NO...I haven't fallen off the planet....

I know there have been quite a few very silent months.  However, that doesn't mean I'm not very busy with my art!

Currently, I am preparing a new series for my first solo show coming in January. I'll post all about it after the opening reception!!  In the meantime, I can barely remember just what day it is and if I'm coming or going!! Hang in there with me.....

I'll be back!

(apologies to Arnold)

I have a great face for radio!

Recently I had the wonderfully delightful experience of being interview by Melanie Burnell, the art correspondent for the Cultural Review Show in the UK. It has recently been put online. If you are interested in hearing it, click HERE. Don't be confused by the beginning 9 minutes. My interview begins at the 9:10 minute mark. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks Melanie for making this interview so much fun and enjoyable!

Just When You Think......

Just when you think you have your life all figured out, real life happens!! So, that is where I've been....taking care of real life.  Things change, schedules adjust, lifestyles remold around whatever it takes to get things done.

But today...........

Today starts my adjusted schedule and I'm packing in as much art time as possible.

You remember "The Sapling"? It was the experimental piece for my series on Pecans.  The series was all planned out. In the meantime I discovered a different tweak on a technique and now the concept for Pecans is still the same but the execution of these pieces has changed.

Now the new journey begins.

As often happens with my work, the textiles will figure into it a good deal. So, my first job today was to get out the big container where I put all my "bits" for this project. Now all the textiles are sorted by color so I won't miss that jewel of a piece that will add just the right feel to the artwork.

Next came the auditioning of these textiles for the first bit to be included in "The Sapling" which will begin this series. (the strip in the foreground of the photo is the first bit)

There aren't words to express just how awesome it feels to be back to more concentrated time in my studio.

Going European!

The weekend of October 17-20, 2013

Six of my pieces were exhibited at the Open European Quilt Championships 2013 in Veldhoven, the Netherlands!! These art quilts are part of a group show that will be kept in Europe awaiting their next venue - London in the spring of 2014!!

I've crossed the pond!!!

Come Play!!

I am so privileged to be one of the Resident Artists at the "...And Then We Set It On Fire" blog. What an amazing group of talented people they are!

This whole month (August) I'll be teaching several methods and techniques of adding metal to art work.  The title is "(not so) Heavy Metal" I hope you will drop by and join in the fun! I love to get feedback and questions so feel free to leave them on the FIRE blog or here, on my own blog.

Hope to see you there! Click HERE to go to "...And Then We Set It On Fire" blog. OR you can just click on that blog icon in my sidebar.  No matter how you get there, I'll look forward to your visit.

First post is up today!

Seeing The Forest For The Trees

Hi everyone!

I'm currently doing instructions on using a certain shibori technique to create forests (and other things). Drop by the ...And Then We Set It On Fire blog if you want to catch it in process.  It is only a 3 day demo but the results are a lot of fun!

If you like it, you can leave a comment here or at the ...And Then We Set It On Fire blog.  Hope you'll drop by!

"Transitions" - Light and Dark

One of my online groups chose the theme challenge for the month of June - Light and Dark.  It had me for a while. Couldn't get inspired.

I had previously done a piece on white paper with black printing ink, white paint and Pigma pen called "Directions."  This piece was inspired by that artwork but in the opposite.  I used black fabric, white molding paste (which gave it some texture), Pigma pen and white paint (just for the white dots). The title of this piece is....

Transitions

Directions

(the piece that inspired the art above)

Peeling Birch Bark

The third in my Up Close and Personal series...."Peeling Birch."  As usual, it is shown below alongside its photo inspiration.  It does have a bit of a 3-D feature. I used heavy duty aluminum foil between two colors of hand-dyed fabrics to give structure to the peeling bark part.  Fun and interesting to work with! But in this case...I think it accomplished its purpose!

Peeling Birch

I have to admit, I'm really enjoying this series. Depicting some of the effects in textile can be an interesting challenge.  I'll be sharing this on Nina Marie's Off The Wall Friday!

