Seven Pines Designs

Breaking the Rules

2012-02-02T00:18:00.007-05:00

Sometimes, someone says something that you have to write down so you'll remember it always. If you're anything like me, those are the moments when you can't find the notebook you almost always carry in your purse. So you write the thought on a scrap of paper, sure that you're going to pin it immediately on your inspiration wall the moment you return home. And then you misplace the scrap of paper....

Well tonight I got into major clean-up and organize mode and found the scrap where I'd scribbled a quotation from the Alexander McQueen retrospective exhibition, "Savage Beauty" held at the Met this past summer.

You've got to know the rules to break them. That's what I'm here for, to demolish the rules, but keep the tradition. -- Alexander McQueen

Here's a beautiful example of this, scanned badly from a postcard I purchased in the gift shop:

Dress, Voss, Spring/Summer 2001
Red and black ostrich feathers and glass medical slides painted red
Alexander McQueen, 1969-2010
Photograph © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce

Do you agree? What rules should we, as artists, know, then break? Are they the rules of traditional quilt making? The rules of design such as composition, line, and color? When do you feel you've learned enough of the rules? Do you care about rules?

Circles in the exam room

2012-01-31T12:40:00.001-05:00

What do you do when you're bored / waiting in the exam room? Why, you challenge yourself to find as many circles as possible, of course. Here are some of mine:

Have you ever given yourself similar challenges, to "see" to pass the time?

Photo du Jour

2012-01-25T06:57:00.000-05:00

Shadows add beautifully to the pattern, yes?

Flora and Fauna in Futaleufu

2012-01-20T08:00:00.007-05:00

As promised, here are some flora and fauna pictures from our recent trip to Futaleufu.

Whoops, this one's dead. As in many places, steer skulls adorn fence posts. I wish I could have taken a picture of the fence laced with varmit carcasses, but there wasn't any place to pull over. But on to the living....

I've always thought ruched flowers were a little too frilly to represent anything in nature, but clearly I was wrong. Here's a real "ruched" flower.

I think birds and bugs may be some of the hardest subjects to photograph. They rarely seem to stay in one place for long and can land in the most inconvenient of spots. Luckily, I was able to camp out by this broken reed and get close enough to this dragonfly without having my shadow spook him. Is there some way to tell if it's a him or her? The color of the abdomen was positively electric.

I love these fuchsia and purple flowers which seem to be ubiquitous in warmer climates. Does anyone know what they are?

Hens and their broods roamed about freely. Most of the time they were fine, but sometimes.....

they fall victim to the many birds of prey in the area.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the whole trip. This wooly fellow has moss and lichen growing around his face. I guess it had been a while between shearing sessions.

This is the limb of a Monkey Puzzle tree, the national tree of Chile. The trunk and limbs are covered with these spiky scales. We were lucky that there was one such tree growing along the path between our cabins; they're considered very rare.

I got lucky with this photo, too. I kept forgetting it was the summer time there and nest building was in full swing. This fellow was flitting about and didn't mind that I watched where he was going. If I've identified him correctly as a male wren, he builds several nests and his mate decides which one she likes best. He also had been building outside the window of our cabin.

And finally, a photo of some of the noisiest creatures in the valley....

three very happy children on Chilean ranch horses. (The middle child is the daughter of our host; the other two are mine.) The horses and children were equally thrilled to run -- and I do mean run -- in the fields. They ran back and forth, racing and chasing each other. The horses were all good cutting horses, so there were a lot of quick starts and turns. And no, there aren't any riding helmets to be found in Chile.

Photo du Jour

2012-01-19T11:29:00.003-05:00

I took this while waiting in an examination room with my daughter. I think this is so cool! Who would have guessed? I suppose you really can find photo ops almost anywhere if you look closely enough.

Photo du Jour

2012-01-16T08:56:00.001-05:00

This is what can happen when you drop your camera and manage to catch it -- and depress the shutter -- before it hits the ground. I'm not sure I ever would have discovered this double bud flower in the midst of all the others. All I had to do was rotate the image because the original photo was upside down. I'm thinking not too bad.... chalk one up for serendipity.

First piece of the year

2012-01-13T08:30:00.005-05:00

For various reasons I've been struggling with a rather important piece for Fiber Revolution, so I decided to step back and finish something I started in the summer for my Textile Abstractions group. This piece came to mind as our nation's political parties debated how to address America's budget. We're all part of the same country, but boy, do we all have different ideas about how to solve problems. It can be wonderful and debilitating all at once.

I know the symbolism's not immediately apparent, so let me explain. The background references the fields covering so much of our country. The hole represents the gap in the budget and the square represents the financial debate -- you know, trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Finally, the quilting can be equated to lines of communication that sometimes intersect, but lots of times, especially when it comes to a heated topic, can go 'round and 'round in circles, never coming close to meeting. I don't know how Carol Taylor sews all those beautiful circles in her work; I think they're a bear!

Throughout the process I considered how to abstract my thoughts and feelings into the piece and that's something new for me. Let me also say that working with a hole in a quilt can be a ________. Overall, I'm satisfied with the effort and I think I'm ready to get back to work on my other piece. Just FYI -- this one was for the Textile Abstraction "Contrast" challenge and is called "The Debt Crisis: Trying to Fit a Square Peg into a Round Hole".

Textures and Patterns in Patagonia

2012-01-12T09:00:00.012-05:00

When I could, I stopped to take pictures during our adventures. I'll admit that I wasn't taking pictures while we portaged (or scrambled in my case) around some of the more dangerous Class V rapids. No, I was holding on tight to whatever tree limb, root, or vegetation could slow my slide down the hillside. In a rather comic turn of events, I got a stick stuck in my butt. I slipped during one descent and a sharp branch broke through my wetsuit, giving me a good wallop in the backside. I'm just saying now that it takes something very sharp applied with lots of force to poke through neoprene. I had to keep hiking and wait until we were on flat ground to remove the half that got stuck inside my suit. Not fun, but rather funny in the end -- after the shock wore off. The bruising took a little longer to disappear, unfortunately.

At any rate, I thought I'd tempt you with some of my favorite texture and pattern pictures today. Who wants to look at gorgeous mountain scenery all the time anyway? (Just kidding; I'm just feeling a little sassy at the moment.)

I don't know why I chose to take this last picture in black and white, but I think it really adds to the atmosphere of the shot. The elements look really stark, don't they? Reminds me of a crown of thorns.

Tune in next time for .... flora and fauna, I think. I may throw in a few pictures of the kids, so be forewarned.

Photo du Jour

2012-01-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

Color by the side of a Chilean dirt road

Scenes from Chile

2012-01-09T11:35:00.001-05:00

As I briefly mentioned earlier, we spent our Christmas vacation in Chile, in the Futaleufu region of Patagonia. It was an action-packed trip filled with white-water kayaking and rafting, hiking, and horseback riding. We spent lots of time on the crystal clear water -- so clean that you can drink it straight from any river or lake without a filter or iodine pill. Delicious! It was remarkable how everything is super-sized in Patagonia; that made distances hard to judge.

At any rate, I missed some fabulous photo-ops, like the horse who'd wandered inside the roadside bus stop (we were en-route to a put-in and couldn't pull over) and the river side scenery (rather hard to stop paddling/steering in rapids to take a picture). If I ever do anything like this again, I will investigate a GoPro camera for the top of my helmet so I can video while we navigate the rapids. I'd also double the number of days I'm there so I can wander around with my camera, just to take pictures. Still, I did manage to get some pictures I'm happy to share with you. Here are a few of my favorite scenery photos. Later in the week, I'll post some people pictures, textures, and the few plants and animals I was able to capture.

