Saturday, May 15, 2010

Sharon M


I am so excited to be a part of this challenge group, it is definitely a new experience for me. This is also my very first blogging post. For our first challenge my personal goal was to create a picture with depth. I am not an artist and have limited drawing skills so I am pleased to have achieved the goal I set for myself. My hidden treasure is the treasures of the heart. In this attic room we see a woman who comes to open her heart strings as she spends a few stolen hours going through all her most valued keepsakes. She has boxes with her children’s school work from many years before, grandma’s favorite crystal dishes, doilies made by her great grandma and her favorite books. She listens to old records as she looks at photos in her dad‘s favorite chair. What was once her hope chest is now filled with old toys, knickknacks, the first quilt she made and her wedding gown.
To create my picture I started with a rough drawing of the room on a piece of muslin. I built the room by fusing my fabric onto the muslin and thread painted the floor so it would look like a wood floor. It took a lot of thought to make this feel like an attic room and I felt the best way to do this was with the floor opening. My fabric for the walls is carefully cut to give the room depth. The frame is done with embroidered designs and they symbolize the key to this woman’s treasure is her heart; the winged key because it is an eternal treasure. Shirley has given us many thread painting lessons and I have used her techniques for making my objects for the room. They are appliquéd onto a stiff base and then applied to the picture. I tried to create folds in the woman’s skirt by crinkling my fabric and fusing it. I have added some buttons for embellishment. It was hard to know when to quit adding items to my picture, I had so many ideas but given the nature of my treasure I tried to keep it as simple as possible.
I really enjoyed this first challenge and look forward to doing the next one!

Sharon M.

13 comments:

  1. Absolutely wonderful, Sharon -- I love the idea, and I love the
    thoughts and work put into this Challenge. I can see that our Challenges are all different and all wonderful. I am very proud that you used some of the thread painting --- excellent job. Shirley

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  2. Thank you Shirley, you really inspire me and I am thankful for all the lessons you have given me.

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  3. Great idea! The best treasures for sure are the ones that give us those wondrous memories.
    I like the attic!

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  4. Oh my!! Wonderful perspective, amazing detail!

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  5. The perspective is great. I love it. This attic is so clean...doesn't have the cobwebs and dust rhinos my attic has...how come?

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  6. I love this story and your execution of it. Since I've just packed and moved the boxes of treasures is a current theme in my mind. Great job.

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  7. I feel as though we are secretly watching someone lost in memories as they handle the treasures of their life.

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  8. Drawing in perspective is very difficult. You did a great job! I feel as though this could be me going through old treasures. Awesome memories.

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  9. Sharon, this is beautiful. I love the idea behind it and how you executed it.

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  10. Your so right memories are beautiful treasures .Your concept is totally awesome.

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  11. Oh I felt I was the woman looking through her treasures as I read your story.
    Well done.
    Delia

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  12. Wow, I am enthralled with your magnificent execution of your idea. Perspective - the attic entry space with the ladder, chairs in the corners of the 'finished space', the hope chest lid opened out - demonstrates knowledge of drafting. Special designs in the corners of the scene add embellishment quietly yet distinctly.

    Beautiful, thanks.

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