New Work - Sycamore

Over the next three days I'm going to be unveiling three new major works I completed earlier this year. (For a sneak peek at all three, go to my website, suereno.com )


Today I am featuring Sycamore. I'm a sucker for large leaves, and make prints of them at any opportunity. This quilt has two cyanotypes printed on cotton on the right, and a heliographic print on the left. I made these prints back in 2005. I like to keep a hand embroidery project around for spare moments while watching tv or waiting around for something, so I worked on embroidering the leaf veins on the three prints from time to time.

In 2007 I had another spasm of inspiration and cut and sewed the Seminole patchwork strips that ended up on both sides of the quilt, after painting some fabrics in the colors I wanted. A little later I made digital prints from an original photo, then made transparencies of the photos and did some small cyanotypes on silk. I also found some raw silk yardage in bright acid green and hot pink that made me very happy.

At this point I had gathered all of what I think of as the components for the work. I didn't have a definite design in mind, I just knew it was important that I have these particular parts for it. I set aside a weekend and worked obsessively putting the top together. That is the really exciting part--I am always a bit surprised at how it turns out, but simultaneously satisfied that this was the only possible configuration.


From here you can track back on the work in progress by clicking on Sycamore under Labels on the right. This is a fairly large quilt--69" wide by 45" high--so the quilting and finish work took some time and effort. The beadwork especially was extensive and time consuming, but very worthwhile. I think it effectively conveys the textural feel I wanted to evoke. I used a lot of large scale, chunky beads made from semi-precious stones and shells, as well as a variety of glass beads.

No matter what my original intentions--here I was going for stately--or my frame of mind while working, my quilts always seem to end up looking very cheerful and encouraging, and this one is no exception.