"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)

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.

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. 

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

And the Snow Tree is done!

FINISHED!! Have to say...this is one of my favorites. The theme for this challenge was Snow.  After receiving a foot of the beautiful white stuff. I was inspired both for the technique (snow dyeing) and the subject matter.

I cut the tree out of a white-on-black commercial fabric, I had a stone fabric which made a perfect wall. The snow is cut from all black-on-white commercial fabric. Each piece is individually applied to the background as raw edge applique.  I love the feel of a cold gray day the background gives, with big clumps of wet snow clinging where it can.  I also like how the wavy cut of the woven fabric background gives a feel of the cold winds of winter in the frozen northland.

The front fabric is folded to the back and stitched instead of a usual binding.  I didn't want to break up the tree or distract from it.

SNOW  TREE

12" X 12"

Pecans - the beginning

Pecans - the series.

A couple of the online groups I belong to are doing art pieces in a series as part of the challenge for the year.  For one of the groups, Free Spirit Artists, I decided to do a series on Pecans.  This fall my dad died. He was a wonderful man and a great loving dad. And one of his passions was pecans.  They had a HUGE very old pecan tree in front of their house and he even planted a pecan orchard.  He subscribed to magazines for pecan growers.  Oh and he enjoyed eating them as well!!  (something we had in common!!) So, I decided to do this series in honor of my dad.

So far the series will depict the  different stages of the pecan.  1) sapling, 2) a grown tree, 3) mature pecans on the tree limb, 4) pecans on the ground at the base of the tree - ready to harvest 5) a barren tree after all the pecans and leaves are gone 6) pecans harvested and halved, etc and 7) the piece honoring my dad - it will have his photo in B/W transferred to silk organza, pecans, perhaps other photos, and my mom's pecan pie recipe.

Well....I have done a bit on this series already.  Ordered screen prints, cut out templates, etc.  But dyeing the fabrics felt like the project is actually underway.  After a couple of days of dyeing....here are the basic fabrics I will be using in all of the pieces in this series (6 or 7 planned)

They are all dyed in a 6 step gradation.  Here is one of the brown all set up to batch.

And here are the completed dyed fabrics --

Browns (yes I know some of them don't look brown but they are named "brown" something) -  From left to right...Tobacco, Cocoa, Golden Brown and Dark Chocolate Brown

Greens - Left to Right...Emerald, Dark Green and Forest Green

And Blues - Left to Right... Well actually they are so close it is difficult to tell the difference even in person! But I used Cerulean and Intense Blue.  I took these down a couple of gradations because I wanted some light blue sky with "clouds".  I'm very happy with the results.

Ordinarily this would be the end of dyeing...however after just completing the snow dyeing for another challenge...I HAVE to do some pieces for this series!! Hopefully I'll get to that tomorrow if not starting some today.  

So True!

I'm busy working away on about 4 projects today in the studio but I just had to take a break to post something.  As for many of you...this is the season for mountains of mail-order catalogs.  While I seldom order anything...they keep coming.  I have to admit, I do enjoy looking through them anyway.  Daydreaming perhaps. In one yesterday, I saw this saying on a T-shirt for purchase.  I think it bears sharing. (My apologies to those who also get catalogs and have seen this a bazillion time - this was my first.)

Earth without ART is just "Eh"

I love it! Short, sweet and to the point. I couldn't agree more! 

The Manhole Cover Project Rebirth

It's been a while now since this story began.

I had just completed a workshop on lino cutting and printing when I was downtown Minneapolis with a friend and we found the Nicollet Mall manhole covers designed by Kate Burke.  Possibly because I had just taken that workshop but I sooooooo saw them as beautiful potential lino prints!  With the help of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, I was able to get in touch with Kate and she graciously gave me permission to use her art and to interpret it into mixed media textile art.  Then life went slightly (ok...a lot) off the rails and the project sat dormant for a bit. But starting in an online group with no rules and the artists get to chose their theme and size, etc., I knew it was time to dust it off and get it done!!

