Peony Part 3: The Hat

Peony

Doll Photography: Mark Mortensen

Working photos: Leslie

When creating my Hats, I choose my theme and then research the look..the feel of what ever I am interpreting.  I study it with thoughtfulness.

For Peony, it is the variance in color, the dance of the petals surrounding the middle stamens all springing to life, the overall shape and size.

Color

I wanted the color to be floaty..almost transparent. To do this I needed to hand dye white silk.

I drew out the shapes and then used a hand mixed silk dye (Procion). I then, painted on the color onto the damp silk. I love the way it gently drinks into the fabric.

Next, I decided to sew these petals together backing them with a pinky-peach tone dupioni that is stabilized.

Here sewn, turned and pressed.

I then stepped back and observed the clustering of the petals. I decided to steam press them into this curved shape...this creates the movement...the dance!

Assemblage

I chose black as the base of the hat so the Peony was able to hold all the attention. I quilted the silk -linen fabric of the hat base. Note the silk linen with the striated weave is enhanced by the quilting. I love this fabric with its course stiff feel opposed the the softness of the silk flower.

I like to hold a surprise to the viewer within the interior of my hats...so I used the printed silk brocade that holds the Peony blossom in sisterhood.

 

Peony in place crowning the hat. Initially, I had no stamens in the middle but it so needed just a bright pop of color..the yellow did it. I had to cut the stamens and place each on in my hand to get the right fullness and flutter.

It was the placement of the Peony on top of the hat. I chose to an asymmetrical positioning. I believe this gives the flower itself a carefree look to it, like the "real" flowers that bounce upon the branches of the bush.

The final touch was the leaves from dupioni, placed in a breezy fashion off the flower blossom.

Peony

Peony is known as 牡丹 (mǔdān) in Chinese and is the king of flowers. The Peony symbolizes compassion, good fortune, feminine beauty, and peace.

For me Peony, was years in the making to be created as she was meant to be soft and feminine with a sense of lightness...delicate peace.

My hope is that series on Peony brought you an understanding of my work and a smile to your heart. 

Next week my theme

of the Charm Girl

that started this whole journey...

Lady Bug!

Peony Part 2 : Costuming

It all started with this piece of Chinese silk brocade...Peony.

As you know I love the art within the Chinese world...especially the very very old...ancient.

I have been fortunate to have visited the Forbidden City years ago...before I had studied this art so thoughtfully...with my heart. Have you been somewhere and knew that it was already apart of your soul? 

When I look at this ancient Chinese architecture...well, really, it is more than just a overall study, it is an absorption, soaking up, assimilating, ingesting of...like I am trying to find something that is just almost within reach...I love this study. My heart thumps...loudly.

And since this so sings to my soul and I devour the beauty, I would like to share with you how this translates into my work. One of the things that fascinates me about the Chinese culture is the many, many layers that it holds...

I will compare the images next to each other so you can see the connection!

Linear

Images from the Forbidden City

If we look at one of the buildings from afar it looks very linear. Everything lined up neatly in a row.

If we start to zoom in on those rows we can start to see a blossoming of the many layers that balance and live harmoniously side by side.

Tile Roof

still linear all neatly in a row but some details starting to appear...

I interpret this in the gathered skirt with cross stitch embroidery detail.

closer still and we can start to see very complicated but balanced details

 This comes through in the jacket with the silk brocade edging out from beneath.

Lattice Work

The Chinese have the most exquisite lattice work I have ever seen.

 Ancient Chinese Garden Window

by Y. Peter Li Photography

 

 

And so my own questions...

Is it an unconscious choice in choosing this art?

How do I intuitively understand this correlation?

I choose to believe that it has always been 

with me and I found a way to express it.

I am thrilled that I can share it with you.

Peony Part 1

As many of you who read my blog and know my art, you know how I love the research and the symbolism that, I believe, add layers of unspoken meaning to each of my pieces...my hope is that you recognize that it is more than the fabric, more than the technique..it is the pure devotion that goes into these pieces...

