Planet Textile Threads

3/10/2010

2010-03-10T14:29:11+00:00

it is another chilly gray morning. After the 60 degrees of Monday (joy!), this is a letdown. SUN is needed.

at least there are color spots where we walk.

this little mixed media piece is one of the things that has reappeared in the last week.

see it and others in gallery 4.

Monday the 15th is the first day of the next on-line class.

Details and registration here. Idea to Image, Abstracting from Nature.

Yesterday’s adventure with piles of stuff was successful. Not a single pile came back into the office from the living room. Everything was disposed of. No remorse, no second guessing (what was in those notebooks? was it important? maybe…). What a great feeling, clear shelves, a clean desk. This will make work on the new book go much easier.

Today is a studio day, after beau and I walk. yesterday we encountered a fox, and about ten whitetail deer. Who knows what this morning will bring.

Snail mail and other delights

2010-03-10T13:32:08+00:00

The photo above of a small creek near my house doesn’t have anything to do with this post. It is just one of my fav photos. The beauty of the waning of winter.

I just mailed out my new postcard yesterday. I am more and more leaning toward very specific communications with my Patrons and Art Friends. If you would like to be added to my snail mail mailing list, just send drop me a line with, obviously, your snail mail. I love receiving postcards from other artists, so do let me know if you maintain a snail mail list and I will reciprocate.

The link to my online March e-newsletter has also gone out to subscribers. The e-newsletter includes a rare photo of Joe and I with our new companions, plus news of an artwork to a permanent archive, free shipping on my book, and, yes, alpacas. Just send an e-mail message with SUB as the subject line to Virginia(at)Virginia.com if you would like to receive my free e-newsletter.

Photoshopping Drawings and other High Wire Acts

2010-03-10T11:52:29+00:00

This is a rendering for larger project to be made in fabric. I’m pretty happy with the composition — it’s an interesting spin on a portrait of a single character as the center of interest with my typical busyness in the background.

It’s also the first time I’ve combined natural drawing media and computer drawings in a Photoshop collage. The high-wire walker was done with a Pigma brush pen and watercolors. I drew the monks in pen in my travel journal, then scanned and combined them with drawings of buildings I did in CorelDraw.

If you remember, a couple of years ago I did a drawing called Tip Toe Temple. Somehow that original idea has gotten tangled up with these photos of cell towers and electrical power lines from Japan. So now here’s some other more recent ink brush drawings of similar themes…

and

and this one:

Clouds have a lot of personality and are interesting characters to draw or paint. Speaking of clouds, here were some really wild ones as I left the studio tonight, just a little before sunset. The wind was whistling in an eerie way, and the clouds seemed over-dramatic over the paper cup factory across the street. I half expected an big UFO to break through at any moment.

Britain's richest visual arts prize

2010-03-10T08:02:59+00:00

The Artes Mundi prize has eight contenders, and it's on show in Cardiff - winner is announced 19 May. The Guardian has an article on it, which says this is "big subject art tackling subjects from post-communist social order to consumerism and globalisation".
The prize is £40,000, big-subject money. The artists aren't part of the London or commercial scene; the prize provides a platform for international artists yet to make a big name for themselves in the UK -- nearly 500 were nominated from 80 countries.

"All of the artists this year were shortlisted for their skill in reflecting the politics that surround them, and there was a strong showing by artists from formerly communist countries, including the Albanian Adrian Paci; the Bulgarian Ergin Çavusoglu; the Russian Olga Chernysheva; and Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev, from Kyrgyzstan.

"The latter pair, who explore ordinary life on the new Silk Road, were not at the prize preview after they were denied visas. The other artists are the Peruvian Fernando Bryce, who has lived in Europe for almost 20 years; Chen Chieh-yen, from Taiwan; and Yael Bartana, from Israel."

Interesting work, each deserving individual consideration. The works shown are from Olga Chernysheva's website.

Screen Printed Baltimore Album

2010-03-10T07:45:00+00:00

I've had this idea for almost a year. I've been wanting to explore screen printing in the Baltimore Album format.

I did a bit of research on the Baltimore Album quilt a while back, and looked carefully at the types of hand applique designs that are favored for this style.

I thought I could use the Thermofax screens I created from my photos of foliage taken during hikes in the Beartooth Mountains.

I have finished a lot of work, recently - and that cleared the way to start something new.

What do you think so far?

Running away from home

2010-03-10T07:13:49+00:00

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The critters chez Shirley don't know it yet, but I'm planning to run away. For a while, anyway. Seven won't mind too much - she's an odd cat....
...but the twins will, so I'm trying to find them a congenial housesitter. Plans are afoot...
Meanwhile, here's an early autumn sunrise that started some dodgy weather.

More on the plans soon.

Finishing and Contemplating

2010-03-10T04:27:51+00:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I have been on a whirlwind of activity since January — working on the Twelve X Twelve book and challenge, creating my Bird’s Eye View quilts, and most recently, finishing up Mother Lode. There have been lots of other things taking up my days, and you know, it is all good. For me, at my age, to be on this path is just plain fabulous. Now, I am contemplating starting the next pieces that I need to have done by April; and more for May.

Today, I sent Sunset Composition off to NC for the PAQA South Illuminations show and I burned a CD of Mother Lode and sent it off. It was nice to tick off some things.

The photo up there is the Tote Tuesday goodies from Jane Davila that I won in the auction fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. It arrived today, and I am looking forward to checking out Jane’s book, Surface Design Essentials. I have never used Liquitex products and that will be fun to try.

Here is an assortment of green paint chips. That is a lot of green variety. Earlier this year, we painted my office and now it is time to finish the hallway and my studio. I am thinking I would like a green paint. The Marmoleum tile has alternating green tiles. The color on the left on the bottom is closest to the tile. It is a nice soothing green and plays nicely with the turquoise in my office. I wish I could have one of those citrusy greens, but, I have to be sensible.