Here are the manhole covers on the Nicollet Mall as shown on Kate Burke's website.  You can see why I fell in love with them!!  http://katekburke.com/section/143737_Manhole_Covers.html

So although I do have a couple of them cut already, I'm using the one I'm currently working on so you can see the whole process.  So far I have a printout of the photo, made a line drawing from that photo, transferred the image to the print block and have just begun to carve out the bits I don't want printed.

It is a long process...the cutting part.  And actually I think the wolf is the most difficult image of the 11 of them. And so it begins......

A Reason to Iron!!!

Was just sent this link from a friend and HAD to pass it on.  I KNOW how all of us just LOVE ironing....

This would be the only thing that would convince me to heat up the iron for something other than melting angelina!!! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

OK...find that iron (might need to dust it off a bit....)and MAKE  ART!!!!

Weekly Creativity - Week 6 - Large Screen Prints

While I have a "regular" sized screen for printing, I was excited when I read somewhere about how to make large screens...especially for more organic forms.  I so wish I could remember where I saw it so I could give credit to the person from whom I learned this technique.  If you know...please post it in Comments below!

The "screen" is made from organza taped at the edges.  Lesson for next time:  It is pretty much a two people job...at least for me it would have helped to have an extra pair of hands!  The organza shifted at a breath and the duck tape has a very permanent stickiness!!  But I kept on and finally got a fairly workable screen.

The completed "screen"

I then got out my Golden Matte Medium to spread in a rather haphazard manner onto the screen.  I put it all on top of some packing paper so I could just throw that away when it was done.  Lesson for next time: Don't even TRY to use a plastic spoon!  The sturdy wooden one worked MUCH better.

The medium

With the gel medium spread onto the organza screen, it needed to dry very well. I hung it up to dry overnight.

Drying the screen

When it was very very dry, the medium is quite sturdy...at least so far.  I used the duck tape again to lace a spare piece of  fabric down onto my painting surface. It needs to be very stable I think.  The first printing was made with light blue acrylic paint applied with a squeegie thingie.  Lesson for next time: It does take a good bit of acrylic to cover this size.  I had to get out another small bottle. 

First painted layer print

I then removed the screen to see just how the printing went.

Screen removed

Mainly because I used acrylic paints, the screen had to be rinsed right away. I just filled my sink enough to cover it and soaked it for a minute, then used the sink sprayer to get all the paint off.

Screen Rinsing

I then repeated the printing process with two different colors of green.  I rather like the effect.....kind of like peeling paint.  I especially like the part over the clocks.  

Printing completed with second layer of two greens

Clock detail

And the screen is very much usable again! I'm not sure how many times it will last but it has already been worth the effort.  Now I want to try making a large screen like this but use a more regular pattern or form stamped with the gel medium.  

When Inspiration Hits!

The latest challenge for the 12 X 12 pieces is the theme - OPPOSITES. You might think that would be an easy one, right? Perhaps so. However, I struggled with it for weeks now and was just not coming up with something that excited me.


Until today. At my wit's end, I decided to google OPPOSITES just to see what might show up....maybe an idea to work from...or maybe even inspiration! One of the first selections was a list of opposites. Well....that sounded promising!! And sure enough, the light dawned, birds sang, euphoria filled the studio!!!

I decided to use a few of the opposites in one art piece!! Well....when I started looking and thinking, I came up with more than a few.

So here it is...I had a black and white piece I did for a project a couple of years ago. I started with that (the Picasso-esque man and woman in the woven textile background. Then I cut and added the strips for the left side and top.

FOURTEEN OPPOSITES

Yep...you read it correctly!!! There are actually 14 opposites in this one piece. Can you find all of them? I'll get you started....one of them is Black/White. The other 13 are up to you to find. That's why I put it on this post as a large photo. Some of the opposites are perhaps not as easily seen as others. A couple of them are a bit subtle. But they are all visible!! One I ditched (natural/synthetic) because it would not be discernable in a photo.

Good luck! I'll publish the list on November 1 so you can check your list!

