Latest Fabric Portrait

Sweetie 22x17 in



My latest fabric portrait.  This one of my granddaughter, Brenna.  Her momma and brother call her "Sweetie" and she is a sweetie!  I've entered the portrait in exhibit "Portraits and Figures" at the St Augustine Art Association.  I used double reverse applique method taught by Ellen Lindner.

Commission Piece completed, sent and appreciated

I was tickled to death when a lady emailed me saying she loved the two portraits of my grandson, Max playing on the beach, that were hanging in my local Island Art Association.  She had been tempted to buy one but wondered if I would do a piece of her two granddaughters.  I said "Yes!  I'd be honored."  Well, this piece was a long time in the making.  Several starts til the above.  My customer was satisfied!  That I am thankful for. 

Commissions are a tricky business.  The two I've done - portraits - took much longer than I ever anticipated, curtailed my creativity in other areas, anxiety ridden as well.  I'll probably reframe from accepting another commission though utterly thrilled to be asked.

Onward to other creations!!!

Logger

Logger 18 x 24"  $240

I just completed "Logger."  I fell back on Ellen Lindner's double reverse applique method for the sea turtle.  The rocks, coral and jellies were regular raw edged applique.  I'm hoping this will get excepted in an art exhibit at St. Augustine Art Association - Florida Wildlife.  I'll report later this summer..

I'm still hand stitching - the name "slow cloth" is quite appropriate.  How I love the in and out of thread and needle.

Apples

"Oh, Delicious" © Diane Hamburg 12x16"

"Une Pomme" © Diane Hamburg 12x12"

Our local theater, Amelia Community Theatre, is performing "God's Favorite" in August.  Hopefully the above pieces are accepted for their lobby art exhibit.  The theme is "Temptation."  I got the idea of Adam and Eve in my head and couldn't veer from it no matter how hard I tried.  I really didn't want to do people so settled on the apple.  Both are done using Ellen Lindner's technique double reverse applique for the hand and apples.  For the background I adopted the look from my fiber friend, Mary Rhopa.  I took that tree workshop from her last week.  Many of her backgrounds are small pieces of different fabrics.  I decided to use rectangles but I've used organic shapes before.  Viewing Mary's quilts brought me back to my stash of commercially printed fabrics.

Some of my latest.

"3 Faces of Beryl"

"3 Faces of Beryl" is another piece I put in my local Island Art Association's Nouveau Art exhibit entitled "Black and White."  I was experimenting with monotype drawing of the faces - all fabric.  I chose the title as we were in the mist of the topical storm "Beryl" when I was working on it.  It didn't win anything but was accepted into the show, so I was pleased.  This is the same show my book won "Honorable Mention!"

The following are 3 fabric collages that I now have hanging in the Butterfield Garage Art Gallery in St. Augustine, Florida along with several other older pieces.  Butterfield created a really beautiful room for a bunch of us fiber artists.  Two of us are "wall" artists and the others are wearable art folks.  The Opening is this Friday night!  I'll upload some images after the opening.

I spent some time this afternoon collaging old book pages to future leaf printed cards like the one in the middle.  I'll be printing soon.  How I love to print leaves!

The following image, though sideways - sorry, are some of the notecards I made for a very loyal client!  Sieta orders cards every so often!  I'm lucky!  I collage papers and images printed on fabric and then stitch a little.

Lastly, this image is one I've been working on - first on the computer with  Picasa- sharpening it, posterizing it, etc.  It's of my great nephew and my grandson.  Michael took Max's hand and led him to the bubbles!  Ever so cute.  I've done a lot of stitching, working in the faces a bit.  Next comes the background and machine quilting.  I'm trying to talk myself into entering it into a fancy fiber show.  We shall see once I get it completed.  Of course, I ask for some feedback from friends and family. 

Til next time!  Create something, anything - play - it does your heart good!

Low Tide

"Low Tide"  12 x 12" created by Diane Hamburg $150

"Low Tide" detail.

www.fanfarejax.blogspot.com (please visit this blog to see what the others have created) is the blog that 19 fiber artists of Jacksonville, FL is sharing their art pieces of different themes.  The first theme was "Free to Play."  I choose to use an image of my grandson Max, playing freely on the beach.  He had a great time!  And this grandma, Granny, had a great time watching him explore the place she holds quite dear.  I used my standby technique of Ellen Lindner - double reverse applique.  I worked harder with the background which was quite enjoyable.  I'm pleased with the result and plan on developing more images of Max at the beach in the near future.

Oh, it's been way to long

Why, oh, why was it so hard to get back to blogging??????  I have been working in the studio, even taking images........

I plan on blogging frequently in the next few days in order to catch up.

Today's entry is all about being accepted by my local theater - Amelia Community Theater.  Each time there is a wonderful new play performed by local actors an art exhibit is shown in the lobby.  I've been slow to enter but enter I did this time.  The play is "In the Woods"  and the theme of the exhibit is "Forests and Fairy Tales."  I entered three very different pieces and to my delight, all 3 were accepted.  So now you get to see them.

Walking in the Mountains, 31 x 22", $250 created by Diane Hamburg

Can't See the Forest, 20 x 28"  $280, created by Diane Hamburg

Can't see the Forest detail

Trees, 10 x10"  $75, created by Diane Hamburg

The first is a piece I created a couple years back.  The background is raw-edged applique using a variety of fabrics.  I was going for an abstract view of tree trunks.  The floating leaves were the result of hand printing real leaves and then fusing them to the background.  And, of course, there's lots of machine quilting.

"Can't see the Forest" was just created beginning with a manipulated photograph (using Photoshop Elements) and intrepreting it with fabrics and the double reverse applique method of Ellen Lindner.  Extensive machine quilting finished the piece.

