Baby Isabelle Jackson's New Quilt

At the end of 2023, a new baby girl was welcomed to the extended family:  Baby Isabelle Jackson, daughter of my niece Rachel and her husband Court.  Happily, this gave me an excuse to create an original crib quilt measuring 49" wide by 53" high.  Some history:  In 2015, I went to India with two friends on a quest to discover fabric artists in the state of Gujarat.  Along the way we discovered the Rann of Kutch's wildlife santuary and stayed briefly at the Rann Riders Resort.  On a mini safari we saw many exotic (to me) birds including Painted Storks, a Snake Eagle, black-headed Ibis, Egrets and Greater Flamingos among others. I drew many of the birds once we got back from our trip, and created the bird fabric printed on the quilt back above.  Unfortunately I had only taken a little Canon Powershot G15 camera, which was not good enough for great bird photos. The beauty of applique is that I could use my photos as reference to create the stork image on the quilt front.  This was done by making an Adobe Illustrator image, which was then used as a template for the final fabric applique design.  Many of the quilt fabrics were purchased from Britex in San Francisco with a mix of soft whites, pastel pinks, cotton satins and more. The basic design was created with Electric Quilt's EQ8 software, then modified by accident, or intent, as the quilt was being built.   The memory of the trip, bird motif, and the quality of the different fabrics made working on the quilt another level of pleasure.

2023 Quilted Apparel Round-Up

 

Cartoon Stories: A Circus Story in 10 Acts: Act VI Bird Ballet

This video includes bits from 3 ballets:  The Firebird, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker and brings back great memories from my childhood when I was lucky enough to take classes from a Russian Prima Ballerina named Madame Maria Kedrina in the 1950s in Santa Barbara and to dance (only in the Chorus) in a number of ballets she put on at the Lobero Theater.  More on Madame Kedrina can be found in this Issuu piece done by the Santa Barbara historical society:  https://issuu.com/santabarbaramuseum/docs/noticias_30_3_fall_1984 

September Oil Paintings Progress Report

 Top to Bottom

1.  "Gulls at the Barn Door," 24x18x 1 1/4 oil on hand stretched Belgian Linen 66J

2.  "Bird Lovers," 28x22x 1 1/4 oil on hand stretched Belgian Linen 66J 

3.  "Daffodils and Gazania with Hidden Bird," 10x8x 3/4 on Linen

4.  "Skywalker Ranch Hills," 7x5x 3/4," oil on linen

Capped Parrot in Mendocino Now Finished

 I added grass and touched up the parrot's red cape.  Oil on Belgian Linen 22 x 28 now done.

August Oil Painting Progress Report: 3 Finished 2 Nearly Done and 1 Just Begun

 Finished Works:

1.  One Flew Over the Puffin Tryst:  Oil on Belgian Linen 18x18x1 1/4

2.  The Courtship:  Oil on canvas 20x24x1 1/2

6.  Sunflowers & Hibiscus:  Oil on canvas 8x10x 1 1/2

Nearly Done:

3.  Capped Parrot in Mendocino:  Oil on Belgian Linen 22x28x 1/1/4

4.  A Lot Going On (Cartoon style):  Oil on Linen 12x16x 5/8

In Process:  

5.  Bird Lovers:  Oil on Belgian Linen 22x28x 1 1/4

More Birds and a Raft

 Top to Bottom:

1.  Soft Landing: Red Crow on a Magnolia Flower - 8x10 oil on linen

2.  Bald Eagle Flying over a Fractured Rainbow - 8x10 oil on canvas

3.  4 Parakeets in a Arthur Dove Inspired Sunset - 11x10 oil on canvas

4.  In Process:  Three Girls in a Raft - 8x10 oil on linen

Five More Original Applique T Shirts - We are in Bird World Now

 Top to Bottom

1.  Checkered Toucan:  Women's size M

2.  Blue-headed Parrot:  Women's size M

3.  Blue-legged Roadrunner:  Youth size L

4.  Funky Office Supplies Bird (original designed fabric):  Youth size M

5.  Funky Checkers Bird:  Youth size M

These are for sale $32/each + $5 shipping and will be available by appointment in my studio or online at Fine Art | Lucy Autrey Wilson Art or online at Lucy Autrey Wilson Art | Facebook

Six New Original T Shirt Designs

 All now sold with the exception of red heart funky bird.  Yeah!

Galapagos Sunset Jazz

Out of thousands of photos shot in The Galapagos on a trip in 2017, I've selected my favorite 160 and set them to an original jazz soundtrack.  

Evolution of a Dodo Painting - In Process

Top to Bottom

1.  Somehow the abstract painting I was thinking of painting (#5) has turned into a Dodo bird painting.  Maybe this is because I'm in the process of painting another Dodo painting (more on that later,) or just because birds seem to appear in many of my paintings of their own volition.

2.  In 2012, I began a large 36x36 oil painting of The Big Wave, based on a series of nightmares I had over many years.

3.  The Big Wave painting included a childhood image of myself looking out of the canvas, oblivious to the danger.  Then I added a bunch of other people who were looking at the wave.  The execution of the final painting didn't work out (no photo documentation exists of the failed painting).

4.  In 2015, I over painted The Big Wave with a white textured background and put the painting in the garage (to join an increasing number of other paintings.)  Now that I'm re-enamored of oil painting, I'm resurrecting old works and painting over them.  

5.  In 2021, I created a digital composite of a blueprint to over paint the over painted Big Wave painting with a colorful abstract background.  Part way through the process, a bird head appeared.  Now, in 2022, the painting (#1) has turned into a Dodo bird painting.  But my childhood self, in the yellow two- piece bathing suit, is still there.  I'm tentatively calling this new painting the "Dodo Tamer."     It's nearly done, I think, at least for now.

Two More Quilts for 2020

 The perfect snuggle size 56" x 72" each.  Last two quilts of the year! They are always more work than they appear!

Top:  Crow, Flamingo and Dodo birds in red, black and blue

Bottom:  Funky Birds and Bugs in purplish blue, and yellow

Flannel backs for both (not shown here.)  Made for two very special people!

In the Studio

 Top to Bottom

1.  Finished oil on canvas 18x24 "Fleeing the Fire Ash Sky"

2 and 3:  In process 36" x 36" oil "Boat in the Water" very early stage underpainting