The Grocery Store Photos

Sliced Cabbage Close up

How could I resist the beauty and color of this cabbage! Our co-op has an appealing way of displaying vegetables, especially this time of year when things are grown locally and in abundance. Look at these wonderful squiggly lines! I find myself drawing like this, doodling like this, admiring drawings like this! My subliminal influence has been brought to light. I see this all the time and draw it from memory. Therefore I am convinced, I am influenced by natural elements all around me.

Grocery store beauties!

"No one else knows your true potential. There is a power within you that can change everything. Decide to be a disciple of yourself. Let your heartbeat be your guru, pilot, and broker. You will know everything you’re meant to do, when you stop denying your design." ~ Tama J. Kieves

Great Quote

"Because the artist fears business, she hesitates to think as big as she could, to imagine the impact she might be able to make, to envision the leverage that's available to her." ~Seth Grodin

Celebrity Spotting in NYC

Matthew Broderick with an unknown fan

NYC Times Square at midnight!

After seeing, "Nice Work If You Can Get It", we waited outside the theater to meet one of our favorite celebrities, Matthew Broderick. It was a thrill to see him casually enjoying his fans and allowing photo ops and giving autographs. My daughter was sooooo happy!

The ghost of me

Sorry, folks... I need to take time off to college tour with my daughter...
I'll be back, but this month may be a little spotty.
Keep on making your art.

"I live in my creativity, a very sweet mansion" ~Tama J. Kieves

Work in progress

For sculpturefest... 

Thoughts on teaching

Parfait Dying, Anyone?

I am currently proposing new classes for the League. "What would I like to teach this time," is the question I usually ask myself, but the economy has me thinking the opposite now. "What do I think the public wants to learn?" is the present question.  So, I joyfully propose some new classes (and a few past, well attended classes), what I think would make both me and my prospective students happy.
In an ever changing world, the term "follow your bliss" has been replaced with "do what is economical and practical". One must remember to fill the well, though. An art/craft class can bring you joy.

"We can deny our hearts or we can deny our limits. We can choose to be practical or we can dare to be magical" ~ Tama J. Kieves

Summer!

Sorry for the lapse. School is out, so the schedule is whacky right now. I have been busy outside of the studio... so I'll post something more interesting soon. Sculpturefest installations are due soon!

“…Weren’t you always distracted by expectation, as if every event announced a beloved? (Where can you find a place to keep her, with all the huge strange thoughts inside you going and coming and often staying all night.)…” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

It's time to get me a kayak!

Today, it was a hot one.  I stayed home, indoors, and worked on my Sculpturefest stuff and some pillows for my crafts fairs.

But, I'd rather be on the river exploring.....

Yes, I'm doing what I need to do, but I'm dreaming of being somewhere else. Isn't that how it always is?

Kayaking on the river

The Connecticut River

I went kayaking with my high school girlfriend all weekend. She brought up her new kayaks for us to play with. We explored a part of the Connecticut river in the late afternoon when the lighting was really wonderful. I shot this image with my android phone. It was weird sitting in my boat and transmitting it to my Facebook page! Ah, the joys of modern life.

We drove over to my families summer place and explored Long Pond in Maine, too. It may just be time to get myself a kayak. I really loved it.

Sunday's Surface Design Blowout

The blue tent was my workspace. I shared with Nellie Pennington with the
hope that I could absorb some of her creative energy! Rose Birch was in
the brown tent. Lots of good stuff happened there, too!

My sweatshirt. I was very pleased with the outcome!

Lisa Johnson got some great dying results!

Nellie Pennington hanging up another successful piece.

Sarah Monego painted this silk scarf using glue as a resist.

Surface Design Saturday!

Peggy Sadler's newly dyed fabrics

Sue Geno's dyed scarves

Joanne Shapp's printed T-Shirts

Surface Design Blowout Weekend

The annual Surface Design Blowout is happening live and in color this weekend!.  It's an opportunity for textile artists to get all the messy work done, in all types of mediums, outside, with a bunch of like minded individuals.  We all come together to work, share and express our passion for textiles.
The weather looks like it will be fabulous! So, we will get really good results with any dye baths and drying.

I am very, very psyched.
I hope to see you there!
I'll post some images after the event.

Cat tested and approved!

My three boys

I'd like to introduce you to my quality assurance team.  They oversee the production of all my work.  I should make up little tags for them that say," approved by moi, meow!' and insert them in hidden crevasses of my quilts after they have been walked on, laid on or "pawed" in any way by them.
Most of the time this team thinks I'm pretty boring.  But every once in awhile, they glance up at me as I rev the engine of my sewing machine.  "Aren't you done yet? That's so boring, you know!" is what their glance reveals.
I keep sewing away anyway.  "Don't mind me," I say, "just sleep through it!" And surprisingly, they do!

An oldie but goodie

"Continuing Convergence"
collection of Mary Hardy

The SAQA 12" x 12" Auction

I have to say, for now, Susan Shie and Nancy Eriksons pieces are my favorites!  Oh, If only I could afford to own one of them! Check it out for yourself.... click on SAQA AUCTION

My studio

These are pictures of my studio, in the height of activity.  Yes, it looks better when tidied up... but I  thought it would be a good exercise to see it how it usually is. A mess in action.

I have been enjoying my creative energy lately.  It's all been good in this space.

New Fabric, Store bought!

 I took some close up snippets of the new upholstery fabric I got yesterday in Massachusetts. I will be making some products for my crafts fairs from this fabric. The colors are striking and I hope to enhance their eye grabbing appeal by making them even more graphic! I'm ready to have some fun! See ya!

"I only do this because I'm having fun. The day I stop having fun, I'll just walk away."
~ Heath Ledger 

Studio Day

Felix the Cat

"Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again." ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

I'm enjoying a "thumbs up" day in the studio with Mr. Felix, my cat, who follows me around looking for a cuddle every now and then.
It's raining. The bleeding heart and Lily of the valley are out in full bloom now.

Remembering my husband

Joshua Winer, Me, my husband Matt Winer, Mimi & Bert Winer

Today is the anniversay of the death of my husband.  He died of lung cancer seven years ago, at the age of 47.

The birds were singing beautifully today.
I have lit my candles.
The garden is in.

Thinking of you, my dear Matt.