Thread Sketching

I got the idea that I'd like to 'draw' on canvas with my sewing machine, and then experiment with the effect of oil pastels on the tactile surface of the stitched thread. I started with 4 primed canvases, each 6"x6" and 1.75" deep. I removed the canvas from the stretcher frame, and ironed them flat from the back. Using fabric and charcoal coloured thread, I created a simple birch tree motif on each one:




Using oil pastel, I created background colour for each. The four separate canvases represent the four seasons, so each one was coloured accordingly. The stitching was highlighted by charcoal:




The canvases were then stretched on their wooden frames. I wanted to add some figures, so I made digital prints of myself wearing a white nightgown. The printing was done on sepia-toned paper, and I hand-coloured the figures using pencil crayon. The figures were cut out and glued to each canvas. To prevent smearing of the oil pastel, I finished each one by brushing with clear acrylic:




The finished series is titled "Just Passing Through", and is meant to suggest individual migration and the passage of time.