"Smack" Down

No...I have not taken up professional wrestling.  At least not yet....

As a resident artist at the "...And Then We Set It On Fire" blog, I get to try out a lot of new (to me at least) techniques...that's part of the fun, right!

Well, this technique - called "smacking" - was taught on that blog a while back and I had yet to get to try it out.  Until NOW!! While I was concerned when first seeing the title, the realization of what it meant for artists was exciting! In the interest of trying very hard to catch up with all I've wanted to do, try out, experiment with, etc....I finally got to do some of this technique!!  (Better late than never, right?)

I had plexi and a "smack handle" but I would have had to walk all the way out to the barn to cut the plexi because it was too big.  In the meantime, I had gotten from FreeCycle a bunch of those clear plastic photo/sign holders. Figured they would work just as well so I was off and playing.

Below is the process I used and the result of my work.  I used a few colors of acrylic paint, a piece of my hand-dyed fabric that needed something else done to it, the sheet of plexi and the plastic frame.  You can follow the process in the photo collage below (starting top left and going clockwise).  I "smacked" the plexi with the paint-covered frame, then put the fabric down onto the "smacked" surface and pressed it down.

I'm very happy with the results (this piece will be going into my box of fabrics chosen for my "Pecan" series.  And yes...I'll be doing it again!! Now on to my next experiment.........

Weathered Red Door

Just completed another of my Up Close and Personal pieces for one of my groups.  This series is based on several favorites of my own macro photos which I wanted to "redo" in textiles. Ancient Cactus was my first piece.

This is from another photo I took in a small town in Texas during a trip there. I LOVE peeling paint and old buildings and doors and this just fit all of those. It is from an old store front but the premises were empty at the time we visited. Wish I could have found a date on the building or something but all I know is...it was very old.

The door is from a breakdown screen print I had done at least a year ago. Found it interesting how much it looked like the weathered red door without a whole lot of altering!! I cut out portions so the black could show through when appliqued. I also used a bit of acrylic paints and Shiva paint sticks to get just the right look.  The "grate" in front of the door is some silver mesh.  It was way too shiny for this old door so I painted it with a charcoal gray acrylic.  I love the way it turned out.  So....here it is....along with it's inspiration photo.

Weathered Red Door

I'll be posting this on Nina Marie's Off The Wall Friday.

Landscapes Accepted!

Recently entered 5 landscapes to the Upstream People Gallery's 15th Annual Landscape Juried Online International Art Exhibition. Found out today that all 5 were accepted!  The 5 works are show below (Top left clockwise: Round Red Barn, Open Road, Solitude, The Sapling and It Was A Dark And Stormy Night)

The exhibition will debut worldwide on July 1, 2013 at www.UpstreamPeopleGallery.com

Wolf Coming Into View

Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis has some beautiful art manhole covers created by Kate Burke. All the covers depict an aspect of Minnesota Nature. A while ago I contacted Kate and got her gracious permission to use her manhole covers and portray them in mixed media.  You can see the original covers at Kate Burke's website.

I have been planning a series on the Nicollet Mall manhole covers for a few years.  Thinking about how to do it to get the effect I want. This year it has become clear and I started gathering the bits and supplies I would need.  The first one I am working on is the wolf. I had already done the lino cut, printed it onto the fabric I had dyed just for this project. Today I put the "metal" circle around the cover. This is made with a mixture of metal leaf from The Thread Studio in Australia. Beautiful stuff!!!

First I ironed a circle of fusible around the "wolf", piled the metal leaf onto it, put my ironing cloth over it and ironed it down.  Then I burnished it with a medium stiff paint brush.

I am posting this on Nina Marie's Off The Wall Friday!
Now onto the next step!

And the Answer Is.....

Recently I was asked to complete an interview for LandEscape Art Review.  I did answer the interview questions and today received word that it is in the June issue.  Below is the link to my pages in the art review.

