Facets Of Fassett

It is three weeks since I popped down to London to see Liz and the girls and visit the Kaffe Fassett Exhibition. I confess I didn't really know what to expect - but the show was simply a collection of artworks inspired by Kaffe's amazing coloured fabric collections. And I think the thing that intrigued me most was the use of brightly printed fabrics in the patchworks.

People had taken his prints and made some astounding pieces...

Here's the poster outside, based on the Tumbling Blocks banner hanging down the staircase wall inside.

The collage below shows how people have used 'fussy cutting' to select specific pattern motifs, plus overlays of net, and contrast stitching to achieve different effects.

This one is based on the traditional "Baltimore Album " quilts of tyhe mid 19th century. Each block features an applique design of flowers or animals

Birds Of Paradise is procduce din a similar way - see how the stitcher has made use of the prints in the birds' plumage, and animal skins

Look at this detail

The quilts with triangles, suns and planets had a much more contemporary feel

The "Tusker Bull" elephant was pieced with different fabrics, then overstitched with fine black threads to give the impression of the creases in the hide

The artist also produced a zebra and a rather angry looking rooster! [2017 was "The Year of the Rooster" - very popular as the word for 'rooster' in Chinese sounds like the one for 'home']

As well as trad quilting [like the=is wedding ring quilt] there were also some tapestry cushions

But my favourite piece by far was a reinterpretation of a much older artwork. In 1515, the German artist Albrecht Durer [he of 'The praying Hands'] produced an engraving of a rhinocerous. Despite the fact he'd never seen one!

In 2005, I visited Budapest with Liz and there was a Durer exhibition in the National Gallery.

We saw the original rhino piece - and here in London, 18 years later, together we saw the rhino reinterpreted in KF's fabrics. 

It felt really special to see the rhino, and remember that wonderful holiday, and celebrate again the privilege of being mother-and-daughter together having fun!

I bought a couple of notebooks in the gift shop[for recording my next collaboration with Kirsten] then we went and found lunch.

Thanks Liz, for suggesting this!