Sunken boat at the pier at Lago Lonconau

Pier adornment on Lago Lonconau

Looking back at Tres Monjas across the Futaleufu, from base camp

Looking west from our cabin after a morning rain

The turquoise water of the Futaleufu at the bottom of the Class 5 rapid, Zeta.
(We portaged around this very dangerous rapid.)

It was difficult to capture any sunsets because we rarely had clouds. This was at 10:00 pm; the sun's not completely down until about 10:45!

Clouds formations seen as we kayaked the Espolon River. This was the last day and it got too cloudy for a sunset picture that evening.

A hidden pasture discovered on a morning hike

Photo du Jour

2012-01-05T15:37:00.000-05:00

Morgan's corner bed in the cabin, beneath the cut-out window

Photo du Jour

2012-01-04T17:41:00.000-05:00

"Tres Monjas" (The Three Nuns) behind the Christmas cabin

Where I spent my Christmas vacation

2012-01-03T13:50:00.001-05:00

We spent our Christmas vacation in this cabin in the foothills of the Andes in Futaleufu, Chile and woke to these views. I'll share more as I get caught up, but let me say this -- it was FABULOUS!

Photo du Jour

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

STITCHED with Deborah Boschert

2011-12-22T18:21:00.002-05:00

I'm so pleased to share with you the news that my friend, Deborah Boschert, is offering classes as part of STITCHED. STITCHED is a collection of 20 online video workshops by 20 talented fabric artists. Students have access to all 20 workshops and can choose to view and work on the projects any time of the day, any day of the week. Registration opened on December 1st and the workshops kick off on January 1st and run through June 1st. Registration is only $89. Deborah is teaching a workshop titled, "Branches, Buds and Blossoms: A Botanical Fabric Collage." She includes videos on selecting fabrics, adding surface design, composing and improvisational hand embroidery.

To read more about it, including how to register for classes , please visit her blog:
http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com/2011/12/stitched-workshop.html

Deborah is a wonderful artist and very knowledgeable. You'll learn a lot and I think this is just the thing to get your creative juices flowing!

Deborah's sample project for STITCHED

Photo du Jour

2011-12-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Knowing the Artist

2011-11-22T20:09:00.003-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting several artists whose work I admire. We were all at a bustling gallery reception and the art looked fabulous. Everyone was having a great time. Then, the gallerist flashed the lights, signaling the end of the party.

A few of us weren't ready to go home quite yet, so we went out for an impromptu dinner. Though some of us had only met an hour before, we were joking and sharing as if we'd been friends for much longer. It was an absolute delight.

And, while I've loved/ pondered/mulled over these artists' artwork for a while, I think I have a new appreciation for it. I think I understand it better now. Has this ever happened to you? Do you think knowing the artist, even a bit, makes a difference?

In my case, I think it does. The women I met are intelligent and vibrant women who could, I'm sure, create lots of different kinds of art. But after spending time with them, I understand a smidgeon better why they create what they do. Perhaps that's very simplistic. I certainly don't want to simplify the effort put into anyone's work or demean the complexity of their art but, without sounding trite, I have to say that I can hear the whisper of their muse behind every story they shared. I can see, just a bit more clearly, how this is THEIR art.

In this case, spending time with the artists added even more depth and meaning to every stitch and line. At other times, I've better understood motivations and appreciated the expression in a piece more, especially if the piece wasn't one of my favorite.

Does all this make sense?

Perhaps you've all made this discovery before, but it was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. For me, it was rather ....

...... I can see a little more closely into the art now. Wow. How cool is that?

Wall Art

2011-11-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

Most of the time, I'm not a big fan of graffiti; it's often obscene or derogatory and I don't have much patience for that. But sometimes, I think graffiti artists have something compelling to say.... assuming I can decipher the absolutely cool lettering.

Anyway, here's an example of graffiti that's just my speed. I like what this person has to say. I can read it easily. What do you think of it? It was painted five stories up. Now what I want to know is, how in the world did the painter 1) get up there? 2) give the letters dimension / depth (I have a hard time doing that with a pencil and eraser, let alone paint)? 3) paint the letters correctly even though (s)he was painting them from an upside down perspective?

If you were the building owner, would you try to clean this off?

For more sanctioned building wall art, how about this one? It's a whimsical mosaic and I just love it. It makes me smile.

Photos on the Fly

2011-11-10T11:18:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, I spent a few hours in the city. It was one of those glorious fall days where even the city air smelled crisp and clean, the sky was a gorgeous blue, and people were out in droves. Natalya and I went to a gallery (more on that later) and then walked to lunch. I thought it was a fabulous opportunity to surreptitiously take photos of folks passing by.

Fail, fail, fail.

Most of the pictures turned out something like this: a close-up of my scarf

or a view of our shadows on the sidewalk.

If you've ever successfully taken pictures on the street, how did you do it? I'm using my small camera so I can be as unobtrusive as possible, but clearly, I need some help. I would love to use photos of people as inspiration for artwork and I don't want to give up yet. Suggestions, please!

Memories of Goblin

2011-11-07T21:22:00.002-05:00

I've been gone from blog-land for good reason. Just before Halloween, we became one of the thousands of households left without power as a result of the Snowtober snowstorm. Luckily for us, a very kind and dear friend took us in -- including our two dogs! We were away for almost a week and there wasn't much time to think, let alone blog.

We were all settled in again by end of day Friday, which was just in time for our older Lab, Goblin. He had started to feel a bit poorly while we were away but, by the time we were back home again, he felt it was safe to begin his goodbyes. We learned about his diagnosis at the start of September and today, he succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was a great dog and we were lucky and honored to have him. Here are a few memories:

Even though he was very manly, Goblin loved his squeaky stuffed animals

He also loved a good belly rub

He could never resist hanging by the fire, even long, long ago

He hated looking at the camera as he got older.... I never could figure out why.

I think he looked regal, even when he was wearing The Cone of Shame

And, he was a great, loving, and patient "big brother" to Bella

Good bye, sweet dog. We love you.

Words and Photographs

2011-10-19T17:24:00.001-04:00

I've just been told that my photos, Lily Shelter and Waiting to Ride, will be on display as part of the Eye of the Quilter exhibition at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. Yeah! I'm going to Houston -- well, sort of. Something of mine will be there.....

Lily Shelter

Waiting to Ride

Photo du Jour

2011-10-16T18:13:00.002-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-10-12T20:46:00.000-04:00

Brazilian eggplant -- saw them for the first time at the farmers' market

Photo du Jour

2011-10-09T12:18:00.000-04:00

Farmers' market bounty

To Donate or Not to Donate

2011-09-24T21:07:00.016-04:00

There's been a spirited on-line discussion (some might call it a heated debate) about a call for donations which was presented via Friday's SAQA e-bulletin. Karey Bresenhan, a former SAQA board member, asked SAQA members to consider donating a small art quilt that could be sold through the shop of the soon-to-be-opened Texas Quilt Museum. Prices for the pieces would be between $100 and $200.

It seemed like an innocuous request to me, but really got under the skin of others. As I understand it, there were two reasons why:

1) The pricing was too low. Objectors felt such pricing was devaluing art quilts in general and would limit public perception of the value of our art.

My rebuttal: For many of us, at this point in our artistic careers, a $100-$200 price tag is appropriate for a small piece of our work and, therefore, doesn't devalue it. There are certainly some artists who are much farther along in their careers and who likely don't have a great deal of artwork that fits into that pricing category. I accept and respect their decision not to contribute something with a prescribed price. However, there are also other artists who want to support Karey and will donate something, even if they could sell it for a higher price elsewhere. That's okay; that's their choice. I don't think anyone should feel guilty or be chastised for donating if they deem it appropriate to do so nor if they choose not to. How and where an artist chooses to sell, donate, or present their artwork is a personal decision to be made in accordance to their personal goals and values.