It was really fun to answer these questions.  Several caused me to think about some things in a way I had not before.  I hope you enjoy reading the article!

http://issuu.com/landescapeartpress/docs/landescape_art_review_-_june_2013/70

Regrets....I've Had A Few....

But then again...too few to mention....but I mentioned them anyway.

One of the questions in the Artpromotivate interview for the Artist Spotlight was concerning any regrets we had as artists.  Today the post from Artpromotivate lists the responses from 10 of those artists, with an introduction by the writer, Graham Matthews.  They are short and I found them interesting. Thought you might as well.  (pssst....I'm #10).  Here is the link:

http://www.artpromotivate.com/2013/05/artists-regrets-art-career.html#more

Good News in Small Packages

I recently entered 6 of my pieces to be juried for a show entitled "Small Works".  Today I received the good news that my 6 small pieces are accepted for Small Works: Exhibition and Sale to be exhibited at Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center in Dowell, MD, August 16, 2013 - January 5, 2014.

Here are the 6 pieces that were accepted. (clockwise from top left - Snow Tree, Shattered Lives, Open Road, Long Road Home, Dream and Soaring High.

5 Not-So-Easy Pieces

I am really excited that 5 of my Mixed Media Textile pieces have been accepted into the 15th Annual Collage, Digital & Mixed Media Juried Online International Art exhibition for the Upstream People Gallery. The pieces are the ones shown below. This online exhibition officially opens July 1.  I'll post a link when it is opened.

(l-r) It's About Time, Sands of Time, Spring Forward, When Life Hands You Lemons and No Two Alike

Another Opening, Another Show

Exciting mail today! The invitation to the opening of Art On Main in Zumbrota the 19th. I can hardly wait to see my art hanging on Main Street!

AND....received word that 3 of my pieces (Fig Branch, The Blue Vase and California Poppies) have been accepted in Art Soup, an art show/festival sponsored by the Elk River Area Artists Alliance. The show will be May 22-June 22.

More News!

Just found out last night that one of my pieces ("View From The Veranda") was accepted into the SeaScapes Art Exhibition by Light, Space and Time Online Gallery!

"View From The Veranda"

Here is the link to see more of the beautiful art in this exhibition.

View From The Veranda" is the second photo in the first row.

This Just In...

I received in the mail acknowledgement that my piece "Shattered Lives" has been accepted for the Fiber Arts Festival in Albuquerque, NM. The exhibition runs May 23-25.

"Shattered Lives"

12" X 12"

Ahhhhh Spring...?????

I've had to check the calendar just to be sure, but yes....it is APRIL 20th!!  Wouldn't know it looking outside here.  At first it was funny but now it is just ridiculous.  AND...more snow forecast for Sunday!  I can't say anything else.  The photos will speak for themselves.  These were taken outside our home TODAY!!

I think I'm just going back to bed...............

I Would Appreciate Your Vote

While this is also posted on my art FB page...I know some of you won't see that so I'm posting it here as well.  

I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE! Just today I entered TheArtList Artist of the Month for May. One of the prizes is determined by popular vote. I would appreciate it if you visited the page and voted for my piece "Life Upside Down - And Slightly Off-Kilter" if you like it. It is about the second entry so you might have to scroll down to see it. Thanks in advance!
https://www.facebook.com/TheArtList/app_184343041637133

This is the piece I entered:

Two Roads Diverged

Well, it is finally done.
I did two sessions of painted shibori to make the woods. The cut out the two roads diverging. The "leaves" and "branches" were made with a brayer wrapped with a rubber band. I did some additional painting to creat the undergrowth by the road. The black marks on the aspen trees were done with a Pigma pen.

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is my favorite poem and my life story all rolled into one. It is short so I want to share it after the photo.

Two Roads Diverged - Kelly Hendrickson

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Prepping Art for Show or Exhibition

Ok, I started out in this art world as an art quilter.  Easy right.  We just sew on a sleeve to the back of the piece and we are good to go.

