photography – Page 2 – Chris Mercerhill.com

Ohio Star: Thompson Library

Posted on October 11, 2015 by admin

72″ x 48″
2014
$500

The Thompson Library is the geographic and academic heart of The Ohio State University. A recent renovation opened up several of the interior spaces bringing light to the stacks of books. One striking feature of the new feature is a glass staircase that allows students easy access to that large, wood-paneled study rooms on the second floor. This staircase, and the glass-walled floors behind it, form the subject of this photoquilt. The green glass, warm wood tones, and bright interior lights create a warm palette with contrasting lines from the stairs and railing. This quilt was on display at the Homeport Gallery in October 2015.

Detail: Front and back of the photoquilt.

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Ohio Star: PAES

Posted on November 14, 2012 by admin

72″ x 48″
2012
$500

This photoquilt is based on a picture taken inside the PAES (Physical Activity & Educational Services) building at Ohio State, just inside the Scarlet Skyway, a red glass bridge that connects it to the RPAC. Like in Ohio Star: Scarlet Skyway, the red glass gives every surface a warm pink glow. The overall effect is of jewel tones and shapes. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern. Individual blocks from this quilt, which were completed as part of the design process, have also been framed and displayed (below). These blocks are from the top and bottom row of the quilt, which illustrates just how far the quilt evolves from one end to the other.

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Ohio Star: PAES block
12″ x 12″
2012
$100

Ohio Star: Physics Research

Posted on November 7, 2012 by admin

60″ x 48″
2014
$500

This photoquilt is based on a picture of the stairwell inside the Physics Research building at Ohio State. The palette is restricted to browns, golds, pale blues, and whites. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern creating the overall effect of an Escher-inspired series of neverending staircases.

As I normally do, I started by creating four 12-inch blocks which I sewed into a 24-inch square. I do this with lots of my quilts. Some go on to become full-size quilts, but many do not. I custom built a frame for the 24-inch version (below) and then decided to make a full-sized 4′ x 5′ version (above). The full-size quilt received The President’s Award at the 2014 Ohio State Staff Arts and Crafts Show.

24″ x 24″
2012
sold

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Ohio Star: Stadium Gates

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

48″ x 72″
2012
$500

Ohio Stadium, home of the Buckeyes, is surrounded by these gates, which incorporate the university’s “Block O” logo. In this photoquilt, the Block O repeats across the gates and is transformed into other shapes. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern.

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Ohio Star: Wexner Center

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

60″ x 48″
2012
$500

The Wexner Center is Ohio State University’s art gallery. The striking white geometric exterior contrasts nicely against the deep blue of the sky in these pictures. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern. This quilt received The Provost’s Award at the 2013 Ohio State Staff Arts and Crafts Show.

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Ohio Star: RPAC

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

72″ x 48″
2012
$500

RPAC stands for Recreation and Physical Activity Center, a gleaming glass building housing gymnasia, a track, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities on the campus of The Ohio State University. The red bridge connecting the RPAC to its neighbor is officially called the Scarlet Skyway. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern.

This photoquilt was accepted to The Inaugural Juried Exhibition at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus, Ohio from November 5, 2015 through January 9, 2016.

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Ohio Star: Knowlton Hall

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

48″ x 72″
2012
$500

This quilt incorporates an view looking up along the exterior of Knowlton Hall, which is home to the School of Architecture at The Ohio State University. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern.

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Ohio Star: Mirror Lake

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

48″ x 72″
2012
$500

This quilt incorporates an image of a tree root twisting between rocks at the edge of the path around Mirror Lake on the campus of The Ohio State University. The photos are sewn into a traditional Ohio star quilt pattern.

Ohio Star photoquilts | Other photoquilts

Wheels

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

48″ x 72″
2011
$750

The Wheels quilts emerged out of my interest in cars in general and hot rods in particular. In order to complete this quilt, I took pictures of different wheels for over three years. Not just any wheels could be used. Only wheels on cars that were cool, at least to me. The first complete quilt incorporated 4″ pictures of individual wheels. By collecting them en masse, their variations become more obvious. Some are chrome, some are painted, some are polished. Some tires are tall, some are low, some have whitewalls, some have black. By lining up scores of wheels (almost 200 different wheels are included) the pattern repeats but differences become more obvious.

The second Wheels quilt (pictured above) incorporates a snowball quilt pattern which injects a square of color where the corners of four wheels meet. This color is taken from the roofs, hoods, and fenders of the hot rods whose wheels are pictured. The largest quilt uses red squares, but several others have also been completed, including blue, green, and orange as seen in the smaller examples below.

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12 Wheels
16″ x 12″
2011
$150

9 Wheels
12″ x 12″
2011
$100

Pickles Are Gross

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

48″ x 72″
2009
$500

This quilt was inspired by my friend Marcie, who died of cancer in 2009. Her passing helped me realize the importance of living in the moment and not taking time for granted. Consequently, I shook myself out of a photoquilting hiatus and took the 36 pictures used in this quilt in a single evening. Because the subject (actually a cucumber, not a pickle) is rotated in intervals along two axes, it is difficult to determine just how many different pickles there are. By sewing the prints together in order, patterns are created over the quilt as the pickles fall in and out of alignment with each other. Although these photos are not in a quilt pattern — all 144 4″ x 6″ prints are sewn together without being cut — a very clear pattern emerges. I don’t actually know if Marcie hated pickles, but “Pickles are gross!” sounds like something she would have said with great enthusiasm.

Ohio Star photoquilts | Other photoquilts