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!

What a Difference a Day Makes, all 365.

Tomorrow will be my one year anniversary from not working.  The 23rd of June '05 was my last day of employment.  Even though I was never one to define myself by my education or position (and snarkily resisted when around people who thought it important) working was always a part of my life and ambition.  I loved change and always strove to make a deep and positive mark where ever I decided to plant myself.  I often worked 2 and sometimes 3 jobs part-time and free-lancing as a poet in residence...although my last job was often 24 hours several days in a row due to the on-call patterns  and helped place in to perspective the value of my family and I knew that it would be my last hooray in Social Services but I never thought it would be due to reasons of health even though I've struggled for a very long time. I never imagined dealing with such fear and anxiety that creeps up as I have in the last year...my guiding motto that helps is to tell myself to keep on keepin' on and if I fall down, it better be doing something I love...I don't always live it but I damn sure aim to.   

A friend, accustomed to achieving, who turned 50 a few years ago, when asked about her goals for her over 50 years remarked , "to have fun, if it not about fun, i'm not interested" She went on to say she was going to party her way out to make up for lost time.  I thought that was an odd remark from this particular person, but I now have some understanding of where she was coming from and trying to get to. I don't fuss too much over housework and try to keep my time free from imposition...my kids are teens and they chip in and cook, grocery shop, housework and even some days without being asked.  My 14 y.o. now has an interest in learning to cook for himself...in the last year he has heard more than ever the reply "what ever you find in the fridge to eat" to his question "whats for dinner".  So far he has mastered the scrambled egg for breakfast and the art of sandwich building...I was surprised when he spread sun-dried roasted tomato pesto on his grill cheese sandwich.  I do love to cook when I'm trying out something new but overall its just not as important to me as it use to be and summer means SALAD!

It took the turn of the year for me (specifically) and us as a family to adjust to my emotional roller coaster of not working.  Ya know, I'd always fantasize about how I would spend my time if I didn't have to work...some days I'm like yes, this is alright (days that I'm quilting or deep in reading or connecting with family, friends) and other days I'm a pillow potato with the remote in hand or stuck to this chair with mouse under hand playing Literati.  Good thing I'm very forgiving of myself, eh?! 

I think I'll feel less hyper and less yo-yoing and back to my calm and focused self when the house hunting ends...so far its been start-stop-start-stop due to the crazy shift changes and turn overs happening at my partner's work place and my endurance levels and partner's pickiness.

But back when I was joining quilt/fiber/art organizations a few months back, I also held my breath and ordered a bolt of fabric to dye from dharma and will dye it all  next week. I spent today ripping it into 3rd and half yards. I'll be using books by Anne Johnston and Jane Dunnewold as my guides and also picked up a book from the library on mono printing with gel plates...and also do some screen printing.  If it goes like I see it in my mind's eye...I'll spend 10 hours each day hopefully with some breaks from friends I've invited to stop by or join me for a day. I've outlined somewhat of a schedule but I know it could change once I actually get hands on. 

And speaking of hands on...I picked this piece back up:

On the right is hand work of an Ankh.  The layout has changed due to feedback I received back in March from the Carnegie Art Quilt Critiquers and I wasn't settled on the rosary that was a part of the first embellishments.  Due to meeting an angel who gifted me with the 2 Coptic crosses (which I hope to collect one day) I've replaced the rosary with the crosses which unbeknownst to the angel is what I wanted in the first place. The white Ankhs are paper and just used for tracing and I think they will go up through the right side.  I plan to fill them in at the bottom portion with thread and foil or a metallic shiva stick. But looking at it here, doing them in white would work.

I'm not sure if I'm going to place another Coptic cross on the bottom left or stitch more Ankh outlines...I'm leaning toward another Coptic cross. 

Yesterday was the first day of summer and although the humidity the last few days has given me a "take notice" call, I've made plans anyways and I'm looking forward to attending 3 and half days of the symposium that Juanita has organized for the 3rd year in a row. And then in August taking a 2 day workshop from Carol Taylor.  Both of these will be the first time for me to PACK supplies and my sewing machine.  Packing tips anyone? 

Happy Father's Day

My father after a recent stint of yard work, my partner who is working today pictured here with our youngest, my brother who recently shaved his head ending 10 years of beautifully nappy locks, my oldest son who is having his first Father's day today and preferred homemade lasagna made by his father (ex-husband) instead of going out to dinner. Amazing men, each with their own unique gifts and blessings.

Family Trip to Berheim Forest

Berheim Forest is located 20 minutes outside of Louisville near Historic Bardstown, Kentucky.  The textile piece was a creation and donation from LAFTA, the fiber art group that I just joined.  It was a sweet surprise to come across it in the educational center at the Forest.

(click on collage to enlarge)

Body, Mind, & Soul

Baileys flavored ice cream by Haagen-Daaz and these Swedish Ginger Snaps I buy at World Market are my new food treasures...Bev introduced me to American Craft Magazine and I picked up Raw Visions out of curiousity and I'm reading Blackberries, Blackberries by Crystal Wilkinson, a Kentucky author from Appalachia...and Shibori and Clay solo exhibit by Elmer Lucille Allen at the Carnegie in New Albany!

