I had a few hours in the studio yesterday (first time all week it was nice to be back) before Jon’s talk at Gallery 99. (Which was truly inspiring) I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I went in, but during a short meditation, Rita came to me. I had 2 ideas, BYE (inspired by the ending of the movie “The Princess and the Warrior” ) and “Then, take the freeway” (inspired by my GPS) I tried putting them on one quilt, but you can’t really take the freeway until you say goodbye.
When visiting the Frick Collection last month, I noticed the 14th century Italian religion paintings were a good way of telling a story in two dimensions and pictures. Because the idea of perspective wasn’t around yet, the painting are very flat . Perfect for a quilt. They often had smaller scenes out of proportion to the main scene beneath it or around it. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for on line or in my books I went to my calendar and found similar religious paintings from different faiths, countries and time periods.
The religious motif works because BYE is a big story for me and there’s something spiritual in the process of moving on.
I’m really caught up with today’s statement.
“BYE” I’ve already done in my own life.
“Then, take the freeway” is something I’m still working on…and I didn’t realize it until I saw it here. Love your perspective. It always speaks to me.
I have enjoyed looking at your cats and dogs potholders. This “goodbye” is truly inspiring. Probably everyone has something they need to say goodby (and perhaps good ridence to, but I have never seen it expressed so graphically. I find myself stuck between goodbye and a new highway. You are so right, ‘You can’t take a new road until you say goodbye.” I love your expression of the truth. How do you plan to present this drawing? Skech? Potholder? Whatever way, I would really like to have a copy as a daily reminder. The expression I have been working with is “Let go and let God.” Goodbye is easier to grasp.
“let go and let God” does it too. This one will be a quilt. At some point I may make smaller pieces of all the Rita Quilts. She’d make a great potholder or just a framed stitch sketch. Thanks for your comment Beth.
Whether she’s putting her ‘lips to the world’ or merely finding her voice, Rita resonates!! Those boots are the life story from a New York State birth certificate to happily out to pasture on Monterey Bay.You capture the essence so perfectly!
And the “collaboration quilt” is magnificent.From the click of a camera lens to that—wow.