Please welcome Susan Ludwig from Ludwig Collection Blog with a very special and inspiring Guest Post:
Catch of the Day
This was such a FUN project! It all started as I've been curious about combining wire AND fiber. When I spotted a contest for "Fish Hats" I instantly "saw" my entry... I just wasn't sure how to go about it. Nevertheless, the spirit of creativity showed me the way and I won an award!
As many of you will understand, the execution of the project was definitely “fun” – in creating something new and unprecedented, I tend to go so far, then back off for a day until the next step reveals itself. In this case, I couldn’t wait to complete knitting the body because I really wanted to knit the fins! I’d expected to have a ‘cap’ on the bottom to fit the wearer’s head, however the fish kept falling over ‘dead’ so I had to prop him up from inside. Voila! He swims!!
Yes, it's totally wearable, one size fits all and lined in silk fabric. "Catch" measures 18"x18" not counting the 'seaweed.'
Today, it's a hat; tomorrow it may become a sculpture. It is OOAK (One of a Kind) definitely a conversation piece!! $449.00 plus tax.
(These artist statements have been so great. I was almost tempted to do two separate posts for Susan, her statement was so good. Support our Guests, Leave them a comment below. ~Sonia)
Ludwig Collection
Bodacious Bags…
a Series
Knitting and
sewing have been my constant companions since we were introduced at the age of
eight. Dressing and
re-dressing my Barbie doll was a major pastime as a young girl. Rather than follow an art career, I was
encouraged to seek a more ‘practical’ career in public
education which I did. Years later, I broke away and wrote a book on fashion
for the petite woman, promoting freedom from the longstanding “rules of petite
dressing.”*
I
‘need’ to knit each day and enjoy the fact that it is a repetitive movement for
the most part, which gives me a welcome opportunity for reflection. I also like that it is extremely
portable and NEVER the same. I
marvel at the fact that I can create something beautiful with just “two sticks
and string.” Unlike the majority of knitters who purchase a sufficient quantity of one yarn to complete a garment, I approach yarn in the same way I would a smorgasbord buffet, selecting a little of everything and then attempting to fit it all on my plate - or into my current knitting project. I don’t have a favorite color –it’s all about one color combined with others.
I am constantly learning and exploring opportunities to blend elements from dressmaking into my knitting, for example, each handbag is lined in a coordinating shade of sumptuous dupioni silk fabric. I often incorporate hand dyed silk fabric “knitted” in my artwear. Recently, I’ve added wire and multi-media to my repertoire.
I consider myself more fortunate than a painter because I have on my palette not only an array of color but texture as well. To begin, I sit before a large basket brimming with a rich profusion of 12-20 different yarns. By the time I’ve spent one to three weeks on a piece we’ve become so well acquainted that each insists on her own personality and is granted a name which is never used twice.
*Petite
Style: The Ultimate Fashion Guide for Women 5’4” and Under by Susan
Ludwig. New York: New American
Library, 1988. Illustrated with
100 line drawings and 24 color photos; 183 pages.
Susan Ludwig
Ludwig Collection
Spanish Village
Art Center, Studio 34A in Balboa Park
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