Fiberworks - A Celebration of South African
Fiber and Textile Artists

Title: Transformation - Glow beyond the scorched edge

Description: it was a huge TRANSFORMATION to work in such a free, unplanned way. Normally I would visualize an entire quilt in my mind before I would start cutting, this time I would cut first and see where I would go! To me there is a certain GLOW to the quilt, the copper and colours reflecting gem stones, I really had to stretch myself beyond my normal way of working. I also had to let go of the straight lines of my geometric signature work and had to free myself through the scorched edge which was the turning point in this quilt!

Title: Ukhahlamba - Gallery of Ancient Art

Description: The Drakensberg is truly described by one word - MAJESTIC! The quilt depicts 3 landscape scenes: the magnificent Amphitheatre at Royal Natal which is home to the Tugela Falls, the 2nd highest waterfall in the world, the beautiful Cathedral Peaks and then Giant's Castle which was proclaimed a Nature Reserve in 1903 to protect the eland from extinction.

Title: Transformation II - An Ode to Trees

Description: I find tree trunks quite fascinating because of the texture and colour ways. I also saw trees with oxide colouring while walking in the forest at the Tsitsikamma National Park, so decided to use a palette from dark brown to rust.

Title: Diversity

Description: From the barren desert landscape of Namibia comes the glowing crystals and gem stones! The background depicts the Namib desert with the odd diamond shapes - a reference to the diamond industry. The colours in the circular motifs portray the colours of the crystals found in the rock formations. The two circles between the two panels are the hinges of the diptych.

Title: Avian Grace

Description: It is an immense challenge to try to portray as realistically as possible my chosen theme for a specific quilt which is either animals, birds, flowers or landscapes of South Africa with a distinctive South African flavour.

Title: Freestyle

Description: This skinny quilt was made for a creative challenge at Dias Quilters' Guild in 2012 and soon doubled up as another workshop sample. I became hooked on the endless possibilities of small squares with offers endless possibilities...

Title: Glow

Description: The glow of jewel colours - amethyst, rubies and emeralds. A visual reminder of a visit to Kristall Gallerie in Swakopmund, Namibia.

Title: Circles

Description: I'm intrigued by circles and the endless design scope it offers. It started off by sketching circles at a Quilters' Guild meeting in different sizes and my challenge was not to use a compass! I had certain requirements for this piece - I wanted an irregular shape, a fragmented background and I wanted to use discharged fabric.

Title: Natural Disaster

Description: This project was started at the time when the major earth quake hit Port-au-Prince in Haiti and soon the quakes in Chile and China followed and now New Zealand……

Title: Willa - A Tribute

Description: Made as tribute to my mom-in-law Willa Pretorius who died tragically in 2003 - she taught me so much about proteas and fynbos....
An arrangement of Protea flowers in a copper pot on a background of fused triangles and squares. Flowers, vase and leaves were pre-painted with fabric paint and oil paints sticks.

Title: Unity from Within

Description: My focus now has turned to Mandalas and all the possibilities it offers. I recently saw a TV programme showcasing an exhibition of Mandalas by Lise Beekman, an Afrikaans songwriter/singer. I was enthralled by the beauty and diversity of each piece of art. I'm very excited to be using pencil and paper again for these designs, the same as in the earlier period of my creative journey making numerous geometric Ndebele styled quilts.

Title: Port Elizabeth - Legacy of Settlers

Description: Original design, working from own photographs and reference books.
References:
Port Elizabeth by Margaret Harradine
Eight Beautiful Gothic Revival Churches of Port Elizabeth by A D Herholdt
Pictorial Port Elizabeth by Colin Urquhart

Quilt designed around historical civil buildings in Port Elizabeth, all declared national monuments. Buildings include CITY HALL (corner stone laid in 1858), PUBLIC LIBRARY (completed in 1901), GREY INSTITUTE (later became Grey College - corner stone laid in 1856), HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH (completed in 1866) and the CAMPINILE built to commemorate the centenary of the arrival of the 1820 British Settlers. Other historical buildings and monuments machine quilted into the border.

Title: Quiver

Description: As I love travelling on the dirt roads around South Africa with my husband, I appreciate the diversity of the South African Landscape. Growing up in the lush area of the Garden Route Town of Knysna, the Quiver Trees are mos fascinating and unusual and ideal to portray in textured work. A section of the tree was my inspiration for this piece.

Title: Tranquility

Description: My most favourite spot on earth - the lookout point at the top of The Knysna Heads - It gorundsme, strips me to my inner core and brings brings peace to my soul.

"It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which gives you happiness."

Title: Infinity

Description: A Mandala design in a variety of hand painted silk and Bali fabrics.

Fusing techniques, raw edge applique, couching, 3D Effects and fabric beads. Machine stitched and quilted.

Marilyn Pretorius