Aullwood: Vita Marie Lovett

Vita Marie Lovett "South Window"  12 2/3" x 9 3/4

Vita Marie Lovett is another "regular" artist at Aullwood's art quilt show.  I wrote about her work in 2010 and in 2009.  I am drawn to her work for many reasons, her fondness for old architecture (especially barns), antiques, and detail.  I appreciate this piece for several reasons:  In the early spring, I can't wait to harvest some forsythia to bring in and have their luscious yellow chase the winter doldrums away.

 I also love the long rays of light which one finds in the early morning and late afternoon.  I imagine that this time is fleeting for her as she lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. One of the things I missed the most when I moved to Connecticut from Michigan was the long periods of this "long light" . Because the area of Michigan I lived in was fairly flat, just gentle hills, and the area of Ohio where I live now is flat as a pancake thanks to the hard work of the glaciers, I have longer periods of this light.  Connecticut was just too hilly!  But there are many things I do miss about living in New England.

Vita Marie Lovett "South Window", detail.

Vita Marie drew this image from the south window in her cabin. I appreciate her work because she does not print a photograph on fabric then stitch over it,  but paints a background the color reflected in what she sees, then draws with thread on top of it..often many, many layers to do the detail. Her work is rich and sparkles...and lays flat as a pancake, I think partly because she uses canvas as her back ground.  That strong fabric is less likely to be distorted from all the work she does.

Look at the bottle.....it really seems to be transparent.  Her complex thread work gives it depth and dimension while imparting the impression that it is clear.

Vita Marie Lovett,"South Window" detail.

If you haven't looked at Vita Marie's website, you owe it to yourself to take a visit.  You can see it here.