Monday, July 10, 2017

Weekly update: Scraps for Edna

Edna Andrade (1917-2008) was a Philadelphia-based artist known for creating op art.  I first saw her work in 2014  at the Philadelphia Museum of Art ( this trip ).  I thought immediately about  adapting her geometric designs to fabric.  Later that year I received a review copy of an exhibition catalog, called "Edna Andrade," edited by Diane Bricker Balken.  (Locks Art Publications, c2015.)

Andrade wrote, "In using geometric structures for organizing visual elements I make a connection with an ancient tradition in art. Artists have always used the pure and powerful archetypes: the circle, the triangle, the square, the pentagon and endowed them with symbolic content. I feel a kinship with the anonymous artists of the past who painted pots and tiles, wove baskets and carpets, stitched vestments and quilts. They send me precious messages without words."

Last week when I began to sew scrappy 2" squares together I recalled Andrade's work.  The alternating 2" squares are scrappy lights -- mostly cream but also other lights. I had enough of the cream-on-cream for sashing and a border (cut 2", finishing at 1-1/2"). Such a narrow border didn't work. I bought (gasp) a similar cream-on-cream and made wider borders.















Here is the inspiration. This is a photo of the page in the book. As I recall the sketch that I saw in the museum was about 20 x 24.  Her larger works are acrylic on board but this is likely colored pencil. 

My scraps are pieced randomly.  I had Edna's work in mind but I didn't look at her drawing until afterward.  Edna's color placement is precise.

Maybe, someday, I'll use her colorway . . . but for now I'm content with my scrappy version.

Monday linkups:
Monday Making
Design Wall Monday
Main Crush Monday
Oh Scrap!





P.S.  You can do a Google images search to see more of Edna's work, but here are a few snapshots of plates in the book.  Great ideas for quilt designs!








11 comments:

  1. Interesting inspiration for your quilt. Hum, not sure I could stick with 2" squares although I know I have lots of them cut! The quilt is gorgeous.

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  2. Beautiful quilt. The nice simple design makes the quilt more graphic and beautiful.

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  3. A simple but effective use of scraps. Enjoy your stitching time this week.

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  4. I bet there is a lot of inspiration in those pages. I really like the quilt you made. Thanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!

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  5. Very interesting! It's fun to learn what inspires quilters. For what my opinion is worth, I much prefer the scrappier version! Well done!

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  6. Fascinating that so much off her work is like Quilts. As she said, these shapes go back for centuries. It is so amazing to see,them on tile floors in cathedrals, in native pottery and baskets, all over the world. You did your own version and I like the scrappiness. Thanks for sharing her work with us.

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  7. I would be content with your scrappy version too, it is so lovely! I like how the design allows the fabrics to be the star of the quilt.

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