As for pricing, I believe that Karey knows better than most what the market can bear in her area for small art quilts. (For clarity, let me note that I think something up to 12" x 12" can be considered small.) Pricing varies throughout the country; what may sell for $100 in Texas may sell for more in New York and less in Louisiana. That's simply economics. The point of a museum shop is to generate income. Therefore, stock that doesn't sell, either because it doesn't appeal to buyers or is priced too high, will be of no use. Remember, these are mostly impulse purchases that strike an emotional chord with the purchaser. Karey's goal, then, is to offer pieces that are going to relatively fly off the shelves because they can't be resisted; attractive artwork at a fair price point will hopefully do just that. As pieces sell, the market will likely tolerate higher prices; Karey just doesn't believe we're there yet. I'm going to trust her judgement on this one.

2) SAQA's e-bulletin should not have been the delivery mechanism for the request. Objectors felt is wasn't appropriate for SAQA to be part of an effort to support or endorese what appears to be a museum more focused on exhibiting traditional works. In addition, many felt SAQA should have policies in place that will dictate what kind of material can be sent to the membership.

My rebuttal: I don't disagree that a Board discussion about this situation would be helpful. I imagine no one thought twice about presenting the membership with an opportunity from Karey Bresenhan to sell via a museum shop. However, I can see the validity in concerns that the lack of guidelines could lead to a slippery slope. A future discussion should outline basic principles at to who can "speak" through SAQA bulletins and for what purpose. However, I believe a thoughtful application of the rules should be employed, as opposed to a rigid one.

And here's an additional point I don't think anyone has mentioned. If I'd read my emails sooner, I would have liked to bring it up in the public discussion, but I feel it's too late to chime in now.

The mission of SAQA is as follows:
Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development and documentation.

I think placing the request in one of SAQA's e-bulletins is in accordance with that mission. Offering artwork through the museum shop immediately places a value on them, something that a more traditionally-minded audience might not otherwise do. It seems to me that the museum's target audience at the moment is one more inclined to traditional quilts. Well, we certainly can't expect the museum to host an art quilt exhibition just yet.... nor can we expect these folks to visit an art quilt gallery show, either. But offering items through the gift shop is, I think, a wonderful way to introduce them to art quilts. Here's an audience we might not otherwise reach because they aren't currently attracted to our art form. They'll discover there's more "out there" by seeing our pieces displayed. Perhaps a shopper will be captivated by a piece, buy it, and be intrigued enough to look up the artist on the internet. Look, we've started to educate a consumer and that's very much in line with SAQA's mission. This may be a novel approach to raising awareness, but I don't think it's any less valid than other ways. With that in mind I think the SAQA e-bulletin was an appropriate vehicle for this message.

Now, as folks become more familiar with and more informed about the diversity in our art form, I hope shop pricing can go up. Hopefully Karey can broaden her audience and visitor pool enough to support art quilt exhibitions. In the mean time, I hope to create something worthy of a museum gift shop that's compelling enough to be purchased. At this stage of my game, I think this is worthwhile. Besides, I never would have gotten started with art quilting without the Journal Quilt Project; I can try to give something back. And who knows where a patron may come from?

--- Please feel free to leave rebuttals and comments. A thoughtful dialogue is always a good idea!

Photo du Jour

2011-09-22T06:28:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T08:57:00.000-04:00

Web Anchor

Getting in the Way of Art

2011-09-15T08:42:00.001-04:00

The school year's started and though I hoped it would spell more time for art, that hasn't been the case. Sadly, I've been occupied with Goblin, our beloved black Lab. He was suddenly lethargic and didn't care to eat much. After trips to the vet, ultrasounds and x-rays, and discussions with oncologists, we've reached the conclusion that Goblin has a very aggressive form of cancer that won't be resolved with surgery and doesn't respond to chemotherapy. As a family, we've decided to keep him spoil him for the time he has left with us. I'm getting a little comfort in my belief he's sure that he's a much loved dog, but my heart still aches for the time I wish we still had. I was counting on years and years; it's hard to realize it's likely only going to be a couple of months. Still, I marvel that in the midst of his discomfort, he can be the silly, fun-loving dog just a short while after being strapped down and shaved for an ultrasound. This dog has spirit.

On the art note, Goblin and some school snafu's have occupied my time and little has happened up in my studio. I'm please to report that my article, Do I have to journal? is part of the Fall 2011 SAQA Journal. I'm curious to see what hoopla it may generate since I take the tact that I haven't successfully integrated journaling into my art process .... sort of goes against the grain. You can read the article on-line and read it again, when you get your copy. I'm excited. Also included in the issue is my interview with featured artist, Patty Hawkins. Oh, does she make beautiful art! I found it fascinating that she still felt she had so much to learn, even as successful as she is. Wow.

And finally, this Saturday is the artists' reception for our FiberArt Northeast group. The exhibition is called Fiber +Thread=Art III: A Colorful Show. The exhibition will be up through the month of September at the Mahopac Library Gallery and showcases our monochromatic art (with an accent). My piece, Rex Ray Gray, is hanging in the exhibit, along with works by Natalya Aikens, Jane Davila, Cindy Green, and Norma Schlager to name just a few. Here's the cover art of our postcard as a tease. Stop by if you get a chance; I'm sure you'll see something that catches your eye.

What are the odds?

2011-09-04T10:49:00.000-04:00

What are the odds that we'd be in San Francisco when there was an earthquake felt in New York? Well, that's exactly what happened. We were on vacation in California when the earthquake happened. My husband and son were playing golf and the girls and I wandered around Chinatown on an unusually clear day. Oh, the riot of colors! Here's one of my favorite photos of the day, filled with the lanterns that adorned many of the balconies.

Of course, we did make it back to New York for the hurricane. Now, things are getting back to normal, though our house will be emptier since we won't have friends stopping by to take showers. Everything's getting ready for the start of school -- I can't believe it's already September.

I hope you had a good summer. I certainly did.

A Cheddar Cheese Moon in California

2011-08-26T23:16:00.000-04:00

Nope, not PhotoShopped!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T09:00:00.001-04:00

Something Totally Different Than My Usual

2011-08-22T14:19:00.000-04:00

Our FiberArt NorthEast group is hosting an exhibition in September at the Mahopac Library gallery. The exhibit is curated by Joyce Sullivan.

Though open to all our members, Joyce set some guidelines for participation. All of the pieces had to be finished to 9" x 20" and mounted to a white 12" x 24" canvas. The pieces could be either vertical or horizontal in orientation. Each piece had to be monochromatic, using any and all hues of the selected color, but we could also use one accent color. The main color had to be included in the title.

I just finished my piece, inspired by the work of Rex Ray, whom I've recently discovered through a duplicate book Robin wanted to find a new home for. I find his work to be joyful and sophisticated, all at the same time. I'm attracted to the "neatness" of his collage and the vibrant colors. Because I'm not a natural at collage or abstract, I took a cue for some of his work and used it as a starting point for mine.

There are things about the piece which I like (the colors, my wonky piecing on the side, and the suggestion of background squares created by the lines of fabric), but there are things I wish had turned out better. Mostly, I'm disappointed that my fusible didn't behave so well and there are sections where the fabric is fraying. I would have preferred clean edges. Rex's flowing shapes are much more elegant than mine; I struggled to draw one and ended up just cutting free-hand, hence some of the less than smooth curves. It also doesn't fill the space as completely as I would have liked. Still, I am pleased that I made an abstract collage that I'm comfortable showing to the world. Here's Rex Ray Gray (inspired by #2754):

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T14:12:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-08-06T20:17:00.000-04:00

S'mores!

