It has been hard to find green spaces in busy cities these days. Some cities like New York have Central Park and in Sydney we have Centennial and Bicentennial Parks which act like lungs.
Over the last few years there has been an increasing demand for buildings to consider the environment and this has resulted in many buildings being designed with consideration for the energy they consume, the pollution they create and benefitting the occupants in the form of energy efficiency, comfort and well being throughout the lifecycle of the building.
This was my starting point for this quilt and although there is still a long way to go I wondered what it would be like IF ONLY ALL BUILDINGS WERE GREEN.
I wanted to play around with perspective do did some initial drawings on graph paper which I then had enlarged. Once I had a framework I used Steam a Seam Lite over the image and then cut out hand painted and hand dyed fabrics from my stash.
The plan was to peel off the Steam a Seam from the paper and place it on the background fabric. Unfortunately I probably needed to get the stronger version as it didn’t peel off cleanly. It was a bit messy but I got them all down in the end.
After adding some more buildings I used a stencil I had created of a tree for the foreground and I created a thermofax screen of vines for the buildings and painted the quilt.
I created a word cloud of terms used when describing environmentally friendly buildings and printed them in the sky space
Once the quilting was done I decided the trees in the foreground needed highlighting so I painted them within the quilting lines.
IF ONLY
33″ x 40″
Hand painted and hand dyed fabrics. Raw edge applique
Love it Lisa. We all need to ‘green up’ this world.
Lisa,
Thanks so much for sharing your process. The quilt is lovely and meaningful. Understanding how you went about creating it makes it more so.
Love this piece. Thanks for sharing your process – I found inspiration from it.
Thanks so much. I really enjoyed making it too
Slam dunk! Very successful image, and thought process. And thank you for sharing so much of your process.
Wonderful story and stunning work of art!
Thanks Karol. It took me some time to come up with the idea but the execution was fun
This piece caught all my attention. I love the play between nature and the hard lines of the buildings. I also appreciate your process. Thank you Lisa!
That is so kind Hilde
Thanks so much
Stunning, htnaks for sharing. You and your work are an inspiration.
You are so kind susan
I LOVE the graphic quality of this piece! The swirling vines and curly trees against the static geometry of the buildings is magical and seems almost in motion. The color is divine. May be my favorite thing you’ve shown!
Really – wow. Thanks so much Terry
Thanks for giving this outline of your process, Lisa. A wonderful design from a great inspiration.
Funny how things just come to you isn’t it?
Stunning perspective, very successful!
Thanks Regina – I was happy with this one – eventually
Fantastic. I’ve seen buildings with planted roofs or terraces but this is beyond those dreams. Beautifully executed as well. Colors are calm and scrumptious leaving all the hard work to the lines which deliver. Great idea for word sky.
I love those buildings where the plants cover the outside.
Wow! Wonderful piece and message. I am wishing I had a thermofax at hand now.
Hi Jeanne – miss you. I love my thermofax. It is always just there when you need it
Beautiful awareness message and wonderful work! Congratulations!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment
A fantastic process and result using all those techniques. I have noticed quite a few high rise ‘green ‘ building’s around Sydney. Great creation with a Wow factor. Love it
Thanks Lorraine. Yes the green high rise buildings in Sydney are definitely growing
Courageous to paint over the pieced quilt! Lovely and so very original!
Covers a multitude of sins Diane
This is amazing….. congratulations.
Thanks Glenice
Love your detailed explanation Lisa. Very clever use of all elements. What is a thermal copier? I have never seen one, & have a fascination with Thermofax prints.
It is my thermofax machine. Just what it was called.
Magnificient! Thank you for sharing the whole process, such an inspiration!
My pleasure Vera
Love it! Thank you so much for sharing the process!
I hope you have make a film of the quilt, so we can see it in your “ quilt stories “ !
I was definitely thinking of doing that Ineke so thanks for the encouragement. I have more process information that I can talk about. I can interview myself
Well done, Lisa!! Unique approach to the theme!