Back to Base

I believe this phrase is part of baseball terminology?  For my ninth and last challenge of this second cycle, I have made a map quilt. Returning to base - to making a map, the type of quilt I'm currently best known for. I haven't made a map for any of the previous challenges.

It is called Village Green. This has several meanings. The map represents an English village, set within a variety of green fields. The important one though is the village green - the rectangular area surrounded by houses on four sides.  Traditionally, games are played in the village green. The most common one played I believe is cricket. Baseball is not played that much in England, but we have a version of it, Rounders, which is often played by children, sometimes by adults as well. Possibly also rugby and football (soccer) are played there occasionally.  The village green is also used for fairs and festivals; it is a community resource which brings people together.

So here is my map of a place where games are played.  Freehand cut and pieced using hand-dyed fabrics, machine quilted. 18” high by 27” wide.

Holi Joe

Thanks Diane Wright for the "Play Time" challenge! What a nice way to wrap up our Viewpoints 9 cycle. My inspiration for this challenge is the colorful Indian festival of Holi, which is coming up on March 6th.



I have been "working on" a portrait of my Dad for over a decade. I have many times started and stopped and put various sketches on the back burner.  My previous attempts at a portrait revolved around this one black and white photo that was used on my Dad's funeral mass book (ask your Catholic friends what that is).
As I considered the Holi festival, I thought about playing, laughing and repairing relationships. So in in that spirit, I decided to "repair the relationship" between my memories of my Dad during his life and the associations I had with this one black and white photo. I lifted the pressure off myself to create a serious portrait and just had fun with it. This one uses every color EXCEPT black and white.
I loved the freedom I felt in creating this piece. Every time I added a new tie dyed piece of fabric to this portrait, the results were surprising and it made me smile. It still does. I look at my dad's face and it makes me happy. And it seems like a truer version of "Joe" as I remember him.

Technical details:
Finished size 18"x20"
Tie-dyed cotton fabrics, cut and layered then quilted using hand-guided machine stitching

We all dance around the sun

 We all dance around the sun 36"square

Thanks Diane, this has been a fun challenge on which to end this second round. I have been concentrating on printing fabrics with the plants and foliage I find in my local Australian environment so it seemed serendipity that when the challenge was announced, I had this gum and flowering wattle fabric waiting. I have added 9 colourful butterflies as representative of our members.

No matter which part of the world we live in, we all dance around the sun on planet earth.

Materials: cotton, wadding, threads, dye, textile ink, fusible
Techniques: Hand dyed and printed, machine applique, machine quilted.

Win by a Surprise Move

by Lin Hsin-Chen

Taiwan is located in the subtropical region. We have rare chance of seeing snow in the winter. Due to extreme climate anomalies in 2014, we got some snow. I observed how plants overcome the threat of extreme weather. They are adorable; especially the small daisies that strive to survive. They show us their surprise move of glorious living. I am sending them my best wishes, and therefore I sew unique colors on them.

What touched me is the energy of team work. When I was creating this piece, we had a mayoral election in Taiwan. The incumbent mayor of Taipei City is also a surgeon. He changes the city with his mission of life-saving. He said some nice words, “Ask yourself to do your best at every current situation. Adjust yourself and be friendly to people, events, substances and environments. Make all-out effort to the current situation.” This concept shocks me. Over a long period of time, I have been worked hard, but I didn’t make all-out effort. It will affect my future value of life and reverse my observation and thinking. Both the incumbent mayor of Taipei City and small daisies are creating new value of life with their finite lives. I thank them for giving me the opportunity to comprehend the truth and improve myself.

Launching new methods and perspectives, win by a surprise move, swing for the fences, highlight the value of individual honor and enhance the value of the group - this is the challenge I give myself in the second cycle of Viewpoints 9. I hope to apply my daily observations to the 9 pieces of work I create. As a result, "observations" have been accompanying me in the past 18 months and giving me the joy of creating. Coincidentally, the ninth challenge of cycle 2 from Diane is something about “swing for the fences”. What a perfect ending! Thank you, Diane! I would also like to thank members of Viewpoints 9 for giving me such a substantial journey.

Materials: silk, recycled banner, commercial cottons, ribbon, lace, woolen yarn, dyed fabrics, Romanian threads, embroidery floss, selvedge

Techniques: hand pieced, hand appliqué, hand knitted, yoyo, three layers quilted

Size: 18” x 27”

Baseball

Baseball: Swing for the fences

Baseball, you say?

Well, here we are a team of 9, in the 9^th inning, ending this cycle of our challenges to each other.

Baseball began in the United States before the 1840’s and by the 1880’s was beginning to be played in many other countries.  Today it is played internationally, is an Olympic sport and every summer draws youngsters from around the world to baseball’s Little League World Series in Williamsport PA.

I think the metaphor “plays well with one’s team” describes each of us.  Further, each of our cycles has a pitcher, a team that alternately goes to bat, and a really fine Player/Manager/Coach in Martha Wolfe.

I challenge you to playfully go to bat.  Bases are loaded and you’ve got nothing to loose and everything to win.  Swing for the fences, my friends, and PLAY.

Living Color

My inspiration for the "Play Time" challenge is the upcoming Indian festival of Holi.

Holi is celebrated at the approach of vernal equinox, on the full moon. The festival date varies every year, per the Hindu calendar (this year it will be March 6). Holi signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, a celebration of color and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forgive and repair relationships.

In India during Holi, people of all ages laugh, yell and run around like children at play. It is not unusual for kids to hide around a corner waiting for an unsuspecting stranger to walk by… so they can squirt them with water or throw fistfuls of colored powder on them.

By the end of the day, people are like human tie-dyes, covered head to toe in colorful splashes.

At Bat

I spent many a childhood summer day at the baseball stadium. My father and brothers were avid fans and they taught me to love it too. I memorized the starting lineup, learned how to diagram plays and cheered with the fans whenever our team’s crusty manager would stride out to the field to argue with the umpire. Such great memories!

Diane’s analogy to baseball is apropos for our group. I love being part of this team and Martha is a great “manager”. In addition, who could resist a challenge to swing for the fences and play? 

 

For me, swinging for the fences means trying something that simultaneously scares and excites me. Pushing my limits in hopes of exceeding them. The piece I’m creating has been in my mind for some time but I haven’t felt ready. I absolutely knew I had to make this piece but I wasn’t sure I could. Right now I’m up at bat and swinging hard!

And play! Yay play! Try new things without pressure to achieve, do what you enjoy, lose yourself in something so fun that time flies. Yippee! Bring out the paint! I love the idea of a brush in paint. And then I get to sew! Woo hoo! 

What a great way to wrap up another cycle of Viewpoints 9.  I can’t wait to see everyone’s work at the gallery opening on February 27^th.