Photo du Jour

2011-08-05T11:00:00.003-04:00

Two-fer redwood

The Company of Friends

2011-08-04T09:00:00.003-04:00

It's been a busy, crazy summer with lots of comings and goings. But I've also been blessed to have two weekends filled with the joy of being with girlfriends. It's been great.

The warm, fuzzy feeling has been lingering and, when I sat down to quickly make a spirit flag (akin to a prayer flag and inspired by Vivika Denegre's Prayer Flag Project ) for our upcoming Fiber Arts Northeast exhibit in September, I knew just what I was thankful for: the company of friends.

What are you thankful for?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-08-02T17:43:00.000-04:00

In the Absence of Fiber Arts Magazine

2011-07-29T09:51:00.004-04:00

I know many of us have been lamenting the loss of Fiber Arts to economics. It's a shame to learn that there's not enough demand in the market to support a publication that was well-written, educational without being pedantic, with good photography.

Along with the SAQA Journal (for which I have a special fondness, of course), I urge you to take a look at the Surface Design Journal. Published by the Surface Design Association (SDA), the Surface Design Journal is a quarterly publication distributed to SDA members. The small print under the title of each journal says it all: "creative exploration of fiber and fabric". This may be a perfect fit for those trying to inform themselves of artwork outside our "quilt" niche.

The Summer 2011 Journal focuses on paper and books. I've had a rare opportunity this morning to sit quietly for a bit and read undisturbed. I've found what I've read so far fascinating. Editor Patricia Malarcher notes in her editorial many fabric artists began working with paper in the 1960's and 70's as paper making saw a resurgence during that time. Who knew? Further evidence, I guess, that one art form can inform another. I've also read interesting articles about starting papermaking in Ghana, how Mary Hark came to create her paper artwork that has "quilt-like structure", and about joomchi, a Korean papermaking tradition. I haven't read the whole issue yet, but I'm going to set aside time later today to do so. I have lots to learn.

What are you reading?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T09:02:00.001-04:00

Going to California Without Me

2011-07-24T15:12:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, my husband flew with our youngest daughter to California. He has business to conduct out there and she is going to be backpacking, hiking, and kayaking in various wilds of the state with a small group. I'm so happy for her; this is going to be such a great experience.

Because they're going to be traveling about, my daughter will only be able to get mail once during her two week trip. Care packages can't be sent (no fun wrestling a mountain lion over chocolate chip cookies), but letters are welcome. I've sent off three postcards. One is a souvenir from the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibit viewed on Thursday. While there were some things that would have made her uncomfortable to see, I'm sure the flower dress, Sarabande, would have been one of her favorites. (There will be more on the exhibit at a later date, after I have had time to thoroughly absorb my impressions and what I've learned through the catalog.) The other two are quick fabric cards made using a combination of patterns available in A Forest of Quilts, by Terrie Kralik. These aren't typical of what I do, but having something already drawn cut down on production time and I didn't have a lot to spare -- as a result, they were a perfect fit.

Now, off to finish some chores, then to the studio to work. I'm hoping to share some thoughts on a new direction soon (tried and true, but new for me).

Orange

2011-07-21T17:03:00.002-04:00

The Twelve x Twelve Group is hosting orange in their last color play challenge. I love orange. I literally have piles and piles of orange fabrics. I take lots of pictures featuring orange, especially of poppies. BUT, I don't think I've ever made a quilt with orange as the predominant color. What's that about? I wonder why. Do any of you have colors that you love that don't make their way into your artwork? If so, why do you suppose it is?

Some photos of orange.....

Something New on my Design Wall

2011-07-17T19:57:00.003-04:00

I've been away from my studio for weeks (maybe even months) and I was a bit nervous about getting back into things. I started to pick out fabrics for a piece I'm making for a Fiber Revolution exhibition; good work, but not what I was in the mood for. Instead, I picked up a TAP transfer that's been languishing on my wall and started to pick through fabrics to go with it. Lo and behold, the ugliest -- and I do mean the ugliest -- fabric ever was actually a pretty good fit. I screenprinted this very ugly fabric at a studio workshop with Rayna Gillman. It's not her fault at all; I mixed and muddied my colors. But somehow, it seems to fit the mood and feel of what I'd like to do. I haven't pieced it all together yet, but I like the direction this is going. What do you think?

Back from Nationals

2011-07-14T15:59:00.002-04:00

We are back from Nationals and starting to get back into the swing of things. Actually, we were back yesterday, but I spent the day just trying to make our home civilized again; cleaning out the refrigerator after I've been gone for almost a week can be a very scary job. In any event, it was a tiring, but very exciting, Nationals. The girls danced beautifully and had a marvelous time for their first year going.

In the end, their large group lyrical dance placed 3rd in their division (11-12 year old, advanced); their small group jazz and open dances tied for second; and, their small group lyrical dance came in first, not only in their division, but overall!

Here's a photo of their small group lyrical dance, "Two Birds", choreographed by Jennifer Parsley, taken earlier in the year.

"Two Birds", choreographed by Jennifer Parsley; performed by Breaking Ground Dance Junior Company; photo credit NRG

Heading to Dance Nationals

2011-07-06T16:42:00.001-04:00

I don't know if I'll have time to post during the next week. I'm off in an hour or so, to take my youngest daughter to her national dance competition. Yikes!

Dancing to "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar; solo choreographed by Gina Mazzarella; photo by NRG

Thoughts on Quilt National 2011 Book

2011-07-03T15:55:00.005-04:00

Quilt National 2011; Lark Books; www.LarkCrafts.com; ISBN 978-1-60059-799-2

I just read my Quilt National 2011: The Best of Contemporary Quilts book, showcasing each of the quilts in the current QN exhibit. I was so excited to see it, not only because I wasn't able to attend the opening, but also because a number of Fiber Revolution members were juried in. I'm so excited for my fellow Revolutionaries!

The book has two implied sections: the written portion which includes an introduction and the jurors' statements, followed by the section with images of each of the quilts, accompanied by the artist statements. I read the first part with interest, especially the jurors' statements. I was particularly taken by Pauline Verbeek-Cowart's statement for its brutal honesty. She admitted to having a predisposition about what she was expecting to see among the entries. She's not a quilter, but a weaver, and came to the jurying process with a bias based on her experience in her field. She wrote, "New tools allow us to do things that were not possible before...It is not so much the idea that new tools are better, because often they are not, but they entice us to ask questions and stimulate us to think of new ways to create and express our interests. I viewed the more than 1,000 entries with this mindset the first time around and I was initially disappointed. Not a single entry in my opinion represented that leap into new territory, or challenged conventional notions of the medium and stood as a radical new approach."

That gave me pause. So I went back to the QN website to see what their expectations are for entries and it states the following:

"The work must possess the basic structural characteristics of a quilt. It must be predominantly fabric or fabric-like material and must be composed of at least two full and distinct layers (a face layer and a backing layer). The face layer may be described by any or a combination of the following terms: pieced, appliquéd, whole cloth, stitch/fused to a foundation. The face and backing layers must be held together by hand- or machine-made functional quilting stitches or other elements that pierce all layers and are distributed throughout the surface of the work. At least some of these stitches or elements should be visible on the back of the work. As an alternative, the work may be a modular construction (an assemblage of smaller quilts). Each individual module, however, must meet the above structural criteria."

