For the next month or so I will be showing quilts in the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection that were purchased from the SAQA online auctions.
"Concurry Flinder's Grass" Sue Dennis - Queensland, Australia 2006 12"X12"
Cotton fabric, paint, machine applique and quilting.
Cloncurry is the name of a town and a shire in the north west of Queensland - the town has a population of less than 3000 and the main industry is cattle raising.
Flinders grass is a drought-resistant pasture grass (Iseilema membranacea) native to inland regions of Australia and used as fodder.
Cloncurry is the name of a town and a shire in the north west of Queensland - the town has a population of less than 3000 and the main industry is cattle raising.
Flinders grass is a drought-resistant pasture grass (Iseilema membranacea) native to inland regions of Australia and used as fodder.
I am not familiar with Sue's techniques, but this appears to be printed on the background fabric with actual grass and leaves (eucalyptus) using paint of some kind. The edges of the impressions are very crisp - I wonder how she achieves that. She has used red thread to outline quilt some grasses and also added some free hand lines to emphasize the grass.
The three squares are made of the same red fabric as the binding and are very precisely stitched with machine satin stitch.
A very simple label that just gives the basics.
I'm not sure I would have purchased this quilt if I had seen this unique Australian fabric on the back. I don't KNOW they are spiders, but they LOOK like spiders and have eight legs - br-r-r-r. Spiders are about the only thing I am afraid of and I get a creepy little chill whenever I see the back of this piece. Oh, well, I like the front enough to endure the creeps once in a while!
Two people have commented that these insects are honey ants, not spiders, and they have a "history" in aboriginal folklore. See comments.
A comment from Sue tells me that the technique she used here is direct printing with the foliage. See comments
Two people have commented that these insects are honey ants, not spiders, and they have a "history" in aboriginal folklore. See comments.
A comment from Sue tells me that the technique she used here is direct printing with the foliage. See comments
5 comments:
I think these are ants, not spiders. We do have big black spiders with red backs - surprisingly - red backs. But these are cartoon renditions of big bull ants so you are okay
Those are honey ants... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeypot_ant
The fabric is a take on Aboriginal stories of "Honey Ant Dreaming".
Not at all creepy.
I'm so glad you are featuring the 12" SAQA auction pieces in your collection...and happy to see Sue's there. It's terrific.
Just a stunning quilt. Simple let elegant. Thanks for posting it.
Sue uses Shiva paintsticks with stencils, eta.
Sue in Mendocino
Hi Del
Thanks for featuring my quilt- it's great to see it after all this time.
The backing fabric is a commercial print of honey ants & the Aboriginal people eat the sweet tasting abdomens of these ants.
My leaf & grass prints on the front are all direct printing with the foliage- a technique I'm particularly fond of.
cheers, Sue
Post a Comment