PLAID! and Old Imari Photos

I have finally spent a few days going through boxes that have been in the garage for three years, since I moved out of my house, and have found buried treasure again in the form of photos I thought were lost - of some of my favorite canvases I painted almost 15 years ago.

I did find the companion to the round Imari I showed in a post recently. It was my favorite of the two plates I had bought, but it disappeared for a while.

This one has cranes (I don't remember the symbolism right now in Japanese art) and also the Phoenix, which is the symbol for the "Empress." I adapted these two designs from plates dated ca. 1820 - beautiful things.

ADDENDUM: I finally found my list of symbolism, made long ago when I was designing from Chinese and Japanese antique porcelains. The Crane is a symbol of longevity and literary achievment - I like that one!!


Next of importance!!! As I have continued to have much interest in plaid and how to set up and stitch these wonderful patterns in needlepoint, I finally took a few days to update, revise, and add more pictures and color to the book I did about six years ago. At that time, I had no computer, and no way to put much color into it. Also, I've learned more about the terminology, etc., which is an interesting bit of history.

Anyway, this is now on my web page, ELEGANT WHIMSIES, in the form of an "E-Booklet." This means that it is immediately delivered upon purchase, and you may download and print it out yourself.


This is a good thing, as it's a fraction of the cost of the book that has to be printed and cover and coil binding applied - and then mailed out. I did this as Chapter I, which is basically how to stitch plaid, beginning with simple gingham checks, and then creating your own original plaid patterns by simply manipulating the width and colors in the "stripes."

Chapter II is in the works now, and will be a little more advanced, giving instructions for adapting and setting up projects with actual existing plaids (called "tartan" in the U.K., where the word "plaid" means a blanket thrown over the shoulder in the Highland Scots dress). I'll finish this chapter after I'm done with some painting that is lagging far behind.

Geishas and Missing Pictures

The latest issue of Needlepoint Now is just now out, and I'm having questions about the mention of Gail Hendrix's beautiful Geishas. The pictures inadvertantly were left out in my article - so you may look at them, along with lots of other gorgeous and whimsical things she has designed on her web page. See it HERE.

I had to add an extra - her "Shopper Rollie" which looks suspiciously like Gail herself. (complete with Chanel purse)

The picture of Jan Fitzpatrick's Moroccan rug was also left out - but there is a link in the post just under this one to see her beautiful work.

More Geishas on Canvas!

Wonderful way to start the year for my morning coffee wake-up browse. Anne Stradal has just sent me a note that she is starting to stitch the Nippon Textures canvas from Gail Hendrix. (see this in my earlielr post from a few days ago) She explains a bit of the how and why she will do it on her blog this morning, along with a bit of history behind the style of the art that is adapted here - so do go take a look. (The Cape Stitcher)

Anne does make the comment that she very rarely stitches on other people's canvases,, as she is a designer, and busy with her own models. I have felt the same way for many years, but find myself working on hers and Gail's myself, as they are delightful and so beautifully painted. - and Anne is also currently stitching my "Nellies Imari." There is a lot to be said for a well painted canvas!! It will be interesting, as always, watching what threads and stitches she chooses - and why - as Anne is conservative in her canvas enhancement, depending on the artists's own work for the beauty of the piece. Gail has told me she is also looking forward to this experience!!

Beads, Pots, and Classic Design - a Preview

I have dealt with deadlines of one type or another for a lot of years, and usually handle them well - but this one (Needlepoint Now) kind of crept up on me, as I didn't realize how close we are to January. Time flies! Anyway, I thought I would show a preview of what has kept my needle so busy for the last six weeks or so trying to get canvases stitched and ready. I took on a bit too much stitching for this one.

I have shown this one before, but only barely in progress. The canvas is by E.T.A., produced and distributed by Sundance Designs. The Zuni Rainbird has been a fascinating study for me, and I can now recognize it's charming graphic design on the Pueblo pots in the ancient conventionalized form without a recognizable bird head. I chose to use beads, as no textured stitches would be right for it, but it needed a bit of "zing" - and I do love beads. They are also from Sundance, and are not the sparkly kind, but rather have a surface that softly gleams and enhances the design. There are beads the same color as the red/brown paint on the canvas for this design, but there wasn't enough contrast - so I used the lighter ones.

Also, on Anne Stradal's Mimbres ornaments I used the beads to enhance but not suffocate. I have already shown one of them finished in an earlier post - (see Pueblo pottery on the side bar). On this one, I only beaded the black parts of the design, as to bead the white would have been "overkill" and would ruin the effect.
The few beads sprinkled on the background are my favorite color #250, which is crystal clear - and applied with the same floss that I used on the background. It just gives a bit of enhancement to an otherwise plain field, but without distraction. These designs are timeless and elegant, and will never go out of fashion as the trendy ones do. Anne herself stitched the Mimbres insects - and I like, again, the simplicity of the stitching and fibers.





I sent the picture of Jan Fitpatrick's (Thread Medley - see it here) Moroccan rug, which is now finished - but as I have shown it before almost done, I'm presenting here a new coaster she has stitched, adapted from a tile from Marrakesh.




Also used for this "the artist's research and adaptation" article are Gail Hendrix's two Japanese Geishas ornaments, which were inspired by the lovely simplicity of the 17th century woodblock prints. I have shown the "Nippon Texures" just a few days ago - so here is the companion to it. As Gail says, they are timeless and elegant in color, pattern, and simplicity!
So much black, brown, and white, as much as I love it, has driven me back to the colorful again, and I have been busy stitch designing more bargello eggs in spring colors, which should be ready for show and tell soon.

Be sure to go "visit" these ladies on their blogs and see more - I have them listed on my side bar. Lots of pretty stuff!!

"Nippon Textures" - more Gail Hendrix!

I'm very pleased to learn that Anne Stradal plans to stitch this beautiful ornament by Gail - another of her Japanese pieces inspired by the wood block prints of the Edo period by the great Harunobo.

The word "Nippon" is derived from Dai Nippon, meaning Great Japan, and the expression comes from the Chinese ideograph for the place where the sun comes from - or Land of the Rising Sun, as it is east of China, and therefore where the sun rises from. (interesting trivia here)

Anyway, Gail's interpretation of this art is superb, and her adaptation to a 7" circle of needlepoint canvas has the simplicity, grace, and beauty of the art of that era. The painting has movement by use of the lines, and the eye is led where the artist wants it to go by the repetition of colors and small pattern textures.

Anne has an excellent sense of color, and is an advocate of elegant simplicity in her choices of stitches (very few textured stitches) and the use of simple threads, with only a few of the novelties for accents - so I do look forward to watching it's progress. Be sure to watch at her blog, The Cape Stitcher!