Well, in my opinion, that description means that pieces appropriate for QN are going to continue to be fiber-based and, somehow, tangibly derivative (whether through appearance or structure) from the traditions of quilting. I'm not sure that, while this definition stands, there will be any large number of submissions that will push the envelope in terms of materials (such as recycled bottle caps as the base for the work) or technique (such as adding LED lights). But Pauline's opinion, as an "outsider", is very thought-provoking. I don't know how I'll respond to it -- I'll probably continue working as I do since that's how my voice speaks -- but I think I will question what I do more.

Based on what I've seen in the book, I think the three jurors did a magnificent job of choosing the pieces for this year's exhibition. Of course, nothing can compare to seeing the pieces in person, but I think that, through the book, we can get a good sense of the mastery on display. I loved reading each of the artist's statements. I looked through the book three times before I felt I could stop. First I just looked at the pictures. Then I read the whole book, start to finish. Then I looked through it again, backwards. I really, really, really wish I could see these pieces up close and personal. For example, just how close are the quilting lines in Judy Kirpich's and Lisa Call's pieces? Is there texture in Katherine K. Allen's painted surface besides the stitching? What does the stitching look like in Helene Davis' piece?

And this leads me to my one criticism of the book. As Pauline said, "...most fiber does not translate well, nor is fully represented, in digital form.....If stitching, piecing, texture, or a special surface treatment are crucial elements in a quilt, they have to be visible in the detail shot." I couldn't agree more and wish that Lark Books had taken note of that sentiment. I understand that this is meant to be a cocktail art book and, as such, is supposed to be a visual treat with a high-end feel -- hence the hard cover. However, in my opinion, much of the beauty in our art form comes from the texture created by the artist. I would prefer that Lark use a format enabling us to see detail photos of all the pieces, not just those for which there was extra space on the page. For example, I would have loved to see a detail of Sue Cavanaugh's, Ori-Kume 20 piece, the winner of the Lynn Goodwin Borgman Award for Surface Design. Unfortunately, the page couldn't accommodate a detail shot. Too bad. I'd be willing to trade a hard cover for more pages in a volume containing detail pictures from all the quilts. (If you do want to see excellent pictures of the exhibit, along with some thought-provoking text, visit Kathy Loomis' blog. She wrote an eleven-part series on her impressions on the exhibit, especially interesting since she's an exhibitor as well. She also reviews other shows and shares her thoughts on art in general. I'm a big fan.)

Lest you think otherwise, I consider the book money well spent. I'm sure I'll linger over it for many hours to come and force my children to linger over it, too. And some day, I hope to get to see the exhibit myself. But first, I'm going up to my studio to ask myself thoughtful questions about what I'm creating.

School's Out for Summer!

2011-06-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

Luscious Flower Colors

2011-06-23T19:41:00.001-04:00

Look at the luscious flower colors I saw yesterday!

Photo du Jour

2011-06-17T09:51:00.000-04:00

Where I've Been

2011-06-16T13:49:00.005-04:00

Hello! I'm so excited that I'm writing in my blog, but I must remember to keep it short or I'll be here all day, babbling on and on to make up for lost time.

So, what have I been up to this last month? Well, I've had bits and spurts of art. I went to second half of the Masterworks exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum. I was so sad to hear the very next day that the museum would be closing. I also attended the opening for Susan Schrott's solo exhibition at the Flat Iron Gallery. To date, I think Susan's sold four pieces!

I took a trip to New Jersey to learn screen printing from a master: Rayna Gillman. I had to leave before the end of class to meet the children after school, but I was so happy I went. I've discovered that I love screenprinting! Here are a few samples of what I made that day:

I've been doing lots of editing, working on articles for both the Summer and Fall SAQA Journal issues. I've learned a lot and have had many interesting email exchanges with contributing artists. So, so cool!

I haven't spent much time in the studio because a large portion of the spare time has been taken up by physical therapy. I finally reached my breaking point and decided I had to do something about the hip pain I was having, left over from an injury at Thanksgiving. I started in May and the sessions, including travel time, take about 2 1/2 hours. Do that three times a week and you've lost a big hunk of time. But I'm finally seeing some improvements; too bad I've used up all the sessions allowed by my doctor's orders. I'll see what comes next. Nonetheless, here's the last piece I worked on. It was for my Textile Abstractions group challenge; the theme was "text".

Bet you can't guess what this one is called...

I took a few hours one morning and was filmed for a "Letters to the Editor" segment for the upcoming, "In Stitches" e-mag. My film debut! We'll see if they use my footage. My dear friend, Jane Davila is the editor for In-Stitches and I'm so excited for her. And, my website is LIVE! You can check it out at www.VivienZepf.com . There are still a few photos and quilts to upload, but it's available for viewing. Many and sincere thanks to Jane for doing this, as well. She is a very talented woman!

This week I sent off my quilt for Sacred Threads and a small piece to be shown at the Morris Museum gift shop, in conjunction with a Fiber Revolution exhibit starting June 23rd.

And, in between all this, I've planted my vegetable garden (it took me a week) and have been taking pictures when I can.

Look - my first red pepper flower!

Sometimes I love the drama of black and white.

Now, I'm hoping to go off and spend about an hour in my studio before my youngest gets home from school. Lots to do: SAQA auction piece, Textile Abstractions piece, Fiber Revolution piece.....

I'm so excited!

I Think I'm Emerging...

2011-06-15T18:08:00.001-04:00

from my time crunch and will hopefully be able to write tomorrow. I've missed my studio and blog....

Word-y Wednesday

2011-05-11T15:24:00.000-04:00

Do you know what "calimanco" means? I didn't until last night. Here's a photo clue. I'll give you the answer tomorrow.....

Am I Allowed to Pout?

2011-05-06T19:59:00.001-04:00

I know it's not very mature of me, but still... My poor little one!

Photo du Jour

2011-05-05T23:13:00.000-04:00

Word-y Wednesday

2011-04-27T12:00:00.001-04:00

I'm all for posting warnings and making sure people are safe, but when did we get to the point when we need to remind people not to bring ALCOHOL OR DRUGS to a construction site? What's wrong with this picture?

Oh Joy!

2011-04-24T12:38:00.000-04:00

First, and most importantly, Happy Easter!

Second, I'm thrilled and honored to report that my quilt, "Joy" has been juried into the 2011 Sacred Threads Exhibition. Wow.

Photo du Jour

2011-04-23T10:53:00.000-04:00

Rain droplets on poppy leaf "hair"

My Work was Cited in a Review!

2011-04-20T11:37:00.001-04:00

I just found out that my work was cited -- kindly, I'd like to add -- in the Rochester City Newspaper review of the Northeast Regional Contemporary Fiber Exhibition . How cool is that?!? You can read the whole review here.

"On the Streets"

The exhibition will be up until May 9th. I'm hoping to go to the Artists' Reception on May 6th. If all goes well, I'll be road-tripping up to Rochester with my sister-in-law. Our husbands (and the three other brothers) get away for weekends together, so we're looking forward to the chance to do something ourselves.

Woo hoo and all that other good stuff!

Impressions of SOFA

2011-04-17T14:53:00.005-04:00

On Friday, Natalya and I went into New York City to visit SOFA, the International Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Fair. I had never been to the exhibition before and had no idea what to expect. I was glad we had a VIP, get-in-free card, since the $25 admission fee is a bit pricey, in my opinion, for what you get.

My first impression had to do with the space. SOFA was held at the Park Avenue Armory and I had just been there for the Infinite Variety, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts exhibit. It didn't look like the same space at all. The space was well lit without being glaring and there were three rows of booths set up, with a few set up along the edges. Most of the space had white walls, adding to the brightness of the interior, but with all the colorful displays, it hardly seemed boring.

