Green/Yellow Ground, hand dyed wool on linen, 11 x 10 inches.I've gone back to my figure/ground series with this work, in which I attempt a balance of colors and shapes, with none taking center stage. You can see a photograph of the four previous pieces in this series on this blog post. When I dyed the green and yellow wool, I added a little of each color to the other, to tone them down and create more of a relationship. I decided to hook the green shape in a vertical direction because I felt that horizontal lines at top would make the green shape too aggressive in its rightward push. The result is a very simple composition that is satisfying to me. There's also a bit of humor in the faint figural allusion in the shapes. Or is this something only I see?
I love this one. The small scale loops in lines fit with the larger scale shapes. It's Vermont and New Hampshire!
ReplyDeletethanks, Susan. And that's a fun idea of this being an abstraction of the Vermont/New Hampshire maps.
ReplyDeleteIs it fun, or the visual equivalent of an earworm? Hard to let go of those things sometimes. Once there's a man in the moon, he's persistent.
ReplyDeletebalance of color and balance of forms, each holding their own without giving in - tension - but agreement, not war! I love it when simple forms generate a whole range of associations just by being there.
ReplyDeleteIt is so interesting to see you use this very non-contemporary medium to make abstract art.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Leslie. Also, what compels me is the very human, idiosyncratic individual manifested in each hook and how their differences combine to make a distinct whole. Loved your post on memory!
ReplyDeletethank you rappel, Leslie, Julie.
ReplyDeleteAgreement in tension: I like that, rappel.
Leslie, one of the things that so interests me about this medium is its very homemade traditional character. And as Julie writes, the texture of the loops also adds interest.
glad you liked the memory post, Julie.
Vermont and New Hampshire. That's great!
ReplyDeleteThey're easy to make: take NH, turn it upside down, then lock them together.
I'm enjoying the verticality of the soft green loops that appear to push against the equally soft yellow and horizontal loops. The yellow does not give in though--but appears to stand firm.
ReplyDeleteThese colors speak of the colors just beginning to push their way out of the earth.
Hannah, it's good to know that for you the yellow holds its own alongside the green. I hadn't thought about these being spring colors, but they are. Now I'm thinking of doing my next in this series with the dark colors of emerged earth, in browns and black.
ReplyDeleteRichard, Vermont and New Hampshire do seem locked together, which is strange considering they are very different geologically.
Yes, geologically and culturally. Locked in an uneasy embrace.
ReplyDeleteGreen was an appropriate choice for that part of your textile.