However, ALL of the shows/exhibitions I've been accepted in this year so far are NOT quilt shows.  All art must arrive ready to hang.  I started out with a dowel rod with eye hooks and picture wire.  While acceptable...I was not complete happy with how it looked and how it hung.  I thought of several options...none of which thrilled me.  But, now I think I have solved my problem.

Today I was putting the finishing touches on a piece to deliver to the 17th Annual Primavera Celebrate Spring Exhibition in Plymouth, MN.  The piece, "Spring Forward", is a 12" X 12" Mixed Media Textile.  I also need to anchor some of the watch mainsprings and this method helped in that regard as well. 

Here are the steps I took to make it work.

First, I found a complimentary textile, cut 4 strips and hand stitched them to the four sides of the finished and bound piece. Then I placed it on a 2" deep 12" X 12" canvas purchased at JoAnn's.  I wrapped the sides around and stapled them to the back of the canvas frame.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!

I took one strand of light weight picture wire, threaded it through a needle and stitched down some of the strategic parts of the metal on the art work. I found it very useful to use a small pliers to pull the wire through both the art and the canvas.  The wire is slightly visible on top of the mainspring, so I just took a black Pigma Pen and colored it so it wouldn't show.

I trimmed the wires even though they won't show. (If you are anchoring metals on textiles or art quilts, you can do this same thing using the art layer and the batting. Then the anchoring wire would be hidden when adding the backing)

Next I prepared the backer board. I used thin cardboard from a multi-pack snack box.  I cut it 1"- 1.25" smaller than the measurements of the canvas.  (so this was cut to 10.75").  Then I took some white easel paper and wrapped the coardboard, securing it with painter's tape.  The staple gun then attached it to the back of the canvas frame.  

Now for the finishing touches.  I covered the staples with some paper tape. Attached the hanging hardware. And finally, added the label with the name of the art work and my name.  The QR code is my name, address,  & phone.

Here is a side view so you can see how the piece looks wrapped on the canvas.

All that was left then was to package it up and deliver it!

I think this is a MUCH better way to present textile work for a show that is NOT primarily (or at all) quilt related.

It's All In The Timing

Don't you just love it when Serendipity strikes and things just fall into place?

I just had an experience like that.  One of the challenge groups I participate with has a theme for March of POEM.  Well, my favorite poem (and life inspiration) is the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.  As I live in Minnesota...a yellow wood is naturally aspen or birch.  Now....how to make the trees in the woods....

SERENDIPITY!!  On one of the many artist blogs I follow, an artist did a demo on painting shibori. Now...I had done painted shibori before but for this application it just didn't come to me naturally. Now if only I could remember the artist who did the demo. I'm searching for her and when I find her, I'll edit this post to include her name (if any of you who follow this blog know whom I talking about...please post it in the comment section and I'll be sure to include it in this post)  (Credit where Credit is due....this demo was done by Vivica on Quilting Arts. Here is the link: http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2013/03/28/paint-a-shibori-forest.aspx   Thank you Beth!!)

I dyed a piece of fabric with an appropriate sunny yellow and then wrapped it around a large PVC pipe. The next step is to wrap the string around the fabric and scrunch it down the pipe.  For the first layer I painted the ridges with a dark gray.  Took the fabric off the pipe, laid it out straight and let it dry overnight.  The next day I repeated the process but used slightly wider wrapping of the string and painted the ridges with white. For the "leaves" I used a brayer wrapped with rubber bands with brown and orange acrylic paints.  Here is the result:

Painted Shibori Yellow Woods

Now on to finishing it.  Putting in the diverging roads has been a challenge but I think I have it now...all I need to do is complete it! 

I'm linking this post to Nina Marie's Off The Wall Fridays... 

Goal Reached!!