It took Natalya and I about 2 1/2 hours to peruse and enjoy the art. We had the pleasure of speaking with a few gallery owners and some of the artists. I was surprised to see how many galleries represented glass objects and art. It was a bit more than I cared for. There was one glass artist, however, whose work really struck a chord with me: Joanne Teasdale, represented here by the Jane Sauer gallery in Santa Fe. She created some beautiful, ethereal, multi-layered photographs in glass that evoked the idea of dreams to me. One of my favorite pieces of hers was the recreation of a three page love letter from a sailor to his beloved in 1945, starting with "Dearest Wife". You could pick up and look at each individual lightly browned glass pages. It was wonderful.

Jane Sauer Gallery postcard

We had a wonderful conversation with "beadist"(isn't that a great word?) Jan Huling. A last minute exhibitor, her work is not represented in the SOFA catalog and what a shame that is. Her whimsical bead creations are a delight. In a nutshell, she finds objects she'd like to cover -- ranging from Cupie dolls to shoes to anatomical heart molds -- using beads and a plethora of found objects. She spreads a fine layer of glue over the object and then delicately places a string of beads on top. Once the beads are in place and secure, she removes the string and starts another row. It's hard to imagine the patience she has; the precision with which she lays her beads is staggering. I was surprised at her pricing; I thought she could easily ask for more. Jan is represented in New York by the Lyons Wier Gallery.

Jan Huling creation on Lyons Wier Gallery postcard

Both Natalya and I stopped dead in our tracks when we saw Lesley Richmond's work. Lesley was also represented here by the Jane Sauer Gallery of Santa Fe. As I understand the process for the work shown here, Richmond takes photographs of trees, prints those images on a special medium, stitches atop the images, then uses heat to eliminate portions of the substrate and raise up other sections, creating holes and dimension. Her final step includes painting the surface with metallic paints. The lighting in the booth added another dimension to the work, creating shadows in and about the trees because the work was hung slightly away from the wall. We were allowed to touch the surface and it had a stiffness to it that belied its lacy and delicate appearance. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Jane Sauer Gallery postcard

I was personally drawn to the creations of Jane Balsgaard, a Danish sculpture who is inspired by the notion of defying gravity and uses elements of the natural world for her materials. She uses plant material she grows as the backbone structure for her pieces and then adheres homemade plant paper to flesh out the form. There's an interplay between the spines of the pieces and the lightness of them that I found fascinating. To me, they seem magical. Of course, I was especially taken with The Circle Boat because I'm so in love with circles. It had a red dot, so it wasn't going home with me. (The price was too high for my budget, really, but I can dream...)

For fear of making this too long of a post, I'll just quickly go through a few of the other artists / artwork that spoke to me.

Jim Rose who uses found metal to create lively steel furniture, some of which uses traditional quilt patterns for ornamentation.

Katherine Glover who uses an archival handmade paper from India and her own hand-mixed fluid acrylics to create pulsating, colorful panels. I would have loved to see more of her work since she uses paper in a variety of exciting ways.

Jane Sauer Gallery postcard

Akiyama Yo who creates sculptural pottery and vessels that were new and old at the same time. They looked like they'd just been plucked from the earth, covered in crusty dust that was fundamental to their beauty. Sounds like a bunch of hogwash, I know, but they really were dramatic and beautiful in a very compelling way. And I'm not the only one who thought so -- all but one of his pieces were sold already by mid-morning on Friday.

Alison Mercer, a UK artist, who creates lovely doll-like forms that showcase fine hand embroidery and have a touch of seriousness, as most also include some womb-like structure.

Geoffrey Gorman who makes delightful animal sculptures from found objects as varied as tree branches, wire, and cloth that still manage to convey realistic creature mannerisms.

By no means have I referenced all the wonderful things to see. If you're interested in perusing the entire list of exhibitors and view some of artwork photographs, please click here.

Photo du Jour

2011-04-14T13:54:00.000-04:00

Word-y Wednesday

2011-04-13T15:13:00.003-04:00

I happen to agree with John Steinbeck who wrote "I guess there are never enough books.... (Books are) one of the few authentic magics our species has created."

My bedside table is clear evidence that I am of one mind with him.

Don't look so shocked. Didn't I confess last week that I'm obsessed with books and the written word? And just so you know, all those books aren't mine. I swap with a girlfriend and about half of these are hers. Still, I suppose this could look bad...

Photo du Jour

2011-04-11T16:40:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-04-10T09:31:00.000-04:00

Wordy Wednesday

2011-04-06T08:00:00.007-04:00

I love to read. I'm as "bad" about books as I am about fabric; I can't leave a bookstore without at least one new book in hand. Are you like this, too?

At any rate, things in my life have settled down enough that I've finally been able to start reading again. Oh Joy! Maybe it's just 15 minutes here and there, but it makes me so happy.

The sad part is that I now realize I'm not as good at my vocabulary as I used to be. I'm certain that I'm coming across words I should very well know. I learn best when I write things down so, along with writing my newly learned words in my book journal, I'm going to share them with you here on Wordy Wednesday. There may be some weeks when I haven't stumbled across something new, but if I do, I'll report back here. What do you think? Will you bear with me as I learn a-new?

This week's words are

tumescent: somewhat tumid; swollen; distended
oleaginous: oily
serried: crowded

putti: This one wasn't in my dictionary. Anyone know what it means? Melanie, oh wise literary goddess, what is this?

Photo du Jour

2011-04-04T22:06:00.000-04:00

Northeast Regional Contemporary Fiber Exhibition

2011-04-01T09:42:00.001-04:00

Today is the opening of the Northeast Regional Contemporary Fiber Exhibition presented by the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) and The Surface Design Association. Bleu Cease, the Director of RoCo, shared the following in a February 25, 2011 press release:

Our jurors have strong backgrounds and expertise in fiber art and they selected works that will intrigue and challenge viewers. The pieces range in scale, concept, materials and process. The artworks in the exhibition also represent a range of artistic voices. The exhibition will generate a lot of discussion and debate, and that is the kind of dialogue and exchange that Rochester Contemporary Art Center exists to create.

I am thrilled and honored to be one of 22 artists represented in this exhibition of 28 works.

Front and back of exhibition postcard

Photo du Jour

2011-03-31T12:44:00.000-04:00

A shot of the Armory floor during the Infinite Variety exhibit. Can you believe that even the floor looked lovely?

Photo du Jour

2011-03-30T11:15:00.000-04:00

Red and White Quilts at the Armory

2011-03-27T10:15:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of viewing the exhibit, Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts at the Park Avenue Armory on Friday. From March 25 - March 30, the American Folk Art Museum is showcasing the magnificent 650 red and white quilt collection of Joanna S. Rose. While viewing 650 quilts may seem onerous and tiring, the presentation conceived by Thinc Design is masterful. Most of the quilts hang suspended from the ceiling in large stacked circles. Visitors can walk among the quilts, getting up close and personal with some of these beautiful pieces. It's like walking through a red and white garden. In the back of the Armory, quilts hang in a virtual "wall" as a backdrop to the entire exhibit. The surrounding space of the Armory is dark so that the lighting design can highlight the quilts. To my eye, all the quilts seem to glow.

This entire exhibit is free of charge -- Mrs. Rose generously donated this to the city as a gift for her 80th birthday -- and only up until March 30th. I urge you to go see it if you can.

Photo du Jour

2011-03-24T20:38:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-03-23T16:41:00.000-04:00

New Tools of my Trade

2011-03-21T19:01:00.000-04:00

You may be wondering why I haven't posted much artwork lately. Let me explain -- I'm the new Associate Editor of the SAQA Journal. I've been hard at work getting up to speed so I can help with the upcoming summer journal. I'm looking forward to all I'll be able to do and all the artists I'll be able to work with. This is so exciting!

