This award winning, contemporary, hanging art quilt is simply stunning. It won Best in Country, USA at World Quilt New England XVI, Manchester, NH 2018! It is a whole cloth quilt, painted on a single piece of fabric using metallic paints. It is extensively quilted so that it looks like mosaic tile.
Story behind this quilt:
In 2015 I began a study of quilts that explored the undulating sandstone formations of Coyote Buttes (specifically, “The Wave” which is part of Coyote Buttes North). What particularly captivated me was just how different the colors of the sandstone can look based on the time of day! I quilted this scene multiple times using the very different color palates found at mid-day, sunset, and dusk. This quilt represents the colors and tones found at sunset. The quilt from mid-day is also in my Etsy shop. Take a look and compare!
The subject of Coyote Buttes came to me in two ways. First, I bought an Apple Computer, and it had a marvelous photo as a desktop image – an image from Coyote Buttes. Second, my friends Michael and Theresa, both photographers, were lucky enough to obtain a permit to hike and spend the day at Coyote Buttes. They returned with images that totally captivated me! I searched for more images online and was completely amazed by how drastically the stone changes color over the course of a day. For this quilt, I wanted to see if I could recreate the photos I’d seen in my unique mosaic-style of quilting. The natural striations in the eroded sandstone make an excellent subject for this technique.
Coyote Buttes is part of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. The Buttes are made of dramatic swirls of cross-bedded Navajo Sandstone. The Wave is a relatively small area and is considered extremely fragile. To protect this remarkable international hiking destination, the Bureau of Land Management only allows 20 hikers a day to visit it.
I created two series of quilts based on Coyote Buttes. This first series was strip-pieced. This series, the second, is painted to look like mosaic tile (you can see both styles in my Etsy shop and on my website: www.kimlacy.com). My dream would be to have an exhibit where quilts from both series are shown side by side.
I just love this quilt! I love how it feels to look at it. I love the movement in the background. I love the way the metallic paints just explode off of this quilt. I love the colors. It really captures the eye. I would love to see this quilt go to someone who experiences pleasure and joy when they look at it. I hope it will find its way to someone who will love it as much as I do.
Process:
This was a very labor-intensive process. I took a single piece of black cotton sateen and marked the rough outline of the scene. I then went back with metallic fabric paints and brought the scene to life by making small paint marks of various shapes (lines, triangles, squares, etc.). Zoom in on the images and you will see each square, line, and shape of paint. Finally, after creating all of the hundreds (thousands?) of paint marks, I began quilting. I free-motion quilted around each one of the paint marks, not once, but TWICE! Did I mention labor-intensive?! But the result is so worth it! Doubling my effort makes the paint “pop out” like a tile mosaic. This process gives the quilt amazing texture.
If you want to know more about my mosaic-style process, you can see me demonstrate it on Episode 2606 of The Quilt Show (https://thequiltshow.com/watch/show-list/video/latest/show-2606-kim-lacy-inspired-by-nature-ricky-tims-trapunto)!
I love the process of creating art quilts like this one! Being able to play with color, shapes, fabrics, paints, and textures, I draw on all of my life experiences, metaphysical understandings, and love of life to create the most beautiful expressions possible to me at that particular point in my creative journey. My work is about color, life, possibilities, beauty, celebration, play, and excitement! I hope you love this work as much as I do and that you will honor me by choosing my work to decorate your home or office.
Care & Handling Instructions:
This Art Quilt has a hanging sleeve on the back. Care and hanging instructions are included. A hanging rod is included.
This quilt has a label on the back with the title of the piece, date created, and artist info.
Dimensions:
52 inches wide x 38 inches high