Horizon I
Horizon I, 12 x 12 inches, ©2005 Deidre Adams
This piece is like an old friend to me. I recently had a chance to see it again after it came back to me from the Fine Focus 2006 traveling exhibition, before I shipped it on to the buyer. When I first made it back in 2005, my only goal was challenging myself to work within the very small format required by Fine Focus. Although at that time I had no idea that it would turn into an ongoing series, I did make two others at the same time. That may have been what helped me to see that this was an idea worth pursuing through more variations.
Here’s a photo of all three of them together. I thought they made a nice triptych, although after the first one sold, that was the end of that. I still have Horizons II & III.
Horizon I, II, and III; 12 x 12 inches (ea.), ©Deidre Adams
The challenge of making work this small within the fiber medium is that because of its size, weight, and physical presence, it’s hard to avoid the association with other familiar things made of fabric: placemats and potholders. Small paintings don’t have this problem – they’re still paintings.
Lots of artists have discovered that mounting these smaller pieces can solve the potholder problem. There are a myriad of ways of doing this, including matting and framing, attaching to a larger fabric-covered mounting, or attaching to a canvas. The latter is my preferred method. I use a stretched canvas, attach the piece by hand-stitching it (I’m afraid of glues or other adhesives), and then paint the edges in a coordinating color. Here’s an image showing it from the front and side:
I think this gives it enough presence to make it look like a work of art and not a household object.
