Mavis Leahy :: Vintage wall hangings
I have always had art in my life, having the good fortune to have been born into a family of artists, musicians, and quilters. Growing up and living in Los Angeles, I appreciate how the city weaves together a multitude of heritages and cultures. I try to capture all this in my art, piecing together antique fabrics, photos, and findings that represent the wonderfully diverse communities of Los Angeles
Mavis's SUMMER WORKSHOPS ::
Workshops are held on the back patio at the Ten Women Gallery
Reservations are required & class sizes are limited.
Phone 818 368-8968
Email: turkeyred1@aol.com
Lace resurrected
Saturday June 14
11 am-2 pm
Create a small wall hanging from vintage laces
using fabric paint & embellishments.
All materials included
$60
Haute couture RESCHEDULED
Sunday June 29th
2pm-4pm
Resurrect a vintage clothing label into a small work of art-
The possibilities are endless!
Bring your own label, all other materials included.
$55
Altered altoids RESCHEDULED
Sunday June 29
11 am-2 pm
Turn an altoid, sardine tin, into a
small assemblage piece using fabric, trims,&
embellishments.
Please bring a tin, all other materials included.
$55
Charlotte
Saturday July 12
11am-2 pm
Compose a lovely miniature framed piece of artwork
using an antique frozen charlotte doll, vintage fabrics, trims& embellishments.
All materials included.
$65
Memories
Sunday July 20th
11 am-2 pm
Design a small wallhanging using a favorite
Image using phototransfer, vintage fabrics, and
Embellishments.
All materials included
$55
Upcoming Fall workshops: Altars & Shrines
A wonderfully cathartic medium to honor & celebrate the past lives of loved ones.
You are encourages to bring personal treasures,mementos. Please bring a small/medium box-( cigar boxes are fab- or a small wooden drawer)
all other material’s are provided.
Altar Assemblage
Construct an altar using photos, mementos,
Ephemera, anything goes!
Sunday September 21st
11-1:30
$55
Dia de los muertos Assemblage
Traditional, artistic, contemporary-anything goes! We will create
A small shrine to remember “la familia”.
Sunday September 21st
2-4:30
$55
Dia de los muertos Shrine
Las memorias de los niño (memories of the children)
According to legend, the souls of the children return to
Earth as butterflies on all Nov 1st..
Using antique frozen charlotte dolls-we will create our own
“butterfly souls” in a small shrine.
Sunday Septemeber 28th
11-2
$65
Dia de los muertos "Mi mejor amigo" (my best friend)
Assemblage
This assemblage workshop will be dedicated to our beloved pets
whom are no longer with us.
Hankies provided.
Sunday October 5th
11-2 $55
Vintage fabric collage
Title:
The Thief of Hearts
Description:
This guy is responsible for all kinds of mischief. We all know someone who is a little bit ÒdevilishÓ-perhaps they stole your heart?
Materials and techniques
In the manner of papel picado, I cut the devil from a Victorian wool black mourning cape. I appliquŽd him onto a vintage embroidered tablecloth and surrounded him with floral appliquŽs, which I cut from a circa 1900 wool tablecloth. The top of the hanging is an antique black & gold silk sari border, the sides are Victorian mourning trim. I embellished the piece with quilting, beading, embroidery, and a antique skeleton key.
All work done by hand.
Description:
Dimensions:
25 x 38
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about pricing and availability
Title:
Star Crossed
Description:
This hanging centers around a 1" tall Victorian Black frozen charlotte doll. She is stitched onto an antique engraved mother of pearl button, which is centered on a piece of 1880's crazy quilt. Victorian wool paisleys and mid 1800's cottons are used iwth victorian english chenille and a wonderful piece of an early cranberry hand loomed coverlet. I used some early english chintz and xome of that wonderful french valance, appliqued with wool and felt. There is a fabulous piece of vintage figural tablecloth, a repeating pattern of an angel in a forest with a rabbit and deer.
technique: quilting, embroidery, applique, beaded, all work done by hand
Dimensions:
40" x 44"
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about prices and availability.
Title:
the Guest
Description:
The center of this piece is wonderful early 1900 bisque Frozen Charlotte framed with an antique brass frame. I cut a late 1880 French floral as a ÒwreathÓ and appliquŽd it onto Victorian red wool, which I hand quilted. Also used- a wonderful mid 1800 English floral chintz, Victorian wool paisleys, vintage gold material- circa 1920, and a turkeyred damask floral. The hanging is hand beaded with antique glass and vintage beads. The flowers are vintage curtain tiebacks.
Dimensions:
20" x 32"
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about pricing and availability.
Title:
The Gardener
Description:
This piece takes its inspiration from Dia de los Muertos & the Mexican art of paper cutting, papel picado. Dia de los Muertos shows death merely to transform rather than to sever our ties with others, so in this piece I suggest the idea that the beauty in art embodies life after death. Whatever the gardener sows in the garden, or whatever the artist creates, more happens in the process than one intends.
Materials & techniques
In keeping with the dia de los muertos theme, I thought it appropriate to use antique & vintage fabrics-still so beautiful. I used vintage wool, that I hand dyed for the skeleton & appliquŽd her onto a Victorian embroidered piano shawl that I hand quilted & dyed. The gold lame is circa 1930, on which I appliquŽd hand dyed antique lace flowers, that I cut from tablecloths, lace, trims, ect.. The patchwork squares at the top are from hand woven coverlets, circa mid 1800, also hand dyed. The daisies at the bottom are from a Victorian tablecloth, and the wonderful paisley border is early 1900. Embellished with beading, embroidery, stamping, and the wonderful flower at the top is a vintage metal curtain tieback. As always, I sew everything by hand.
Dimensions:
13" X 14"
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about pricing and availability
Title:
Death of a Coral Maiden
Description:
I have been fortunate to see many of our planets coral reefs firsthand-tragically many of these beautiful living beings are dying. Ten percent of the worlds reefs are degraded beyond recovery-an estimated sixty percent could die by 2050. The primary cause is human- pollution, over fishing, and climate change.
We can save those reefs that remain-all it takes is responsibility and action.
Materials and Techniques
For the body of this hanging I used vintage muslin that I hand painted with fabric paints and then stenciled with antique lace. For Òthe maidenÓ, I used very fine vintage wool, also painted with fabric paint. The lace pieces range from a wonderful late 1800Õs metallic to pieces off of a vintage 1950Õs bridal gown. I made the Òlong beadsÓ at the bottom out of antique silk and lace, wrapped with wire and glass beads.
All the work is done by hand- quilting, piecing and beading.
Dimensions:
27"" x 35"
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about pricing and availability
Title:
Well Dressed
Description:
2.5Ó antique handpainted frozen charlotte is framed with vintage & antique clothing labels- I. Magnin & co, Marshall Field & company, Hattie Carnigie, & Lilli Ann.I cut the floral appliquŽs from an early 1900 Òcheater quiltÓ fabric, and embroidered onto antique flax -embellished with tiny antique steel cut beads. Techniques: appliquŽ, beading, embroidery
Dimensions:
14"x17"
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about pricing and availability
Title:
Peggy Thayer
Description:
This wonderful vintage clothing label ÒPeggy Thayer for I.Magnin & coÓ inspired this piece. I used an antique metal purse handle for the hanger. Also used, a piece of an antique embroidered silk kimono, a fabulous embroidered metallic black & silver art deco trim, vintage 1950Õs metallic floral embroidered trim, Victorian silk trim, & antique beads. I used a Victorian wool paisley for the backing, embellished with embroidery and antique beads.
Dimensions:
3.5"x 6.5"
Availability:
please contact the artist directly about pricing and availability