I love being in water, whether it be the sea or the shower! I particularly enjoy that sensation when I submerge myself fully in the ocean & the sound of the outside world is immediately drowned out & all I can hear is the waves & my heartbeat. For me, that is a very relaxing & calming experience. (If only I could hold my breath for longer!!!) So when some of my 'hair harvesting' produced shapes that could be interpreted as jellyfish-like forms....it was only natural that I develop a sea inspired piece!
For many MANY years I have had this scrap of paper in my 'resources/inspiration' folder. It is a piece by Spanish artist Joan Miro. I kept it not only because I liked it, but because I could see the potential for using contemporary reverse applique to produce something in this style. I loved the irregular patched background with the simple formed motifs in the foreground. Quirky & intriguing! This work became an inspiration for my 'sea' piece!
In my workbook I developed the shapes that I was particularly interested in using. (This shows the development of one of those shapes.)
I then cut them out & started playing with them....moving them into various compositions to see how they looked with each other.
I tried variations with some of the forms and then others...
I tried various sized options...
At the same time I started playing with colour options (this is where a printer/photocopier is a very convenient tool!)
I was also thinking about what was happening BEHIND the forms. My initial idea was to have the background as patches of white fabric, as I had done for the Plantaria series, again referencing white bathroom tiles. However, when I came to start this piece of work, I was so SICK of white that I decided I needed to have a coloured background... for my own sanity!!!!
I started playing with ideas...
...and even more ideas!!
Eventually, I had a design & a background concept that I was happy with....I was going to make a long thin piece, with the jelly-fish-forms coming up to the surface from the bottom. The background was going to be a patchwork of sea colours, intense & deep at the base, getting lighter as they came up to the surface.
The design process for this piece of work took MUCH longer than any of the others! It was such a relief to get to the point where I could start looking at fabric choices.
I spent hours pinning patches to my pin board, trying variation after variation until their placement 'felt' right. During my fabric consideration, I had found some batik fabric with wonderful spirals throughout. There wasnt enough fabric to put throughout the whole background, but with a little careful placement....& later some embellishing....I could see that it would fit in PERFECTLY!
With so much colour energy happening in the background, I needed to be very careful about what colour & fabric choices I made for the forms in the foreground. I opted for shiny fabrics to catch the light & solid plain colours.
When the time for embellishing the piece with beads & embroidery came, I was also thinking about including words in the piece, as another element of depth. However, by the time my fingers were pin-cushions & bruised from the hours of kantha stitch & beading, I opted for the 'less is more' approach! As a compromise I exhibited the piece with the short poem I'd written instead!
On completing the piece, I looked back at the Miro inspiration & realise that I am a beginner in the development of 'abstract' design & I have a significant apprenticeship to complete before I really get THERE!! I am happy with the end result of this piece though & enjoyed the combination of fun & challenge in the process.
Here then, is 'Coming Up For Air' & the words that go with it;
Wash over me
Drown the pain
Restore
Refresh
Revive
I'm
coming up for air again.
*Please respect my ownership of the images above. Thank you.
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