Fabric Art in Your Home from the Treetops Studios

Traditions and Inspirations      The Treetops Studios themselves are decorated with samples of embroidery and crochet from at least four generations of traditional fabric artists. The best rugs and quilts are still handed on within our families. Elaine has always made decorative drapery and toweling. Now we are expanding our concepts for the wearable art into household uses. Some garments can be used directly. During an early 'open studio' day, a larger shawl was spread out for display over 'the nurser', a low rocking chair restored by John's father. The combination looked so appropriate, suggesting a nursing mother with the shawl wrapped around herself and the infant, that one of Elaine's large shawls lives there now.

Applications and Installations      Once we put our minds to it, however, we found opportunities for fabric art in the home just waiting for a little inspiration. Wall hangings and furniture throws can be custom designed using the same process that informs our knit-quilt combination outerwear. As we re-decorated the living areas of the Studio we have let in more light, softened colours and brightened surfaces where ever possible. Now, every room gives Elaine the opportunity to test different colour and texture combinations in the domestic fabric arts. For instance, thirty-five years of teak furniture have accumulated in the dining room. The rich browns of natural teak, neutral, pale ochre, walls, the faint green undertone in the raw umbers of the carpet and the upholstery and the varying light from a large, west facing, picture window make the room a decorator's 'what if' space.    Top

Mind you, combining colour, light and texture is an art form. Lots of unexpected effects appear. We like to record the interesting combinations as digital photographs. Sometimes, the unexpected effect can be quite dramatic. If you followed the link, the image on the right is correct - if a lot more crowded, due to the close crop, than things usually look around the Studio.)

Our first wall hanging, 'Lightning', showed well at the Saanich Fair and was selected for display at the first Sidney Fine Art Show.

And then there is the practical question of what do we do with the small amounts of very high quality yarns left over from garment projects. Some can be used as accents on other garments, but John has found a place to assemble a vertical tapestry loom and ....   Top