Caricature Quilt Art

In May 2011 my wonderfully creative mother died at the age of 85. Her death was unexpected but not surprising - nonetheless, it still left a void in my sewing spirit. Several trips, alone, driving back and forth between Michigan and New York gave me a lot of time to process and think. 

When I returned from the funeral, I also returned to my empty sewing studio. The only problem was that I was not ready to be around a lot of people. I wanted to play. I didn't want to  work. I put things on hold and did the bare minimum of business-related tasks. For a while, I mustered up the energy to cut a bunch of quilt blocks, then I decided it was time to laugh. I had ordered a copy of Amy Bradley's Quilters Yearbook and loved the funny caricatures but had never got around to doing anything with it.

So I got out the book and started working on moi. I took some liberties with the pattern and directions  - OK, I didn't quite fit the templates provided in the book! I had to cut some hair! Plus, I wanted it to be more "pop-arty" and highlighted with free-motion stitching and thread painting. I also wanted to wrap it around an artist  canvas rather than bind it.

I picked my two favorite colors and got to work, editing and trimming along the way.

I laid it out and started fusing.

I was totally making it up as I went. I really had no plan. I just cut and cut...and fused.

Once I was happy, I accented the  design with thread. 

And added some eyebrows!

Then I started working on my mom's caricature. 

Trademark turtleneck, necklace, big glasses, and monochromatic ...that's my mom...everything matched.

When I posted this picture on Facebook, my brother commented, "I knew exactly who that was!" 

So it's rather appropriate that the necklace I have from my mom's extensive collection is the exact one shown on the portrait! This now hangs in my office at work and reminds me to find my quiet creative spirit!