Beginning this year of 2013, I set myself a goal to participate in 10 juried shows/exhibitions.  I was counting the show I was in for December 2012 just because that is when I really started to pursue this goal in earnest.

Well, yesterday I received a phone call that a gallery show wanted to accept a couple of my pieces.  THAT show brought the total count to TEN!!  I hadn't expected to reach this goal that soon but I am very excited that it has all worked out this way!  That doesn't mean that I won't be entering shows and exhibitions the rest of the year. But I do plan to cut back on such an aggressive plan of action. 

Blue Door Gallery in Yonkers, NY had a call for artists to enter their who entitled "Lost and Found in Yonkers". It is for artists working in Mixed Media, Assemblage and/or Collage, containing found materials.  Well...I obviously couldn't pass this one up!!  Below are the two pieces they accepted for their show.

"Rust and Found"

"It's About Time"

Now on to one of my other goals for my year of "Investment" in my art career.  I am working on three series to develop a body of work.  This is all with the goal in mind of having my first solo show in 2014.  Not having to concentrate so much on entering shows will free up time desperately needed to accomplish the next phase.

And again, I want to thank all of you who have been such a wonderful support and encouragement as I work toward my 2013 goals.  I appreciate all of you more than I can say. 

More Great News!

Today brought an envelope with more great news!  Two of my pieces are accepted into the Art for God's Sake exhibition at St. Anastasia's Roman Catholic Church, Troy, MI, May 3-5, 2013.

The two pieces chosen for this exhibition are shown below.

Five Smooth Stones was inspired by the story of David and Goliath...a reminder that it is not always the biggest or strongest that finally wins.

"Five Smooth Stones"

Experience was inspired by the quote: "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience..." -- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

"Experience"

Besides the excitement of being accepted in these exhibitions, all this good news is important to me because this year, 2013, I'm calling my year of "Investment". I want to concentrate on my art and see if there is really something for me in this direction. So far, I'm thinking I'll definitely keep investing!  There are so many of you who read this blog that have encouraged and advised me that I share all this with you as well.  None of us are on this journey alone. I'm just very privileged to be traveling alongside some very talented and wonderful people!  My deepest thanks to all of you.

What a week!!

This has been a strange week really.  Very sick so that was the downside.  BUT, at the same time, I found out that I was accepted in 2 more exhibitions!!

So in addition to Art on Main (my first public art exhibition) in the previous post below, I will also have pieces in the Fiber Arts exhibition at the Poudre River Gallery in Ft. Collins, CO, April 4-27, 2013. They accepted my small 12" X 12" art quilt entitled "Snow Tree".

"Snow Tree"

Then shortly after that, I received word that my two pieces entered for the Celebrate African Grandmothers were accepted.  These two pieces were made especially for this exhibition that will tour Canada this spring. Both are Mixed Media Textile art on canvas. The tour and subsequent auction of the works will raise funds for Royal City Gogos. It is a very worthy cause that, being a grandmother myself, I am  privileged to support.  For more information on Royal City Gogos, click HERE.  "Wall of Courage" was inspired by one of their promotional pieces in which the African Grandmothers were described as a wall of protection for the generation of grandchildren orphaned by AIDS. I imprinted the wall AND the clothing of these women to signify their solidarity in standing as protectors and support for the grandchildren they have chosen to raise. The symbols on Wall of Courage signify bravery and valor. The fabrics for their clothing are from Africa, as is the bark cloth in the background.

"Wall of Courage"

The second piece for Celebrate African Grandmothers is entitled "Tears of Joy" inspired by another comment in their promotional video that says these grandmothers prefer to look with joy and hope toward the future of their grandchildren.  Again the fabrics are from Africa as is the bark cloth. The many tears surrounding the main teardrop of a grandmother holding her baby grandchild, are crystal beads. The symbols in this piece signify unity, safety and security, and learning from the past.

"Tears of Joy"

Have to say...all this good news helped me feel better! Now I'm physically on the mend although still without a voice. 

