"FLAMES" 36"x65" before quilting c Pat Dolan
Well, here it is, fused and ready to be quilted. It's larger than most of the things I've been working on and way more powerfully designed than any previous piece. I couldn't sleep the on Monday night & felt rage/grief burning in my soul. So I got up at 1:30am to do some written or art journaling but was too stubborn to do either. Instead, I went to the studio, pulled out my recently received Kona black, some black batting, and all the reds I could find in my stash. Mind you, I've ordered more red fabrics in the past week than I've ever ordered...none of which have yet arrived! I guess that anger has been working its way up for at least the past week, if not longer!
Anyway, I designed this piece on all black that night between 1:30am and 4:30am. As I was finally going to bed at 5 as the sun was lightening the skies, I 'knew' that the background would need some stripes. On Tuesday, I made the striped background that you saw in last nights posting. Then I fused down the design, adding to it and subtracting from it as I went. Mostly adding, I might add...
This piece for me is about the anger + grief at the loss of my authentic self in my early childhood. As my artist/muse has been coming to life throughout the past year or so, I'm rediscovering those aspects of myself that have long been negatively judged by others. As the family 'scapegoat,' I've been accustomed to accepting guilt/responsibility for all sorts of things - whether or not it was appropriate. And now, as I step out from behind the masks of "victim, scapegoat, the problem child, the burden, the difficult one, the spoiled brat, the embarrassment, the weird one," I am discovering my authenticity, my power, my voice, and my art. I am embracing my personal truth, reframing my life story, and moving on...joyfully!
I wonder what the quilt will dictate insofar as the quilting goes... I'm hoping to be able to quilt it next week - I'm busy through Sunday so it will have to wait until Monday. I'll post the progress as it moves along.
This piece for me is about the anger + grief at the loss of my authentic self in my early childhood. As my artist/muse has been coming to life throughout the past year or so, I'm rediscovering those aspects of myself that have long been negatively judged by others. As the family 'scapegoat,' I've been accustomed to accepting guilt/responsibility for all sorts of things - whether or not it was appropriate. And now, as I step out from behind the masks of "victim, scapegoat, the problem child, the burden, the difficult one, the spoiled brat, the embarrassment, the wierd one," I am discovering my authenticity, my power, my voice, and my art. I am embracing my personal truth, reframing my life story, and moving on...joyfully!
I wonder what the quilt will dictate insofar as the quilting goes... I'm hoping to be able to quilt it next week - I'm busy through Sunday so it will have to wait until Monday. I'll post the progress as it moves along.
4 comments:
Powerful, the exact word that popped into my head, before reading even a word of your artist's statement. Jen
Interesting, I think, that in the middle of the anger (flames), there is such beauty. I love your phrase "reframing my life story" which indicates not acceptance, but progress, growth. Your piece seems like a fire of purification, fortification - as in the process of using fire to form a sculpture, a work of art. I always love bright colors on a black background, and in this case, even this works into your overall theme.
Such passion in your work! This medium that we have chosen is so healing, isn't it? And because we share our griefs and celebrations with each other, we know that no one can put us down anymore.....
This is one of your most beautiful, passionate quilts, Pat. It is breathtaking.
It resonates...
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