Lunch with Donna

At my new favorite spot, Havana Rumba...delicious Cuban cuisine!

(click on image to enlarge)

A Trip to Brownsville & Uniontown, PA

Graduation and Celebration Dinner!!!!  She overcame huge obstacles to achieve this and she graduated in the top of her class to boot!

(click on image to enlarge collage)

Pink, the singer

Dear Mr. President (click on to see video)

Yes! I'm sewing with focus and not under the influence of "technique addiction"....and thanks to Rian I might have recovered my deleted images from the digital.  It downloaded them but we can't find them on the computer :) 

later gators,

Good Intentions

I was going to post a review of pictures taken in the last 2 months but somehow, someway, sometime, it would appear, that I erased all the images on my memory card.  Oh well...I'm here and hanging and just to give Seamless Skin a new entry this photo will have to do as my way of saying I'm still here ;)

Its a composition exercise.

Filling My Pot

Hi Marti! This is Marti's quilt that was hanging at AQS. Marti lives here and comes to the Carnegie Art Quilt Network meetings and is a member of the River City Fiber Group and one of the curators for Form, Not Function.  This makes me want to just dive right into dyeing!

This is DebR's other quilt in the exhibit...you go girl with your 2 quilts-in-the-exhibit self!  DebR's other quilt can be seen here with the lovely Gabrielle standing in as DebR's double. 

This is Sheril's quilt who I've yet to meet in person but who is active in the state guild which I've just joined so possibly sometime in the coming months I'll meet her at a state guild function.

One of the main highlights for me was the miniature exhibit which I could hardly get close to for the crowd, but Teri had a wonderful miniature displayed and MAQS will now have a permanent exhibit of miniatures. 

Another highlight was meeting Gabrielle in person.  She saw me first and without hesitation I knew who she was and although way too brief it was like running into a friend that I hadn't seen in ages. Of course then I had to make sure I pointed out Gabrielle's quilts to my sister, Deborah, so that she could connect the dots.  And lord, my great grandmother would have loved loved loved her hand quilting stitches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   She favored small stitches that I never achieved to suit her.  Gabrielle, if you stop by and read this, who taught you to hand quilt and what tips can you share?

The Fine Focus exhibit enthralled me! I loved the size, the designs, and the space!  It really made me hungry to enter more exhibits.  We did make it over to Hancock's and Caryl's studio and she was there and was very gracious.  It will definitely be a stop next year when we return. 

There are no words I can muster that would be anywhere near adequate for the amount of details in both of Sharon Schaumber's winning quilts.  Here are images of the backs: (click on the picture to enlarge the image)

  Below is the one quilt that I went absolutely ga-ga over.  The inverted triangle shaped jewelry around her head are actual metal pieces that hang loosely.  It was made by Debra Svitil and is entitled Mwanamwali.

This revigorated my love for faces so I came home and pulled out a dvd I had ordered a couple of years ago by Lura Schwarz Smith called Faces in Fabric.  In addition to watching it I actually made an attempt.  This is my great niece Carmen:

Another quilt that I had trouble walking away from was Future City   by Masumi Kako from Japan. It reminded me of the quilts of Anna Williams and Nancy Crow. An April 4th entry on Fibermania, Melody Johnson's blog outlines a history lesson on Ms Williams and her influence.

Deborah, not a quilter (yet), did feel inspired to embroider some past holiday gifts that had been languishing.  See what she did for me! I also have a nightgown with Karoda on it has well.  Wearing them just makes me feel fabulous!

And here are my new favorite earrings. Made of glass and purchased at Just Creations. 

Tomorrow I'm going to do 2 more faces in fabric using Schwarz Smith's techniques and also attempt one using Bonnie McCaffery's technique.  I've never been satisfied with ones I've made in fabric...I'll put a comparison up tomorrow or the day after...no, that will be Derby and we'll be at my parents for a cookout and our annual Derby pot....so hopefully by Sunday night.  One of them is destined to become my April journal.

Other things that I achieved this month is memberships...I joined LAFTA (Louisvile Area Fiber and Textile Art), I joined the state quilting guild and the quilt art chapter within the guild, I joined SAQA, SDA, NQA, and AQS.  The beautician that does my daughter's hair is also an art quilter and she has scheduled a meeting in late may for African American quilters that I plan to attend.  I'm really not a "joiner" type person, or at least I can say I haven't been much of one in the past but I am open to the journey and this all seems fun to me.  With the anticipation of moving in a few months I've become antsy and excited about having a room of my own to sew in and possibly dye and feed the surface design urge I have more fully and daydreaming about it has just about consumed me...but as my great-grand would say "a half caught chicken don't fill my pot" so I think the memberships have been attempts to fill my pot.

I wish I could remember which recipe I used for the salmon and asparagus, but I don't. I just remember it was good and everyone was satisfied.  But I'm sure I'll try most of the recipes over a period of time and I appreciate those who sent them to me.  I'm a recipe collector and love to experiment in the kitchen.