Mixed Media Artist

About Me

San Leandro, California
I am a mostly retired Nurse who works enough to pay for a studio and art supplies. I have been making art all my life, with no formal degree-type training, beginning with sewing at an early age. I discovered the JOY of quilting when I realized how much I liked breaking rules and telling stories. Workshops in surface design and art quilting, mentoring and encouragement from quilt artists, discovering the magic of assemblage with found objects, has landed me right in the middle of a mixed media world of art. I have been making my art and keeping it mostly to myself, giving it away only when I felt it was safe to do so. Finally, I was convinced that in order to grow artistically, I had to open up my art world for others to see, to like or not, but to see. Please take a look. Any comments, suggestions are welcome.

Mar 25, 2009

House Themes in Collage

I love mixing decorator fabrics with my other fabrics that have been dyed, painted, stenciled, screened, whatever... I think it creates some nice surprises. All are machine quilted.
The palm leaves in this decorator fabric provide a perfect spot for a red house. Can you see who's waiting for you to visit? Houses are made of painted and silk screened paper.

Palm Avenue 12"x15"

The background for Neighbors is a decorator fabric that has been quilted. The houses are collections of painted, silk-screened, stenciled fabrics with some of my favorite images added.

Neighbors 17"x14"

Brothers in Arms is from a photoof Bob and Bill taken in Brooklyn , NY, 1930's. Bill had a missing arm and was embarrassed to have his picture taken, so Bob put his arm behind him to make his friend feel less embarrassed.

Brothers in Arms

12 "x 11"

In Birdsong House, the house a telephone book page, human images are gel transfers, flowers are silk screened, and the little birdies are stamped on telephone book pages, all sewn together. Birdsong House 12 " x 11 " Family Tree House uses decorator fabric for the background and has gel transfer, transparency, and silk screened images, as well as an acrylic painted and stamped house.

Family Tree House 12"x 13 1/2"

Vernon Street Gang uses a plush cut "velvet" background; house is painted, silk screened, photo transfer of boys on porch circa 1949 in Oakland CA.

Vernon Street Gang 12 " x 11" Red House on Vine Street has a decorator fabric background, houses painted, silk-screened, and a favorite "boy with a hat" gel transfer image .

Red House on Vine Street 12" x 14 "

Decorator fabric background, painted and silk-screened houses, figures gel transferred.

Summer, First Ward

16 1/2"x12 "

Morning Glory Lane house is pretty dark and barely shows the figures so I added some yellow silk screened dandelions and lighter windows an doors.

Morning Glory Lane

12"x15 "

Background of Mater Dolorosa is cut "velvet" decorator fabric (got halos?), church is painted and silk-screened cotton, image is gel transferred.

Mater Dolorosa

11 1/2" x 12"

The colors of the decorator fabric used in the background reminded me of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I'm not sure if I'm done with this tiny piece yet.

Avenida San Miguel

12" x 10 "

7 comments:

  1. these look really nice here, Carol. Great job!

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  2. Wow! I am so excited to be able to see what you are doing!

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  3. These are FANTASTIC!! Makes me want to do a house series!!
    Thank you for posting to the QA list.
    Some great work on this blog!

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  4. Love houses and yours are wonderful. Welcome to Blog world.

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  5. As a long-time collector of "fridge stories", I can identify with your need for telling stories with quilts. Those house quilts really speak. And the circus ones. And Open Wide ... !

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  6. These are terrific--and they DO tell their stories. I love your use of decorator fabrics in them.

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  7. I've just spent some time looking at all the work on your blog - I love it! Definitely be coming back here in future.

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