Relative Value of Color and Design whether in making wearables, quilts, or paintings.

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I loved the bible story about Joseph and his coat of many colors.  Maybe part of it was because my middle name is the feminine version, Josephine, plus my maternal grandmother's name was Josephina.  Using brightly colored cottons I came up with the concept of weaving strips of raw-edged fabrics that would ravel during the weaving process, leaving loose threads, lending voice to the Joseph's coat story.

The supplies I needed to begin weaving the coat were strips of brightly colored fabrics, the bases of rectangles of muslin, beautiful orange rayon thread on a spool, a good sized needle and sharp scissors.  As close as I can reckon, it was 1991 when I started the actual weaving.  I was sitting next to Cathy Hoover in Bernice Stone's Independent Study Class at the Empty Spools Conference at Asilimar CA.

To begin I started placing vertical strips on a muslin base, then basted the top end of each strip to that muslin base.  Once those strips were sewn to the base, I began horizontal weaving, over and under, into the vertical strips.  My blood pressure measurably dropped and I was then enraptured in the weaver's zone of harmony.  To this day, I remember the silence and the peace of wending my way along the weaving, having thoughts come to mind, resolving to do more of this kind of work.  As life goes on, it was about 12 years later I decided it was time to finish the piece with an upcoming exhibit as the impetus to do so.

These are a couple of process pics, with the work laid out on the studiofloor.  By this time, as you can see, I had pieced the traditionalpatchwork Joseph's Coat blocks to further the story of the wearable art.







Ultimately, I found Thai silk in the exact colorway of the pieces, and used it as a lining, and also to bring around to the front as a binding/band.  The garment is free form.  This is the finished work.

1.  Front



2.  Back with Joseph's Coat patchwork block on hat and back of garment



3.  Close View of Front (pic in natural light)



Color relationships bridge the mediums that I use, like mentioned before, whether in wearables, paintings, or quilts. It's over time, (not overtime in the sense of sports), but a duration of time where this continuum reveals itself.  I've been practicing art for decades, and have been aware lately of how one palette can reach beyond borders of medium.

In 1999, I painted this tiny piece on paper recycled from a brochure cover that was made of good card stock, so I gessoed over the paper and painted this tiny landscape.

7" x 5", Acrylic on Paper, c. viktorya 1999 - 2010



The challenge was to translate the 5" x 7" painting into a wall quilt that is 24" x 36", utilizing fabric only — this is tough to do, with knowing how simple it would be to create the needed dimension with paint.  But so far I've stayed true to the ethic of fabric only. 



With each morning I thank God for another day to spend time in my studio.  It is essential to my soul's well-being to be a maker. 

Would love to hear your story about making, but above all, want to thank you for stopping by to browse this article.  Your comments are always a delight for me to read.

-Viktorya