Art with Fabric Blog Hop - My Happy Yellow Cow by Patty

Hi, I'm Patty. It's the first time I'm participate in an Art Blog Hop. I'd like to thank Alida for all her work and also to Andrée, my hostess for encouraging and guiding me throughout this new experience.

"My Happy Yellow Cow" by Patty

My quilt is inspired by "The Yellow Cow", one of the most famous works of Franz Marc (1880-1916). He was an  extraordinary German artist, which I admire since ever. He was one of the main painters of the expressionism, co-founded with Kandinsky, of The Blue Rider magazine and movement that grouped expressionist artists from 1911 to 1914. 

Franz Marc is known mostly because of the animals he used to paint in bold bright colors. Even if he evolved in style, until reaching the cubism and the abstractionism, he never abandoned neither the animals nor the wonderful colors. 

Although I've read the analysis of "The Yellow Cow", which by the way is rather sad, I must say that in my humble opinion, I disagree. I've  always seen her happy, having a good time, a wonderful moment of relaxation and pleasure. That's why in my quilt I'm showing her swimming freely and peacefully enjoying the fresh water on a hot summer day. A small peek look at Mother Earth.

My process:

Template of a larger simplified image of the cow

I first drew a larger simplified image of the cow, then I cut it in a fabric to use it as foundation and I began to work on it by gluing flowers.

Foundation used for the cow

The background is made of strips also sewn to a foundation. Finally I put it all together adding some more elements...and that's it!

Cow on a background of strips

"My Happy Yellow Cow"!!!! 48' x 56'

"My Happy Yellow Cow"

Hope you enjoy it!

I'm really proud of being among so many talented artists.

Thank you to you all!

Patty

Here is the schedule for the Art with Fabric Blog Hop. 

Check out the amazing art work!

Monday, October 9th, 2017

• Wendy at Kwilt Krazy
• Yanicka at Finding myself as an artist
• Barb at Bejeweled Quilts
• Alida at Tweety Loves Quilting

Tuesday, October 10th, 2017 

• LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color
• Krysia, Hosted by Alida at Tweety Loves Quilting
• Heather at Heather's Blog
• Tami at Thrift Shop Commando

Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 

• Janeen at Quilt Art Designs
• Andrée at Quilting and Learning: What a Combo!
• Carol at Quilted Fabric Art
• Karen at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats

Thursday, October 12th, 2017 

• Kat at KatKnap
• Terry at Terry Aske Art Quilt Studio
• Anita at Domestic Felicity
• Chris at Chris' Quilting Universe 

Friday, October 13th, 2017 

• Patty, Hosted by Andrée at Quilting and Learning: What a Combo!
• Edith at Edi's Crafting Life
• Betty at Sew What Now
• Dione at Clever Chameleon Quilting

I've also linked Patty's post to Off the Wall Friday

Guest Blog – A Unique Wedding Present

I have a guest blogger today. Kathy Lajeunesse is a colleague and friend. We quickly found out that we had a common interest in art and textiles. Here is her blog:

While I consider myself creative, I do not consider myself much of a quilter with my one and only quilt project still unfinished after 15 years!  Recently though, my interest in quilting has been piqued in two ways.

The original wedding invitation

Every 3 to 4 weeks, I am inspired by Andrée when she brings in her latest quilt project to work. As her readers know, she is prolific turning out a quilt a month and often more. Secondly, last April I attended a show of the Ottawa Out of the Box Fibre artists, and I was blown away by the talent in that group and in particular by the beautiful landscapes made by several members. So in May, when the following invitation arrived in my mailbox for my niece’s wedding (designed by her fiancée) – I took the leap of faith that I could interpret the image and create a unique wedding gift for the happy couple.

Pastel colour palette 

I decided to stay with the pastel palette. I began by surveying scraps of material in my own sparse inventory. I found a few fabrics, but needed more. I made a visit to Fabricland to match some more colours. With a few supplies gathered, I took them into work and received some advice from Andrée on how to proceed. She also shared a few written resources and off I went!

The background was pieced together in a morning and then I worked away at the details of adding embroidered trees, and appliqueing the barn into place over the next month or so. 

Embroidered trees and appliqued barn

Andrée offered to quilt the piece, and I took her up on the offer.  Following that, I added a few very fine sequins to decorate the roadside, and bound the edges.

The groom and bride on bicycles 

Early on, I had decided that I would applique the cyclists on as a last step, although I was not sure exactly how that was going to play out. I surfed the web to see if I could buy some tiny bikes, but everything I found was too big.  In the end, I formed the figures and bicycle frames out of modelling clay and the wheels were made from rubber washers.  The bride and groom’s clothes were cut and sewn on VERY carefully – the wedding dress was made from raw silk left over from my own wedding dress sewn some 20 years ago!  Black felt was easy to work with for the groom. The last touch was to sew a message on the back.

I was pretty excited to present my finished wall hanging to my niece and her fiancée.  They loved it.

Quilt label

What I learned:

• I love the creative process; OK, I already knew that.  Even if you don’t actually know how you are going to do something in the beginning, have faith in the creative process.
• Material puckers if you don’t measure well.
• My 40 year old sewing machine works just fine!
• Purchasing material is addictive.
• I can complete my unfinished quilt if I parcel a little time here and there.  That is my next project!

Kathy

A unique wedding present

I`ve linked Kathy`s guest post to the following parties. Join in the fun and see what everyone is up to!

• Monday Making;
• Fabric Frenzy Friday;
• Link-a-Finish Friday