I’m excited to reveal my latest work, Silk Mill #3. It is based on an photographic image I took of the historic Ashley and Bailey silk mill, circa 1899, in Columbia, PA. The building was abandoned in the 1970’s and fell into disrepair. It has recently undergone renovation, and a portion of it has been repurposed as the Turkey Hill Experience, an tourist attraction run by the popular local dairy company.
I took a lot of pictures of it just before the renovation began. I am fascinated by historic buildings with strong architectural lines that have become open to the elements. (See my Watt & Shand series of art quilts, also in my Structures Gallery and here on my blog.) This structure had broken and missing windows, with the sun shining through them, and a portion of the roof missing. There were plants growing on it and in it. But its basic integrity warranted its preservation and re-use.
This work measures 53” h x 60”w. The central images are from altered photos, made into thermofax screens, and screened onto hand painted fabrics. The patchwork is a mix of commercial and hand painted silk, cotton and wool fabrics. The inner border is the same photo, which I had commercially printed onto silk yardage. I am particularly happy with the way I was able to move the color fields across the work.
To see more about the works in this series and their evolution, along with the source photos, click on the Silk Mill tab at the top, or go here. All the photos here and on my website can be enlarged by clicking.
I hope you enjoy viewing this as much as I enjoyed making it, and as always, thanks for reading and commenting.
2 comments:
Another winner Sue! You are getting great mileage from the mill. Perhaps I'll see this one in Houston?
I love your architecture quilts but I think this is my favorite so far.
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