Tomorrow is a big day out and about. I have to preside at the Columbia Fiberarts Guild and luncheon tomorrow, and then, we are having our first ever Portland area SAQA meeting in the afternoon. The Oregon group is going to have a show: it has been a long time coming.

Cleveland Rocks

2010-03-10T00:13:11+00:00

So, one thing I really loved about Cleveland is that they take Rock and Roll music seriously. So do I. "I know it's only Rock and Roll, but I like it. I like it." They claim to be the birth place of Rock and Roll and I think that is bunk, but they stepped up and claimed it and did something about it.

It's not that I just "like" Rock and Roll, it is so much a part of my life. The thing about music, for me, is that it was always there. It was background, it was foreground, but most of all music attaches itself to your memories in inextricable ways and Rock and Roll is part of everything I have ever done, everyplace I have ever been and everyone I have ever known. The music of my lifetime is the soundtrack of my movie and the thread of continuity that connects me to everything. It is history, life, love, loss, joy and sorrow. It is a lot. Maybe that's not true for everyone, but it is for me and for my family.

In My Life • Midnight Train to Georgia • Blackbird • Forever Young • And So it Goes • Your Song • Our House • California Dreamin' . . . This list is endless, but it always begins with In My Life.

Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum is first of all, a beautiful, inspiring building, designed by I.M. Pei.

Inside are so many images and artifacts and, of course, music, that it really seems as much a history of our lifetime as it is a history of just the music. No photos allowed inside so you will just have to trust me that it is a feast for the senses. Several wonderful videos tell the story of the musical roots of Rock and Roll, the many paths it took and the artists who gave it life. The video featuring each of the inductees into the Hall of Fame, a multi-media presentation on three screens, was pure joy and emotion.

What a great day we had. A happy-to-be-alive day.

Core studies week 10

2010-03-09T22:14:19+00:00

Today's briefing was about the criteria for assessment - what was needed for a pass grade, and what was needed for a merit or distinction -
Thoroughly depressed, I headed at lunchtime to the electrical shop on Fleet Street
to look at lighting possibilities - I need two bright clip-ons to throw shadows into corners -
Returning to class late, I found a stuffathon in progress - the invitations to the show -
After discussion, my Supporting Statement needed revision -
and there was time to do a bit of charcoal drawing - satisfyingly messy - of how I hoped the shadows in the corners would look -
A bit more charcoal drawing, this time folded up tidily inside the tracing-paper cubes that won't now be used in the installation -
and to fill the time, this rather half-hearted effort, given a bit of life by some vigorous lines made with the blackened edges of the eraser -

Village Details - A Few More

2010-03-09T21:24:00+00:00

This piece is large - approximately 60" square. I won't be showing the full view on the blog at this time.

I have not actually bound this piece yet - will be doing that this week. It is kind of challenging figuring the binding out . . . I think it is so busy - it really needs something to sort of reign it in and contain it. I have auditioned a number of different fabrics and even cut one but now am rethinking it.
I know I could take the easy way out and face it, but I think that might not actually be the best look . . . . .

Willa Brigham on Quilts

2010-03-09T18:40:23+00:00

The quilts of Cary, NC quilter Willa Brigham are on display at the Scrap Exchange's Green Gallery at 548 Foster St. in Durham through March 16, 2010. The title of the exhibit is "I Used to Be Something Else." Mrs. Brigham is a member of the rockin' African American Quilt Circle. She is also a storyteller and of the regional Emmy Award-winning show "Smart Start Kids" on WRAL. I wish I could see her quilts featuring recycled fabrics! You can tell just how warm Mrs. Brigham must be by this 2 min. You Tube Video. You can tell the fabrics speak to her! Enjoy.

i know, i know.

2010-03-09T08:49:00+00:00

but for us is a big deal.we're at sea level in the med, please. should have seen pedestrians reaching for their phones and taking photos.
snowed from 2:30 to 6 p.m.and there was still some snow on my terrace this morning.
today it's 3ºc on a supposedly spring day.

neki desu

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Last class

2010-03-09T08:42:41+00:00

I had my last class with four of my 6th graders. (Actually the fourth showed up unexpectedly yesterday after three months of absence... I had scolded him in December and he chose to boycott my class.)

I've had these kids for 6 years. I've had their older brothers and sisters too! They will be entering Jr. high school in April and in my experience every Jr. high student turns ornery in the first year (my kids included!) and gets an attitude. I long ago decided I wouldn't teach Jr. high students... Jr. high is the start of formal, grammatical English and preparation for high school exams so most Jr. high students will start going to cram schools at night. Most of my students will quit my English to start attending cram school English. If they stay with me their grades don't go up! And another reason that Jr. high is a good time for them to quit my English class is because they will start formal school sports activities with practicing going until late at night. There is just no time for these kids!

So for the past couple weeks three of the kids worked on their Happy Villages as a remembrance of my class and I quilted them this week.

And yesterday the four kids came early and we cooked dinner together.

Hmmm. I should have spent a few more lessons on manners. I got a lot of grimaces and retching sounds from them and then refusal to eat whatever we'd made because of some reason or another. Giggles about grace before the meal, complaints about helping clean up. I couldn't see ending English on a bad note with me scolding them again so I let them say what they wanted. Let's say that though I have some great memories of being with these kids, it WAS TIME for them to quit.

I honestly don't think these kids gained a lot of English in the 6 years that they came to me (why was that boy still stumbling over counting to 16?) If nothing else, last night I realized that they were comfortable with me. Hopefully they will encounter more foreigners and overseas situations and will remember me harping over the same sort of things or having the same customs.

I should have been able to do more with these kids. Move on and try to do more with the ones who are still coming.

Close encounters of the bird kind

2010-03-09T07:59:16+00:00

Natural History Museum, London. The hummingbird is from a Victorian display case that's simply buzzing with dozens of hummingbirds - and their nests.

