The start of something big

Larger than life size! We shall see how Suzy handles big pieces.

The Bloopies

Yes, the Bloopies have moved in for the winter! They are multiplying and gaining personalities of their own. Will they take over?

Time will tell.
Actually they have been around since my mother fell. A result of a discussion with a doctor about cells reconnecting and as I sat at work I would draw the cells reaching for each other.
They evolved into a piece done in painted organza, gold leaf and hand and machine embroidery. I did show it in my Gathering Place Solo Show, now it hangs over my bed. The funny thing is I don't remember working on it, but I know it is mine.

These pieces started in the Kantha stitch class I took with Dorothy Caldwell. I had opened my sketch book and there were some new bloopies on the page, Dorothy commented that they would be great in kantha, and they were! They are the small square in the top left corner. As you can see they are growing and popping the background cloth color out in small cuts.

A later sketch where they started to reconnect. This is a great project for winter days. I plan to connect them all when I have enough.

Note on the side bar is a connection to the blind stitch group that was formed as a result of a class exercise in "blind stitching" that Dorothy had us do.
20 of us are filling in the blank areas with stitch, we then plan to make a quilt to be auctioned off for the benefit of the Textile Art Alliance that sponsored the class.

The Barn Princess

At the barn we have 6 horses, 5 geldings (neutered males) and 1 mare. The barn princess! She thinks the geldings are useless, she would like another mare so they could eat grass together all day long.
Friday, she turned 22. A young 22, she is basically a big strong mare. Happy Birthday Skittles!

New Year Art Resolutions

I resolve to make more collages in the new year.
To make room for Suzy I moved my rubber stamp and art supplies down to the basement by my painting tables. After thinking about it I added all my paper supplies since I had a "thing" for painting paper for awhile after an awesome Ned Wert class at QSDS.
Before I discovered Art Quilts I dabbled in rubber stamping, altered books, etc. I had pieces published in several issues of Somerset Studio, back in the day. Back in the corner is my show saddle way back when I showed horses. It's for sale by the way, a good Billy Cook show saddle, very comfortable. email me for details

My oldest brother built me a great workbench with a bar above it for hanging tools. He repainted my dad's old vice and installed that too. I can hammer and drill to my heart's content. And I don't have to worry about disturbing anyone with the noise. The studio assistant is very noise sensitive after our break in last year.
In the front are my painting tables, 2 six foot banquet tables. Behind them is a table with all my painting supplies. I have been doing mixed media collages on wood panels with a 1-1/2" cradle, fun! I will have to show some in the next post.

I can multi task and do some laundry while working. I actually have only one set of machines hooked up. The house came with a set and I had a set from the old house. I can batch a washing machine with the saddle if you want.

Happy New Year to all! Make some art resolutions and make them come true!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hannukah!

And to all you atheists and Pagans –
Happy Whatever.

And welcome to our new housemate

Suzy!

HQ Sweet Sixteen Suzy!

Note she comes with a guard dog. Now the mega quilts can begin.

Making Stuff

First off, nothing like some fresh pie! A bag of frozen mixed fruit, an apple, sugar, flour, cinnamon and a handful of red hots for spice. Frozen pie shell and a date with a hot oven. Yum!

More kantha stitch pieces. I plan on making lots of small pieces and joining them together when I have enough. It's very satisfying to sit and stitch with some lively Christmas music. Or since they are back, some basketball on radio. I think I am going to play with some color in the stitching but I really like the chalky white.

My finished piece, Dad and Dogs. I haven't figured another name yet but this is pretty experimental. It's the first time I painted the printed fabric. I used mostly setacolor but I had to fuss around and figure out a flesh color by mixing the paint. Definitely not the same as mixing acrylic paint. I wanted to keep the paint transparent but setacolor does not have a transparent white to tone back the red and yellow. The flesh came out a little on the yellow side. The next one will be better. And my Christmas present (from myself) will make the stitching easier. More to come.

And finally my friends brought me plants as housewarming gifts. I love it, makes the room alive, and it appears they love the northern exposure.
Thanks guys! I had so many people I forgot to take pictures. But the house is all warmed up now and thanks to Father Bob, blessed.

Focus: Fiber 2011-12

So it is finally the opening week for Focus: Fiber 2011-12. We have worked all summer accepting entries, putting together a pdf for the juror, Dorothy Caldwell, notifying the entrants, collecting the work and hanging the show. Thankfully Canton Museum of Art hung the show for us!
We spent a day with Dorothy, Louise Mackie, the Cleveland Museum of Art Islamic and Textile curator, the head of the Canton Museum, Karen Hinkle, TAA president, Marty Young, program chairwoman, Kathy Fleeher and Lynnda Arrasmith  both of the Canton Museum. Friday, Dorothy honored us with a talk on her art.

So what are these poor women doing?
Blind stitching!
Part of Dorothy's Kantha workshop. An exercise to loosen up your stitching. Which it did!

This is a collection of our blind stitching samples. Mine is bottom center.

And here is Dorothy showing Kantha examples. The class was packed with examples, books, slides and a short film on the women of India working their magical stitching. And lots of stitching time packed into two days. A very fun, exciting class.


And not to brag, but the center piece of art in the first photo is my quilt. I think it is the second time I have seen it hung vertically. It was too large for my walls. The show is up until March 4, 2012. Check out taacleveland.org for info on this show and 4 others in the greater Cleveland area being held the next 3 months.