Monday, June 2, 2008

Something Different Today

I have pieced my own design with Girly Man Quilt, I've pieced and painted my own design with Star No. 1. Today I decided to work on a collaboration with an unknown artist. And she does not know ("she" I am assuming). For all I know she is dead. I recently bought a quilt top on a popular auction web site. I was thinking of Bed by Robert Rauschenberg. He, of course, was the first to paint on a quilt on purpose. Well, the first I know of.

So, with ground broken, I've decide to appropriate a quilt top that had never been quilted. I am calling this a collaboration for semantic purposes.

This quilt was pieced in the 1940's according to the seller.

After I decided to alter its attitude, my question was: how?

My work is far more colorful than this top is. It needed a fresh look. I am imagining gasps of horror... "How would you like it if someone painted on your work long after your death?"

That is a strong question. But I live in the present. And it is now mine, and it needs more color. Color is good! Ask Peter Max, ask Vincent Van Gogh. There are any number of artists you can ask. (Yeah, I know Van Gogh is dead. I guess you can't ask him.)

So I have moved on. My aesthetic is different than those who came before me. I suppose those after me will say the same.

So I painted on it for better or worse. Does anyone have an opinion?


There is more to paint, and then it will need to be quilted.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an interesting idea! What I see happening so far is that your colors are making the 'background' part of this quilt become the foreground ... and vice versa. How fascinating!

:) Linda

jovaliquilts said...

When I started reading your post, I was not optimistic about the outcome, but I think it looks great! I am not a huge fan of that "old-fashioned" style and I think your painting transforms the top into something much more interesting. What are you thinking of for quilting?

Practice Democracy said...

i haven't got that far yet. I have two other pieces I'm working on, the rainbow flag, which I'm still piecing, and a more mundane quilt for a summer quilt for my bed.

After thinking about your comparison of "old fashioned" to "contemporary" I my also combine those approaches when quilting it. I'll post it when i have it worked out.

Anonymous said...

I love it!! You rebell you!! I bet painting an old quilt has sent the "traditional quilt police" into a frenzy!! Keep it up. Lx