School - An ATW Challenge

My art group issues challenges on a regular basis and on our last one was revealed on Saturday.  We were to take a book, an article, or a class that we had always wanted to explore further and create a piece.

I had purchased a book at our Cobblestone Quilt Guild auction a few years ago - Designing Tessellations, The Secrets of Interlocking Patterns by Jinny Beyer.  Tessellations are interlocking designs that repeat across a surface.  M.C. Escher is a famous artist that uses this technique.

I had often looked at the book - but had never used it.  Three months ago when the challenge was issued I thought, at last an excuse to dig into this book.  I read the book, I played with the exercises, and I decided to do fish.

I started drawing fish try to come up with a pattern that would interlock and repeat.   I do not know how many fish I have drawn in the past three months - but they are quite a school.  The Friday before the challenge was due - I finally had the light bulb moment and designed a fish that worked and that would be easy to sew. 

Here is the result:



School

All the fabric used is my own shibori paint work and the fish are both fused and thread sketched. 

I like this pattern and technique and may start a series based this.  I am thinking Tardy, Tutor, Class . Cast . . . .