I am blessed to have some very special friends...each a wonderful person, all with talents different from the others, and all adding a much appreciated and cherished embellishment to my days. They keep me going when the going gets rough....make me laugh when I think I can't, and loved when I feel down. Where would we be without friends?
One of my very special friends is one you've heard me talk about often...my friend, Jim. A very talented person, indeed. Jim is an art teacher, teaching in the public school system for over thirty years, and now in a private school. You just never know what he will show at our monthly quilting/beading group meeting, but you can bet there will be a lot of it....he tends to be an 'over-achiever.' We tease him unmercifully about that. One day soon, I may show you some photos I took at a recent meeting at his home....this will be a treat for you....as it always is for me.
In my last post, I showed you one of the little 'alcoves' on either side of my house's front entry.
One of my readers....a very observant person....emailed to ask me about the framed piece over the wicker chair in one of the photos. I thought it funny, since I had already decided to make that piece the subject of my next post. So, here's the story of this piece and how I came to own it.
It was a gift from Jim. He sometimes presents me with a gift for no apparent reason at all. Just the kind I like. Once, he presented me with a rhinestone tiara as I taught a class in another town where he was also teaching. Another time he gave me a child's vintage dress and slip. For my 55th birthday (long ago now) he made a small pictorial quilt for me.....showing me as Queen Victoria and himself as Prince Albert....well, you'd just have to see it. We are all still amused by it. I have several examples of 'envelope art' sent to me by Jim. I want to make a little book from them. See, you just never know what he will do. This piece was one of those gifts. It is beautiful. The design area of this little 'still life' is 5 inches x 7 inches. Jim sometimes teaches a class showing students how to make a similar still life. Being a collector of fabrics, as all quiltmakers usually are, he has a large fabric collection and so can make a piece like this. Of course, the pieces are so small, it hardly makes a dent in his fabric supply. (One of our jokes is we continuously use up fabrics, but never seem to run out of it. Of course, we are also continuously sharing and/or buying fabric too.)
One of the beautiful aspects of this type of fusible applique....is the embellishment of these tiny pieces with permanent pens to further enhance the design. Jim isn't the type to sit and embroider these details in....and he certainly doesn't have to....as this method gives him a chance to add complexity to his designs without the expenditure of time it takes to embroider. Notice how he chose to embellish each flower, and leaf, etc., with penned details. Jim will be teaching at Quilt Arkansas '11 this September. You can check that event out HERE. I'll be teaching there also....
This is a very special creation, indeed. Made especially for me....how lucky can I be? And, by a dear friend...which makes it even more special. Jim is currently away to attend the quilt show in Dallas. I hope he has a wonderful time.....and I bet he comes back with even more inspiring ideas. I'll keep you posted!
Hope you enjoyed this post....and I hope you have a wonderful weekend too. take care out there, pat
2 comments:
What a lucky lady you are to have a friend like Jim. I must tell you that I have taken a couple of classes with Ellie Sienkiewicz and one was an urn filled with fruit, flowers, etc. and she had us add a lot of the little details in with a permanent ink pen. It really adds a lot to it. I haven't framed it yet and must get going and do that.
Hugs
FredaB
That is a very lovely piece! I know you treasure it. Love the mat and frame, too!
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