Julie Bates
Fraying at the Edges, 2024
Cloth, Thread 4"x 6"
In processing my mom's dementia diagnosis and her diminished capacity to create. She taught me how to sew and quilt. She has made countless quilts over the decades. now we collaborate which has a new kind of joy-it keeps us connected and creating together. This piece visualizes what is happening to her mind.
Julie Bates
Grackle #1, 2023
Cloth, Ink, Thread, Yarn, Beads 8"x10"
Grackle 1 is a mixed media image. I printed an antique glass dish onto fabric, then created a template for my grackle bird. I used a couching stitch technique to create the grackle body, using iridescent yarn. The sun/crown is created using beads. This is a tribute to the Austin, TX grackle.
Julie Bates
Grackle Magic, 2024
Cloth, Ink, Thread, Yarn 8"x10"
Grackles are ubiquitous to Austin, TX where I live. They are fierce, adaptive, confident birds that represent qualities I admire. This is one in a series of tributes to this controversial creature.