Martha Mood Appliqué Stitchery "Parrots" with Illustrated Art Books
Item Details
Martha Marie Mood Lehmann (American; 1908 – 1972)
Parrots, circa 1970
Found-fabric patchwork appliqué composition with wool embroidery, button embellishments, twill edging, and burlap backing
Stitched signature to the lower right
A handmade fine art textile stitchery by Texas-based American artist Martha Mood Lehmann titled Parrots, circa 1974. This piece creates a pictorial composition depicting parrots perched on a tree branch using a patchwork of brightly-colored found fabric pieces. The work is constructed with hand-stitched appliqué in running and herringbone stitches and then embellished with decorative stitching in wool yarns, reminiscent of the Victorian ‘Crazy Quilt’ textile tradition, and buttons affixed to complete the eyes of each bird. The artist has stitched her signature to the lower right. It is finished with twill tape edging and a burlap back facing, and has a wooden support with eyehooks along the top edge for mounting.
Also included in the lot are two illustrated volumes on the artist and her work:
Henderson, Lester Kierstead, and Shirley Koploy. The Sublime Heritage of Martha Mood. Edited by Joseph Stacey, Limited Commemorative Edition, vol. 1 of 2, Monterey: Kierstead Publications, 1980.
Henderson, Lester Kierstead, and Shirley Koploy. The Sublime Heritage of Martha Mood. Limited Commemorative Edition, vol. 2 of 2, Monterey: Kierstead Publications, 1983.
Influenced by Byzantine art and Henri Matisse, Martha Mood was an artist, photographer, and teacher who studied art at the University of California at Berkeley and the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. She is known for her appliqué textiles typically made of found fabrics such as denim, velvet, silk, lace, old blankets, and used clothes. A well-rounded artist, Mood has also experimented with photography, ceramics, and architectural design, creating a myriad of objects throughout her career including wooden toys, lighting fixtures, and fountains. It was not until 1959 when she began her experimentation with appliqué stitchery and embroidery after she was gifted fabric samples from a friend. Her textiles often feature flowers, children, nudes, and various animals; however, some of her abstract textiles show the influence of Matisse’s cut-outs and the Cubist collages of Braque and Picasso. In addition, she has employed Texan themes such as the Alamo, roundups, and Mexican weddings, to name a few. A 1975 exhibition featuring thirty-eight of her stitcheries and tapestries traveled to multiple locations including the Rockford Arts and Science Center (Rockford, Illinois); the Charleston Art Gallery of Sunrise (Charleston, West Virginia); the Oklahoma Museum of Art (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma); the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (Wausau, Wisconsin); and the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum (San Antonio, TX). In addition, her work has been exhibited and collected by The Witte Museum (San Antonio, Texas), the San Antonio Art League, Trinity University, and the Henderson Gallery (Monterey, California), among other institutions.
Condition
- slight discoloration and fading to fabrics, notable to edging with green vibrancy to verso; accretion throughout; wrinkles and bubbling to fabric from varied stitch tension and rolled storage; burlap back facing is open along lower edge of piece; scratches and surface wear to book covers; slightly shaken but tight bindings; loose hinges; foxing to page foredges; warping from moisture damage to book pages.
Dimensions
- measures textile; one of two books measures 12" W x 13.5" H x 1" D.
Item #
ITMG122218
