There was a fluttering of Fascinating Bugs and Butterflies touchdown in our e mail field this week—equivalent to “My Cicada Music,” by Karen Stenback, above. What a luscious deal with to see these wonderful material collage creatures arrive—so many who we’re separating the bug submissions into not less than two extra posts (following Half 1 final week). Thanks to all who’ve been collaging like loopy and have despatched in such pleasant work to share. Please maintain sending us your inspirational progress!
Our July and August Zoom Fascinating Bugs and Butterflies Comply with-Alongside was impressed by, nicely, all of the bugs that make a exhibiting within the summertime, plus this 12 months’s Cicada-Palooza emergence. Since at present’s submit falls on our “end-of-summer” Labor Day weekend, I’m dedicating this Half 2 Bug Comply with-Alongside submit to focus on simply a number of the scintillating cicada submissions we acquired.
Please be a part of me in celebrating this 12 months’s overlap of two periodical cycles of cicada broods—one each 13 years and the opposite each 17 years—which solely occurs each 221 years! That’s as wonderful because the emergence of the material collage interpretations you might be about to see and examine, under.
Right here’s to 2024’s (once-in-a-few-lifetimes) Cicada Summer time—and to all my beautiful college students who’ve shared this season with me. Make sure to fly again subsequent month for one more installment of Fascinating Bugs and Butterflies—extra summer time cicadas and different distinctive species captured in material collage.
Cheers!
Click on on smaller gallery photographs to see them bigger.
Studying sources embody: Fantastical Fish eWorkshop, Serendipity Quilts, Spiral eWorkshop, Facial Options eWorkshop, Material Collage Grasp Class, 5-day Stay On-line Zoom Courses, and my patterns (together with fish and solar/moon patterns).
Julie Rush
From Julie Rush of Missouri:
We had a grand XIX cicada 12 months in Missouri. Our woods have been stuffed with them. We may hear their sounds coming from the encircling hills lengthy earlier than they lastly arrived at our property. There have been 1000’s. As soon as they arrived I took many photographs & had plans for doing a collage. Then, voila, your e mail introduced this workshop, I signed up. Pleased days!
Pat Corcoran
From Pat Corcoran of St Augustine, Fl:
I’m slightly rusty so I needed to do the bug however I acquired behind as a result of life. Slowly catching up and hope to do extra of your initiatives this coming 12 months. I work 2 to 4 days per week and likewise train different types of quilting.
Karen Leavitt Hanley
From Karen Leavitt Hanley of North Creek, NY:
The Cicada class with Susan is my first actual try at collage. In preparation for the workshop, I purchased Serendipity Quilts, and observe her on Fb/weblog posts. My sister, Tracy Hughes, took an internet class along with her and raved. She has gone on to create a number of masterpieces utilizing methods realized from a variety of profitable material collage artists. My sister Lynn Marrison, lives close by Susan, in Woolwich!
As a result of my house is restricted, and I’ve a number of initiatives in various levels of progress, it’s difficult to work on the Cicada, and nonetheless have house to work on the opposite initiatives (within the evenings after I don’t have the inventive vitality I wish to dedicate to the Cicada). Too, I’m not in any respect used to working with tiny bits, although my fellow quilters know that I do prefer to construct extra conventional quilts with a lot of small items. This can be a new expertise… slightly fussier and fewer organized than my OCD sort mind is snug with, however that’s PRECISELY the fantastic profit. I went into it eager to stretch my inventive juices, and that is certainly succeeding on that entrance!
Susan Wilson
From Susan Wilson of Pittsboro, NC:
I’ve at all times loved the method of machine appliqué. In recent times I’ve grow to be an enormous fan of Bisa Butler’s work. Such inspiration! I actually needed to take my very own inventive efforts to a brand new degree… from easy appliqué to material collage. In 2023 I found Susan’s e book, Serendipity Quilts. Then I discovered her weblog, purchased the video workshop for her Spiral sample, participated within the Fish follow-along in February 2024 (topic: Sizzling Lips). Whew! I feel I discovered my trainer! Lastly, I bought the Grasp Class!
I’m persevering with to benefit from the journey as I work / play to enhance my expertise.
Due to summer time journey and many others, I’m very grateful for the movies that made it attainable for me to affix in the course of this (my second) Comply with-Alongside. Thus far, I’ve efficiently stuffed in my cicada’s physique and wings, and have added a couple of particulars.