Finished the Mother Lode

2010-03-09T06:48:19+00:00

It seems as if I have been on a tear to finish things since the beginning of the year. Tomorrow, I can check off two more things from my list. I have finished Mother Lode and photographed it tonight. I will burn the CD tomorrow and pop it in the mail. I will also ship Sunset Composition to North Carolina for the PAQA South Illuminations show.

I was quite perturbed when I finished quilting Mother Lode because It was just a tad longer than the required 48 inches and I really wanted to face it which would require a half inch more for seam allowance.

I decided that it was important enough to come up with a solution. I had a strip of the bottom fabric that was already fused. I cut a 1 inch wide strip of batting the width of the quilt. I cut the fabric 1 and 1/4 inches wide and fused it to the batting. I butted the batting strip up against the end of the quilt and fused the overlap of the fabric to the bottom of the quilt top. I then quilted it to blend in. Voila! I had the length I needed to sew facings. Whew!

This is for a juried invitational show so I hope that after I have gone through this that it will make it into the show. Either way, I will eventually be able to post a photo.

After several days of glorious weather, we are having a cold spell. There was some talk of snow or freezing rain, but it looks as if we will be spared.

The Scene this Morning- and some thoughts form Rainer Maria Rilke

2010-03-09T02:16:32+00:00

When i got up this morning- this was the scene. It is the South of France , not far from the coast for heaven's sake- what is happening???

So, being confined indoors, without a sewing machine which i desperately need, I have been reading one of my favourite poets, Rainer Maria Rilke- his voice seems right for being kept indoors and watching the snow melt. I am reading his Letters to a Young Poet- finally, after having read most other things written by him. But I wanted to share some of his words, for whether you aspire to poetry or any other art making his words ring true. We all seek approval and positive critique of our work, or even less than positive critique- but it is ultimately when we draw deep within ourselves that greatest expressive power is reached. I don't pretend to have reached it , but it has reaffirmed what i have been thinking for some time- to see, to really see, to come to grips with something is to go down to the very depths of yourself, even the mundane and everyday and come back again- with something gained, a new insight, a new way of seeing.

From letter 1

Paris, February 17^th 1903

“ In making contact with a work of art nothing serves so ill as words of criticism: the inavariable result of more or less happy misunderstandings. Things are not all so comprehensible and utterable as people would mostly have us believe; most events are unutterable, consummating themselves in a sphere where word has never trod, and more unutterable then them all are works of art, whose life endures by the side of our own that passes away.”

“ You ask if your verses are good. You ask me. You have previously asked others. You send them to journals. You compare them with other poems, and you are troubled when certain editors reject your efforts..... You are looking outwards, and of all things that is what you must now not do. Nobody can advise and help you, nobody. There is only one single means. Go inside yourself. Discover the motive that bids you write; examine whether it sends its roots down to the deepest places of your heart, confess to yourself whether you would have to die if writing were denied to you. This before all: ask yourself in the quietest hour of your night: must i write? Dig down into yourself for a deep answer. And if this should be in the affirmative, if you may meet this solemn question with a strong and simple “ I must”, then build your life according to this necessity; your life must, right to its most unimportant and insignificant hour, become a token and a witness of this impulse. Then draw near to Nature. Then try, as if you were one of the first men, to say what you see and experience and love and lose. Do not write love poems; avoid at first those forms which are too familiar and usual; they are the most difficult, for great and fully matured strength is needed to make an individual contribution where good and in part brilliant tradition exist in plenty......”

today's journey

2010-03-09T01:08:00+00:00

Quilting Arts TV

2010-03-09T00:35:58+00:00

We got home from Cleveland late last night and I am pretty beat today. It was a good trip and I have lots of pictures to share.The first day was spent taping my 3 segments for the Quilting Arts TV show.

I arrived at the Beachwood Studios at 8 am on Friday morning. This was the last day of taping for the upcoming season. I think there were 8 of us taping that day, so it was a lot of waiting for my turn and visiting with people. There were several people there from Quilting Arts as well as the Beachwood people who were very helpful and got us all set up with trays for our demo materials. Here are the trays with all the stuff for my stuffed bird segment.

Met lots of interesting and talented people. One of my favorites was Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Studio on Bainbridge Island. I enjoyed talking with her and we found we have friends in common. She had a totebag pattern in the same issue of the special Quilt Scene magazine that my birds were in, and she demoed it for her segment.

My first segment was about the edge finish technique that I wrote an article about.

My second segment was offering suggestions for ways to finish work that people sent in that they were stuck on.

My third was how to put together the birds.

Just before my first segment, the guest was Sophie Rubin, a 7-year-old who makes quilts. She is Luanna Rubin's daughter and is adorable and was so cute and funny. What an act to follow!

We broke for lunch, which was provided in the pleasant, sunny upstairs room at the studios, then it was on into late in the afternoon.

My bird segment was the last of the day—which was the last of the weeklong marathon for the crew.

Pokey Bolton, the host of the show and editor of Quilting Arts magazine is terrific and really goes out of her way to make you feel comfortable and at ease. I was nervous. I was stiff and felt, at times, like I was grinning like an idiot, trying to look pleasant and engaged. I haven't seen the segments so I won't know until I do, but I don't think I was awful. This was pretty far out of my comfort zone. I am an introvert and not accustomed to "performing" but I have to admit it was fun. And the people were great. I am flattered that I was asked to do it.

At the end of the day, despite the fact that most of the day was spent waiting and watching other people's segments tape, I was exhausted. Ray and I went out to explore a bit of Cleveland. We went to the Shaker Square shopping area and found a wonderful Brazilian restaurant called Sergio's Sarava. I was so tired I set my glass of wine down on the uneven edge where two tables were pushed together and spilled the entire glass. I never do that. Mental fatigue and jet lag. That's my story.

