Each of these works explores the quiet beauty of stylized blossoms in a palette of restrained neutrals. The lines that weave through the floral forms have been handprinted. They shift in direction and rhythm, bringing movement, texture, and a subtle sense of spontaneity to each piece.
Three works, one idea: line in motion.
A poem as lovely as a tree.
For Crossing the Line, what better image than hopscotch? A familiar childhood game comes to life, complete with classic Mary Jane shoes stepping across the lines.
And Tangled takes us back to the schoolyard days of black-and-white shoes and endless shoelaces. Those laces, twisted and often double-knotted for good measure, become the perfect finishing touch to the theme.
Janet Fogg: The Process of Work
There are many ways to approach designing quilt art. One of Janet Fogg's favorites is to start with a challenge. Perhaps it is a group challenge or a personal one. The moment an idea pops up she likes to spend some time brainstorming possible design ideas. She makes lists and does thumbnail sketches that assist with her decisions. Most of her work is pictorial. She graduated with a degree in Graphic Design with an illustration concentration. Visualization is key.
Once Janet has an idea for a visual story, she searches for objects, takes photos or makes more thorough sketches to create elements for a composition. Sometimes she incorporates traditional quilt blocks into her designs. She auditions blocks that will work with her imagery either with form or theme.
Once she has the concept for a quilt, she prepares what she needs to create the composition on her design wall. She likes to work large so she traces elements from her photos or sketches onto clear plastic transparencies and projects them onto the wall with an overhead projector. If blocks are involved she drafts them first onto paper or lightweight cardstock attached to the design wall. Next, she projects the pictorial subjects, deciding placement and size, during the projection. This makes it easy to see how the elements are going to work before committing to drawing in the lines in pencil.
The next stage is refining the lines and doing a final ink drawing to create the master pattern. At this point she creates a palette of fabric that works cohesively with plenty of value change and then she gets to work. A long term project deserves careful planning at the beginning.
Our Line Work themes are slowly being completed. They focus on the interplay and movement of lines created with all types of fibers, such as threads, yarns, ribbons and cloth, of course. These pieces explore concepts like rhythm, connection, complexity, and boundaries through linear patterns and textures.
Here is a small representation of the work. Some are playful. Some are abstract. Some are organic. Each artist has chosen her own way to cross the line.
