Following the Thread at the Grosse Pointe Artists Association

I was so happy to learn that both of my artist books were chosen by juror Ann Delisi to be including in the Grosse Pointe Artists Association's exhibit, Follow the Thread. The show is up until July 21 and can also be viewed online here

Object of Life

Object of Life

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There is a Chinese mythology of a red thread of fate that connects people who will inevitably meet in their lifetimes. I liked the idea of this invisible connection but wanted to expand it to more than just the meeting of lovers or soulmates. Maybe there is the same connection to friends, acquaintances or even events in our lives. The red thread can be followed through the book, winding in and out of randomly chosen pieces of repurposed artwork. A life story emerges with found phrases helping to answer the question of the object of life. It reads:

Object of Life

Always try to hope

Flow of awakened flight,
 free from sorrow,
deliver peace

Grace under pressure

Simplicity

The recovery of gratitude
is the happiness you find.

The story starts with the thread circling a house on a hill which represents a beginning. The next phase in life would be setting out from home and finding a place in the world. A feather is used a symbol of hope. The next couple of spreads represent growth in life, seeds of wisdom are planted and a leaf shape shows how the seeds have blossomed into a new life of purpose. Then comes flight, where life is in full swing and where busyness can overwhelm if not tempered with peace and finding a way to have grace under pressure. Slowing down and simplifying is the next step in life. Taking time to notice the small things. The dried leaf is representative of the details that go unnoticed until you stop and really look at all the fine lines in the veins. As life goes on, losses happen and loved ones leave us. The butterfly is a symbol of a soul in flight. The last spread shows a moon shell. I’ve always found the ocean to be a place of peace and joy. This is where gratitude for those pieces of nature can bring happiness.

Thread of Connection

Thread of Connection

I found a small book that I had started in a Seth Apter workshop years ago and looking at the patchwork of mixed papers, it reminded me of a quilt. A stash of my Grandma Thrasher's craft supplies (crochet hooks, embroidery threads, tissue patterns, fabric strips and a collection of linen goods) that I had saved over the years became essential pieces to tell this story. Grandma was always doing something creative...painting on the edge of pillow cases, embroidering a table runner or making clothes for me and my Mom, including Mom's wedding dress. She was also a very good baker.

I was only nine when she passed away at age 57. I was too young to learn much of her domestic skills, but I think being around her still rubbed off. Although I'm not a great seamstress, I am drawn to stitch work, handmade quilts, doilies and I love to bake. I wanted this little book to be a celebration of her creativity and an acknowlegement of her influence on my creative direction -- our thread of connection.

The inside covers are covered with vintage fabric strips that
I think my Grandma used to make rag rugs. I found a few
things of hers that had a butterfly motif so I included this
crocheted embellishment.

Grandma painted designs onto fabric using "Liquid Stitch"
paint tubes. A close-cut sample of a flower is attached to the
left page. Grandma was also a devout Christian and participated
in many church functions. I included some hymnal sheet music
on a foldout flap.

The flap also includes the spine off an old family Bible and
another hymn sheet attached as a gel medium transfer that
allows some of the patchwork background to show through.

Grandma loved growing flowers and her poppies were glorious.
I collaged a pressed poppy petal to the page and layered some
close-cut poppies from a printed handkerchief.

This spread has some embroidery stitch samples I tore off the
pattern instructions. I thought it would be fun to actually use
real thread to sew through the pattern to create the stitches.

Grandma was a great seamstress and made many of my baby
clothes as well as her own. The swatch of fabric behind the
measuring tape is the fabric used to make the dress that my
Mom is wearing in the adjacent photo.

Although I didn't have Grandma in my life for very long,
I credit her with instilling in me an interest for the handcrafts.

In addition to the quirky fabric swatch that has an elephant and
a giraffe, I collaged a few vintage embroidery thread wrappers
onto the adjacent page.

This spread includes actual samples of her embroidery work cut
from a table runner. Sample vintage fabric swatches are included
throughout the book. I first stitched them to pattern tissue and
then glued them to the pages with PVA glue. Many of the fabric
swatches are over 50 years old.

I always remembered doilies being a big part of Grandma's house
decor. I found a few doily crochet patterns as well as small crochet
hooks so I wanted to make sure to include one in the book.

The final spread includes a quilted heart bearing her name:
Leatha Thrasher.

Both covers were created with repurposed vintage book covers.
Image transfers of dress pattern envelope illustrations were
applied and sanded smooth to remove any leftover paper fibers.
The front cover (see first image above) includes some tatting
lace that created a border for the picture as well as another
sample of her embroidery stitching. The back cover has
more fabric swatches attached near the spine.