What I’ve realized this time round is that it’s straightforward to get carried away by particulars BEFORE the preliminary protection of the primary draft is full.
I’m nonetheless studying lots about coloration worth and may see the significance of setting a superb basis that means the place the sunshine is coming from. I consciously selected material pairs that have been comparable however totally different in worth to construct the wings… proper facet lighter than the left facet. Undecided how I’m going to love that in the long run, nevertheless it’s been a enjoyable train.
I’m utilizing a 300% enlargement of the sample, regularly scaling up my work so I can ultimately do one thing actually BIG. Additionally, attempting to make use of bigger items of material as I work. Appears very difficult at this level.
I’m taking critically the thought of building a narrative for my fantastical topic. The problem should’ve been foremost in my thoughts, as a result of I woke in the course of the night time with a reputation for this piece and the premise for its story. Nonetheless a lot to flesh out! I look ahead to the day I can submit it as a real “End Line” undertaking!
Karen Stenback
From Karen Stenback:
My cicada is unfinished at this level. I want so as to add netting and likewise wish to strive a background with a tree and panorama like what Susan has completed. I’ve taken Susan’s Thursday spiral class and moon class. I began out in collage with each of Susan’ books. I even have taken the Grasp class. My cicada’s identify is “My Cicada Music.” My stash included some ocean material so that you would possibly see some fish and a turtle when you look intently.
Jenny Garcia
From Jenny Garcia of Los Altos, CA:
I’ve to confess to being pissed off with the method at first. I don’t contemplate myself an artist (I’m, in spite of everything, a retired science trainer) so I don’t suppose I’m very inventive. I had a little bit of an epiphany throughout the second week of the category…I spotted that I’d be a lot better off if I let the material information my choices (as a substitute of the sample doing the guiding). After taking a look at my materials in a complete new method, I felt like I used to be seeing components of the cicada within the materials…they only wanted to be minimize out and utilized. That revelation actually modified how I approached the collage and I felt lots “freer” to only minimize and go!
The quilt just isn’t fairly completed however sooner or later I’ll should name it completed — I simply haven’t determined the place that time is!
Sharon Millspaugh
From Sharon Millspaugh of Kuna, Idaho:
I noticed Susan’s work on Fb roughly 7 years in the past and fell in love with the thought of portray with material. I’ve the Grasp Collage Handbook and the Sea Turtle lessons plus each of Susan’s books however haven’t had the time to finish any initiatives. I’ve additionally adopted Susan in a number of of her Fly on the Wall classes. I’ve only recently retired and I’ve reorganized my craft room and I’m going to have the ability to spend extra time growing my expertise.
Zammara is the identify of my Cicada, this cicada lives within the tropical forest zones. The gorgeous blue colours is what made me determine the colour palette I’d use. The unique material I had chosen simply wasn’t working so a visit to the material retailer was made. I began Zammara over thrice earlier than I lastly jumped the material Paralysis hurdle! One factor that has helped me is rewatching the classes and the encouragement from the members within the Fascinating Bugs and Butterflies Fb group. I’ve plans on the background to be a patchwork of greens however who is aware of that might probably change.
Judy Schryver
From Judy Schryver of Lockport, NY:
I attempted a feathery batik background and located it did nothing for the cicada. So I chosen dots from my aboriginal materials, and was a lot happier with the outcomes. I realized to make the legs on parchment paper. Now have to strive some tulle in locations.
The Fascinating Bugs and Butterflies Comply with-Alongside drew in lots of members—nearly 100!—a lot of whom have been attempting material collage for the primary time. Registrants got a free Cicada sample which I made particularly for this class—in honor of this summer time’s “Cicada-Palooza.” They have been additionally in a position to decide on a free bug or butterfly sample from my assortment, so on this collection of collaged bug posts you will notice many cicadas but additionally some butterflies and different crawlies.
It has solely been a pair weeks because the four-week Comply with-Alongside class completed up and the progress these college students have made and can proceed to make is wonderful. The collages which might be on show are nearly all nonetheless in progress, however they’re oh a lot enjoyable to see—an ideal deal with to take a seat again and savor as our summertime winds down. See Half 1 right here.
One other huge and buggy because of all who’ve despatched, and are persevering with to ship in, your bugs and butterflies to share with all of us—they’ve been, and proceed to be, fascinating.