Creativity - Week 1 - Organic Stamping

It's done!! Final layer - I have a brayer that has a rubber band wrapped around it. Thought the piece could use some straight lines but needed a more random feel to it. So I used Jaquard Lumiere Pearl Blue paint and applied it with the rubber band wrapped brayer to get the random lines.  I'm happy with it now and it will go into my stash to be used someday when the time is right.  It always surprises me when I get an idea for an art quilt and so often find just the right piece in my stash...often one that was "made" even years ago!!  LOVE to have that to draw from.

Wanted to test both the technique and the paint color so I used the Wrinkled and Rollered small piece first.

Onion Stamping - completed



Creativity - Week 1

One of the goals I've set for myself recently, is to do one thing every week that I either haven't done at all before...or...a twist or tweak on something I'm familiar with.  So yesterday I did some stamping with a dried onion. This is something that Wil did on her visit here but I was doing something else that day and didn't get to play.  So now it is my turn.

I cut the onion in half and let it dry for quite a while...days and days. The background is a piece of my own hand dyed fabric. I stamped with Jaquard Lumiere Metallic Olive Green. I love the effect! Not sure if I'm going to add to it or not. Just living with this for a bit to see if it is fine as is or needs something else.



Then when I was finished with that piece, I had a bit of paint left so I grabbed another bit of my hand dyed fabric and wadded it up then rollered the paint over it.  Repeated this several times until I got the coverage I wanted.



Also made a print of the onion on paper. Thinking I might want to make a screen print of it soon.

I Miss the Snow

I know I know....many of you will think I'm crazy (well this might or might not dispell that concept) but I LOVE the cold and the snow!! A bit strange for a Texas girl transplanted to the frozen tundra of Minnesota. But it is true.  This piece was born this summer when we had WEEKS of upper 90s. Thought I would die. Thank heaven for A/C or I just might have. I so LONGED for the cold and snow. I know it is a lot to ask of an art quilt...to bring back vivid enough memories of several feet of snow and temps below freezing to vanquish the oppresive heat...but I had high hopes. And to some extent it does give me hope. At least living in Minnesota (aka the Frozen Tundra) I know winter and cold WILL come eventually. I long for the first nip in the air, the promise that fall brings of the cold, refreshing winter beauty soon to come. So I wait..........


The background is white dupioni silk quilted in a snowflake pattern with silver metallic thread. The snowballs are circles of muslin with layers of scrim, lace, cording, knotted fabric and mulberry cloth hand-stitched onto it. Then the circles were appliqued to the quilt and then painted with White Pearl Lumiere and white acrylic paint. The finishing touch was to stitch some white iridescent beads onto each snowflake. Is it just me or is it getting just a bit chilly in here??????

I Miss The Snow

10" X 20"

I Miss the Snow - detail



Directions

Funny, when I dropped by today to post one of my latest art pieces I realized I must be on a Black and White theme lately!  (see previous post) Hadn't noticed really.

Anyway, I was in one of my "I wonder what would happen if...." moods recently and felt inspired to try something similar to a piece I saw somewhere (can't remember where at the moment - it was just in passing). So I got out my black printing ink, black pigma pen, white ink and a credit card (art is about the best use for one I think!)  And here is what I ended up with. The title is "Directions". Some of the directions of the ink smears seemed headed in all different directions so I just extended them. Then the texture of the swiped ink needed extensions of the black lines or even new directions of their own. I'm very happy with the results. Only problem....printing ink when applied in this manner takes FOREVER to dry completely!! And those of you who know me are familiar with just how much patience is NOT one of my sterling virtues! But I managed...this time!

DIRECTIONS



And So Begins Another Year!!

And now to begin the year with posting some art.   I belong to a small group of art quilters that work in 12" X 12" (remember the hot air balloon?) and the current theme is  "Size Is Not Important". And here is my art quilt for that theme.