The shows will be broadcast later this year on public television stations around the country. Unfortunately it is not seen in the Portland area. I will get a copy.

More pictures can be seen on Pokey's Quilting Arts Blog.

Jurying a Show is Hard Work

2010-03-08T17:54:45+00:00

Yesterday, I removed all of the submissions for the Bird’s Eye View show from their travel bags and arranged them alphabetically in preparation for jurying our show.

Mary and Bonnie arrived around 11:30 and we agreed on our plan of action. We would look at each quilt in alphabetical order by quilt title. Our number one criteria was overall visual impact — was it aesthetically pleasing with good design elements? Next, we looked at the workmanship and then did it meet the criteria for the show in size and content.

We had 32 quilts to view. As we looked at each quilt, if it got 3 yeses, it went into the show pile. Then we had a maybe, take a second look pile and a no pile.

Sometimes, the backs are quite lovely!!

After going through the 32 quilts, we took a second look at the maybe quilts. One of our concerns was to have a cohesive look to the show. We did not want a piece that just jumped out and said “I don’t know why I am here!” One quilt was too small and that knocked out another which sort of worked in the show if both were in. Some were discounted for being just too literal.

Once we thought we had it done, we spread out all of the in quilts, and my husband walked in and said -”that one and that one look out of place with the others.” Ta da! We had been mulling it over, and when he said that, we knew we had to take them out.

I wish I could show you photos of the quilts that made it in. Our first viewing will be at the Camas Library in S. Washington State – near Vancouver. I will get photos then.

We selected 22 of the quilts for the show. It will be smaller than last year’s show, but more cohesive, I think. These are the quilts that are packed and going home. I hope that the members who made these quilts realize that there is nothing personal in making these decisions. We are trying to grow High Fiber Diet into a professional quilting group that produces high quality, artistic work.

I think it would be good to have a session for the group on designing a quilt with visual impact. Black borders and wonky embellishments do not an art quilt make.

For myself, I understand the jurying process a little better now. I am not going to be so miffed when I don’t get into a show. It is not always about the lack of design or workmanship of your quilt, it is about the whole show.

For a great article on jurying, read Lyric Kinard’s excellent blog post.

loss of innocence

2010-03-08T13:58:00+00:00

seems that i can't close my wishful thinking mode because i want to believe all this weirdness will have to end sooner or later. yes we're happy when our blogs' traffic grows. and it's comforting for the ego.

but that also means spam and weired followers. people who do not really care for textiles or what you do or say. i do not understand what they gain following. perhaps an in to see if your blog can get hijacked and used as a splog.as there is money involved i can see the lack of ethics and basic decency.
i suggest you delve deeper into your google analitycs.i was shocked with the filthy terms and keywords that were used to browse through my blog. the last days of feb and beginning of march were notorious.

as jude of spirit cloth recently commented :

"it might be nice to know what you are being associated with."

all's not lost as there are ways to curb it. you can find more about it here

and folks this is real time snow in barcelona march 8 at 2:30pm. i can hear you snowbirds cracking up. but this is the med!!!
it's not stopping so will go out and video it. more later.

Addendum: just be very careful as there are massive hijack attacks on blogs going on.
do not install any gadgets for the time being , as some contain malware codes.
there's a writeup here form one of the regular helpers in the blogger help forums

neki desu

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Once upon a time

2010-03-08T12:45:36+00:00

Once upon a time... Tetsu did not like cats. Tetsu was a dog person. His mother tells tales of Tetsu running away from home and getting as far as the dog house where hours later he was found sleeping with the dog.

Then I (Tanya) came along who doesn't classify herself as a dog or cat person. Maybe animal person. Tetsu and I helped a few stray cats but they went on their way and Tetsu brought home a stray dog (Shoko) which became an important part of our family. Then a friend "gave" us their cat that they couldn't keep (Lami) and after that one we adopted a kitten (Lemi), and somewhere along the line the strays started showing up. Zorro. Velvet. Cleo, Patora and a sibling (which found a home). Choco was a stray I brought home. Tetsu rescued other dogs which were returned to their owners. Chip. Toi. Mi. (I fail to mention the parakeets Tetsu and I kept before the kids showed up.)

Tetsu is now a cat person. Choco plays second fiddle because she is always digging holes, ripping up cushions and blankets, tearing apart her dog house, making more work for Tetsu.

The cats could care less about Tetsu. He's not the one who feeds them nor cuddles them. The only time they take an interest in Tetsu is when he is eating. In this picture, potato chips. Suddenly Tetsu is every cats' best friend! (Four cats there.)

And according to Mi, Tetsu is always her best friend. The feeling is mutual. Happiness is sleeping on top of the one you love.

Cooking with gas

2010-03-08T11:34:00+00:00

First peel your garlic - caramelise it - prepare some lemon peel in syrup - cook sprouts, add red chili - tooooo delicious!The recipe is here - it really does transform "the poor man's cabbage" into deliciousness.

Student work

2010-03-08T10:12:58+00:00

One of the coolest things when you are a teacher is when a student writes to you with what she has learned and used from your classes. Last week, I was tickled pink to receive an e-mail from Susan Molin who took my Fabric Postcards class at the Merrimack Quilt Guild in New Hampshire in late January. The first picture I saw was this wonderful rhinoceros…doesn’t he just make you grin?

I think Susan did a fabulous job using the printed fabric, the yarn-edge finishing technqiue, and creative embellishments. I had shared a piece or two that I did where I made the postcards first, then applied them to a quilted background (for example, the Mountain Seasons pattern in my book, ThreadWork Unraveled, is made that way). The photo of the overall quilt, Jungle Play, is a tad blurry, but I’m including it anyway so you get the feel for how she has done the piece:

Here is the giraffe–the “hair” for the mane is PERFECT:

and the gorilla–love those hanging-down branches:

I like how Susan has used understated quilting, creative beads and buttons, and couched yarn to the background quilt. Very effective! Thanks so much Susan for sharing with me and letting me, in turn, share here on my blog!

