One Down...seemingly a gazillion to go!

It's DONE!!  The first piece in the Pecan series!!!

And now for the unveiling......

Pecan Series

The Sapling

There are 5 more in the Pecan Series to be completed. I think the first one is the most difficult. All the concepts and supplies for the others are here...just need to put them on canvas.

The Sapling continues

Here is step two of The Sapling. Finished the "ground". Now on to the tree itself.

The Sapling as a new beginning

Here is the beginning!!  I wish I had taken a photo of the canvas with just the textile parts stitched on but I just couldn't wait to get painting!!  This is the sky part (obviously I guess).  Hopefully a bit later today I'll get the ground started. Then tomorrow I can start putting on the sapling together.  I'll keep the photos coming!!!

Taking a New Path

OK...thanks for not writing me off lately.  Life has taken a whole unexpected turn that has taken some getting used to.  We are now keeping our 4 grandchildren full time (at least for the near future).  They are 6, 5, 5 (twins) and 11 months.  Yep...a handful to say the least. Fortunately, they are good kids.  But they are kids! Needless to say, long leisure days in my studio are a thing of the past. But thankfully, when the kids are at school the baby naps in the morning and afternoon. STUDIO TIME!!! Also thankfully, I have an amazing husband who knows I need studio time and helps out whenever he's home.  It has been a month now and I think we are just about settled into a routine (or what passes for one I guess)

But as all things work out for the best somehow, it gave me time to re-imagine my Pecan series.  Started in earnest this morning sorting the fabrics to make the textile bits for the first piece.  On my way I think...unless more curves are thrown into the mix (please no)

Here's my work island with the fabrics sorted. After auditioning them for the first bit, that strip is in the foreground of the photo.

Wish me luck!!  (oh and, all prayers and wonderful thoughts are appreciated!!!)  LOL!!

And it's complete

I guess this would qualify as the beginning of my Pecan series.  I had the original 30 X 30 bits on my wall for what seemed like forever.  Just couldn't make up my mind about how I wanted to proceed with the background.  

Then I saw the opportunity to do a piece to enter in a competition that would end up as a street banner.  I played around with several ideas but none really excited me. The issue was largely the very vertical aspect of the required piece. The original  had to be w12" X h22".  Then if accepted, it would be blown up to twice that size for the banner. I had decided just to let this competition pass. Then like a flash of lightening it came to me...The Sapling!!  The Sapling is the name of the first piece in the Pecan series.  But to do it for the banner would afford me a smaller size to experiment with the background.  AND it is very vertical!!  It all came together so well that it was completed in one day!!

What I learned making this beginning piece has further inspired me to get onto the first of the series -- the REAL Sapling!

The Sapling - Banner

A photo of Main Street with the current banners

AND....it doesn't end there. During the summer, the original pieces will be displayed in Main Street businesses.  In the fall, they will be auctioned off to raise money for the Zumbrota Area Arts Council.

AND...one more thing....Wil has a piece accepted for a banner as well!! Wonder if we will be hanging on the same side of the street!  LOL!!

Pecans - Sapling - background

Today I got my muslin layer on my design wall and got the background laid out for the Sapling.  I know the center of the "sky" may look a bit monochromatic just now....but that is where the main part of the sapling branches/leaves will be so I'm not too worried.  Still working with the black "wedge" on the left of the "ground".  I keep moving it.  (The second layer of ground -left and center- is a piece of painted silk Maggie sent to me! Thanks, Mags!! Fits in perfectly dontcha think?)

Each Pecan piece will be mounted onto 24" square canvases with a 1.5" depth.  So I have my muslin marked to include plenty of fabric to wrap, turn under and staple in the back of the canvas frame.

Now I have to decide if I want to do raw edge applique or if I want to turn the edges under.

Anyway...here it step one and I'm on my way!  Can't tell all of you how excited I am to get fabric on the design wall for this one.

Pecans - Sapling - background