Peonies

For so many years I have loved peonies...not as uptight as roses, but still holding a feminine quality to them in a softer more relaxed way. I love their big bouncy blossoms that arrive in late spring to early summer.

I find them to relate to us as humans as delicate but with many many layers to them. If we have experienced life we have many layers and if we learn from these experiences, my hope is that we become more tender or delicate with one another.

Let's take a more in depth look at the Peony in China.

Peonies in Art

The exquisite peony flower has long been a favorite of Asian artists and appears not only in painting but poetry and literature as well. It is a frequent motif in Chinese art, featured on screen paintings, clothing and woodblocks.

Peony as Medicine

Peonies have been grown in China for thousands of years, though at first they were primarily revered not for their blooms, but for their medicinal purposes.

The ancient Chinese discovered that the peony's bark, roots, seeds and flowers served as medicine. Mu Dan Pi, a remedy made from the bark of the tree peony, was believed to cool the blood and provide antiseptic properties. 

The buds and leaves of the peony are used in China to make a delicate white tea which many believe to have medicinal qualities.

Combined Symbolism

Together with the plum blossom, the peony is a national floral symbol of the country of China. The Chinese name for peony means "beautiful" and in Chinese culture the flowers represent riches, prosperity and honor.

Finally...

This year, my Peony came together with just the right fabric, the right research, and the right heart...as I believe, soulful art should be...

Peony is known as 牡丹 (mǔdān) in Chinese and is the king of flowers. The Peony symbolizes compassion, good fortune, feminine beauty, and peace.

Photography: Mark Mortensen

 Next week the Costuming!!

Hydrangea Part 3: The Hat

Many of you know my love and deep devotion to the creating of these Story Hats. It goes beyond the mere sewing of something together. It is the connection of hearts...from the heart of the Chinese mother to mine to yours...

When a Chinese Mother was with child, she would create a hat from carefully chosen fabrics, embroidery and appliqué. Each choice held special symbolic meaning, wishes or protection.
Every stitch of embroidery was the manifestation of her deepest love of her child, a way of embracing her child with a good life.
I love the idea of taking thoughtful stitches in fabric, inspired from the depths of my heart, to create with my hands a story for you filled with the symbolism and legends of ancient Chinese culture.

As I sit hand-sewing this creation together I think about the meaning or symbolism of the Hydrangea and with each stitch I take, I sew to bring forth that message of gratitude and enlightenment within each petal...

Hydrangea symbolizes expressing  love, gratitude, heartfelt sincerity, and enlightenment.It is said that the observer can easily get lost in it's abundance of beautiful petals, and thus gets lost in one's own thoughts – gaining higher thought and reaching enlightenment.

I now have the story but need to study the flower itself. I will look online and save several images...

full shot- to determine the overall shape

 

close up shot of petals- to determine the individual petal shape and how they cluster together

and of leaves- taking note of the veining

I pull out my white silk and get to work...

Drawing out the petal shapes and then hand dying each center.

I decided that these petal needed to be very delicate.

Instead of sewing them together, I decided to fuse them with a heavyweight stabilizer to give them strength and that is fused to a blue dupioni fabric to add contrast.

After the dying is dry, I cut out each shape.

The hat base has been sewn and I create the leaves that are nestled tightly against the flower under-structure half ball form covered in batting and silk. These all have now been hand sewn to the hat.

I start adding the individual flowers with small mat porcelain beads.

Round and round I go sewing each flower to the perfect spot.

ok...ok...I know many of you think this girl is crazy but isn't this art...doesn't this process ignite something in your soul to see the minute details??

Photography: Mark Mortensen

And complete...

 

Since I give so much detail to each step, I do not forget about the hidden places, that will always hold a surprise!

Interior shot...

Chinese brocade with silver metallic threads. 

Note the quilting that is in the hat base.

The hat base is hand sewn together, I let a little of the lining show to give a fine line detail of the hat shape.

The crowning touch! Hydrangea.

Next week Peony!