Sunday traffic

2010-03-08T05:46:00+00:00

We waltzed into Brooklyn in 58 minutes and it took us an hour and 45 to get back to NJ. While we were sitting in traffic, I did a drive-by shooting with my iPhone. No idea what I had till this minute. Took the Manhattan Bridge across to Brooklyn going in and I loved the way the light caught this building on Flatbush Avenue.

My brilliant idea to take the Brooklyn Bridge to avoid Canal St.on the way home was not so brilliant. But I got some good pix as we approached the bridge. It's hard to see the hordes of people walking across the bridge on the left, but if you click, you might see them better. It was a beautiful day for walking.

Now we're on the bridge and you can see the other side.

Now we are approaching the approach to the approach to the Lincoln Tunnel. I love these buildings.

Tour's over. Remind me not to take this route again.

Back in Le Triadou

2010-03-08T05:34:22+00:00

Le Pont du Gard- a remarkable feat of engineering- still standing majestically after 2,000 years, and not far from where we are staying. I had been to Nimes before but never to Le Pont du Gard. The mistral was blowing straight down the river valley and it was freezing, which to some extent accounts for the whiteness of the light.

This is the Roman Arena in Nimes- said to be the most complete arena in the world. In a way it is disappointing as there is lots of steel scaffolding and wooden and steel seats and rails ( it seems we need to be more contained from falling these days)- yet on the other hand it is an arean that is still actively used 2,000 years after it was built. I wonder what structures from our times will still be standing and be used 2000 years from now. The stone steps of the arena were so cold today( and yes the snow followed us down south- so the arena looks coldy grey because it was cold)- I wonder if the watchers of the gladiators and later corridas, took their own cushiosn to sit on? Can you see a super big installation with hundreds of beautifully embroidered cushions- wouldn't it look grand!

The Arena is now used for concerts and corridas - and of course there was a small display of the embroidered garb of the torreador- i like that the photos on the oppposite wall of famous torreadors reflected in the glass case protecting the suit.

This is the outside of the Arena- you would think that they could have found a sligtlymore complementary light pole, or perhaps I expect too much?I didn't notice the round shapes in the road until I saw the photo- they almost look like pomegranates!

Village Details

2010-03-07T21:14:00+00:00

This is a piece I have been working on for over a year. It is finally quilted. Whew! I must have stitched on this thing for over a month!

The process for this piece was glue gel resist, painted with Setacolor opaque paints. Block printed with hand cut blocks. I left it to cure for over 6 months before washing it out.

I didn't get around to the quilting until this winter.

Stairs

2010-03-07T18:25:00+00:00

Stairs are still on my mind. These glass ones are a feature of Apple stores everywhere -And these, very perilous, at Las Pozas, the house in the jungle built by millionaire eccentric art collector Edward James -
Their perilousness is made very real by a report from a friend who was in the neighbourhood but didn't visit: "the rains had made getting around in the garden treacherous due to sliminess of mosses growing on the concrete walks and particularly on the many stairs [no hand rails or guard rails] and injuries from falls were being reported."

But would you go up them (and down again) under the best of conditions?

another quilt day - oh, my!

2010-03-07T15:18:00+00:00

Yesterday was the first meeting of the NY MetroModQuilters. About 1/3 of us turned up to get acquainted, do show-tell, eat(of course!!), bind charity quilts, and talk about what the group wants to be when it grows up. Victoria Findlay hosted the event at her fabulous, art-filled loft.

Victoria has never taken a class with anybody, came to this way of working all by herself. She is an artist who is now working with cloth instead of paints.

I would guess there is about a 35 year age span in this group of "modern" quilters -- and it is so exciting to those of us who are near the top of the age range to see women the same age as our daughters making quilts. I made my first quilt at age 33 but didn't know anybody else who did the same thing.

These newbies are reinventing quilts to fit their modern sensibilities: bright and funky fabrics, often in trad patterns...but just as often, not. These are certainly more organized and less truly scrappy than string quilts were originally (or mine on the other day's post) but that's what makes horse racing. And I think these are beautiful.

Amy, who spearheaded the formation of this group, told us she had had no idea there was such a pattern as Drunkard's Path and had drafted her own because she knew she wanted circles. "Modern" quilts seem to use big blocks for a highly graphic, bold look; exciting color combinations, and wonky versions of trad blocks. A lot of it, they are figuring out on their own, which is very encouraging because they are not limited by some teacher telling what they can or can't do.

After the meeting, Aleeda and I walked over to International Foods on 9th Ave., where I bought spices, olives, taramasalata, tatziki,hummus bi tahini (which I had to doctor up because it's not as good as mine - LOL) and eggplant salad. Last night's dinner. Lured by the display of crawfish in the window, we stopped in the fish store next door, where she bought some for dinner.

I was tempted and the fish was gorgeous; prices low - but I wasn't cooking last night.

I had taken the bus and on the way home we sat in the Lincoln Tunnel for 20 minutes during a traffic jam. Unusual - there must have been an accident or stalled car on the NJ side.

Finally, skyline as we got out of the tunnel on the NJ side.

And that's enough for now. It's already Sunday and we're off to Brooklyn to see Emma. After that, back to NJ and Josh's birthday dinner (he was 11 earlier this week).

river mist

2010-03-07T14:21:52+00:00

Tama asked about the two river mist photos. The river does flood when Spring melt-off begins in the high country. The Yellowstone is the longest un-dammed river in the lower 48. Currents shift, banks and channels are re-carved every year. However, the “tan” areas are snow/ice banks, not silt.

here are “corrected” photos. The snow reflects light, and the morning was gold.

**
On another note, Spring on-line classes will begin on the 15th, check my home page for the link to class information

Blue Bear - Done Quilting!

