This is the Matisse Inspired Rhyming Quilt set. I have been drawn to the Matisse paper cut blue nudes done in the late 40's. Something about the curves, thighs and raised arm - it's all so fluid. (Matisse had huge round cantelope breasts on his design.)

The humor of rhyming overcame common sense - I couldn't help myself. Top left: Matisse with Geese, top right: Matisse in Fleece. Middle left: Matisse in Chemise, Mid right: Peace Matisse. Bottom left Matisse in Breeze, b. right:Police Matisse. I loved doing this and have more rhymes, but decided to move on.

Made spring 2009

Arizona Landscapes 3 quilts

I love Arizona and the Southwest. I sketched these from photos - both mine and book photos and had fun finding odd fabrics to make them work. I feel a strong kinship to Arizona and to New Mexico.

This is the Christmas quilt - obviously - Southwestern Santa who is feeding little quail some tortilla chips. Notice the corn in the gathering basket on his back, a chili ristra next to it, and with feathers hanging. I drew up the design and worked at making it fit our home with its Southwestern art.

Since all the Southwestern art is now gone, I take the quilt to school and hang it in my science lab. It's festive and fun.

I use this as a fall theme - maple leaves stitched on muslin, brown and orange thread - 2 in one needle. The outer edges are shaded with rust stain and tea, sponged on gently.

Finishing up with the Chili Pepper ANger Quilt. Thanks to friend who suggested I make the chilis as pockets - we both love manipulative-interactive quilts. The chilis hold 16 different quotes that positive anger can do for a person (me especially). I was taught that "nice girls don't get mad." It's taken some time to get over that - so this is more therapy - important enough to express as a quilt. I printed the quotes on fabric, cut them apart, bonded to a yellow print, whipped stitched yarn to the edges, and beaded the ends. I curled the strips into each chili. Sometimes they hang out in a twist. I won an honorable mention at the Fresno Co. Fair last year with this quilt. The best part? I'm learning to stomp my foot when necessary and stand up for myself.

down to the end of the divorce

These two quilts are the beginning of the end. The Journal of Anger was a great therapy quilt. I wrote probably 4 pages of ranting with a felt pen on the fabric, good emotional release, then made the pencils with quotes, quilted it all, and chose to use "Peace sign, tye dye" fabric? go figure.

The figure (me with wings) is about morphing, as I go through the stages from grief, to anger, to strength and power. I had added angel wings at first - humorous error -definately had to change those. The bird at the top is a red tail hawk - have some history with rescuing one-39 years ago.

more therapy quilts...by this time, the fall of 2007, I was in a Co-Dependent therapy group. My eyes were beginning to see - just beginning -

The Pelican shows mythical Co-Dependency, self sacrifice - which we have discovered was caused by an itch - not sacrifice.
The self portrait was a trial, much soul searching on my part at this time. It turned out pretty well, and I won 1st place in the county fair for quilt art!

next set of quilts:

The first shows our casa in New Mexico, the mountains where we camped, Inscription Rock, and images of torn bridal lace, letters from the military. Those were good years for me - but the padded black/gold rotting ring shows the corrosion of truth and affairs, of which I was not aware.

The hot red is a labrynth - which stays incomplete as I journey into my past, my mind, my person. The quilts are a kind of visual journal for self study and introspection during that very difficult time in my life.

June 11, hooray - last day of school for the summer, although the summers get shorter and shorter. Who said teachers get 3 months off? ha - maybe 7 weeks, maybe 8 on a good year.

This will be my attempt to add pictures of some of my early art quilts - that would be 3 summers ago. This group of art made itself. Emotions ran high, and the quilts flew off the table one by one all summer and fall 2007.

These were the first 3 - a patchwork heart with words like despair, pain, hurt, in the second, the woman is chained below a flag of "Justified Anger" with archetype snakes going up the poles (what's that about?) and the 3rd is a Merit Badge, for 35 years of service, while the old lady carries a hot dish to the table.

Those were the gut wrenching start to a long 2 year divorce process after 35 years of marriage.

maryj

Starting Out

Starting Out - Newbie on the Blog - June 4, 2009.

This is my first post. I welcome my quilting friends who want to write, perhaps other news than related to just quilting. We might prefer not to get into our daily lives at the Quilting Arts site, so starting a blog is a good solution.

I welcome artsy friends, semi-artsy friends, and not-at-all-artsy friends.
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. No scoundrels please.
maryj60 - ps I'm not 60 - it's just a number.