Help. I posted my project as a draft several days ago, but can't get it to publish it today.
Sher

October word

I've  gone through a gazillion words and settled on - drum roll needed here - GREEN.  Penny

Deborah reflects

Was anyone else struck by the opposition of the meanings of "reflection"? The visual reflection, as in water is superficial; the personal or introspective reflection is not. The introspective option had me thinking of creating a self portrait, but trying to come up with visual representations of personal characteristics didn't appeal to me. Instead, the chakra system, which is part of Asian spiritual practices, was my inspiration. It appeals because of the representation of the whole person. Each of the 7 chakras corresponds with a color of the rainbow...voila! I worked through a few sketches, first thinking I would depict some sort of "mirror" reflection. Eventually, I decided on what you see here. The slash through the middle was inspired by my husband's suggestion to chop the original up somehow to create more visual energy. I liked the idea of the contrast, both by adding curves, and by flipping the color progression. That also represents for me the dynamic nature of one's self. I'm not satisfied with the thread I used for quilting. (Sulky "sliver") Too flashy...I would have preferred more quiet, but I had trouble choosing thread that would work on the colors and on the black. I now think a medium gray would have been better. Oh well, it's been, as usual, a great learning experience!

Penny's Reflection

I came across a scene in Maine where the water was absolutely still and the image of the trees and rocks  was identical to the real scene.  That's what I've tried to picture with this work but I didn't want to do lots of green trees and brown rocks.  So I played with some fabric that I dyed for another project.  Still some green trees and blue sky but at least one magenta tree and some vary-colored rocks.

Reflection from Frauke

This theme was a pretty hard one - not technically, but emotionally ...

My first idea was a pictorial reflection on water, I take pictures of them all the time. But ... something kept nagging at me. And more and more I realized I needed, I wanted to do something different.
So, my quilt shows the two different reflections of one and the same person: the top part shows what the world sees: an energetic, happy, active person. The bottom part shows how this same person sees its own self: a lonely human being, numb, no energy left. The red-and-white strip between the two is the German version of "Do not cross beyond this line" ;-))

A huge "THANK YOU !!" to Stefan Wensing, he allowed me to use one of his pictures he published on his blog. Just click on this link to see more of his work - he does wonderful work !!

Reflection--from Madalene

I had several ideas about how to interpret the word "reflection," but then life shouldered its way in and what little time I had to reflect--and to design--was filled with major and minor distractions. So I ultimately opted for a rather literal interpretation:

But, as I started to work on it, I realized that the image I had chosen involved five shapes that at one point in the process vaguely suggested human forms and may reflect more of the turmoil I am going through than I realized. Our basic family unit is five--two parents, three kids (with each of those kids now representing a family unit of their own), but this summer and fall has made me think a lot about these family connections. Anyway, that's a personal insight that a casual viewer is not going to be expected to "get."

All the fabrics here are my hand-dyes. I was playing with an oatmeal resist earlier in the summer and decided to try it out in this piece as the upper background. The images are hand appliqued with some machine quilting and also some hand stitching with perle cotton.  The frame lines are bobbin work with perle cotton.

Still not sure it all works. . . . But can't wait to see what everyone else came up with!

Well, that was my original post but as I looked at this piece I really felt it needed something more so I added more hand stitching.  See what you think.

Madalene

As I walked out of the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown PA one evening I took a picture of the back of the Mercer Museum with the beautiful reflections in the windows (top picture).   As I was thinking about reflection I remembered a piece I had just started and abandoned a few months before using fabric I had buried in the ground for three weeks and it had decayed...........the building was tonally similar to the fabric and so I put the two together, copying the picture on fabric and then embellishing with colored pencils.   This is not only reflection in the windows but reflection back to the past and old structures and crumbling fabric.   The eerie quality of the windows and the marks on the fabric that was buried interests me.    I hope this completes REFLECTION......    I am looking forward to the next WORD and challenge...........I love thinking about these things!

Can't wait to see what everyone else did......
Carol Esch

Working

Like Deborah, I am working away at my challenge piece but should be ready by Sept. 30.  Took time out for a long walk with the dog today in this perfect fall weather. The extra time for this challenge was much appreciated since, among other upheavals in my life, the beginning of September was the opening of the local guild's month-long biennial show and I am always involved in its hanging along with other tasks.

I changed direction this past week and finished a different piece.   The first one I started I was trying to do alot of thread painting which I'd never done before.   I will continue to work on it.....but meanwhile had another idea of finishing a piece which would be good for "reflections".   Guess we have a few days left before the REVEAL and new word.    Looking forward to seeing everyone's work.........have a wonderful week!  Be back Saturday or Sunday to upload pictures........see you then!
Carol Esch
Beautiful FALL weather in New Jersey......sunny breezy and cool.....