Fiberaction's Reveal

Ghosts Walk The Blue Mountains

This piece, 28” x 34”, was created in response to the latest Fiberaction challenge to work exclusively in a monochromatic color range.  I chose blue and decided to also continue to work on my current series:  Ode to Australia.  It was very difficult not to give in to my color urges....I SO wanted to add a little yellow, just a tad of orange.  This WAS a challenge.

I wanted to add volume to the wonky log-cabin blocks and in this series I have figured out how to manipulate the fullness so that it's (mostly) where I want it.  Here it was in the dark blue sections, to reinforce the idea of mountains.  

The other bit of "play" I did was to sketch a figure to represent the European explorer in my narrative and transfer it to cotton.  While I've printed photographs I don't think I've ever tried a sketch.  I pre-soaked the fabric in bubble-jet first....you never know...I just MIGHT want to revisit this and add COLORs to my monochromatic piece ;^)  And, if I do I wouldn't want the sketch to run.  I had a bad experience in the past with a photograph running (turning into a marbling project) when I sprayed the completed piece in an effort to square it up more precisely.  Totally ruined the whole darn thing.

“Ghosts Walk the Blue Mountains”

The Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia, is roughly 3900 sq. mi. of sandstone plateaus and gorges, rich in coal and shale.  The range was named this by European settlers because of the blue tinge the range takes on when viewed from a distance. 

The Aboriginal people who had inhabited the mountains for several millennia, the Gungdungurra, believed the mountains had been created in the Dreamtime when Creator Spirits fought an epic battle leaving the scarred landscape.

It is believed by many that the first European to cross the Blue Mountains was a former convict, John Wilson, who was freed in 1792.  He settled in the bush, and lived among the Gungdungurra people, who, he said, guided him through the mountains.

Evidence of Aboriginal habitation is found in many areas, notably Red Hands Cave, a rock shelter containing hand stencils from adults and children.  The hand prints are believed to have been created 500 to 1600 years ago. 

“Ghosts” is machine pieced, machine and hand stitched and spatter painted.

Ghosts (detail)