More News!!

Received an e-mail this morning that my piece, "The Sapling" was accepted for Art on Main in Zumbrota, MN!!  The original art work had to be 12" X 22". Then, when accepted, it will be photographed and blown up to 24" X 44" vertical for banners to be placed on the lamp posts on Main Street in Zumbrota, MN!!

This is my first acceptance for Public Art!!

This is a very special piece for me. It became a kind of test/inspirational piece for my upcoming series "Pecans" that I'm doing in honor of my dad...who LOVED pecans and had planted his own orchard.  When he passed away, his ashes were buried under a HUGE pecan tree in what used to be their front yard.  While there for his memorial service, I took (with permission of the new owner) several twigs from that HUGE pecan tree and had thermofax screens made from them. Those are the screens I used for printing the "branches" for The Sapling.  The "trunk" is made from bark cloth from Africa (Thanks, Wil!!), a place my parents still held dear in their hearts after living there for a while.

So, Dad, this one is for you.....

Here is the piece that will be on Main Street -

THE  SAPLING

All fabrics are my own hand-dyed and surfaced designed fabrics. (except for the painted silk in the ground. That was a gift from a friend Canada. Thanks, Maggie!) The dark brown strip through the ground is hand-dyed yarn from a company run by my neice, Faith, and her business partner, TactileDactyl Fiber Art. Be sure to check them out!! Their yarn is luscious! And yes...those are real pebbles.

Some Exciting News!

ACCEPTED!!

My latest piece, "Spring Forward", has been accepted at the 17th Annual Primavera Springtime Celebration of the Arts in Plymouth, MN.  I hope any of you in the Twin Cities area will stop by and check it out!  The exhibition is April 12 - 15, 2013 at the Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 - 34th Avenue in Plymouth MN.  Click HERE for info and a map.  (And yes...those are real watch mainsprings and bits and gears)

Spring Forward

Next bit of news....I just received my advance copy of the book "Art Quilt Portfolio: People and Portraits".  My piece, "Sky Gazer" is in the PLAY Gallery on page 187!!  

CANCELLED - Still suffering from this danged flu. The Celebrate Show Giveaway will have to wait until next week I'm afraid.  BUT...I'll make TWO sets of snow dyed fabrics so be sure to comment to win when it is posted.

ACCEPTED!!

Just last night I received word that my piece "It Was A Dark and Stormy Night" was accepted for the PAGE TURNER exhibition at the Some Things Looming Gallery in Reading, PA!

"The digital era is altering how we read books so we wanted a challenge that alters the way we perceive books. Whether it be an altered book or incorporates pages of a book, we challenge you to create the ultimate...Page Turner.  Our major requirements for this challenge are that you incorporate fiber techniques and any parts or pages of a book."

As an avid mystery reader, I chose as my inspiration the iconic beginning line of a mystery novel - "It was a dark and stormy night...."  An angry gray sky, the storm crashing outside.  But a true fan of the page turner is cuddled up under her quilt. The light from the bedside lamp shining on the pages.  It is the dark and stormy night of her mystery novel that captures her attention.

I hand-dyed the background fabric so I could have the white spot for the big flash of lightening.  The house is made out of pages from ruined paperback books by 3 of my favorite mystery writers.  (The books had a run in with blue jello.....don't ask....)   I used gel medium to adhere them all together, cut out the house shape, painted it and added detail with stitching.  

I’m so excited!  Here is the piece:

It Was A Dark and Stormy Night

ACCEPTED!

Just yesterday I found out that my artwork "When Life Hands You Lemons" was accepted by the Linus Gallery for their Fork and Knife exhibition. YEAH!! You can see this piece and read about its inspiration and process at this link to a previous blog post -- When Life Hands You Lemons

For this exhibition, they were looking for art that evokes the many emotions and experiences related to or that are sparked by food.  Textures, colors, shapes, and even scents can be represented in artwork and can create an intriguing palette. If you would like to see the slideshow of all the accepted artists for this exhibition, you can click here.

