In 2008, I published my first article in Quilting Arts Magazine, Thread Trash - Using Old Threads for New Surfaces, which discussed the use of thread trash as a surface design element in work. People have used thread trash in their work over the years but its use is not common (See Fig. 1). I have used it over the years regularly in my work (See Staying Connected & other examples in my blog)...until...I began playing with painted coffee filters and paper towels. My early compositions were cut bits applied with matte medium onto peltex with additional paint applied where needed, then quilted. This led to a more painterly approach using torn bits. I found I could manage light and dark values with the paper itself (using no paint "tweaks" in the final product). Painting with Torn Paper and Stitch - Create an Impressionistic Collage, is now a feature article in Quilting Arts Magazine, April/May 2013 (See Fig. 2). The work featured (not shown here) was created using no paint tweaks at all. Morning Ruminations, below, is my latest work, still in progress, using this process.
Figure 1: Quilting Arts Cover, June/July 2008
Figure 2: Quilting Arts Cover, April/May 2013
Figure 3: Fall Forest (collage with paint tweaks and thread trash)
Figure 4: Blue Vase (collage with no paint tweaks and thread trash)
Figure 5: Morning Ruminations, a dyptich work-in-progress
June/July 2008
Fig. 1
April/May 2013
Fig. 2
Fall Forest (#1 of tryptich)
5"x7" Fig. 1
Blue Vase 8.5"x14"
Fig. 4
Morning Ruminations - WIP 8.5"x16.5"
and 12.5x16.6 Fig. 5
