Week in Review 2019 - 02/01

Page 20 from the January 2019
issue of Audubon

Finding True North
Roughed out design using EQ8
Actual coloring will be different
and the central sun ray will be
visible in its entirety. 

I was very fortunate to have an amazing creative writing teacher when I was in 9th grade. Each week Miss Dwyer would give the class a prompt to jump start our next assignment. We had a few days to write a page or two. Every student took turns reading their work out loud to the class. To this day, 51 years later, I recall one of the pieces I wrote, several of the tips shared, and bits from pieces my classmates wrote. It is only recently I have come to realize what a precious gift this class was, and how it help give me the courage to share my art work.

Paper piecing of the geese entrails in progress

Detail of the geese entrails, show just a few more to go.

I have recently joined Art Quilter's Bi-monthly Challenge, hosted by Carol McDowell. It is very much like my 9th grade class, only instead of writing, the assignment is to make an art quilt based on a prompt. The January/February prompt is to make a quilt inspired by pg. 20 from a magazine - any magazine, so long as it isn't about quilts. Since I don't subscribe to magazines, I turned to my library's online collection. Right near the top of the screen, since the magazines are alphabetical order by title, was Audubon. Pay dirt! Page 20 was perfect.

I could have chosen any word, the sky, the geese, the color palette or even reflections. What I opted for was the title, Finding True North and the geese as my catalyst. The figurative definition of True north is what guides you in your life. When it comes to making art quilts, my true north, or what I return to time and time again, are traditional blocks pushed a bit beyond traditional. I also enjoy insider hints based on the block's name. No surprise my piece features several flying geese entrails. Gradating my work from light to dark, is something else I enjoy. Therefore, my geese go from brilliant yellow to the palest of cream yellows. Finally, I will be leaving plenty of open sky, so that when it comes time for free motion quilting, I can go town.

I am linking up with Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays.