base and added french knots and freestyle cross stitches. I used Golden Fluid Iridescent Bronze (Fine) (this is hands down my favorite most used paint color to give a aged luster to any piece) and with my finger rubbed it on different parts of the surface.
and here is how it looks in a frame.

"From thee I turn to Thee, And find love in Thine eyes."

9 comments:

Anne, Bulles dorées said...

wow !! c'est la première fois que j'arrive à temps pour pouvoir acheter l'une de vos merveilleuses créations !! je suis réellement heureuse d'avoir enfin bientôt un petit bout de votre art !!!! Merci !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jessica Moreau Berry said...

OOOO! I see you have been busy-busy creating! Everything looks so FABULOUS!

I have not had a lot of time to visit my bloggy friends, so I am making the rounds this morning. I can't believe all of the Holiday Cheer on the web! I feel so behind!

xoxoxo ~Sweetpea

Sharon said...

Ruth, thank you for sharing the making of this beautiful piece. Your work with textile just amazes me.

spiralsun65 said...

This is lovely work; thanks so much for sharing it!

Veleta (Sammy) said...

Hi ruth! Thanks for sharing with us how you do your art! As I am a huge fan of yur art, I really appreciate this! Hows it going for you... hugs,

kelly snelling said...

it looks gorgeous, that is how it looks. and i know that little jar of thread! i'm sure there are probably tiny white buttons in there somewhere. i love that you found the words I turn to thee. that's just perfectly lovely. xo-k (mmm...cheese buns!)

HappyDayArt! said...

That was really fun and interesting to read. I almost felt like I was there. And it looks so nice in the frame.

Catherine

Lori S-C said...

Fabulous piece...
Love it!
Lori

Karla Rosendall said...

What a fabulous idea to keep a cup for the little thread bits and peices. I knew there could be a use for them and now I know what! Thanks for the wonderful idea.
Karla