Textures

Wood pile textures

"Texture is the most enduring and ubiquitous underpinning of form... certainly a calming, meditative and appealing world for both the eye and mind." ~  Lynda Lehmann

Studio time

Close up of one of my quilts

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be”  

~ George Sheehan

It's May! It's May! The gorgeous month of May...

A Georgia O'Keeffe Morning glory in progress

Abstract quilts in progress, mono-printed

Working in the studio, I am starting to use the camera to capture my work.  It's a good exercise to document things.  I need to break into the habit, and I see already how it helps.

I am playing with multiple projects at one time.  My friend, Marci Howarth gave me a large coffee table book on Georgia O'keeffe's flowers, which I adore.  So I was inspired to try a small version of one of them in fabric.


I have also been looking at the use of reverse applique in my work.  I show two examples of reverse applique here, as a starting point in my abstract work.  This will be one of the chapters in my book, "Art Quilts: Methods to the Madness".

Today is May Day.  It is gorgeous out.  I am torn between my gardens and working in the studio.  So, I hope to find balance and do a little of both.  The sunshine and fresh air will do me good... creativity inside and out!

Last night I enjoyed a night of drumming with friends.  That was so amazingly good for the soul.  I hope to incorporate that more into my life as well.  Have a great day today!

“In the garden my soul is sunshine” ~ anonymous

Working in the studio again!

7" x 7"

3" x 3" in a black floater frame

7" x 7"

SAQA Information booth

My SAQA information booth at the NLQG show

O.K. Today I need to get down to business and sew. I have recently updated my fabrics, so I have some yummy material in graphic patterns and great colors. It's time to get in the studio and sew. Bye!

“If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done.” ~ Dale Carnegie

New York City

Last week we took our vacation in New York city.
It's amazing to realize that while we live in our quiet home in the country, this place exists 24/7.
Fun to visit!

Times Square, April 2011

Signs of Spring

Information table

Today I will be sitting at an information booth for SAQA at a local quilt show.  I did this yesterday, too.
What a great time!  I have talked to a lot of people, many who did not know that such an organization like this existed.  I hope to see some new members from this.  That will make it fun for me (even though it already is!) to be a rep for a longer time.

I have hung up some of my quilts for viewing at my booth.  My quilt, "These are a few of my favorite things" featuring my cat Bish largely painted in turquoise, is the big hit, drawing in viewers to look at it up close and personal.  That's good to note.

Well, I'm off to chat with more people about an organization that I love.  Enjoy the day.

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” ~ unknown

Tax Day.

“Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” ~ Keri Russell

Another look at playing!

Dianne Schullenberger's play station

“You just have to do your own thing, no matter what anyone says. It's your life.” ~ Ethan Embry

While visiting Dianne Schullenbergers studio she pointed us to an area of her studio where she just plays.  Any medium, anything she wants...

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!  Why didn't I think of that?

I love doing papier mache!  Love it.

So, why not dabble in between my quilting?

It will get my artistic flow going.

Yes!  Set this up and play, play play!

Seasons change and so do I

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” ~ Arnold Bennett

Why do I post a quote like this? Well, I am changing. Like the season, from winter into spring. My art is blossoming as am I.

Strange fascination fascinating me

Changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older

Time may change me

But I can't trace time

I said that time may change me

But I can't trace time

~ David Bowie

A fascination with color studies

Color studies from Dianne Schullenberger's studio had me fascinated.  These visuals are amazing for jump starting creativity.  Just Wow!  That's all I can say!

It's April!

This has potential to be a very cool project!

Thinking about the past weekend

I visited Dianne Schullenberger's studio last Sunday.  Her work is phenominal.  Her studio had an amazing aura of creativity.  So, I took some pictures to take home with me as a souvenir.  I want to keep the feeling of that space with me, to use it as a guide for my studio.

Hearing her talk about her process, and the freedoms she allows in her creativity made me realize that I approach my work and my life a little too sternly.  I need to open up more, to play, create, & celebrate.

Hopefully some of this will rub off on me into my life and process....  In the meantime, I think about when I can visit her gallery again.

Fantastic Weekend

 The SAQA Weekend was even better than I expected.
 I am really happy to be an active part of this group.

We did so much, my mind is spinning.

I can't write much now, but thought would share these images from Dianne Schullenberger's Studio

The middle picture is a close up of one of her fiber creations.

I will write more tomorrow!

This is where I am this weekend!

I am enjoying my new camera!

Felix

This ball of cuddle is Bish

I want a Georgia O'Keefe style spring

Thinking about mono printing!

mono printed prayer flag

Tuesday

Today was bright sunshine, blue sky and a magical icy wonderland outside!  It was so amazing out I took pictures with my cell phone!  I just had to record it.
The sunshine helps to keep my spirits up.
Moving ahead with my book, the sketchbook challenge and my journal.

