Thursday, February 10, 2011

My Fiber Art.....and a Gift For a Friend

Today I am going to give away one of my fiber art pieces to a friend.  One of those friends who walks in to your house without knocking, or calls to say "put the the kettle on", or "I'm bringing wine"  She's been faffing around with her house for a long time, completely unsatisfied with almost every room.  I popped by a couple of weeks ago and started to order her family around, having them remove this or re-position that.  An old leather button tufted Chesterfield that she HATED, she now loves and we have worked her living room around it.  (will post on it soon).  What she needs now is art.   And in this case what she is getting is some amateur art, but better than nothing and I hope she like it.  She has a very ethnic, eclectic, vintagey vibe, so I thought she may like one of my wool pieces in very rich colours inspired by Persian rugs.
For some reason that I can't remember now, all of my wool collages in this series are named after men.  Baxter, Christian, and in this case Dylan.  This is a combination of collage, knit pieces, and felting. 

I think when you display art, it should interact with it's surroundings.  A piece nearby can relate to it in some way.  For instance in the photo above, you can see how the carving of the African woman looks so wonderful juxtaposed against the fiber piece and creates a vignette.
A super close up of the details.  I purchased a batch of amazing Italian yarns many years ago and used them in this piece.  Some of the yarns have slubs in them and I have snipped away part of it to expose them.
Because she desperately needs art in her home, I am popping over (unannounced) later for a cuppa and to gift her my DYLAN.  I hope she likes it.  One piece I gave as a gift ended up in a Thrift Shop after a messy divorce in the family.  The Thrift Shop owner Googled me and called me to see if I wanted it back.

12 comments:

  1. what a sweet friend you are! your work is beautiful and what a lovely addition to her home :)

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  2. What a wonderful friend you are Chania! I'm sure your friend will love your fiber art, it's gorgeous! And I can't imagine ever taking a beautiful piece like one of yours to a thrift shop!

    Kat :)

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  3. I think your friend is going to LOVE your gift Chania...it is beautiful!
    I guess we can never worry about what happens to things we give to friends, it's the giving that really is the gift.
    My sister Lynne told me this hilarious story about an in-law of hers that had a 'gift cupboard'. She would buy things through out the year and place them in the cupboard ready to be given to people when the occasion arose.
    I guess she used to place things in their that she received herself as gifts, because my sister bought her a beautiful bracelet for her birthday one year, only to get it back, beautifully gift wrapped, for her own birthday the following year! LOL

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  4. Your artwork is gorgeous! She's a lucky gal to have you for a friend. I can't wait to see your faffing of her house.

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  5. Remember I have dibs on your white one I adore....lucky lucky gal. I love these felted pieces and I am still encouraging you down this path.

    We'll chat soon, I am chasing my tail...

    GINORMOUS hug,

    z

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  6. I think thats a sweet thought lucky lady.Why dont you live near me? lol And there is our lovely ethnic princess owning your mantle.Looks great!

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  7. I'm sure your friend will love that wool piece Chania. The colours are gorgeous. You are very talented.

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  8. Hi Faff Around/Chania,

    this is a strange one but I saw a post youd left on the blog how to be israeli almost two years ago. Youd noted how youd found a piece of Nazi cutlery and wasnt sure what to do with it. I was wondering if by chance youd still had it?im an artsit from aotearoa and am looking for an object like that for an exhbition that relates very specificaly to a period in my countries history.

    Like you, im quite adverse to paying some creepy site or dealer for one and have been trying to find these things for nicer ways i suppouse. if your vaguely intereted in possiblylending, leasing or donating,selling it for a good/ethical/unsual purpose please write back on my blog and we culd arrange a email tread,

    Best,

    Luke

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  9. Gee, I hope she is home. Wouldn't it be an anticlimax if she was out and you are all fired up! What a great friend you are. I am sure you will have lots of fun styling up her house.

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  10. I love your art, love it to bits. And if she doesn't like it...send her off for counselling :)

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  11. Your art looks beautiful, a very generous gift. And I LOVED the story about the thrift store calling you up x

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  12. Chania what a WONDERFUL & GENEROUS Friend you are....The colours & the way your work has been framed are GORGEOUS....I would be THRILLED to receive one of your pieces & I'm HOPING your Friend was as well....!

    If you ever need to relieve yourself of some of your work I'm just a parcel away.... :o) !!

    Cheers,
    Tamarah :o)

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I love to read each and every comment and are thrilled that you take the time to send one. Thank you so much. Chania