2010-03-07T09:16:10+00:00

35 x 52"
No name yet . . . . Blue Bear might stick.

Job interview

2010-03-07T09:15:04+00:00

I went to my interview for the crosswalk guard position on Friday afternoon. I'm supposed to get an answer from the city this week.

On my way to the interview I looked down at my jeans and bright blue shirt and had the thought...

"Wait a minute. I seem to recall that when going to interviews young college graduates at least have an interview "uniform" of black slacks, black jacket, black shoes etc. I wonder if I was supposed to get dressed up for this."

Too late. I look like what I look like. At least I'm not pretending to be what I'm not. (I don't own black slacks, black jacket or black shoes.) I went in smiling to my interview because I'm sure my attire was a first.

Japanese young people are in the last stages getting ready for new jobs. The fiscal year starts in April (as do schools, TV programs etc) and college students have madly been pursuing "shushoku katsudo", job hunting, for the past two years. Yes! Two years! Around the middle of the junior year in college, companies will start conducting interviews and accepting applications and resumes for positions two years hence. By the time the student starts their senior year in college, ideally they should have a position secured for them upon graduation. I don't know how the companies know how many positions are going to be open or how the economy is going to be in two years but anyway, college students and parents get very nervous as the senior year continues with no employment future cemented. And by the way, not a lot of studying gets done in college that last year when all that is required of the student is a diploma to show to their future place of employment. On the other hand, the colleges really play a big part in finding their students jobs, so the good and bad of the system balances out.

Back to interview uniforms, otherwise known as recruitment suits. Many parents will buy their college bound son or daughter a black suit that will be put to use over four years of college. The suit can be worn once for the entrance ceremonies to school, and two years later it can be worn daily throughout the many months of job hunting seminars, interviews and ceremonies. I was always very relieved when I listened to my friends woes of the cost and styles of recruitment suits that they were buying for their children. I wonder if my kids will EVER have use of a formal black suit. (Pictures from the Internet)

Ah well. My interview is over (sat alone in a folding chair across from three men at a long table while they made inquiries of my crosswalk interests, my language ability, my driving record and my husband's job).

And they did make it clear that IF I should get the job I wouldn't be able to wear my jeans...

Quilts and Their Stories - Detroit exhibit

2010-03-07T05:59:42+00:00

More than 100 quilts from the Great Lakes African American Quilter's Network (GLAAQN) are on display until March 21, 2010 at the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center, located at 311 E. Grand River Ave. in downtown Detroit's Harmonie Park-Paradise Valley. Mark you calendar as there will be a closing reception and panel discussion held March 21 from 2-4 p.m. Marian Coakley is the Guild President. Enjoy!

2010-03-07T05:08:22+00:00

The same framing method (like I used for the ATC in the post below) works just as well for larger pieces. The textile focal piece on this one is about 13x14"" and it's secured to a 16x20" painted canvas that's inserted into the black chunky frame. I really do like this presentation.
Hanging my show today in the gallery today!!!!!

march 6

2010-03-06T20:21:17+00:00

our walk early this morning, about 7 am, just past sunrise, 34 degrees, a lovely morning.

looking upstream, the mountains are about 100 miles southwest, barely visible in the photo. Notice the color in the willows! Spring is coming.

the side channel. Almost all the snow has melted off, the water is moving freely. Ducks and geese are staking out their nesting spots. What a difference a few days makes, eh? This is the same spot photographed on March 2.

As we walked back to the car, the mist hung low over the river. We are facing East here.

It is unusual to see low mist in this semi-arid region.

here are two “waking moon” pieces, recently unearthed in the studio cleaning.

They are being listed on gallery 4.

California coast

2010-03-06T17:39:32+00:00

– Jer

Charter bus

2010-03-06T17:36:52+00:00

– Jer

Red wheelbarrow

2010-03-06T17:35:04+00:00

– Jer

Andromeda

2010-03-06T17:32:37+00:00

– Jer

East from Steen’s Mountain

2010-03-06T17:31:17+00:00

– Jer

Water water everywhere

2010-03-06T11:38:00+00:00

From Scotland, Australia, and Tennessee - how do they pronounce "geyser" in Tennessee? Crystal Geyser - great name - makes me smile and shake my head...

Works in progress this month

2010-03-06T11:21:57+00:00

I don't have a lot to show for handwork so far... I must be doing something but nothing is getting completed and I still have a ways to go so here are some of my in progress projects.

Stitchery... that I was NOT planning to do anymore of but couldn't resist when the cats showed up. This is still February's block and I'm nowhere near the end. March block has already been posted at Red Brolly but I can't even think about that yet. I'll be happy if I get THIS block done! It should have a bit more color when I get to flowers and things... This looks pretty drab right now.

I am in possession of one of the corners for our bazaar quilt and four of us took home embroidery thread and instructions to stitch around all our previously colored patterns. It will be SOO nice to get this to a flimsy stage. Already we are beginning to ask... "Who is going to quilt this quilt?" "Not I." said the little red hen. My stitchery on this is taking me away from my cat stitchery (and the feathered star.)

Leiya asked me (and who can refuse a daughter living in another country whom you haven't seen in a year) to make her a vest. A knitted vest. Neutral color. Maybe specks of other neutral color. Button down. Not bulky.

Hmmm. She's asking a lot because according to my calendar I am out of the knitting season (November to January) but because she ASKED and because I LOVE her and because I haven't made her anything for a year I went off to the yarn shop and bought cotton yarn and found a pattern I like.

Sorry Leiya, I can't make it to order because I couldn't figure out EXACTLY what you were thinking of. I hope motherly love will cover the faults of unfashion. (And don't count on this arriving in your mailbox for awhile... Think summer.)

