From abstraction to action

In the early part of these year I took a course with Brenda Gael Smith – Abstraction in Action (2022). The purpose of the course was to learn how to create an abstract composition, in any medium. The composition would be drawn from reality, using an image of our choosing. We each brought some images that might form our starting point. Brenda encouraged us to explore the image and the abstraction process using a variety of other media. I used drawing, collage, and the SketchClub app which allows you to abstract elements of a photo (the third image here).

From photograph, to collage to SketchClub to Stitch.

The final image here is the beginnings of converting this into stitch. I am not particularly happy with it at the moment, and it has gone on the back burner for now, but this approach has helped me think about the surface design for my coat.

Nancy Crow Constructions #73 2003-2004 (Detail)

Another textile artist who uses abstraction is Nancy Crow, inspirational, improvisational quilter. She uses a palette of saturated colours, to produce series of textile art. Each series has a starting point which she then pushes with variations of colour and shape. (Crow, 2006)

The example I have included here is one in the series Constructions, inspired by buildings and structures Crow had seen. Her placement of colour is an important facet of the design, this is an aspect of my work that I am trying to develop.

Whilst looking at images from the Construction series of quilts I was reminded of a drawing I had done from a photograph of a loom on Hainsworth’s website.  

I went back to the photograph and, using SketchClub, I pulled out the elements of the loom that interested me. I then used EQ8 Quilt design software to create a pattern using colour. I planned to use a piecing technique to use the strips of coloured cloth from Hainsworth Mill to capture the movement as they rise and fall to create the pattern in the weave.

There comes a point where you have to bite the bullet, and as Brenda Gael Smith might say, ‘turn abstraction into action’ and cut into the precious fabric.  

That step from an on-screen design to making the piece of fabric was a huge leap. It is not possible for me to see the true colours on screen, and neither can I get a sense of scale. So finally I cut into the fabric, the width of strips was determined by both the dimensions of the garment and the sizes of the pieces I had.

Having cut the strips there was much more exploration of placement of colours and arrangement of strips. I began with something very similar to the digital image above, but the gold was either too wide, or got lost, adding an additional, slightly wider, strip of rust made a much better transition from red to navy. Those small bright elements help to emphasise the movement of the heddles.

This has been occupying my mind for the last few weeks and finally I have a piece of fabric made from the waste material. This piece is about 1 metre long and 33 cm wide. I will be adding some cream fabric to each edge to make a front panel for The Coat.

References

Crow, Nancy (2006) Nancy Crow. Michigan, USA: Breckling Press http://www.nancycrow.com/ Accessed 23/04/2022

Gael Smith, Brenda (2022) Abstraction in Action, https://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/workshops/abstraction-from-reality/ Accessed 23/04/2022

Hainsworth (2018) The weaving process Available at https://www.hainsworth.co.uk/about/weaving-process/ Accessed 23/04/2022