Round and Round It Goes, ©2013, Paula Kovarik
My Round and Round It Goes piece is mentioned in a review in the Columbus Dispatch (click here)
A little bit of press gets me inspired to do a lot more work.
start again
Paula Kovarik, 2013. Hands
This is a work-in-progress shot of a piece I started while mom was sick. It is done on a simple linen dress my friend Leigh Ann found for me (she is my best treasure hunter).
Coming back to it now after mom has passed brings up memories of sitting by her bed. After she fell asleep, I sat in front of the numbing TV set to disappear into a new mindset by stitching compulsively on this dress. I wasn't sure where it was going, I just knew I had to have something to keep me busy. I think I will put the dress back together and hang it from a hanger, maybe with a lining made from one of her garments.
Wish I could bring her back as simply as that.
detail shots
Here are a couple of detail shots of the Round and Round It Goes quilt. The closer you look the more you see. This one has war, patriotism and overpopulation.
Round and Round It Goes, Paula Kovarik, 2012and this one has a tsunami, oil spills, and parades of polluting cars and trucks
Round and Round It Goes, Paula Kovarik, 2012and here is a little detail of the economy, mixed up weather patterns, gas fracking, nuclear power companies and the canary in the coalmine.
Round and Round It Goes, Paula Kovarik, 2012
award winner!
Round and Round It Goes, Paula Kovarik, 2012
My quilt, Round and Round It Goes, has been chosen for the Award of Excellence at Quilt National 2013. I am overwhelmed with the honor and surrounded by amazing artists this weekend in Athens Ohio. Such an extreme high after so many lows these past months. Be still my beating heart.
scrapped
Earth Stories, scrapped. Paula Kovarik, 2013
Spent yesterday deciding to scrap about 8 weeks of work on a piece devoted to the SAQA exhibition, Earth Stories. Angst, terror, relief, joy, and trepidation pushed me toward the decision. How could I possibly give up? Why spend so much time on something that is not working? Am I overthinking? Where is the piece taking me? Why do I feel like I am swimming up stream on it? Maybe if I spend a few more hours working on it I can salvage it?
No.
It was clear as day that I was making it worse. So happily, and with a sense of relief, I put down the seam ripper, wadded it up and threw it on the "Let's Make Some Pillows" pile. Because once you cut up a piece into 12" squares and put some extra padding behind it, anything looks good.
Now looking forward to the real solution. A more ordered and thoughtful composition that speaks to my original intention.