College Week

The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta was held the week before we arrived.  If I hadn't forgotten about it, you bet I would have backed up the college visits for our one and only daughter to coincide with events from the Festival!  But alas, it wasn't about me...so we visited Agnes Scott and Emory.  She fell in love with Agnes Scott and so did I but I didn't let her know because I want this decision to be hers.  P. and I are here to keep perspective on just how this can be a life changing decision and should be made with great care and thought and commitment.  We'll return in a month or so to re-visit Agnes Scott, Spelman, and Wesleyan in Macon.  I really would like the decision to be narrowed down to 2 before winter so that the remainder of the school year can focus on finding and applying for scholarships.  It was great for M. to hear others (besides parents) talk about the importance of GPA and SAT scores...soooo, hopefully her behaviors will match her ambitions.  Science and Math are her Honours classes but she gets lax in English and Social Studies.  (God willing and if the creek don't rise, she'll keep her eyes on the prize...I've finally reached the age where I can say these old-timey wisdoms with just a little bit of insight, eh?)

Even though this wasn't a vacation in the ideal definition, I did manage to squeeze in a visit to Fiber On A Whim where I purchased some corn and potato dextrins, batting, print paste, and foil glue.  I did wonder if a store like it could make it in Louisville.  Do you think a store that catered to embellishments and surface design could survive as a store front in your area? I think I would only want to carry PFD fabrics only as to not compete with the quilting stores.

On the way out we stopped at MODA to see the very uniquely and artistically designed functional and decorative items by contemporay African artists and then over to Via Mundi Gallery to see more contemporary works by African Artists.  This exhibit can be seen online.  I fell in love with the work of Bethel Aniaku.  Most African Art Exhibits focus on antiquities  and un-identified works but usually by the end of viewing I'm reminded more of how a People's contributions can be X-ed from historical records and most of the academic reasoning falls short as to why this is so in my opinion.  The grace I find is that I don't perceive history and culture as "fixed" entities but ever evolving and in flux...there is still vast knowledges to be uncovered and I'm thankful to those who dedicate their lives and careers to such endeavors. 

As tired as I was from the trip, I wasn't about to miss my guild meeting tonight.  The only thing is after any sharing with others that is quilt related, I'm so wired I can't sleep.  I did some hand embroidery before writing this post but lord it is 2am and I have to be up at 8:30 to taxi M and my niece around on some errands tomorrow...I'm sooo looking forward to my kiddos going back to school.

Whew! what a week it was!!!!!!!!!!

The symposium started on Saturday at 8:30 and ended on the following Friday.  Each day ended around 9ish except for the Tuesday which ended at 6ish to give the participants a chance to rest before heading out to Paducah on Wednesday.  I had originally signed up for 4 days, Sat-Tues. but Sunday night when I left I was so high and energized that I had to call a girlfriend, my sister, and relay the events of the day to my family too!  Didn't fall asleep until 2am and the thought of ending on Tuesday I just couldn't bare it! I didn't want to miss a single thing other than the trip to Paducah which gave me a chance to rest.  That Wednesday I didn't get out of bed until 2pm!

Between the week at MACA and the symposium I was fit to be tied!  Most of the participants came from out of state and have been attending the symposium for the 3 years it has been in existence.  Even though Juanita will be moving (I'm truly going to miss her) she has agreed to do it again next year as well and I'm so thankful.  She gave us 7 goals to work on between now and next year which puts even more ooomph into getting together again next year.  I'll share my goals later on but here are some photos from the symposium.

Instructors instructing and participants participating.

Incredible discharge pieces!!! 

Marti lead us in designing our own motif workshop and this one for me was the keeper that I used in the workshop that Kathy lead on construction the next day.  I'll show the completed piece in a few days.

The symposium is geared toward helping each one find their own individual style and voice in creating quilt art or fiber art and it really does an awesome job at that!  The 2nd week of July is hereby designated as Symposium Week...see ya' next year y'all!

Studio 3 Continued

Okay, before I get to the awesome...I mean AWESOME (sung in an operatic tone) symposium that Juanita organized I'm going to finish up the report on Studio 3.  But if you get eager to get a peak at the symposium week, click right here!

