Virginia
detail from artist book by Beth Lindner
A few weeks ago, Beth Lindner brought over the book she made about her mother's youth so that I could see the finished product.
I asked her if I could photograph it, perhaps share it here...and she was pleased. I hope that you enjoy having a peek.
Beth began the book in the Art Quilting class I was teaching in 2010. One of the techniques was photo transfer, and Beth used photos of her mother. She had them in her possession because her youngest had needed copies for a school project.
Early on she decided to make a book of the transferred photos and give it to her mother for her birthday. The text would be a complete poem by
Anne Morrow Lindberg.
I don't think she intended it to take four years, but what a gift for her mother's recent 80th birthday.
above, one verse from
Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindberg
Beth transferred the photos to fabric she had on hand - a cotton twill, and embellished them with stitches she learned in that class. French knots. Couching. Cross Stitch. Beth's talent and creativity took those humble stitches to a very personal and beautiful level.
This past spring Beth brought the pages to me for mentoring help. I advised her on threads, taught her a new stitch (bead stitch), loaned some books, and showed some ways to put the book together.
Beth is a mother of two active boys and teaches special education in a primary school. She has painted watercolours and acrylic paintings for most of her life. She told me that she loves stitching, probably better than painting and is eager to begin a new fabric book. I look forward to seeing what she does next.
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14 comments:
Thanks for sharing Beth's work Judy. Awesome work, a lovely tribute and keepsake!
I did advise Beth to never stop painting. Painting and drawing is where the ideas come from... I think the immediacy of painting can be really emotional, the quiet strength of stitching, is more healing.
I wish that I would paint more actually.
Could paint more.
xx
this made me cry.
love your thoughts about where the ideas come from--
& then what stitching brings /adds.
you are a super duper teacher--
for so many of us
thank you
So beautiful. <3 <3 <3
what a wonderful book, thank you for sharing!
Lovely tribute to your mother, Beth !
Very lovely.
wonderful where our "students" go with what bits we teach...this is a grand example.
A beautiful gift. Mothers deserve honoring
Like Velma said too, another ripple of your touch knowledge mentoring
I daresay it did not even cross her mind that it would take 4 years to complete when she took that first stitch else she might never have started, and that would have been a travesty. This is a lovely book, a loving tribute. I'm sure her mother was thrilled to see herself in stitch.
Re: Beth as my student.
Beth came to my class, yes, but I do not consider her really to be a student. She was a mature artist with a great passion and enthusiasm for learning. She didn't know much about stitch and all that goes with it, and so needed to learn those techniques.
But then, she went on to produce something very original and unique, and very much in her own voice.
We can all LEARN from someone like Beth. I did.
Teachers an students at the same time, all of us... aren't we?
I am thinking in what you say about drawing and painting. The hand and the pencil are very connected with the brain.
Thank you for sharing this awesome work.
love this book!
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