Finished!

And here is the finished piece! The binding was a bit of a challenge on this small piece but I still like the way it turned out!  Because to me the "bubbled" organza piece looks a bit like green grapes and the beads remind me of the posts that vineyards train the grapevines to....I'm entitling this piece.....

Sour Grapes

So now for the question....will I be doing more intuitive design.  Yep!  I had a blast with this one. Just the freedom to let a scrap inspire me and finding other bits to go along with it.  I think I'm hooked.

Work In Progress

I had recently heard the phrase - intuitive design

The concept intrigued me.  Probably because so much of what I'm working on now is challenge/theme/series driven.  The idea of just sitting down and going for it without a pre-conceived destination sounded like something I would enjoy.

So I did it....am doing it.  I was the blessed recipient of some painted silk scraps from a dear friend who got them from an artist she knows who paints silk.  I was inspired by a piece of silk velvet painted purple (no surprise there!) Now what to do with it.  I had done a piece of molded polyester organza for an experiment with that technique on the ...And Then We Set It On Fire blog.  I liked the outcome but hadn't any idea what to do with it. I love texture so besides color I decided to play with texture on this piece.  I made some melted Tyvek beads to go with it, grabbed some fancy Lutrador from another friend in the Netherlands (I love this stuff and haven't found it here in the US) zapped it with my heat gun.  Got out some contrasting embroidery floss and just started laying it out and seeing where it went.  Tried not to put TOO much overthinking into it.

This is where I am so far. It is a small piece, just 8" X 11". The size was dictated by the silk velvet scrap.  Not happy yet with the placement of the beads so those will be moving.  Had to put it on hold while I dealt with some deadlines for other pieces but now that I have a breather...I plan to pick it up again this weekend.

If you get a chance...drop on over to Nina Marie's Off theWall Friday!! You'll find some wonderful blogs to visit and become inspired!!  Here is the link to her blog:  http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.nl/

Ancient Cactus

In one of the groups my theme for 2013 is Up Close and Personal. I am using 6 of the most favorite macro shots I've taken and making them into art quilts. I'll be posting the completed art along with the original inspirational photograph.

And here is the first. The photo was taken on a trip to Texas. We were walking along and saw this scarred and beaten very old cactus. I got a very close up shot of a few of the leaves. I've always loved this photo and the resiliance portrayed. An old cactus, well worn over time, yet still growing. An inspiration worthy of an art quilt I think.

ANCIENT  CACTUS

original photograph

I used simple quilting so as not to detract from the scars on the leaves. All the scars are reverse appliqued.On the largest scar, I pleated the light gray fabric before doing the reverse applique on the black for the deeper cut (see below).  I even let the fabric pucker as I stitched it because I felt it enhanced the age of the cactus.  The "thorns" are hand embroidered. All the fabrics are my own hand dyed cottons.

Ancient Cactus - detail

 

Accepted!!

Yesterday’s mail brought the  news that my piece “In Honor” was accepted for the “PaperWork In, On, and Of Paper VI” exhibition at The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, MO.  The exhibition opens on February 8, 2013 and continues through March 22, 2013.

“In Honor” was inspired by the entertainment page from the New York Herald Tribune, July 26, 1943. The insert is the actual newspaper. One of the actors in “This Is The Army” was Ronald Reagan. The strips of textile include military prints and hand-dyed fabrics. Included are purple to signify the Purple Heart and a red to signify the life blood that has been shed. The stitching is all names of some who served from WWII through the current time.

In Honor

Just like the name of this piece…I am honored to have this one chosen for the exhibition as it honors those who have served.