Photo du Jour

2011-03-19T15:40:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-03-18T18:40:00.002-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-03-17T11:03:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-03-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

Photo Du Jour

2011-03-15T16:38:00.000-04:00

Photo du Jour

2011-03-14T17:58:00.002-04:00

I'm borrowing Kathy Loomis' title for photo-only posts. Though Kathy actually does daily photo posts, I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to that. But I think I might try. A step towards my personal form of journaling, perhaps.... but more on that tomorrow.

In memory of Ryan Repa who passed away Sunday at the tender age of 2

Mute Thursday

2011-03-10T15:39:00.000-05:00

Oops! What should I title my post if I forget to post on Wordless Wednesday? Does Mute Thursday work?

The End of the Broken Record

2011-03-06T21:05:00.003-05:00

I've been working on this piece on and off for several months. After my eldest daughter suffered a huge emotional blow this past week, I pulled it out once more and figured I needed to finish it. Maybe, now that the artwork is complete, our "black" period of luck will be over.

Superstitious, I know, but here's hoping. I hate be a Debbie Downer and sounding like a broken record

"why": painted fabric and fusible web; embroidery; quilting; raw edges

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T20:27:00.000-05:00

Exciting News!

2011-02-16T00:58:00.001-05:00

I am thrilled and deeply honored to announce that my piece, On the Streets, has been juried into the Northeast Regional Contemporary Fiber Exhibition that's being hosted by the Rochester Contemporary Art Center and The Surface Design Association. An acceptance is always nice, but this is especially meaningful for me given that the other artists who have been accepted are ones whose work I hold in very high esteem, such as Jeanne Williamson. On the Streets will be on display from April 1st through May 9th, along with 27 other pieces.

This is such a dignified show that I feel I must behave like a dignified grown - up but I find it's just too hard....

WOO HOO! I can't believe I was juried into the same show as Jeanne Williamson!!

On the Streets -- a commentary that we don't often see the people behind the signs

Fiber Revolution

2011-02-10T09:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I got some great news: I'm now a member of Fiber Revolution! If you're unfamiliar with the group, please check out their website. I'm honored to be part of a group of such impressive, talented, and kind members. Woo hoo!

In the meantime, look at the picture I took yesterday of a computer keyboard. Did you know that you could put electronics in the washing machine?

Picasso Dog

2011-02-08T20:08:00.002-05:00

I had a few minutes today between the putting the potatoes in the oven and cooking the meat and veggies for dinner, so I pulled out Carla Sonheim's Drawing Lab again. (Well, to be honest, I didn't have to pull it out; it's still sitting on the kitchen counter from the last time.... doesn't say much for my housekeeping skills, does it?)

At any rate, I've been intrigued by the idea of making my very own "Picasso Dog" as Carla calls them in her book. The process for creating your creature is very simple and lots of fun. And, while I haven't created a masterpiece, I enjoyed this exercise so much I anticipate that I'll have a whole pack of Picasso dogs in my sketchbook soon.

Here's the Alpha Picasso Dog. What a hoot; he's definitely open to interpretation. Could he also be a bull? An elephant?

Ink and watercolor

A Whole Lot of Ice

2011-02-03T16:43:00.000-05:00

It's really icy around here, but the scenery takes on a lovely new look with all the trimmings. I wish I could take all the pictures I'd like to, but I simply can't get to everything. The snow's just too high. (Wish I had thigh high boots!) Here are a few photos I was able to get...

Dogs in my Sketchbook

2011-01-30T17:55:00.003-05:00

Since Wednesday there hasn't been a lot of time for art. Thursday was a snow day -- and though my children are old enough to take care of themselves, I look at these days as a rare opportunity to spend time with them. On Friday, I dashed about before departing for my daughter's dance competition. We left after rehearsals on Friday evening, then were up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready for a LONG day dancing. Let's just say that costume changes, hair changes, etc, don't leave a lot of time for art. We got home at 1:30 a.m. this morning. (And, just because I want to brag a bit, here's a photo a friend took of my younger daughter during her solo -- only the younger one danced this weekend -- dancing to Pat Benatar's song, Heartbreaker. Yep, she's dressed for the 80's, complete with a motorcycle vest and ripped leggings.)

At any rate, today is for catching up on household chores and given the hour of our return this morning, I'm a bit slow on getting things done. I decided to sit down for a bit between errands and peruse my new book, Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists by Carla Sonheim. It's a collection of 52 different drawing exercises to help you focus, try new techniques, and hopefully, make drawing "...a pleasurable activity rather than as an opportunity to beat yourself up." Sounded like the perfect book for me.

Well, so far the book is on the mark. I had so much fun doing Exercise #3: My Pet Project (the book is designed to let you do whatever exercise fits your mood). In one aspect of this exercise, Sonheim suggests we try to draw our sleeping pets. Though the target is to draw for only one minute, I decided five minutes for each drawing was better for me; I just don't move fast enough or confidently enough yet to make quick gesture drawings. Look, look, look -- I ended up with three drawings that look like dogs! Whadd'ya know?

Sketchbook-ing is Hard for Me

2011-01-26T10:25:00.001-05:00

I've often wished that I felt more at ease with visual journaling. Heck, I even wish I was a better doodler. But it's not something that I feel comfortable with. I'm more of a plodder and planner. I very rarely work intuitively; I most often think through a plan and pretty much stick to it. I rarely just "do" something.

That can get a little boring. In my life, I've learned to go with the flow and be flexible, but in my artwork.... not so much.

To that end, I decided to join the Sketchbook Challenge. It's certainly out of my comfort zone and, hopefully, will force me to experiment. I'm hoping that by sketching, I'll loosen up a bit and find a new way to express myself that isn't all worked out at the beginning.

Well, I've failed thus far in the "don't plan too much" category. This month's theme is "Highly Prized". We're supposed to visually represent what we hold most dear in our lives. My first thought, of course, was my family. But no way can I draw them! (Failure #1 -- I didn't even try) Then I thought Long and Hard about how I would represent them; what was in my limited bag of tricks? (Failure #2 -- just go with the flow!) I decided, after three weeks of tossing and turning, that I would draw an initial and some item that belongs to a favorite activity of that person. (Failure #3 -- too much planning!)

I have, however, actually managed to make two pages in my sketchbook, more than I've ever done before. (Success #1) I discovered that I really like the brush tip Pigma marker. Don't ask me why; it just speaks to me for some reason. (Success #2 -- finding a tool that works). I've also discovered that I like the look of ink and watercolor. (Success #3 -- finding a look that I like). Alas, my pages are all ripply because the paper isn't watercolor paper, but that's okay. (Success #4 -- being okay with something being wonky!)

Here are my first two pages, for my husband and my son. They're certainly not works of art. They're simple quick drawings (as I intended) that hopefully get my point across. A third page, about something I like outside of my family, is in the works. My daughters' pages .... well, I'm still thinking about those.

Making a Fool of Myself

2011-01-20T23:58:00.002-05:00

Last year, my Fiber Art group decided to step outside our comfort zone; we challenged ourselves to create conceptual art that somehow related back to fiber art. You can see all the fabulous pieces on our group blog here.

Unlike everyone else in our group, I put on a piece of performance art. I was videotaped and now, because I don't have any new art to share with you, I am caving to private emails asking for a viewing of my silliness. Please do not have a drink in hand as you watch; I didn't intend it to generate guffaws, but I certainly did.

Enjoy yourself at my expense. Remember, I am an amateur and this is very raw video. Please, please please -- DO NOT post this on YouTube!

On the Streets

2011-01-13T18:41:00.004-05:00

Last year I stitched a piece I called On the Streets in response to a challenge for my Fiber Art NE group. You can read about all the pieces in the challenge here.

