Made in 1989 when we lived in Kenora and would take the kids boat camping on Lake of the Woods. Lake of the Woods is a deep lake, full of islands. I was always looking between the islands for an open, uninterupted view.
It's a quilt of stitched photographs.
Film photos - digital cameras were not invented yet.
In the boat, motor going, long trips, fresh air, the four kids eating boat candy, I would take photo after photo of the sky and the water. I'd take another roll, more sky, more water. We went camping with them in that open boat that we would pull up on crown land. I took photos of the kids too of course, and more photos of the sky and the water.
Once settled at home again, I would drop the rolls of film at the drug store to have them processed - or maybe it was the grocery store. It would take two or three days to have that done.
Once I got the envelopes of photos, I felt as if I was a painter with a new palette. Or a quilter with dyed fabric. I cut the photos into one and a half inch squares and arranged them, stitched them to cotton with white thread.
With no islands.
Just horizon.
In 1992 I think, I was invited to bring some actual work to a gallery in Winnipeg - Ace Art I think. It was an artist run space and the purchasing committee of the Canada Council Art Bank was planning a visit to make selections from our area of the country. I didn't think I had a chance as my work would be viewed along with many well known Winnipeg artists, but I took this piece and I think three others. It was a two hour drive from my house into the city.
So now this piece is still in the Canada Council Art Bank collection, and they have updated their web site so that it is possible to view online. This photo is much better than any I have ever been able to present online - since I was having to work from film photos and scan them. Anyway - it's nice when you come across these kinds of things and I thought I'd share with you.
It's number 20 on one hundred quilts
8 comments:
That is gorgeous!
(((Judy))) reminds me of David Hockney's polaroid photo collages of time
I was so brave then. x
Yes, I love those photo collages by David Hockney. They were a huge influence on me with my own paper and photo quilts. xo
Yes, David Hockey sprang to my mind also. I love what you have done but puzzled as to how you stitched them to the backing of the cotton fabric as I see no visible stitch marks. Lovely work. Congratulations on the recognition you received.
Sometimes moving to the digital world robs us of what came before. Thank you for stitching the squares in reality, not in photos printed on fabric.
Machine stitched to cotton cloth - if you enlarge the photo you will see stitching along each edge of those many squares. Thank you for your good wishes xo
The gloss of the photo paper somehow adds to the mystical experience of being on the water - can't quite explain it. xo
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