Title: Five Smooth Stones

Concept: This was the first idea I had when I read the theme for this quarter. (OK, the second idea!) Anyway, I thought of David and Goliath. Truly size was not the determining factor in that confrontation. So I decided on the five smooth stones that David took to take to the battle along with the type of slingshot the used back in those days (and still do in the Middle East I believe). All the fabrics are my own hand dyed fabrics, the slingshot is made of a very soft leather, the leather straps I've had for years (no clue where they came from now). The straps by the slingshot are bound with a speciality yarn I had in my stash. I did minimal quilting because I used the two colors of "sand" fabric to create the undulation of the sand. Also, I sprayed the two sand fabrics with a textured spray paint called "Stone" Not sure if you can see that in the photo.

Five Smooth Stones

Now I'm ready to find out what the next theme is!! Hopefully this time it won't take me so long to get it done!
Oh and BTW -- HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you! Hoping 2012 will be artful and creative and fulfilling!

Slight Detour

Yep...took a slight detour to join another group doing 12" X 12" art quilts on various themes.  The theme for this section was HOT. Took me almost FOREVER to get an inspiration that I could get excited about.

One afternoon my granddaughter and I were cruising through Google Images and came across a ton of hot air balloon photos. I loved the color and the brightness and the feeling of freedom they evoked.  I knew then that was the perfect concept for my art quilt for this group. So I set about to design one for the quilt. I found this piece of black netting with colorful metallic dots on it. And I happened to have hand dyed fabrics to go with the colors of the dots. Then drew the whole balloon on paper and cut out the pieces to use as a pattern. I tried to keep as many of the dots on the alternate pieces the colors of the fabrics on either side. The balloon is all raw edged applique. Painted very faint clouds in the sky with Lumiere Pearl White paint. The "ropes" on the balloon are from my collection of speciality yarns. I didn't include the basket because the balloon would have had to be smaller and I wanted it quite prominent. All fabrics except the black net w/dots are my own hand dyed cottons.

Full of Hot Air

Taking a bit of a break to complete some other quilts.  A friend of mine recently died and her husband and daughters were kind enough to allow me the privilege of making two baby quilts and one adult quilt from special clothing of hers. I'll be back shortly!

 

It's been a full month!

So much to do with Wil here! A LOT of shopping.........eating out.......bread and cheese for dinner......etc.

But yesterday I got to work on a piece. It's not completed yet but here is the beginning.  Right now it is just on the backing.  Next comes the quilting! This subject was chosen because I so loved our wilderness camping trips to the BWCA.  She is traveling toward the distant shore with the sun setting just behind the island. To the right are sheer cliffs. And all is peaceful on a calm lake.

Personal Journal Page

Found this wonderful picture of fossilized ferns and weathered stones and it inspired this journal page.  I'm fascinated with old things....the older and more worn the better.  I have TONS of photos of falling down buildings and old doors and windows...just to name a few.  I think I love them because each of them has a story to tell.  I try to listen and tell that story from my own perspective. 

FOSSIL - a journal page



New Direction

Any of you familiar with the writing aspect of the Artist's Way?  I've enjoyed that for several years but have found that lately it has been less rewarding.  Now I think I know why.

I have several kinds of art journals that I work on.  Most have been more recording the work I'm doing or I have an Inspiration Journal with snippets of things that inspire me. But this winter I was involved in, what was for me, a new adventure.  Just free-wheeling journaling. Well, there was a BIT of structure in that there were prompts. But where I took it from there was totally up to me.  One particular journal was more one of self-discovery.  And here is what I learned from that.  I so much prefer expressing myself visually than in writing (although, there was writing involved on most of the pages - it wasn't the main part. More of an extension of the visual). I found that I learned so much about my view of the world and my art than I have in several years of writing journals. 

So, while I'm not giving up on writing in what used to be my daily journal (which is now more my sporadic journal), my main emphasis these days is art journaling. This current journal records my thoughts and just whatever happens that morning. Some pages I might complete in my journaling time in the morning (about an hour) but if it extends to the next day, or even days, that is just fine with me.

I don't plan to post any of these pages as they are more for my own reflection.....but you never know.  That might change if there is something I think worth sharing. I'm really looking forward to this particular new slant of my journaling journey.