Beethoven’s 5th

Symphony No 5 in C Minor (Chickadee)

2009

8 x 8 inches

Materials: cotton fabrics, fine tulle netting, perle cotton thread, crystal bead
Techniques:  sun painted fabric, raw edge applique, hand embroidery
Artist’s Statement:
There is rumor that the opening bars of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony were inspired by the song of a german cousin to the chickadee.  After hearing a concert performance of the 5th, my husband and I joked that it must be “some big chickadee” to inspire music on that scale.  Later, that conversation came to mind and I let this chickadee grow a little oversized and listened to a little Beethoven as I stitched.
This is the piece that I made and donated to the Dahl FIne Arts Center “The Goods” auction.  A very nice lady took it home with her (according to my mom-in-law who attended the event).
Click the images to see them bigger.
The image is made with many small pieces of cut fabric.  This is a technique I had seen and finally had the excuse to try it.  First, the background and the spruce branches I cut from the same fabric, but the background I painted over to make it darker.  There are faint sunprinted outlines of other branches on the background fabric.  Then, since the cut branches are such tiny pieces of fabric, the whole background is covered with a layer of bridal tulle and then machine stitched over to make branches and stems and other details.  The tulle helps hold everything in place and gives it a little texture.  I then stitched the chickadee on top, first with machine stitching and then embroidered the details by hand.  The eye is a little black crystal, so it has a little sparkle.

Posted in backyard wildlife, embroidery, etsy, quilt, sewing |

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3 comments

Mother of the Artist:
 1 

I can see why Mely wanted to take it home! Very cool, the black crystal is the perfect chickadee eye, they do have a little sparkle of life always. Nice.

November 15th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
danielle:
 2 

That’s beautiful! I wish I’d been able to see it in person.

And I could see the 5th being inspired by a European chickadee…they do speak a different dialect overseas….

November 16th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Marianne:
 3 

Wow, you brought back memories with this post: When we lived in Cleveland in the winter we’d go to the local MetroPark. The lodge there would have a big roaring fire and hot chocolate. You could then grab a handful of shelled sunflower seeds and go stand in the woods with the seeds on your raised flattened palm. You had to be very quiet and patient. Chickadees would come and land on your hand and eat the seeds, one bird at a time, they are rather polite! When you got so cold you couldn’t stand it any longer, into the lodge you’d go to warm up. If I close my eyes I can still remember their warm, tiny feet on my hand. Your fabric chickadee is very sweet.

December 2nd, 2009 at 7:32 pm

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