As promised...here it is...my first piece off my new easel!! It is made for a dear friend of mine. She will know what all it means. I haven't given it to her as yet. I hope she likes it.

BROKENNESS HEALS

It is a piece which a lot of meaning but I don't want to spoil the surprise for her...although I'm not sure if she even reads my blog!  She gave me very wise counsel in a time of great confusion and helped me deal with some very difficult issues. She's an amazing woman and I'm blessed to know her.

Anyway, I told you I would show you the finished piece and here it is!!

Another canvas is already on the easel so there will me more to come!

Back In The Studio

The first week in April until now I have had a physical issue that has basically kept me out of the studio, at least creatively. I did check e-mails on occasion. But yesterday, even though the last vestiges of the physical issue are still a problem, everything changed.

Those of you who are artists probably know what I'm talking about. Yesterday I felt driven to get back to the studio. It was an actual physical, gut level, tangible feeling!! Like hunger pangs are physical. It felt like I would burst if I didn't get out here today and begin something creative. And here I am.

The first order of creative business was to assembly my new easel!! Yep, since so much of my work now involves painted canvases, I was thrilled to find this adjustable easel for an amazing price a few months ago. This morning my husband helped me assemble it and I will be pulling out the paints the minute after I publish this post!!

I know I have a number of series pieces that are running behind schedule but I feel the need to do something not "required" of me....something a bit simple but it is important. It is a piece that "came to me" recently and I'm so excited to get it started!!

Here's my new toy!! (the little table beside it is for my brushes, paints, palettes, etc.) I'll keep you posted on the new piece as it progresses. It feels SOOOOOOO great to be back in my creative environment and have the energy to actually make art!

My April Show - Granite Area Arts Council

In January I was contacted by the Granite Area Arts Council about having a show in 2015. However, shortly after that, they asked if I could be available in April because they had a cancellation. Not a problem!!

We installed everything on April 3rd and it was ready for the Opening Reception on April 4th.  Here are a few photos from the Opening Reception.

K. K. Berge Gallery

Granite Area Arts Council
Granite Falls, Minnesota

April 4 - 29, 2014

 

The gallery is on the river. I'm so glad they included some beautiful views out of the windows!

And, of course, some wonderful wine!

The plates were even purple!

I have a journal I am using as my own guest book at my shows. The pages are already painted and marked. I ask people to sign their name and draw a picture or make some kind of mark in the book. I love the collection of names and art I find after the show is over.

I now have signed and numbered prints of some of my pieces available for purchase at the shows. It is a bit of an experiment.  We'll see how it works out.

It was a wonderful weekend...met some amazing people...drove through some beautiful countryside. Thank you to all the Granite Area Arts Council for inviting me and making me so welcomed!

One last thing. I found out that locally they have an Art Meander in October. If you are anywhere near there, it would be worth checking out.  I'm planning to go so I'll be posting about it later as well.

First of a New Series

This is the first piece of a new series I'll be doing this year.  The series is "Earth's Amazing Wonders"  OK...I know...it is not exciting so I'll just call that the working title.  There will be at least 6 pieces done in textiles which will depict (or suggest) places that I find awe inspiring. I have the first several in the list. The remaining couple or three I've not narrowed down as yet. Oh I have my favorites though, it will just depend on what rises to the surface when the time comes.

First up is Antelope Canyon in Arizona.  When you look at photos of this location, it seems like someone when nuts with their PhotoShop. The colors are amazing and the contours of curving rock are beautiful.This is a view inspired by several photos...looking through the jewel-tone rock to a beautiful clear sky.  I hope I did it justice.

It does not yet have a binding as I have been struggling with just what to do. My current plan is to do a pieced binding that will just fit in with each part of the fabrics.  This art quilt also has a lot of stitching on it. I haven't done this amount of quilting in ages.  All the contour lines are stitched. At first I thought it would be a bit boring to do but it actually took on a rather organic feel as I didn't work to make the lines exact but rather made the undulate on purpose to pick up the flowing feeling of the actual rock.

I am linking this to Nina Marie's Off The Wall Fridays. Click there to see the work of some amazing artists!

All Together Now

Since it has been a year long project. I decided to post all the Up Close and Personal pieces together.  They are posted along with my macro photos which inspired them. Clockwise from top left: Weathered Red Door, Ancient Cactus, Peeling Birch, Rusty Leaves, Knotty Situation, Cornered.

These six pieces are currently winging their way to France for the show there in April!!!

Up Close and Personal

Celebrating African Grandmothers

I am so honored to have been chosen to participate in this exciting event.  Now the tour is drawing to a close and tickets are on sale for the final auction.

CELEBRATING AFRICAN GRANDMOTHERS,

Heroes of the continent

ART AUCTION

Tickets are selling fast! 

Forty juried works of art have toured fourteen cities.

The collection includes 

paintings, sculptures, textile art and collage.

The final auction is in March:

Friday March 7, 2014

7-10 pm

Inn at the Quay

900 Quayside Drive

New Westminster BC

$35

Cocktail reception

No host bar

Live and silent auctions

Cash or cheque sales preferred

Here are my two pieces that have been on this year long tour.  Tears of Hope and Wall of Courage.

Click HERE to see the full gallery

Click HERE to read all about the auction and how to bid online if you wish.

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!

"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.

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