Tag Archives: Silk

Tranquil Pond 2 by Dorothy Russell. Textile Artist

Tranquil Pond 2

Tranquil Pond 2

The upper pond, on our terrace, is a sound-scape as well as a visual stimulus, as the water falls into the lower pond. By it we sit on beautiful days enjoying its calm presence, gazing across the Menai Strait to Snowdonia beyond. The ponds did not exist before we made them – now they are special habitats and reward us for our work.

The main image is fractured and rendered in solid fabrics: the sheers, by comparison, are used in response to the shimmering movement of water and its translucence.

  • 124cm x 64cm
  • Cotton
  • Sheer fabrics
  • Silk fabrics
  • Applique
  • Machine piecing
  • Machine quilted
Tranquil Pond 1 bt Dorothy Russell. Textile Artist

Tranquil Pond 1

Tranquil Pond 1

This work is a direct emotional response to one of the ponds on our land. My relationship is not only with the prolific wildlife, but also comes from the sense of calm working by it offers me.

The main image is fractured and rendered in solid fabrics: the sheers, by comparison, are used in response to the shimmering movement of water and its translucence, giving us a glimpse into another world.

  • 124cm x 64cm
  • Cotton
  • Sheer fabrics
  • Silk fabrics
  • Machine piecing
  • Machine quilted
  • Beaded
Schizm 4. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Schizm 4

Silk fabrics, machine pieced and closely free-machine quilted, representing divisions, wherever they may occur.

Schisms divide societies, countries, friends and families. Rifts occur and are portrayed in this series.

  • 73cm x 21cm
  • Silk
  • Machine piecing
  • Free-machine quilted
Hidden Treasure. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Hidden Treasure

This wood and silk hanging was made to be part of an exhibition celebrating the opening of Staircase House Museum – a medieval building in Stockport dating back to about 1460.

It represents the fact that the building itself was hidden by centuries of accumulated grime and mis-use – it was nearly demolished but was saved, despite a fire which did much damage, especially to the rare ‘cage newel staircase’ for which it is famed and from which it takes its name.

The silk panels represent different periods in its history, up to the present day.

  • 141cm x 104cm
  • Wood
  • Silk
  • Hand quilted
Elder - The Celtic Wisdom of Trees. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Elder – The Celtic Wisdom of Trees

Based on information taken from the book ‘The Celtic Wisdom of Trees’ by Jane Gifford, about the tree associated with my birth date – the Elder. The associations are dark, with reminders of ‘death’ and ‘the inevitable’, witches hide in their trunks and the wood will not burn well: associated colours are dark green and black! However it isn’t all bad news – the tree has healing properties and it provided elder flowers to make cordial or champagne. The berries also make a good natural dye with alum and salt used as mordants.

Cotton and silk fabrics and silk floss – some dyed: machine piecing, applique, free-machine quilting and hand beading.

  • 123cm x 61cm
  • Cotton
  • Silk
  • Silk floss
  • Fabric dyeing
  • Machine piecing
  • Applique
  • Free-machine quilting
  • Beading