Why am I struggling so much with this surreal art image idea?

What can I blame it on? Here’s what I’m thinking…..

My background in Physics and Math can be a great advantage at times with my quilting. At other times it can be a disadvantage because I tend to over analyze things. I think that’s the case with the surreal show. I’m used to making sure the physics is correct. I make sure things are illuminated correctly based on the light source location. I make sure the perspective is correct. I make sure the values are correct. I want things to physically realistic. Plus as a quilter we are used to making sure our compositions are balanced.

Of course all of those things are not necessary for a surreal image. The balance, the perspective, the lighting do not have to be correct. But my physics brain wants them to be correct. So there has been a real mental struggle with this. 

My last image with the super large crescent moon did not excite me. I have rejected it. 

My original idea for this quilt had a glowing doorway that my daughter did not like. I took it out to simply the composition. People will say things like…let the quilt tell you what it needs. I’m not sure what that means. I don’t think my quilts ever talk to me. My process is to think, analyze, think, analyze, try different things, analyze again, try more things, and finally settle on something. Maybe that’s what the quilt speaking to you means. 

I’m a planner and need to know where I’m going with a quilt before I start. I’m not good at improv quilting. Of course even with a plan things have to be changed during execution. Plans don’t work 100%. I’m definitely not a throw it at the wall and hope it sticks person.

So I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this image. I missed the illuminated doorway and wondered what else could be illuminated. First thought was to put the doorway back, but that did not work because it’s really distracting. I suppose it could work for a different idea like having a huge lit portal with crows flying out of it into the night sky. I actually like that idea. Might have to work that out.

My next thoughts were to think about what else could glow besides the eye and tear drop. Maybe it could glow below the roots like the tree was glowing. I tried several versions of that. First glowing brightly then less bright. Then I drew in some fissures in the tree bark. You might notice that I decided to move away from a square composition to a vertical portrait composition. 

The fissures needed to be cleaned up so I did that. They might be glowing too much. Will have to over analyze that!

I want this to be a standard size so I can Velcro it to a gallery canvas. So I thought 24 by 36 might be good. That means it would have to be narrowed to work out to that size. Plenty to edit when making this. 

Here it is square. Is it better vertical or square. I’m sure I will over analyze that. 

So with edits as I construct this do I have a good idea? Sometimes I feel like starting over with something completely different. My goal is to still use Jennifer Sampou nightfall sky fabric for the background, batiks for the trees, silk for the eye, crow, moon and gold stuff.

Well that’s enough over analysis for one day.

Thanks for reading on this long journey.  And for the title of this…..The Weight of Midnight (or nightfall) or Exit Light. More thought needed there!

Chris