PATCH WORK

PATCHWORK:
I LOVE PATCHWORK FOR ITS INFINATE DIVERSITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING ASPECTS TO IMAGE MAKING. ALTHOUGH IT HAS IT ROOTS IN TRADITION I FEEL THAT THERE IS GREAT SCOPE FOR IT TO BECOME SOMETHING REALLY CONTEMPORARY. BELOW ARE FOURS DIFFERENT PATCHWORK EXAMPLES, WHICH DEMONSTRATE THE POTENTIAL IN TERMS OF IMAGE MAKING..

EXAMPLE ONE IS THE MORE DECORATIVE APPROACH, WHERE THE PATCHWORK FILLS THE SAME ROLE AS A PENCIL OR PAINT BRUSH. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN CUTTING PATCHWORK PIECES, IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM FIT TOGETHER, THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF THE 'ARTIST' BECOMES APPARENT THROUGH THE IMAGES.



EXAMPLE TWO IS THE NARRATIVE APPROACH. THIS PATCHWORK HAS COMBINED A NUMBER OF EASILY RECONISBLE ELEMENTS, LIKE THE HORSE AND THE TREES AND PUT THEM TOGETHER TO FORM PART OF A LARGER STORY. THE VISUAL LANGUAGE HAS ALSO BEEN REDUCED DOWN TO ITS SIMPLEST FORMS, SO THAT THE PERSON WHO MADE THIS PATCHWORK WAS REALLY HAVING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT EACH SHAPE AND COLOUR WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL STORY. BECAUSE PATCHWORK IS ALOT MORE TIME CONSUMING THAT DRAWING AS IT IS PROCESS LED, IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE ALOT MORE TIME TO CONSIDER WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO NEXT. AS WITH ALL PROCESS LED IMAGE MAKING LIKE, SEWING/PRINTING/WOOD WORK THE PROCESS BECOMES PART OF THE IMAGES AND ADDS SOMETHING EXTA TO THE FINISHED WORK.



EXAMPLE THREE IS A MORE GRAPHIC/PATTERN BASED APPROACH. I REALLY LOVE THIS BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH ABOUT COLOURS, SHAPES, NEGATIVE SPACE, CREATING A WHOLE OUT OF SMALLER ELEMENTS. THIS PATCHWORK LOOKS QUITE SIMPLE, BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO MAKE - ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START TO FACTOR IN THE PATTERN CUTTING PROCESS AND THE WORKING OUT OF THE ANGLES..



EXAMPLE FOUR IS GRAYSON PERRY'S 'RIGHT TO LIFE' QUILT, WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST'S ATTEMPT AT A PATCHWORK. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST MODERN EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH THIS MEDIUM AND I THINK IT REALLY WORKS. IT COMBINES PATTERN MAKING WITH ABSTRACTION WITH IMAGE MAKING TO FORM A REPEAT PATTERN USING A LIMITED COLOUR PALETTE. IT IS REALLY EFFECTIVE AND A REAL INDICATION OF HOW MUCH POTENTIAL THERE IS IN PATCHWORK AS AN IMAGE MAKING TOOL.