(This piece can be seen in the Other Textile Art Gallery on my website)

When Life Hands You Lemons

A few years ago, I was working with a group on an art journal doing a study series on any subject we wanted.  I started with figs and have several pieces on my website which resulted from that journal. Then I started on lemons.  Got a couple of pages done and life being what it is....got derailed.  BUT....I always remembered one of the challenges from this journal experience.  The challenge was to do a piece that interacted with more than just the sense of sight.  hmmmmm...... interested me very much.  I thought and thought and decided I wanted to do a lemon piece that also appealed to the sense of taste!! Now...how to do that.  At that time I purchased  lots of various shades and textures of yellow fabric.....and it sat and sat.....waiting for inspiration.  Knew what I wanted it to look like, just wasn't sure how to get from here to there.

One day just recently it all came together.  I had always envisioned a large tear drop crystal at the tip (big drop of lemon juice). THEN there were these wonderful blog posts (at ...And Then We Set It On Fire) on beading and I saw the final piece in  my mind!! Found the crystal opalescent beads in various sizes that were perfect. Then the problem was the big tear drop.  None were big enough.  Then.....there is was....hanging on a hook.  Not a tear drop at all...but a more organic shape and I LOVED it....and bought it, of course.

Using some of the guidelines offered by Beth in this fascinating stroll through all things beads, I started out.  Got some great suggestions along the way, and here is the final result.  My goal was to get those little taste buds that register sour to start watering.  Don't know if I accomplished just that, but I have to admit....I had a ball giving it a go!!

A lemon yellow satin makes up the "meat" of the wedge, white mulberry bark for the pith and a darker yellow satin that has small dots in it for the peel.  I stitched the lemon yellow satin to muslin, manipulating it to get the puckers I wanted. Added the peel and then the mulberry bark. The next step was to add all the beads to the lemon wedge for the droplets of juice. The whole lemon wedge was then stitched to a 18" X 24" stretched and painted canvas. Finally, I stitched on crystal beads to the canvas itself.  I hope it makes your mouth water!!!

When Life Hands You Lemons

When Life Hands You Lemons - detail

Completed Today

The challenge topic - Favorite Movie

This sounded easy at first but proved to be a bit difficult. Many of the movies I love and the parts that make me love them are more concepts and not readily expressable (a new word I just made up!) in 2D art. But someone reminded me of Fiddler and I knew at once that was what I wanted to do.

I love this story. I laughed...I cried.  And many of the lines and songs from this movie are a part of our life now.  One of my favorites is when Tevia is talking to God in the barn about wishing he were a rich man.  "Would it spoil some great eternal plan...if I were a wealthy man?"  And the relationship with his wife and the loves of his daughters...so many faces of love and devotion.

Fiddler On The Roof - Kelly

This piece has all kinds of my own fabrics - hand-dyed, snow-dyed, discharged, ruching, confetti dyed, stamped, drawn on, painted. Only the fiddler is not my fabric but black Kona.

I have a couple of other pieces that will be completed by Monday. LOTS of handwork these coming evenings!

Productive Day

Just checked on my ToDo/Done list and it has been a very productive day!!

Block printed 3 wolves, 3 apples, 3 rice 

Cleaned off Island 

Prepped Brown Snow-dyes 

Cut muslin for an upcoming art piece

Decided on images for that piece

Cut muslin for Pecans – Sapling and marked off boundaries 

Chose concept for SAQA Text Speak 

Set Snow-dyes for batching 

Evaluated Show/Exhibit CFE schedule 

Stitched first piece to Up Close and Personal 

Overdyed green experimental piece 

Blogged and blogged and blogged

Here is my latest on the Minneapolis Manhole Cover Project which is one of my three series I'm working on this year.

Block cutting completed on Wolf

Background fabric (a snow-dyed piece made especially for this project. Seemed appropriate for a Minnesota project!)

Wolf printed onto fabric with Speedball Block Printing Ink.

I use an oil base printing ink so Woflie has to dry overnight

While I had the ink all out and ready...I also printed the Apple and Rice manhole covers for this project and two other prints of all three of them for two other projects.  Now I'll be ahead on those!!