Self Portrait Paper Quilt
Melanie B. McFarland
60 x 72 inches
2024
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am often conflicted while sewing and not painting, and vice-versa. I like both mediums and long to combine them. Painting a variety of travel ephemera, I collaged and stitched to a thin foam layer. This idea of a paper quilt (if I added a third layer to the back) formed of multiple separate squares was inevitable. To give the impression of a quilt, I added separating zippers to connect each side of the panels. Infinite configurations can be arranged and rearranged, just by zipping and unzipping. I hate waste and incorporate recyclables into my work. I resist trimming threads when possible.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES
Paper, acrylic paint, gel medium, oil pastel, cotton thread, cotton fabric, nylon mesh, metal zippers, plastic foam, wool felt.
Painting, collage, machine stitching.