Virginia A. Spiegel

Folio 2  (Black Trees), Page 5
7″h x 5″w matted to 10×8″

Not one, but two new series debut today.

Folio 2 – Black Trees are ten artworks based upon a ten word poem.  There are layers upon layers of fabric and paint — a mysterious story of tree, sky, and branch on each page.

Folio 3 (Woven Words) – Page 5

The second new series up today is Folio 3 – Woven Word.  The poem and artwork focus on doors, windows, and words — so much in our lives concealed and revealed.

The base layer of painted cloth and stitching is almost obscured by the many layers of screen printing.  The final touch is hand stitching with beautiful hand-dyed red embroidery thread from Laura Wasilowski.

In case you missed its debut, here is the Folio 1 – Thread series.

Folio 1, page 1

The best books I read are somewhat ambiguous.  They force readers to add their own interpretation to the story being told. I am currently very interested in exploring the limits of ambiguity in my art. See all the artwork here.  This series is a folio of “pages” based on ten-word poem. Sometimes the word is visible on the page; sometimes layers have obscured it. I’m not divulging the poem as I wanted you to be able to imagine your own story.  But if you want to know the word on a particular “page,” I would, of course, share. And I can tell you that the poem is entitled Threads.

Folio 1, Page 10

Above is a piece I am working on for the Surface Design Association’s member show. This is about the fourth layer – red hemp string stitched down over the other layers.  Terrible angle for a photo, I know, but I had the end of it under the needle.

This is only a background for more stitching, painting, and screenprinting. The theme for the exhibit is Merge and Flow. I am working with photos from the Boundary Waters printed on organza and fused to other painted fabrics.  My artist statement will be about how the Boundary Waters has merged with my own life in totally unexpected ways.

This is my work table’s “compost pile.”  I am almost done with ten mixed-media collages for a fundraiser to be announced in November which is why I’m not showing more of the work-in-progress here.  Safe to say, though, that they are in the Palimpsest series vein.

A “sister” to this photo was chosen for the exhibit Eye of The Quilter:  Inspiration to be held at International Quilt Festival – Houston, November 4 – 7, 2010.

The theme for the exhibit is Reflections. My artist’s statement:
This photo reflects my artwork in that it appears to be pretty simple, but is actually quite complex. The photo captures the sun reflecting off the black water of a lake sliding toward darkness. The water changes by the minute, by the second; the colors shifting and flashing. My sister and I are alone on this wilderness lake and celebrate that fact. This photo represents freedom, peace, and the the most beautiful kind of silence.

My sister and Mom were here this weekend to assist in hanging this changeable Inspiration Wall in Studio B.  Ingredients:  A box of recycled clipboards with funny labels on them that I acquired for free, a willingness to stand on the Ikea dresser, a long level, and a fair amount of math by three women armed with hammer and nails:

Formerly Present 3 under the needle.  Its texture comes from the surface design and the stitching.  This is quite a difference from the last pieces in the Boundary Waters series.

Here is the progression, in reverse,  so far:

Formerly Present 2
With 500 yards of thread used in the stitching to create a natural grid to contrast with the surface design.

Formerly Present 1