Ride Sally Ride

“Ride Sally Ride” was inspired by my series of quilts “Space Odyssey.” This series explores space travel along with remoting sensed images of the moon. Sally Ride was my first subject choice not only because of her great accomplishment, but because of what she stood for: women achieving their dreams and boldly going places where no woman has gone before.

This quilt was created by using new techniques that I have never tried. As an artist, I love trying out new techniques to achieve my final piece. I always love to create art and push my limits to new levels. The construction of my piece started with two images. I then took the two photos, one of Ride and one of the shuttle, and manipulated them in Photoshop to make one image. There were special filters and techniques used within Photoshop to get the specific look to the final image. The image then was printed on fabric. After the image was transferred onto fabric I began the fun new technique of “flinging paint”. I used dyna flow paints in all colors of the spectrum. Each color was applied separately. I have found a new love – flinging paint.

The piece was then quilted on a longarm machine to add special details of the launch pad, shuttle exhaust plumes, shuttle body/wings, and of Sally herself – hair, clothing, and facial features. The NASA image was sponge painted on for a graffiti effect. Cotton fabric and thread was used on this piece.

Sally Ride joined NASA in 1978, and became the first American woman in space in 1983. Ride remains the youngest American astronaut to have traveled to space, having done so at the age of 32.

Cotton fabric and thread was used on this piece. I used dye-na-flow paints in all colors of the spectrum. Each color was applied separately. I have found a new love – flinging paint.

Photo courtesy www.nasa.gov