Monday, January 2, 2012

stitching on the cave walls...

A few weeks ago I wrote about the movie "The Cave of Forgotten Dreams". That post is here if you missed it. A couple of my hand dyed pieces reminded me very much of the walls of the cave.



hand dyed cloth with leaves and wrapped around a tin can, simmered in oak leaves and acorns.

















I cut and arranged and stitched all the layers together. Some sections are 4 layers thick but it feels so good as the top layers are the dyed silk. I made some stencils and templates and added beasts to the walls of the cave, made footprints on the floor and placed some trees in the night sky at the exit of the cave. So here is what it looks like so far. I plan on doing more stitching on this section. This is my favorite section of the magic cloth so far. The fact that this section doesn't really blend in with the rest of the cloth is not really bothering me. I'm going to make it work somehow. Click on the images for a closer view.

inside the cave with the drawings of the beasts on the walls

paw prints



23 comments:

helen said...

Oh Deanna, this has such a good 'feel' to it....as in, it makes me feel good to look at it. I have a long history and a deep love for horses, and these are utterly beautiful. The dyed cloth adds so much doesn't it....

Yvonne said...

I like how the focus from within the cave and looking out the opening into the forest draws me in.

Vicky aka Stichr said...

these are fantastic! and the paw prints....sweet!

Nancy said...

Deanna, you've captured the feel of a cave very well. I feel like I want to keep coming back for another look!

Jeannie said...

Fantastic! I love the little inset, did you paint that? The beasts have the feeling of cave drawings and your fabric is glorious. The paw prints remind me of sleeping in a cave on the Colorado river and finding ring tail cat paw prints next to my bed in the morning. Wishing you a beautiful week full of creativity.

Anonymous said...

this is just great and grand. loved your words about it all. reminded of a time when we were studying caves at school. we made a cave in the room & i had them dip their hands in paint & print on the walls of it & they told the stories their hands would tell...

Karen said...

I love how your altered cloth adapts to the shape of your beasts...it really is beautiful.

Jacky said...

No wonder this is your favourite part of the cloth...it is amazing Deanna. I especially love the cave drawings you have created and the *feel* they give your cloth.
We have a lot of aboriginal cave/rock drawings in Australia and I have become very interested in them and the stories related.

Jacky xox

Ruby Slippers said...

This is wonderful deanna. Looking at it I get the same magical, mysterious feeling I do when I look at cave paintings.

kaiteM said...

a fabulous idea, using the earthiness of the cloth to create an earthy image and mood

deb said...

This looks great! Love the creatures on the wall and the footprints. What fun!

Nat Palaskas said...

Wonderful transformation of the cloth Deanna. It's my favorite piece I've seen so far. Love it - Hugs Nat

Margaret Johnson said...

Oh Deanna, this is magnificent. So, so beautiful, magical. You have done yourself proud. ox

Peggy said...

The trees in the night sky at the cave's exit got my attention immediately -- and the beasts around the exit! This is going to be a beautiful component of your larger piece, I like how the cave theme expanded for you, too -- first the film, then this...

Drucilla said...

oh yes!! the trees are so compelling. so that is the open mouth of the cave? and the beasts and caveness are brilliant. as you go along with this, please more detailed pics of the trees?

blandina said...

I smiled with pleasure seeing what you have made and the great potential of imagination. What a gift being able to tranform ideas into a beautiful thing!

Rachel said...

It's looking intriguing and full of potential. I wonder where it will take you next?

deanna7trees said...

thanks to all of you that i could not contact personally.

Els said...

Well, Deanna, these beautiful "dreams" will surely not be forgotten!

liniecat said...

Deanna this is priceless, what a great idea and beautifully done

HollyM said...

I really like the magic cloth section you've shown. I love the trees in the middle and the embroidered animals. The hexagons seeem to fit too. Lovely!

Anonymous said...

This is magical! The orange works so well with the smoky browns and the smudged outlines of the animals and I adore the sentinel trees at the cave entrance.

Susan Elliott said...

Your dyed cloths are spectacular and this cloth absolutely has the magic happening. I like the paw prints too...

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