This weekend, I'm holing myself up in the studio to work on samples for an upcoming class called,
A Story in the Making: Creating Story Cloth with Print and Stitch. Unlike most of my classes, which are technique-driven, this class focuses on creating a story...actually letting the story unfold... while working with surface design techniques.
Today, I'm starting with a possible
jumpstart for the class. I'm going to ask them to bring in objects that
speak to them. This could be any object that catches their attention. I had a look in my china cabinet and these two objects caught my eye...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwN40G6FMD9PrGQRXLBxku_mYPl3HuH1Mm7kQ9wyihjDSSGEQAXOMWRE6cBbrloTxjewzlVokekZSS0EIWGJAfmJEg6ivgFWg-C_NVPV4pqmN5SNOoSgxTkHCsg-EDRtMfM1vFA9pj1NS/s400/carved+rooster.jpg) |
Stone carving of a rooster and a sunflower that I bought at some point for $24. Quite honestly, I don't remember buying it! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFzjupQMuAAFOvB3lsx4GV3IykqIL6tOMJpPNMqEva5wslQqKpIttSx7aqoSGKHxIG-LBADqwF0SvpCql11ZoWHSmQe82R9nAeT73i3sDDAut6smfJJOn1I_CHhgKX-P9bXweLR5GFQ9z/s400/prayer+book.jpg) |
An heirloom. My great grandfather's prayerbook. It's not in the best shape, but I love the carving (bone or ivory), the maroon velvet and metalwork on the cover. |
In addition, I want there to be some random element...a little bit of unpredictability. I decided to close my eyes and flip through
The Book of Symbols: Reflections on Archetypal Images published by Taschen.
This is the page I landed on...
As I did all of the above last night, I had time to do a bit of brainstorming and connecting the elements and starting a story in my head. I wrote and scribbled sketches (more of that in a future post).
I started to think about the rooster in the stone carving who is most likely to become the protagonist of the story. I thought of Chagall's roosters.
I thought about
a book I have on paper cutting (a topic that seems to be swirling around in my head lately) that has some rooster designs.
Then, I realized that there were other roosters and hens lurking about the house.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUDoM1Xfyu8c1EWukNxYpyHqZahyvG58Pyy-yrndfv9kO7zMjvikll1iJwH2OQQjNOV3kvj2Ine5pkQSXT51orNsCQGJWriP_K8DHeSfVH9K1UI__cU5iFPtan-bzw9IODVMjxbEz5a2W/s400/haitian+chicken.jpg) |
A wonderful and very colorful mother hen with her chicks stitched on burlap, from Haiti |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPc5NNHobsZPjh9n-du7fFoD9U1MoOKR_x7iMKwC2erb7B4UU12FpgrbU3MUhqvqRQDCa-BCeIHpGt8tBGBtxVFVamcvN3fsvK6ckc0eQMVR0Y_4SkT57hmLFixhPBFV33LAp56R25Z9O/s400/mexican+roosters.jpg) |
Two angry roosters embroidered on cotton, from Mexico. |
So, now I am gathering my thoughts and heading for the studio.
I want to keep an open mind about the story as I play with the fabric paints, create blocks and stencils and start in.
Wish me luck!