It rained all weekend

It rained all weekend. And that's a wonderful thing. The sky is a consistent level 5 gray with no distractions. Sounds are deadened. Backyard chores ignored. Quiet, studied time is a gift. Add that to shorter days and longer darks and you have a brooding season where thought and time merge.

Cloud cover, 2015

I woke three times last night. Probably because I went to bed so early. Those restive moments while trying to calm my energy to go back to sleep will inform my day. Not sure where they will take me. I am feeling inner not outer. 

Cloud cover, detail. I am using a cotton canvas in these studies. The variegated black to white thread appears and disappears with the stitching. Forcing me to give up control unless I want to make myself crazy. The stiffness of the canvas really helps tame wrinkles.

The silent witnesses on the board ask for more companions. I think I'll take out those rocks I collected last summer and let them talk to each other for a while. I love the rain.

These guys really speak to me.

cloudlike shapes

cloud shapes morphed, Paula Kovarik, 2014

A recurring theme in my stitching, clouds, taken one step further.This is the Where's Waldo version of rounded cloudlike shapes morphing into recognizable shapes. It's done on a scalloped edged cotton tablecloth folded in half. No planning, just playing.

back from the photographer

Just got the final professional image of the tablecloth quilt from my friend Allen Mims. He did an incredible job shooting it (see his spectacular portfolio here). Here is a detali for your curiousity. I can't really show the whole quilt pending my decision to send this the judges at Quilt National OR FiberArts International. As of today I am choosing FAInternational because it will allow me to show the piece in my Memphis show in November. Breaks my heart because I really feel a great loyalty to the QN competition and this is my strongest piece this year.

©2012, Paula Kovarik

There's those clouds again!

 

clouds

Recently I spoke at a local quilt guild about my artwork. I showed how my drawings inspire the patterns and quilts I create. One woman asked if I ever found myself repeating myself with the motifs that I create in stitching. I can answer that with an emphatic yes. I use arrows, sunbursts, flower petals and leaf shapes a lot. Lately I have been fascinated by clouds. With our current drought affecting more than my homely little vegetable garden we watch the skies each day with anticipation. The clouds (very puffy white and gray pillows) march across and around and through Memphis with regularity, without a splash of water. 

Here are some of the explorations I have created using those shapes as inspiration.

A doodle:

A seamless pattern:

A woodcut by EtchPop:

and in a quilt:

Each stage of these explorations adds more depth and fun to the shapes. I think they will haunt me for a while.