A Rainy Sunday

monoprinted and commercial fabrics combined

“Never sell your hen on a rainy day”

It's March and already the month is getting away from me. Mud season has started with a major thaw.  The rain is pelting softly on my skylights.  The snow has a withered look.
Thoughts of moving ahead with many projects are weaving their way through my mind.  Now for action.  We are entering a new storm watch for snow, rain, sleet, and overall yuckiness.  It's time to sequester myself in my studio and forget about the outside elements.

Being sick

Ah!  It's not fun being sick.  I have contracted the virus my daughter had last week.  Slight fever, lethargy, runny nose, irritability.  I have been sleeping for two days now, going on three.

I think I am finally sick of snow, too.  Yesterday, while in my drowsy, achy state, I peered out the window at yet more snow coming down from the sky.  The piles (or should I call them mounds) of snow are so tall, you can't see anything, and it's dangerous to go around a corner in an automobile.  The landscape has changed dramatically here, and I really cannot wait for Spring to claim itself.

Illness has made me cranky and I have fallen behind on some things.  I hate that.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day, huh?  I hope so.

After the snow...

 

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” ~ Pericles

Sketchbook Challenge, Pen drawings

Home again!

A philodendron leave in my kitchen

"Nature has been mastering itself for some time now, and it is an honor to be able to capture its beauty". 

~ Justin Beckett

I'm back from the cape retreat. What a great time!  I feel so refreshed.  I got some sewing done, but for the most part, I relaxed and enjoyed the camaraderie of girlfriends!
Now, it's time to reset up my sewing room and get myself going on my book project.  I'm moving ahead on that and will post images as I get them.  Focus, focus, focus!

Cape Cod Quilting Retreat!

Yahoo!  What's up?
I am writing this from the cape cod quilting retreat.  I am in a conference room sewing with about 100 other women.  It's nice here.
My sister is here with me. She flew in from Illinois yesterday to hang out and sew.  She's working on a red, white and blue baby quilt.  It's traditional, but really nice.
I am finishing up a UFO!  I actually brought something that I caould finish.  I still have another sewing day, too!  Good for me, huh?

There are signs of spring everywhere.  I'm feeling very happy right now.

Gotta go!  Gotta Sew!

Bye!

sketchbook challenge

More Sketchbook images.

I find it interesting how
different they look when
photographed.

"Where does the white go when the snow melts?"  ~ Author Unknown

A few of my sketchbook challenge pages

sketchbook challenge

I have never kept an ongoing sketchbook.  My mind has always found itself sketching so why use my hands to record what could be rapidly done without the disappointment of a shaky hand?
So, with this challenge I have been feeling a bit self conscious about my sketchbook pages.  Self conscious of myself, that is!  If I can't do it beautifully and perfectly then why do it?  I don't want to confront my flaws!  Yuck!  That's uncomfortable and who wants that?

Ah!  But what I am learning is, you have to take time to stretch before you can play the game well!

So, this challenge has become a lesson in stretching and sketching.  I am facing white pages daily with the challenge of filling them with images of my fancy using whatever tools I want.  Sounds wonderful, huh?  Don't kid yourself, it's harder than it looks!

"You have to be displaced from what's comfortable and routine, and then you get to see things with fresh eyes, with new eyes."  ~ Amy Tan

winter weeds make a nice pattern

“If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything.” ~ Win Borden

“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - Christopher Columbus

I played a heap of snow in a school play. I was under a sheet, and crawled out when spring came. I often say I'll never reach the same artistic level again.   ~ Stellan Skarsgard

YES.  You Can!

Let go of self consciousness.  It's binding.  Focus and become one with the project and you can transcend.

Try it.

If your inner voice says,"What? she says to try something that scares me, and look like a fool?"  then you know you need to change that way of thinking to, "What she says to try something that scares me and I may enjoy it and have fun again?

Well, .....there may be a few snags on the way, but, YES, you will be happier for trying, than "should-ing yourself" later, when your 80.

Why am I making this entry on to my blog?  Well, I am currently convincing myself to try something that scares me.  I'm hoping I can take my own advice. So gotta go.  Something really scary awaits and I'm about to dive in.  Yee Haw!

thoughts... based on a quote

"Ah, good taste, what a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."  ~ Pablo Picasso, painter and sculptor (1881-1973)

Will it sell?  Can I make money off of this?  Is it good enough for the public?

Listen to yourself!

Make art for arts sake.
Do not let the commercial world dictate what you make.
Go with the flow of your inner being, trust that voice.
You have a lot to say.
The world does want to hear it.
They don't have to like everything.
They don't have to agree with everything.
Most likely, there will be one person out there who will enjoy what you do!
But the important thing is, YOU will like what you do.
Not necessarily the end product, because that's superficial.
But the process, the steps to get there, how you used your brain and hands to create
That is what is important.