The last is a small piece using the monotype technique - on cloth - with a tree paper applique on top and machine quilting.  This one is mounted on a canvas wrapped frame.

I'll be going to the play later this month and plan to take a picture of the show.

Another Fabric Portrait



One Plus One Equals Three by Diane Hamburg

This fabric portrait is one of my daughter, Kara, and her husband, Matt.  The photo was taken by a friend of Kara's while Kara was waiting for baby Max to enter the family.  The faces were done using Ellen Lindner's technique Double Reverse Applique.  The background was the challenge!  The show this was made for is entitled "Split Complements."  I had to design a background using the split complementary colors of the blue dyed fabrics I used for the faces.  After several tries, I ended up with a mixed media background - I collaged old book pages using matt medium and heat adhered painted silk organza on top of a dyed blue fabric that was painted using a stencil and Shiva oilsticks.  I'm pleased with my efforts.

And I am pleased to have received an Honorable Mention for this at my local Island Art Association's Nouveau Art Exhibit.

Best of Show



So Many Memories  (c) Diane Hamburg  28x22"

I'm thrilled to no end!  My "So Many Memories" - a fabric portrait of my mother won "Best of Show" at my local Island Art Association's Nouveau Art Exhibit entitled "Cherished Memories."  Yeah!!!!!!  I took this photo of mom as she held her newest great grandson, Max, for the first time.  Max was the reason for the smile!

Many Roads Traveled

"Many Roads Traveled" by Diane Hamburg, 22x28"  $305

"Many Roads Traveled" is completed.  Having manipulating a photo of my son's vehicles, I appliqued using my own hand-dyed fabric.  I decided to extensively machine quilt it.  I'm happy with the end product.  It goes off to the themed art exhibit "Traveled Roads" at my local Island Art Association.  As I think I've written earlier, every two months the association sponsors a juried themed show.  It's always interesting how the artists interpret the theme in so many different ways and medium.

Soy Wax results and latest Pelican

The wax is out, the colors stayed in.  I'm really pleased with this experiment.  I've created more interfacing screens that have been painted with acrylic.  I have to dunk them into really hot water to removed the wax, then I'll screen print them.

"Flying Pelican" is completed.



Finished two more

I'm on a roll.  I've quilted and binded the floating pelican and the larger sea turtle.  I'm pleased with both of them.  In the beginning stitching of a flying pelican.  I hope to get that done before making the trip up North to see my grandson - leaving Tuesday for the week.  I just can't wait to hold that child again.  He's grown so much in such a short while.  Here's the images.  I haven't title the pelican yet......

Pelican by Diane Hamburg 18x20" $200

Extinct is Forever by Diane Hamburg 18x23" $230

Extinct is Forever

"Extinct is Forever" by Diane Hamburg 14 x 18 inches $140

Here's my latest piece. The fabrics are my own:  the turtle fabrics are hand dyed, the water is painted.  I created this piece for my local Island Art Association's next Nouveau Art Exhibit titled "On the Edge."  I have done many sea turtles before, but this one is using Photoshop to create the pattern after much time fiddling on the computer.  I'm pleased with the result.... so pleased I'm heading down to the studio to create a larger one.  The Art Association just opened their new Art Education Center, with it's large studio, allowing more gallery space in the old building.  The space for Nouveau Art is more opened, allowing viewers to see the art at a better distance.  I thought my new abstract pieces: portraits, flowers and animals would make a better statement.

Also midway completed is a pelican piece.  The quilting is all that's needed.  I'll put an image up when I'm done.  I'll be doing that after the new turtle piece is completed.

Before these works were even thought of, I started tackling my very messy and cluttered studio.  There is so much more work to be done but there has been some progress.  I just had to do some art before continuing.  If I was not into so many techniques requiring so much art materials, the studio might look neater.  But then again, I wouldn't be learning anything new nor having so much fun.  To tell you the truth, I'm pretty messy in my art and never seem to put things back where I find them.  Here's to a neater 2011.

The Wee Fella

"The Wee Fella" is a fabric portrait of Max, my grandson.   The piece is 23" x 24."  He's one adorable baby, if I say so myself.  Same technique as in my other portraits.  I used my own hand dyed fabric.

Latest Piece of Art

"Kentucky Rose"  23 x 26"  using the double raw applique technique of Ellen Lindner's.  I sure enjoy this method of reproducing an abstract of a photograph.

Queen of Hearts Done!

                         

The Queen of Hearts is completed. I had a deadline in mind as I will be out of town when it is really due.  My fiber group is beginning a Playing Card Challenge.  I've completed the Ace of Clubs as well.  I'll get that image up shortly.   The image below is a work in progress.  I wasn't getting the values correct and almost trashed it.  Once again my fiber friends in FAN - Fiber Artists Networks, Jacksonville, FL spurred me on to work on the values more.  So, I'm still working on it.  The lips and eyes need more attention plus more hair elements are in the works.  My model, darling daughter is quite a beauty.  I don't want her portrait anything but beautiful.  Again for both these portraits, I've used Ellen Lindner's applique technique.

             

Work in Progress

Check this link out

http://www.adventurequilter.com/Newsletter/current.html  Ellen Lindner was kind enough to feature Baxter, Darling Pup in her newsletter.  Take a peak!

A Bird of a Different Color

I've been working with a new raw edged applique technique introduced by Ellen Lindner http://adventurequilter.com/ in her ebook Double Reverse Applique.  It's a bit tricky at first but the technique has its place in the Artquilt World.  "A Bird of a Different Color" began as a photo of some flowers I became enamored with while at a botanical garden in Jamaica last Winter.  It's 22 x 31."