Saturday, March 5, 2016

Changing the Course of the River

Thanks Betty Jo Tatum for nominating me to take part in a blog challenge. Betty Jo shares her artistic process here. The rules are:
1) Thank the person who nominated you.
2) Post a quote each day for three days.
3) Each day nominate three new bloggers to take part.
My quote for the day is:
A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. 
— Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
I nominate, Nancy Rehak whose blog Dizzy Dog Quilting, is always interesting! 
Since I blog but once a week, I have changed the rules for myself a bit and I'll post for the next two weeks.

Now. . .on to the news of the week!!!

I've been stuck trying to figure out why this design wasn't working for me.

I tried moving the river to a horizontal position. I tried making it shorter. I tried ending it behind the "hotel".  I took off the sky, I lowered the sky. Nothing clicked.


Then, my dear daughter came for a visit and I asked her what was wrong with the river.
She turned it at a diagonal. That change felt "right." How did I miss that option???!!!!

















Next, my other dear daughter sent me a photo of her and a friend in front of a waterfall. . .it was synchronicity at work! I was thinking how I could incorporate it into this piece. As you know, I started with the "hotel" and a waterfall idea.



First, I had to work on changing the water. I thought about starting over. . .no, I like the graduation of pieces and color. I thought about cutting it. . .no, I'd cut it and then wish I had cut it in a different place. I decided to take tucks in it to change the shape. 

This is what it looked like:

I thought I was on track until I pinned it on the wall. The water lost its movement or personality so, I was back to square one!


I ended up removing some of the tucks and it fit more like I had imagined it in my head!





Here is the water, with the beginning of the bridge and a start of the waterfall. I'm making progress; just not at the rate I had envisioned!

After looking at it for most of the week, I'm thinking the bridge is too big, the waterfall doesn't fit and the river needs to be wider near the hotel so it is back to the drawing board!

9 comments:

BJ said...

How delightful! I love your work on your river. It's much how I work. Recently I nearly abandoned my latest quilt in my Waiting... series because the sky and the sea did not work together right, but after some input from my kids I managed to fix it and am back and working on it. Sew happy! Cheers.

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

BJ, I appreciate your "delightful" comment as I have felt anything BUT!!! I was commenting to a friend. . .I'm working like an artist, I'm struggling like an artist. . .when will I feel success as an artist???--Terry

Nicole Knott said...

Yippee - a touch of Atlas Mountain range from Morocco in your quilt. Looks good!

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Nicole, yes, your waterfall does look great. . .think it is going to go in a future project though. Loved receiving your comment!--Mom

Monica said...

Ok, take it or leave it, my first thought is that maybe realism is not really what you want. For some reason it feels like you are trying to convey ideas, and maybe something like a mind map or a "flow" chart that is more symbolic might get you on track. Maybe I'm completely wrong!

Anyway, great quote! I totally agree. :D

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Monica, Great thought! I'll be thinking about it the rest of the week!---Terry

Monica said...

LOL, I just saw this quote on the Quiltville blog today!

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

No Way!!! Bonnie and I must be on the same wave length like sisters! :)--Terry

Nancy said...

I accept your challenge! Thanks!! Of course, I'll have to change it a bit myself, too.

Your river quilt is looking great! I'm really enjoying following the journey and seeing each new improvement along with your thoughts.