Naomi Weidner
San Juan Girls
19 x 23
Techniques: Piecing, raw edge applique, thread painting
Materials: Commercial hand-dyed cotton, Guatemalan woven cotton. Cotton and polyester threads
Artist Statement: Based on a photograph I took in a village on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. The next day my camera and all my storage cards were stolen. This photo is the only photo from the trip because I had sent a low-resolution version (via the internet) to a friend.
San Juan Girls - Detail
If van Gogh Were a Quilter: Starry Night over Sisters
36 x 45
Techniques: Strip and paper pieced, raw edge applique, thread painted, free-motion quilted on a domestic machine.
Materials: Commercial batiks, fabric paint, cotton, poly, and holographic threads, glass beads
Artist Statement:
Inspired by van Gogh's Starry Night. Three Sisters mountains and Stitchin' Post were based on my photographs.
International Space Station
31.5 x 31.5
Techniques: Pieced 60 degree diamonds, ISS is raw-edge appliqued, free-motion quilted on a domestic machine
Materials: Commercial cotton batiks and synthetic, metallic cloth, cotton and poly threads, colored pencils
Artist Statement:
This pieces is based on an image of the ISS, taken in March 2011 by the crew of Shuttle Discovery, after Discovery undocked from ISS. I had been planning an ISS quilt for quite awhile, as I figured out what NASA image to use and how to accomplish it.
Monarchs: Souls of the Dead
20 x 20
Techniques: Butterflies were thread-painted in an embroidery hoop, then applied to the background. Background is whole cloth. Free motion quilted on a domestic machine.
Materials: Commercial cotton batiks, variety of rayon and poly threads
Artist Statement:
In 1992 my husband and I visited an area in central Mexico where monarch butterflies spend the winter. As we approached the pine trees, I noticed the boughs were drooping; and discovered it was caused by thousands of monarchs resting on the branches. For years, I considered how to translate this experience into fiber. It wasn't until discovered thread-painting that I knew how.
Bunny 2
13 x 14
Techniques: Thread painting on a photo I took of a wild bunny in our yard. This side is the "wrong" side. Background is whole cloth.
Materials: Commercial cotton; cotton, rayon, and poly threads
Artist Statement:
I was experimenting with making 2-sided fiber pieces.
Turtle Cleaning Station - Detail
24 x 28
Techniques: Background is woven from wavy-cut strips of commercial batiks. Turtle and fish are raw-edge appliqued. Center and borders are free-motion quilted with shapes of a Scuba diver and a variety of sea life. Free-motion quilted on a domestic machine.
Materials: Commercial cotton batiks, cotton, poly and holographic threads; beads, ribbon, dried sea star
Artist Statement:
Image of the turtle is from a photograph by (my friend) Cheryl Jackson. She took the photo while scuba diving in Hawaii, and gave me permission to use it.