In this piece of artwork, I see a collaboration of vibrant colors.  I chose this particular piece of artwork by Gail Katz-James because she displays her artwork in a creative way.  Gail Katz-James titled her artwork, “Hardware Quilt.”  I think the title is fitting because her artwork is shaped and put together like a quilt by assorted pieces of hardware. 

It immediately caught my attention when I was contemplating which piece to write about.  When I first looked at the multi-colored triangles, I could hear young children adoring the quilt as if they made it themselves.  I wish the artist could be present in this art museum to see all the people that love her collaboration.  I imagine that people of all ages would be drawn to this piece of artwork because it intriguing and unique. 

The bright colored beads stand out like wildflowers in a meadow.  The colors in her artwork are eye-catching and as I gaze at the art, I can smell sweet lilacs and roses.  In “Hardware Quilt,” Gail Katz-James uses blue, purple, green, and pink beads.  

I recognize different types of beads displayed in this piece of artwork.  There are twenty-eight triangles and each individual triangle is made up of the same color and shape of bead.  These triangles are formed by beads that are held together by string woven precisely into every bead.  Without the string, the triangles wouldn’t be able to stay together.  The beads rely on the string to keep a strong formation.  I think that the author is trying to portray that the string is a necessity to the other parts of the quilt.  In my life, I need every piece to function to support me.  If a piece in my life is missing, it will affect me because I will have to figure out how to function without it.  If a piece is broken or abnormal, it might slow me down because I won’t have the same amount of support without every piece presently working.  Just like the hardware quilt, my life goes smoothly when all the pieces work together.   
   

All the beads are shaped circularly, but have different shapes inside them individually.  There are star, sun, square, and oval shapes cut inside the beads that create negative space.  My favorite beads that Katz-James used were dark blue and shaped like a steering wheel on a pirate’s ship.  I imagine the dark blue beads would feel pointy and sharp if I were to touch the handles.  The dark blue beads contrasted from the rest of the other colored beads because they were darker compared to the bright beads.
 

There were circular shaped beads outside of each triangle that connected to all the other triangles by a small golden hook.  These small round beads match the colors of the circular beads that make up the triangles.  The string, hooks, and beads all collaborate together to create the triangles.

The triangles are in arranged alternating directions.  The first row has four triangles pointing down and the second row has three triangles pointing up.  The pattern of these rows repeat in opposing directions.  The triangles aren’t all agreeing in direction, but they all fit together perfectly.  The triangles can resemble different directions that I choose to take in certain situations.  I might face disagreements in my life, but my disagreements reach a consensus eventually.  To me, the triangles mean more than just individual pieces of hardware.  The triangles are significant because of their perfect size and shape.  There are no informalities or blemishes in the hardware quilt.  The color, shape, and size of the beads are all different.  Somehow, the artist created this piece of artwork so all the beads fit together perfectly.  The triangles are all uniform, but are also individually unique. 

In order for this piece of artwork to not fall apart, the string needs to be secure throughout all the beads.  I interpret that the artist wanted to display the beads as hopeless individuals.  As an individual bead I would feel out of place or lonely without the rest of the pieces.  The hooks and the string give the beads a function and purpose.  The beads are meaningless unless they are all put together to form a shape. 

Without the string, the beads won’t be able to stay fastened.  The artwork would be worthless if it was just a pile of assorted beads and a spool of string.  I also notice that the bottom of the artwork isn’t being supported by anything.  The triangles are unsupported and hanging from the top pole.  This piece of artwork is displayed as a real quilt would be displayed.  I wonder if the artist wanted the viewers to think that his artwork was meant to be unstranded and free towards the bottom.  

This reminds me of my own life because I rely on other people to help me and hold me together.   My friends and family keep me accountable with my participation in school and extracurricular activities.  I often face difficult times in my life.  Sometimes, it is hard for me to balance my good and bad days.  Life is a rollercoaster that everyone has to go through.  I face adversity throughout my life and I am thankful for the support of others around me.  I hope to help other people with their struggles as much as others support me through mine. 
This piece of artwork can describe my life in multiple ways.  This makes me wonder about what other meanings the author had in mind for her collage.  When I am leaving the art museum, I still imagine young children adoring the quilt.  I picture that this piece of artwork will be loved by all ages of people in the future.  As I take my last glance at, “Hardware Quilt,” I know that it will make a lasting impression on my life.