The side and entrance of the small renovated barn that houses 4 studios and a loft that runs the length of the barn.  I love the colours of the stone.    

The large barn is still unrenovated but is occupied year round by a sculptor.

 Windows in the barn's kitchen.  The kitchen makes it convenient to take meals close to one's studio.

Steps leading to the loft.   

The brick?  The dirt and rocks? Simply because I like the pattern and colours.

A view into the loft.

Tomorrow I'm off to

Master the Quilted Surface.  Its only 10 minutes from home, 15 if the lights catch me and the traffic is heavy...well the traffic is always heavy but its in my hood and close by and the materials are included in the symposium fee, so not a lot to carry other than the basics! 

The rest of the pictures on Studio 3 will have to wait until after Tuesday, which will be my last day at the Symposium. 

Peace,

Studio 3 Mates

On Tuesday of my week in Studio 3, Micki came to play and gifted me with an assortment of goodies, 3 which can be seen here...at the top of the photo are 3 pieces of painted/dyed/inked Lutradur.  The ink and dye still bleed on my fingers when I touch them even a week later but don't smear on anything.  Micki also gave me some yardarge of a tone on tone woven fabric which is the white piece and a beautiful animal skin fabric that she used as a border and posted about.  The piece in the middle at the bottom is silk fusion (will be doing more of that!) but the photo doesn't show up the gorgeous rich sheen.  The pieces on the left and right of the silk fusion where pole wrapped (more pole wrapping is in my future too!) and painted and dyed but not at the same time.  Micki only stayed for the day but was great company and a very sweet hearted woman.  Micki played with painting on felt and hopefully she will share some of her results on her blog later.

On Wednesday Ashi arrived. I've known Ashi for at least 10 years or better but rarely see her.  Ashi came to dye mostly silk and some clothing pieces she sells at booths.

   

I really love the pole wrapped fabric but for me to do more stitch resist a quilt would have to SCREAM OUT and SMACK ME UP SIDE THE HEAD for me to do it again.  Here are the my results with sun-printing which I could take or leave it. I laid cheese cloth over this gold/brown fabric and a doily over the blue. The white leaf was cut from a vinyl border that Micki had given me but for some reason didn't sun print well at all. 

Do you see the green/blue pieces at the bottom of the rack and the red/multi piece hanging next to the cheese cloth?  Those are paper towels.  They where too beautiful to throw out so I have a bunch and I remember either a QA issue or CPS issue of an artist that used dyed paper towels in her work.  I was thinking of slapping some gesso and acrylic medium on them until I figure out where to go from here with them.

Tomorrow photos of the mess I didn't have to clean up until Sunday and shots of the Barn that houses the studios and surrounding grounds.

Seven Days in Studio 3

The 7 days of studio time was the hype in my pipe the end of June!  I dyed and painted over 20 yards of fabric in eights to half yards.  I did silk fusion, coloured lutradur, discharged, and cooked up some mashed potatoes to use as a resist.  It was the most fun I've had since I can't remember when. 

Loaded vehicle at departure on Monday and my return on Sunday: (click on photos to enlarge)  The shirt my youngest is wearing use to belong to me 20 years ago. I purchased it from a vendor at what was then an annual African American Heritage Festival held on the Beveldere in downtown Louisville on the river, (sighing, doubt if I'll ever see that size again). 

Studio 3, my home away from home and Kim in Studio 1.    Kim and is a painter/mixed media artist and based on the work I saw in her studio,  I'm looking forward to her solo exhibit.  Kim also coordinates the artists residencies.

In Studio 2 was another painter from Los Angeles whose name will not come to me at the moment...both Kim and Studio 2, (maybe her name was Carolyn) both had multiple paintings up and in progress and this made me wonder how I would work if I actually had a devoted space to work in.  I like the idea of having 4 or 5 works up at the same time and moving among them.  Toward the end of the week, Wendy, a composer living in Louisville (and fiancee of this writer from Florida who arrived to work on his 14th novel) dropped in Studio 4 to play the baby grand piano and serenade us with her melodious voice that lulled me into relaxation and a great way to wind down the week.

More photos to come!