About Thread Painting

"Estes Park"
5" x 7"
Thread Painting
Not Available

I combine my love of quilting and fine art to create what I call thread paintings. I use hand-dyed and batik fabrics enhanced with decorative rayon and metallic threads. The "painting" technique lends itself to landscapes and natural shapes, but every once in a while an architectural element can be found in my thread paintings.

I begin with a photo or a landscape idea and turn it into a drawing. It is then transferred to a piece of plain muslin. The muslin becomes like a blank canvas. The painting is blocked in by fusing large shapes of fabric to the muslin, with attention to value and color placement. The process is similar to how an oil painter might begin with an under painting.

The final stage is to "paint" details and texture with the huge assortment of decorative threads that are available. Rayon and metallic threads catch the light beautifully and give the painting vibrancy similar to oil or pastel. Thread colors can be mixed just as oil paint to find the perfect hue. Most of the thread work is done by machine but some pieces call for a touch of handwork. My sewing machine needle becomes my paintbrush.