Check out my website

https://msartquilts.wixsite.com/msartquilts

My latest quilts, workshops offered and blog are now located in my website. Check it out!

Finally, I made my website

I finally have a website. Click on the type below to go there. I will be picking up on my blogging on that site from now on.

https://msartquilts.wixsite.com/msartquilts

Presenter's Showcase October 25, 2014

Green Mountain Quilters Guild, the State Guild of Vermont, will kick off their new Outreach Program by hosting a Presenter's Showcase on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at the Old Labor Hall 46 Granite Street Barre, VT 05641

Doors open at 8:30 a.m., meeting starts at 10:00 a.m.

Program

Departing from the traditional "Technique Demos" that we usually have available, GMQG is hosting a "Presenters Showcase" featuring quilt instructors and presenters from allied fields to kick off our Outreach Program. These experts from around New England will share their expertise and offerings thereby enabling local Vermont and New Hampshire guilds in the consideration of scheduling them for future workshops and lectures.

Additionally, any Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) members in attendance will hold a brief "parlor" meeting.

A fabulous Basket will be raffled at the meeting. Tickets will be $5.00.

Recent MFA Visit

Close up of a hay bale by Jamie Wyeth

I recently had an unexpected spontaneous trip to the Museum of Fine Arts, in Boston.

I had wanted to see the Jamie Wyeth Show.  Yes, it is a very, very special show.  The paintings are worth the trip.

I also got to walk through Shinique Smith's work. While I like the energy in her work, I did not find everything resolved as well as it could be.  But, in the abstract, it is strong and Powerful!

Great visit.

Shinique Smith installation (painting on mirror and reflection on wall)

Using stencils and having a blast

It's Crafts Fair season.  I'm starting to make stuff for my non juried show.  In a way it's a lot more fun because I can make stuff... anything I want, and put it out on a table to sell!  These are large wooden clothespins.  I'm making gold & silver ones.

I'm having a blast!

Summer Surface Design

Yes, Yes, I know!  I dropped off writing and posting in my blog for a bit.

The reason? I have taken on a 35 hour a week job and believe me, I needed to.  But, I have to make art, I just HAVE to. I am in the process of  creating artistic panels so I can put some new stuff together.  It's very exciting.

I'm also setting up my studio in a new location so, I should start cranking out a new body of work soon.

Flower show: Love the metal and foliage in the garden!

Recent images of shadow and color

shadow

Color

Showing my work

Recently I went to an Art Quilters Meeting. They offered the opportunity to show and tell, so I brought one of my pieces.

A friend of mine took this photo and sent it to me.

It's interesting for me to see what my quilt looks like with me holding it. This particular piece really sums up the essence of my work. This photo does not do it justice though, since the color is way off, but the energy and vibration has been captured quite well here. I spent time talking about the process of making this quilt which is, for me, the most important reason for making my art.

It's always good to show your work. Talking about it in public and seeing how other people react to it is all part of the creative process.

It was a wonderful meeting and a rewarding day.

Snow Impressions

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.”

When sunlight falls just right

“My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?"

That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again.  "What about them?"

"The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing... like molten gold. I could paint those..."

He reached toward me but then pulled back.

"They're beautiful. You're beautiful.”    ~ Richell Mead, Bloodlines

Shadows and Light

Yesterday, I took out my camera and walked around my house admiring the light and shadows.
I love capturing an abstracted view.
I took many pictures and settled on these 3 to share today.

Why Mono Print?

I was first introduced to mono printing years ago by an artist who manipulated paint on a glass template with various tools and then ran the template through a press and printed her designs one at a time on paper.

Watching that, I thought, “It’s truly beautiful, but, no, it’s not for me!”


Yes, I enjoyed viewing the process.  It was very interesting and the final prints were quite beautiful.  But, that was the end of my interest, or so I thought.

Years later, in a class with fiber artist, Joan Schulze, mono printing came back into my life. I admit it, I started listening to her lesson with only half an ear because I already knew about this process. 

“Yada Yada Yada…mono-printing!”  This was nothing new. 

Except wait! What was she doing? She was not using a piece of glass as her template!  Hmmm, That’s good, I’ve always seen that rigid base as limiting and stuffy!  She pulled out and cut for herself a square piece of flexible plastic sheeting!  Flexible Sheeting? Really?

Next, she dug a teaspoon into some bright and bold color fabric paints! Plop! A dab of vibrant color was scooped out of a large jar and tapped onto a neighboring palette.  She was getting ready to play!  Okay, now she’d caught my attention!

What she showed me that day revolutionized me.  As I played with mono-printing on fabric, I became obsessed and passionate about designing and printing my own fabrics! 

I had only one dilemma. What was that, you ask? Well…..I hated my own marks”  What? How can you hate your own marks?

Okay, Have you ever drawn a straight line and said, “AH! I cannot even draw a straight line!” Well, it was something like that.  I would draw a few lines and then erase them.  I would scribble something and then throw the paper out.  More and more, I was avoiding any moment when I needed to make a mark, including in a sketchbook.  I just didn’t keep one. (“One” being a marker, or “one” being a sketchbook to mark in.)

At the same time, I was noticing and admiring all the brave mark makers around me. I was coveting their work. They were able to make such incredibly sophisticated marks!  They were the true artists.  They had no fear.  They were brilliant!  Yes, for a time there I had a chronic case of mark maker envy!

Now, as I was being drawn into mono-printing, what would I do about the hatred of my own marks? Wouldn’t it be glaringly obvious that I was a klutz at this? Oh, Woe is me!

Tentatively, I held up a 2“ brush loaded with Indigo colored fabric paint.  I bent slightly over the square sheeting.  I placed my feet squarely on the floor and then with my whole arm, I swept the brush in a full arc over the plastic.  Parts of the stroke were full of paint, other areas had a dry brush effect where I had unevenly pulled the brush lightly over the plastic. The entire move was deliberate and honest and I did it!

There rested my mark.  It was huge, in color, in paint and just sitting there. It looked so beautiful.  My excited brain said, “What? Wait, did I make that?” The less impressed voice inside me, said, “Just print it already!” and I did.

When I saw that the print was even better than the mark!  I thought, ”Hey, I could get used to this!”  With my hands lightly covered with paint, I stood there for the first time, loving my mark.  I have not been able to stop.  It was a pivotal moment in my art career.

Museum pictures that intrigue me

Close Cropping to see the details

Ideas and Inspirations

Vessel from the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, viewed through an art installation at the Art Institute of Chicago

Winter, viewed from an airplane

My Booth

I had a great season vending.  Look out next year....

I will be vending at....

Making Mini's

I've been making mini quilts.  I'm having fun doing it too!  start with fabric, add heat n bond fabrics, quilt it and stamp it. Voila! They are all 3" x 4" trading card size.

Modern slant

This is a quilt I designed using my mono-printed fabrics, upholstery fabrics and some batiked and commercial fabric.  I photographed this on a carpet in the library right after I finished sewing the binding.  The quilt falls in a rectangular pool of light that left the edges in shadow.

Each letter is satin stitched with a yellow gold thread, too.