And finally a little COLOR on my blog... Three of my 6th graders are
"graduating" from English this month so I set them to work on Happy Villages. Now what that has to do with English I don't know but instead of going out and buying them a pen and pencil set or something I decided I'd rather help them make a remembrance of their six years with me. (And we did some minor sewing over the years.) So the three Happy Villages have been made and I need to get them quilted by Monday. Yes, I know there are only two here in the picture. I'm devoting Sunday night to quilting the last one.

And I shamelessly copied Diane Gaudynski's addition of a quilted cat in one of the houses because I know one of my student's likes cats (me too!).

Got to get back to work!

More lino-cutting

2010-03-06T10:36:06+00:00

Heads up! Dijanne is beginning a new lino-cutting class on March 8th! To sign up, visit her blog and contact her by clicking here.

I’ve been trying to work on my online lino-cutting class with Dijanne Cevaal during the Olympics and breaks from working on that quilt I can’t tell you about yet. I’ve been having FUN! One of the exercises was to cut a monogram / initial. As part of that, I decided to print up some stamps I had carved in the past and share with the class, so thought I’d share them here, too. The older stamps are all done in either Speedy-Cut (a somewhat soft, rubbery material, or a generic version of same), an art eraser (the grass) or the cuts-like-a-hot-knife-in-butter MasterCarve (the bunny and leaf in the top row are on opposite sides of the same block). The sheet below is an 8 1/2 by 11 inch (about A4 size paper) piece of paper. The rose block is about 3 1/2 inches square, the bunny maybe 1 1/4 inches across (printed on point).

Here are the carvings for class (the “S”) and an older tree of life design printed onto paper with textile paint (brown) or stamp pad ink (black):

I also did an owl in Dick Blick (online purveyor of art supplies) Wonder Cut, a type of linoleum. It is about 1/4″ thick, and feels like tightly compressed sawdust. It is harder to cut than the rubbery stuff, but easier than the Golden cut or battleship gray linoleum. Since I have (I think) incipient arthritis and other issues with my hands, I used that first:

I didn’t really like the three echo lines to the left of the owl, so I subsequently removed them. I’ll share prints made with the revised version a few blogposts down the line…..The lino cut is at the bottom, the paint on paper prints at the top, and paint on cloth to the right (along with a few attempts with the “S”). I need to get a better print on cloth… I think I figured out the trick. It is called buy MORE paint supplies, the kind suitable for lino-printing! More on that later, too….. you get the same exploring and learning curve I had!

Last, a stamp I made a while ago to use on labels. It is large… 5 1/5 by 8 inches (half a sheet of paper). I traced my hand then drew inside it, then carved the whole shebang into the soft-cut rubber. I had thought I would need to make this into a Thermofax screen for screenprinting, as I was not having luck getting such a large surface colored up with textile paint and printed before the paint began to dry. However, with my buy-more-stuff discovery, maybe I don’t. Hmmm….I’ll have to go try the new stuff with this stamp….hmmmm……

Anyway, hope you like my total collection of stamps, which will be growing! I like the lino-cutting!

2010-03-06T08:36:33+00:00

I finally found a way to display ATC's that take them beyond their small size. I stumbled upon these frames that work perfectly with a 3/4" thick painted canvas inserted into them. I think this presentation looks clean, polished and modern while showing off the textural elements of this mixed media piece perfectly.

On another note I hang my show at the Wallkill River School tomorrow. It's been a creatively busy last couple of months trying to get art finished for this. All told I finished 4 (or is it 5?) acrylic abstracts, 9 (or is it 10?) pastel paintings, 2 largish (for me) textile pieces and 6 of these small textile/mixed media studies. I wish that I had a few more things but it is what it is!

NJ Quilt Fest

2010-03-06T04:50:00+00:00

Made my annual trek down to the NJ Mancuso show today to hang out at the Handloom Batik booth, breeze through the quilts on display, and check out the vendors. Because I got there in the afternoon, I found a parking spot near the entrance.
Here is the requisite picture of Usha and me - not such a great one of either of us; it was the end of the day and we were tired. But the delicious South Indian dinner we had together after the show revived both of us. Yum. Something we both look forward to every year!

I had fun chatting with one particular customer, who had just told Usha she had bought a bunch of fabrics from her a couple of years ago that she LOVED but didn't know what to do with. Then she noticed the log cabin quilt I had made with Usha's batik fabrics and and said "I can do that!". She asked me to help her pick additional fabrics and she couldn't wait to get started on her own Log Cabin.

Trends I noticed as I ran through the aisles:
1) tons of people selling longarm machines. Goodness! Everybody is going into the longarm quilting business.

2) Lots of kits and patterns. I mean, KITS for things you don't need kits for - like this four patch with a one patch. Apparently a lot of people can't figure out on their own that a four-patch and a one-patch cut the same finished size can be put together. I call this the 1960 Kitchen Curtain Quilt. Oh, dear, oh dear.

As I ran by one booth and saw paints, paintsticks, and Misty Fuse I stopped short and sprinted backwards, thinking "oh!!
somebody is finally catering to art quilters!!" It was Jane Davila with her sidekick Carlos and it was her first time exhibiting there. Great to see her, too.

I was wandering up the aisle when lo and behold, I ran into Diane Wright!! She and David had driven down from CT, gone to the Morris Museum to see Jack Walsh's exhibt, and come to the quilt show. Such a treat to see her, and we had a chance to chat. Why didn't it occur to me to grab my camera? Duh.

The quilts were - uh - mixed. Some beautiful art quilts and the usual head-scratchers. I will say there are more special exhibits with art quilts, every year. This is good -- although NJ tends to have mostly traditional quilters. Across the aisle from Usha's booth were several articles of embellished clothing item on display. I don't normally post pictures of people's work but this is worth a thousand words.

And speaking of words, I saved the best for last. Mid-afternoon, I went to get a cup of coffee at the food setup and had to take a picture of this sign.
I will leave you to ponder the meaning.

Good night.

