Guest Artist - Christine Penna

There is so much variety in how we all see things and how we interpret what we see.

Unique styles of expression are very interesting to me. That is why I am always excited to find other fabric collage artists who are willing to share their work.  

 Today I am showcasing the work of Christine Penna from Redding, California.  Her style is very loose, which I like, and she uses surface threads and stitching which adds another dimension to her pieces.  She gets her inspiration from paintings and from life.  Locally, they call her the  "scrap lady"  because she goes around the quilt shops on sew days to collect all of the scraps that the quilters would otherwise throw away -  a woman after my own heart :).

I will let her explain how she began "painting with fabric"

"When I started learning to quilt, I very quickly decided I didn't like the "traditional quilting and piecing process"  I admire them but don't have the patience for the preciseness of the process and I tend to get bored!

Years and years ago there was a article in Good Housekeeping about creating pictures using fabric and it stuck in my brain.  After I started looking for another way to use fabrics, I found the wonderful world of "Art Quilts" and got hooked!  Living in a rather small town I didn't have access to taking classes so I just starting reading everything I could find on the Internet regarding threadpainting, collage work, fusible applique, etc....................

The Memorial Quilt of my dog was my first attempt at putting together a collaged piece!  I printed the picture of the dog and fused it to the background piece and then just started cutting, piecing and sewing!  (the yarn on the tree was the result of working late at nite after a few glasses of wine!  I just call it "whimiscal").  It was also my first attempt at threadpainting which I enjoy!

Fabric Collage by Christine Penna

The other pieces were the result of trying to recreate some paintings I came across with fabric and thread!  I tend to try to do pieces that draw the viewer in a little deeper..........................

                                                             Fabric Collage by Christine Penna

With each piece, I try to explore different techniques and styles.  I really enjoy the challenge of creating a fabric and thread piece as if it were a watercolor or oil painting.

Fabric Collage by Christine Penna

Fabric Collage by Christine Penna

My next project will be a landscape using all those hundreds of little pieces of fabrics I've been collecting the last year!  I think I will try to use the process where you slice up a bunch of fabric into spaghetti-like pieces and group them into little color piles and then using Bonash powder, fuse them down on a background piece."

I look forward to seeing that particular project.  Thanks, Christine for being willing to share your artwork !

Keep up the great work ! 

 

LW