I am drawn to old walls and surfaces which suggest a rich history in their textures, layers and colours. I conceived the two works in this series after seeing traditional West African wall-paintings. The exterior walls of homes are embellished with hand-painted designs which are temporary, as they only last for one season between rainfalls.
In my interpretation I wanted to reveal the immediacy and spontaneity of the paintings and also the irregular and raw quality inherent in the technique. This suited my process of working : I began by pinning up broad areas of fabric to give myself a general idea for the design and colour direction, then I became involved with details to add depth and complexity. "Raw Wall" is characteristic of my work in that it is influenced by aspects of Africa, where I live, work and find inspiration. The simple, bold design is executed with rich colours and the subtle use of some discordant or unexpected elements.
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Raw Wall No 1 2004
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Silks, hand dyed and commercial cottons Machine pieced, machine and hand quilted
Size: 102 x 168 cm
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Raw Wall No 2 2004
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Silks, hand dyed and commercial cottons Machine pieced, machine and hand quilted Hand quilted by Inge Lailvaux to design by Odette Tolksdorf. Machine quilted by Bev Essers to design by Odette Tolksdorf.
Size: 87 X 116 cm
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