Luggage for Traveling Quilts

2010-03-06T04:42:51+00:00

Have you ever sent a quilt off to a show, only to have it return home without the bag you sent it in. Or have you ever hung a show and tried to keep track of the packing materials for each quilt.

My art quilt group is getting ready to send out our 2010 show, Bird’s Eye View. Each quilt will be in a special cloth bag with a label attached to the bag that has a photo of the quilt and contact information. Each quilt will have a hanging rod and again, we are asking that those be labeled for easy identification.

Today, I made bags for mine. I sewed a Ziploc bag to the outside of the bag. I printed the label with the photo and my address and put it in the Ziploc bag. Using the ziploc bag allows the bag to be reused for another quilt. I roll each quilt around a foam swim tube cut to the size of the quilt and stash it in the bag with the hanging rod.

I finished the quilting on Mother Lode. I am quite happy with the result. I have to trim it to size and attaching facings to finish. I have to do some major housecleaning tomorrow as I have the jurying committee for the show coming on Sunday.

M & M are spending the night. It is their Dad’s birthday tomorrow and Steph is treating him to a nice dinner sans children. We will all celebrate tomorrow.

We took them out for fusion Asian food tonight.

acrylic mediums

2010-03-05T22:14:55+00:00

Here’s the hotlink to the pages on acrylic mediums.

http://www.cater-woods.com/weblog/?page_id=904

It’s a start. hope it helps.

Blue Bear - Quilting

2010-03-05T20:52:00+00:00

Here are a few images showing the details of the quilting I did on the blue bear.
I had a really difficult time getting the free motion quilting done - my Janome 6500 has been going downhill the past couple of years.
I do not seem to be able to get the tension adjusted to my satisfaction.
Worse yet - the thread breaks about every 8 inches of stitching.

I had to use a thread that was not my first choice as far as the visual effects - but it was the only one I had that would stand up to the stress of free motion!
After finishing the bear, I decided I would have to quilt the background with my walking foot, which goes much better.

I have also decided to begin searching for a new sewing machine that will be dedicated to free motion quilting.

I used Fairfield's new fusible batting made with bamboo fibers. It was nice not having to deal wiht pins!

Studio Matters

2010-03-05T19:34:34+00:00

It's been an exciting week and there is so much going on in my studio. Tomorrow I leave to teach 5 workshops at the Alaska Fiber Festival. This caused a serious problem with packing enough supplies, etc to get my 2 suitcases under 50 lbs each:) I would love to move my whole studio any time I teach a workshop, but that is not happening. So I get as many things for the students to use as I can and have to walk away from the rest.

Also this week, Adobe invited me to join the expanded prerelease program for their new Photoshop CS5. This is the part where you get to see what is coming up, play with the software in a beta version and find bugs and see what makes it crash. Of course, I already had a full week planned, but I just couldn't resist working with CS5. Since I signed a confidentiality agreement, I can't share anything about the program. Now my goal is to work on Photoshop everyday to contribute to the process. The next couple of days will be tough with traveling, but there are some new images in the works and these would be great ones to create with CS5.

Crocheted hemp, crocheted wire, twigs, textural work in progress.

Bored?

2010-03-05T14:46:44+00:00

"Neuroscientists have found boredom to be a source of feelings of well being and a strong sense of self. In boredom, the brain continues to fire away in those regions that conjure hypothetical events and new possibilities. The wandering mind, the dream world, can be a better world than the real nuts-and-bolts world and for the artist, with the addition of task-positive skills, it can transform into the joyful business of making it happen." Robert Genn talked about the "task-positive" and "task-negative" areas of the brain in a recent newsletter. This task-negative area -- the wandering mind -- is what comes into play, I think, when you "think with your hands", ie when you simply mess about. When you "do something, and respond to it". When you stop trying too hard; when it doesn't need to be perfect.
One thing leads to another - looking up the phrase "thinking with your hands" led not only to a book by Richard Sennet about craftsmanship, but also to this site, which says: "Once you think with your hands, the mind will never forget. Building a model reveals solutions through the process of thinking with our hands like a craftsman, combining the elements of volume with detail, and precision with an unquestioned instinctive knowledge."

Yes indeed, at this very moment I'm procrastinating getting going - avoiding getting into the making-doing-thinking-evolving-reacting mode. Because ... the outcome "needs" to be "perfect"! Isn't that what holds us back all too often?

Free shipping and more – “Wild at the Edges”

2010-03-05T14:25:18+00:00

I love Blurb books for a variety of reasons, not the least because they offer specials periodically. If you have been thinking about ordering my book, Wild at the Edges: Inspiration from a Creative Life, now is the time. Blurb is donating Free Ground/Economy shipping on all orders placed by March 22.

Just enter the promo code below at checkout and your book will be in your hands in about a week. Be sure to use the appropriate currency, based on your location.

USD $ promo code: WESHIP
GBP £ promo code: WESHIP2
EUR € promo code: WESHIP3

Here are the caveats: Offer valid through March 22, 2010 (11:59 p.m. PST). Offer covers Ground/Economy shipping costs for up to $7.99, £3.99, or €5.99 up to five books in one order, shipped to one address. This offer is good for one-time use and cannot be combined with other promotional codes or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Need MORE reasons to click over and check out my book?
1. Check out the price. Since I retired FFAC, I have reduced the price on Wild at the Edges as I donate to the ACS in other ways now. Wild at the Edges is offered in both soft and hardcover. If you can do the hardcover, it is well worth it.
2. RAVE REVIEWS!
3. Self-publishing is great for a book like Wild at the Edges. NO projects, but a quirky, personal sensibility. I choose each photo and placed it to enhance each essay or poem. Reading Wild at the Edges is meant to be a journey, one that you can savor, study and enjoy in small moments of time.
4. I have heard from many readers that Wild at the Edges is a great gift for artists of all types. Many of the essays focus on what it means to be an artist – the disappointments and the triumphs.