Triathlon Swim Start (c) Ayn Hanna (28"x43") Textile Painting (cotton fabric, fabric paint, cotton batting, cotton and rayon thread)
My “Triathlon Swim Start” textile painting has been juried into an online Art Quilt Show that opens today at Infinity Gallery. The show will be exhibited online through August 15th.
This piece is based on a photo of the start of my swim wave of the Boulder 5430 Sprint Triathlon. I used a fused applique process for construction, applied fabric paints, and quilted it on my long arm quilting machine. For those not familiar with the sport, triathlons include swimming, cycling, and running (in that order). The start of the race is typically broken into a handful of “waves” or groups of swimmers, based on age group/gender and the groups start “en masse” at 5 minute intervals onto the swim course. It’s the most exhilarating part of a triathlon (well, besides crossing the finish line) because this usually takes place just as the sun is rising (triathlon races start earrrrly), you’re standing in very cold water with a bunch of other somewhat nervous people that are all hyped up on pre-race nutrients, knowing that when the horn sounds you’ll be thrashing your way through a race start that invariably will include getting kicked, punched, knocked around and swam over by some faster, stronger swimmers. Sounds like fun, no?
While I’ve always loved sports, I’ve only been doing triathlons for the past few years. I train in northern CO with a fun bunch of teammates at the Windsor Triathlon Club. It takes a pretty substantial commitment of both time and energy to prepare for triathlon races and finding the time for training to race in 3 different sports can be a challenge sometimes. The bike is definitely my strong suit – I’m a pretty good cyclist and love to ride. The swim and the run are more challenging for me. While I do like to swim, I’m pretty slow and in my opinion, the best thing about the swim is that I get to get on my bike and ride once the swim is done.
My first triathlon of the 2010 season is coming up in just a couple weeks – the Pelican Fest Triathlon in Windsor, CO. It’s a fun early season local sprint distance triathlon (Swim ½ mile, Bike 10 miles, Run 3.1 miles). I am hoping for some sun and warmer weather to arrive before race day on May 29!
Excellent! Congratulations Ayn!
Your work is so incredibly awesome, Aynie! It is wonderful to see it here. The photographs also convey the soul of your pieces. Please apply to a show down here in Sydney. We would love to put you up. Grandma can watch Emma, cos you don’t want to deal with 30 days of quarantine for her. We are five blocks from the train station, and about an hour from downtown by train.
Kimberella – So nice to hear from you and thanks for the thoughtful words! I’ve thought about you guys often and wondered how you are doing. I know it was tough at first, while waiting for that quarantine period to be done – I can only imagine what a happy dance you all did when it was over 🙂
I would love to come visit – it’s “on my list” for the future, and we can make it happen, in the right time. Hi to James – Keep enjoying yourselves as I know you do!
Aynie, Congratulations on being juried into the Infinit show. Your work is a great fit with the other pieces. Viewing the thmbnails makes it look like the online exhibit is itself a patchwork of art. It must have been hard for the jurors to pick winners.
Thanks Nora! Yes, I know what you mean about the “patchwork” of art in the show. It’s an interesting set up…completely digital/online, so there’s also that element of distance from the viewer and not being able to see any of the works up close/in person just seems really impersonal and lacking to me now, after the fact. Reconfirms for me how art shows involving textile work really need the opportunity to be viewed in person to really be able to appreciate the work.