Soar with the Birds in These Art Quilts

    Birds in Art Quilts

Birds fill our world with color, sound and movement. One of my favorite places to be is outside, the natural habital for birds.True confessions time-Drawing is not one of my best skills. However,I can copy an outline of a bird. So  that is how I often incorporate birds into my art quilts. At this point in my life, I am working with my strengths.

Shelter in Place Art

Westlake Coot, Big Brown Owl and Westside Egret  were created during the first Shelter in Place. I only had limited materials with me,a large  bag with small squares. Created the background first, before I considered what would do on the top. Fabric is my first  motivation. How will the fabrics play together? Many times the subject matter, comes later. What subject would work with this background?  Birds against a sky was my first thought. Size and scale required a smaller scene. Why do a whole body of an egret when a neck supplies the viewer with enough information?

Never miss an opportunity to add texture.

A bird’s habitat is full of texture, trees, grasses and underbrush. Threads and found materials lend themselves well to creating an impressionistic view of an avian’s favorite place to be.

Break Your Own Rules

Pelican in the Mist and Nesting Pelican break my rule for just doing bird outlines.   Looking at the light and dark stripes of redirected  piece of fabric reminded me of feathers. I cut the fabric and used the same fabric to make the wings,legs and the body of a pelican. An artist never knows where inspiration will come from. Take a chance.Sometimes things just work.

Water Fowl and Coastal Birds

Inspiration often comes from one’s locale. I live on the Central Coast of California. The second largest wetlands in the state, Elkhorn Slough  is not far away. Westlake Park with a spring fed pond is  adjacent to the local elementary school.

Staying close to home is what we all did this year. Be inspired by where you are.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2022/04/free-motion-quilting-hacks/!

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/03/make-a-fabric-landscape-collage-quilt/

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Learn more about the fabric layering technique-

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/07/fabric-layering-technique/