To say that making my first little art quilt using a theme was quite a challenge is the understatement of the year. You all made me feel so welcome in the group and I really achieved my goal thanks to your ecouragement.
I made sketches about throwing marbles, Pétangue, sailing, surfing, labyrinths, pick up sticks, Monopoly, darts, games of the heart, chess and tiddledy wink, but after all these, I decided to go for the game of tennis.
Why? On May 22nd the Grand Slam clay court Tennis Tournament called Roland Gaross started in Paris. I’m a huge fan and always love to watch the matches. One day later I made some sketches. This idea grew on me as I played tennis myself for a very long period of time.
The image was inspired by the pictures they show on TV of the places a tennis player has hit the tennis balls during a game or set, but it also reminded me of the tennis lessons I took, hitting one ball after another to practice.
I used hand dyed fabrics from Africa and one commercial piece. I selected a part of the tenniscourt to create a Mondriaan like, abstract feel. I quilted wavy lines above the baseline, to represent the movements of the players, and I quilted straight lines in the left piece to represent the net. I bound the quilted threads together, to symbolize the broken strings of a tennis racket.
I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out, but taking pictures was almost as challenging as making the quilt. These colours are really hard to photograph!
The quilt represents me well, as I’m kind of a straight forward, what you see is what you get person. I’m not an embellisher, not in my clothing, our home decoration nor in my graphic work. I love minimalism. However... you never know what the next challenge may bring!
Nicolette
Nicolette, what a great interpretation. I love the colours, they being opposite to what we have here in Aus. They play grass court here. I love the motion, and the minimalism. It is very Mondrian, except for the colours, but I love the warm tones.
ReplyDeleteWhat great precision!! It looks like every detail is done to perfection. I like your minimalist approach and your explanations. The broken strings is a great touch!!
ReplyDeletethis is wonderful! I love your interpretation, and how you`ve done it - I definitely relate to that hitting one tennis ball after another, and really like the colours and how you`ve quilted it.
ReplyDeleteI love it; colors, design, quilting, and of course what it represents! Your straight forward minimalist style is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNicolette, I am so glad that you are a part of our group. Your quilt is beautiful! and a wonderful representation of your idea!!!
ReplyDeleteNicolette, this is wonderful, just wonderful. It really appeals to my graphic sensibilities and I love how it's abstract but it is so clearly about tennis. And I'm totally in love (note the tennis term, hee hee) with the net on the side.
ReplyDeleteJust fabulous and a great example of how you turned your playing and watching tennis into a delightful quilt.
What a wonderful piece Nicolette. I too can relate to trying to hit tennis balls one after the other. I especially like how you emphasized three of them so that it seems as though they were hit with significant force. Maybe that's what broke the strings (giggle)
ReplyDeleteI love your minimalist approach, NIcolette. The colors are great, and I knew you were referencing tennis before I read a word. I love that two of us chose tennis- both instantly recognizable, yet so different.
ReplyDeleteOh Nicolette how proud you must be. Your art quilt is wonderful. I love how you showed the repetitive motion of hitting the balls one right after another and the quilting just brought it all together. I am so glad you stayed with the group and to think you were worried...congratulations!
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