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Friday, February 08, 2008

Kimono Tales

Last year at my college reunion in Ireland, my classmate Joyce gave me a precious bundle of silken beauty: antique kimono pieces that her grandmother had given her. Joyce explained that these pieces were remnants from kimonos that were made as well as kimonos that were taken apart for cleaning because of the hand-painting and fragility of the fabric (the old method for cleaning kimonos was to take them apart, wash, iron, and stitch them back together again). Joyce thought I might be able to use them in my textile art.



I thought about ways to incorporate pieces into artwork and there was some delicious silk of the palest of pinks that I used everywhere. No ideas came until I decided to make a piece for Joyce as a thank you and as a souvenir of her Grandmother's kimonos. As I went through this luscious fabric, I realized the pieces were the artwork. I just had to frame them.

This is the piece I made for Joyce, which will be winging its way across the water shortly.



This one is available in my Etsy shop.

And these are my dancing shoes. Flamenco is at 7 o'clock, so I must get off the computer now.

9 comments:

  1. They are beautiful, particularly the one you made for your friend! xo

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  2. These are lovely Colette. Your friend will love hers. Such lovely fabric.

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  3. Elegant! Your friend will cherish this.

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  4. First...may I say..LOVE your choice of breakfast! heh heh...And WOW, I can't really find the words to say how extraordinary these silk Kimono collages are!!!! You got it right!...one of my friends is very much into Tango..she loves it. Flamenco would be more my style...A little foot stomping sassiness, Whee! I love my belly dancing tho!

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  5. Anonymous1:34 p.m.

    Love your work and your slippers!!
    Have fun at Flamenco. My dad played Flamenco guitar for many years. I admire you.

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  6. Fall down Seven
    Stand Up Eight
    Japanese Proverb
    WOW!!!!
    What a fabulous mantra for those who think the patterns in their lives can not be changed.
    Love your beautiful beautiful fabric collages Colette...
    Awesome! Oh cute dancing shoes too
    Can you Flameco dance???

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  7. Fantastic proverb, would you mind if I put that in my blog sidebar to remember?
    This is a BEAUTIFUL collage piece Colette, anyone would cherish it. I LOVE Kimono fabric and have a few pieces I've found along the way. I bought one long piece in NY that I ended up hanging on a piece of bamboo. I've always wanted a Kimono I could hang fully open on the wall. There is something about the silk, the design, the history.
    OH and may I say I do like your choice of breakfast....served quite elegant I might add.
    XOXOXO
    Love,
    Lisa

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  8. Anonymous12:38 p.m.

    ton amie doit être ravie du cadeau que tu lui fais....magnifique ce tissu de kimono...

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  9. I love vintage Kimonos! and as always your art is exquisite xoxo

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate each and every one of you.