While I was happy with the outcome of the piece, I felt it needed something to make it grittier. For the life of me, I couldn't articulate what that was .... until recently. As I surfed the Web, I came across images of signs held by the homeless. The images were part of a collection held by Willie Baronet, a Texas artist who decided to ask the homeless if he could buy their signs. In turn, he has used them in his art and to raise awareness of the issue. One way he's done so is by asking volunteers to gather in groups along busy roadways, each holding one of the signs; it's quite an arresting sight and a compelling piece of performance art. You can read more about his work at http://www.WeAreAllHomeless.org .

In my opinion, these signs were exactly what I was looking for and Willie graciously granted permission for me to use images of the signs. Here's my revised / updated On the Streets. What do you think?

-- If you want to know my opinion, here it is: I'm drawn to the harsher reality that appears in this piece. However, I do think I'll make another thread sketch as before, but with more charcoal next time.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T14:24:00.000-05:00

Another artistic arrangement of trash by the roadside.

A Few Final Chores

2011-01-08T12:33:00.001-05:00

The Christmas trees have already been taken out and just a few house decorations remain to be put away. I admit to feeling a little bittersweet as I return things to the closet. This marks the end to a fun and full season.

However, as soon as all the household chores are taken care of, it's back to art. Until then, here's one of my favorite recent photographs. This bike was by the trash, but frozen in place. When it thaws, I'm going to try to rescue it!

What's up for 2011 - EXPERIMENTS!

2010-12-31T14:29:00.013-05:00

Once again, I've decided to select a word that will represent the spirit of my goals for the new year. Last year's word was Create; unfortunately, life intervened with a lot of my artistic time. When I did find time in my studio, I often felt pressured to create something meaningful and fabulous, so that the time spent was "worthwhile". Well, let me just say this now -- that kind of self-imposed pressure takes away some of the pleasure of creating.

With that in mind, I've decided to change my focus. One of my laments over the last few years is that I'm not yet sure what my voice is and how it is best expressed. I think the only way to figure that out is to allow myself the opportunity to explore new things and see where they take me, to experiment. I don't think I've done a good enough job letting myself loose on my art. I'm hoping the spirit of "what if?" will enable me to do that.

What are the repercussion of experimenting?

-- I'm guessing I'll make some mistakes and create some lousy art. Hopefully, though, I'll remember everything in the spirit I intended: as a lesson learned, not as a failure or a waste of time. And maybe, just maybe, some of these experiments will result in art I'm proud of. I'll also have to keep in mind that this is an important step to being a more serious artist. While I'm fairly certain I won't be as disciplined as Jeanne Williamson has been with her journaling, she has stated she's used her weekly journal investigations as jumping off points other works.

-- I'm planning to explore new venues for expression. To that end, I've signed up for the Sketchbook Challenge. This challenge will enable me to continue to explore drawing .... but in a format I'm not at all comfortable with. I'm hoping to discover whether journaling in a sketchbook will be a boon for me and, in an ideal world, help me generate an idea or two I want to explore in fiber. Natalya Aikens has certainly inspired me in this regard.

-- I'm hoping to experiment more with my photography and integrate it better with my textile art. I need to play with PhotoShop more in order to do that (oops, that's been on my "to do" list for a while) and, perhaps, take a photography class. If I can't take a class, I'll try to find time to really read the camera manual. I should also read, and become comfortable with, all the good information in Gloria Hansen's, Digital Essentials.

-- I'm going to pull out the cool things I've purchased over the last year and give them a test run. This includes playing with a screen for screen printing and working through some of the exercises in Jane Dunnewold's book, Finding Your Own Visual Language.

I think it's hard to just to flip a switch and have a new mindset at the start of the new year. With that in mind, I gave myself a little head start. The sketchbook for the "Sketchbook Project" has been sitting unattended on my desk for months. Quite frankly, I've been intimidated by it. For the last few days, I've been trying to fill some pages. It's been hard. Last night, I tore out the pages I'd made; they were awful and forced. I decided to start over and just relax .. and, though not brilliant, I think the few pages I made turned out a lot better. I played with a brush pen and watercolors. What a fun combination! I think I'm going to continue with this.

And, on that happy note, I wish you all a Happy New Year. And, by the way, does anyone know how many pages of the Sketchbook we need to fill?

Besotted

2010-12-29T19:21:00.002-05:00

As I look through my photos from the year, I linger most frequently on shots of the California coast. It's official: I am besotted with it.

An Early (Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-28T02:52:00.000-05:00

A recent sight on the sidewalk .... intentional or accidental footprints? What do you think? I haven't a clue.

An Experiment

2010-12-21T23:40:00.002-05:00

I just finished a new piece in my handprint series. I began the piece weeks ago by quilting grid lines on white fabric, occasionally making the lines shorter than the width of the fabric. Then the piece sat unattended because I didn't have any plan or idea in mind. Finally, I decided to paint it tan. This was followed by letter stenciling and paint splatters. Then, for some unknown reason, I thought it would be cool to add a TAP photo transfer of my father's hand. He lost his ring finger in an industrial accident and I think his hand looks interesting. Unfortunately, because of the angle of the photo (he was reaching towards me as I took the picture), it looks like he has two fingers, two stubs, and a gap. Not the case. I think the error (on my part) was not coloring on the TAP so the contrast was greater. I do like the feel of the piece, with the gritty transfer and the splatters, but I didn't intend it to be gruesome, which I fear it might be.

What do you think?

Handprint #3: 8" x 14"

A Few Things I've Recently Discovered

2010-12-19T16:46:00.011-05:00

1) Needlepoint stores sometimes carry the most luscious threads. I picked up these beautiful hand-dyed silks at a shop in Connecticut. Now I just have to sort out in my mind what I want to do first.

2) Thoughts on art can appear in the most surprising places. I just finished a wonderful young adult book called The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I'd like to share the feelings expressed by the 14 year old protagonist:

   I draw because words are too unpredictable.
   I draw because words are too limited.
   If you speak and write in English, or Spanish, or Chinese, or any other language, then only a certain percentage of human beings will get your meaning.
   But when you draw a picture, everybody can understand it....
   So I draw because I want to talk to the world. And I want the world to pay attention to me.

3) I am not a natural watercolorist. In an effort to fill up some of the pages of my Sketchbook Project journal (which lie blank, save for the first page which reads, "It's Here, Now What?"), I bought a watercolor pad and tried to create some color washes. Man, I can't even do that. My first effort was very stripe-y and lame. My second effort, a forest of trees, was so bad my youngest thought a [four year old] neighbor had painted it for me. Finally, I spent an hour just trying to paint circles, my favorite shape. I ended up with some circles I'm not too embarrassed with, but this is exhausting! I clearly need practice.

4) I'm now certain the word I've chosen for next year is just right for where I am now. More on that later...

Fiber Celebration in the News (with a mention of my name!)

2010-12-16T12:21:00.000-05:00

The local suburban paper published an article about the exhibit, Fiber Celebration, today. First of all, it's exciting that fiber art in our area is getting some press but I'm also mentioned in the article. How cool is that? Here's a link to the article:

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201012160366

Woo Hoo!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-15T09:14:00.000-05:00

In this cold weather, I fear my skin may look like this soon....

Fiber Celebration

2010-12-12T10:40:00.005-05:00

Today I will be attending the artist reception for Fiber Celebration, a SAQA exhibit curated by Susan Schrott at the Chappaqua library. I'm looking forward to seeing some friends and meeting artists whose work I admire. My piece, Thanksgiving, is hanging in the show.

Click here to see a nice bit of press about the reception... and a very nice picture of Susan.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-08T17:14:00.001-05:00