In the studio at last

Since returning from Australia in April I have not had productive studio time in large part because I can't work when I have my mind cluttered and preoccupied with responsibilities. Today after all the hosting and guesting jobs were completed I got to spend the entire day in the wonderful solitude of my studio...it was a good day.

This piece was inspired by a piece of hand dyed linen that I purchased from

Connie Rose

(thank you!) and supported by some shibori from Sunny Bunny and another hand dye from an un-remembered source.

This may be the first of a series. Stony Creek Salt Marsh/Summer is roughly 20x30 inches.

It's my plan to submit it, along with Thimble Islands which I completed and posted on June 14th, for exhibit at Willoughby Wallace Library in nearby Stony Creek. The library has wonderful gallery space that is enthusiastically and generously supported by the community. It's always a treat to see their monthly exhibitions.

Hmmm...should the whole thing be flipped? Whatcha think?

SAQA/CT Summer Meeting

Our regional meeting was yesterday at The Guilford Art Center where On Higher Ground: Contemporary Hooked Art, along with SAQA's Trunk Show D, was on exhibition.

Liz Alpert Fay, one of the four featured "hooked" artists, graciously accepted our invitation to tell us about the collection. Wow!

And Wow on so many levels...the color, the texture, her journey, the journey of Contemporary Hooked Art (which is remarkably similar to Quilt Art...even with some of the "push-pull" we encounter between "contemporary" and "traditional" labels and practitioners) and her growth as an artist in moving into collaborative work with scientists...yep...you heard (read) it right...scientists!

Speaking of scientists...in this case former scientists...our Barb McKie developed

samples to survey the membership about sun exposure over time on cotton/silk/poly combined with various adhesives. Very scientific: Surveys, controls...lots of thinking, touching, opining...very interesting stuff.

Of course no meeting would be complete without food (thank you, Barb Adams for coordinating another yummy lunch) and a terrific Show and Tell (as usual). AND we got two new CT members! We may be a small state but we are loud...er...enthusiastic.

Final Drawing Class

Today was the last day of my drawing classes at the Art Center. The task for the day was to take drawings done in previous classes and take them further. (I thought mine was finished...but, no, apparently not.)

I had drawn a white Russel Wright teapot...never, ever meant to have decorative bits added (is he spinning somewhere?) and an orange. Imagine for a moment that this sketch was JUST a teapot, an orange and a horizon line.

After talking about other artists, including my one of my favorites, Matisse, our instructor urged us to "go for it".

I missed last week's class because of volunteering at the Art Expo on the Green...but two of the high schoolers (!!) in my class shared the results of their day with me. The day that they went "plein air" outside of our classroom. I loved what they had done. I think I missed an important class and I may have to repeat the whole thing again ;^) (I have a tough life)

Reveal Day for Fiberactions

Today is reveal day for an online challenge group that I joined, Fiberactions. The word to inspire us was "Departure".

As an old traveler around this world, "departure" has an immediate reference for me: aircraft. I had tried to get away from this and really challenge myself with some

thing entirely different. Text.

I drove to the major airport in my state and, hoping not to attract the attention of security, took photos. I was enthusiastic about trying some Photoshop application.

The problem was that I couldn't get the aircraft image out of my head when I thought about "departure". I decided not to fight it.

Coincidentally, my homework in drawing class was to make a line drawing with strong sunlight. The other students in my class are 1: really young and 2: don't get what I do (but then who does?). With this in mind I decided to draw an aircraft with strong sunlight using my Bernina: needle and thread.

And, guess what? My instructor LOVED my "drawing"....wants me to teach her how to do it :^)

Family Reunion

In the "ya never know" category: We just returned from a quick trip (8 hour drive each way) to Cumberland MD for a family reunion over this past weekend. I don't usually use this venue for family topics but this time I will.

Two years ago we attended my aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary party there. I had this bright idea that I would have everyone at the party write a congratulatory message...funny, silly, romantic, whatever...that I would put into a quilt for the happy couple. The evening was magical even though an ice-storm kept many of the friends and family in outlying areas from attending. For those of us from far away, it was no problem as we had arrived well before the storm.

My uncle's family had owned the local department store for a several decades. Because of this he was always a very well turned out dresser, with dozens of gorgeous ties. My aunt had bestowed them on me previously, believing that they would serve me better than they would Uncle Mort who, when he finally retired, was intent on spending most of his waking hours on the golf course.

One of the more interesting blocks is the one with the newspaper photograph. Cumberland is a small town. Everyone knows everyone. On the occasion of the Peskin's anniversary, their old friend, the local newspaper's publisher, printed a few copies of their 50 year old wedding photo and a front page story on how patient and wonderful Sue was to suffer so long. It was a very clever, funny piece....delivered to their door that morning.

Now back to the "ya never know" department: this weekend my Uncle Mort took me aside and with a big hug told me that, of all his possessions, this quilt was his favorite and most cherished. Darn near made me cry.

Double Take: Photo and Fiber/Reinstalled

Double Take, my art quilt group's (Sisters in Cloth) collaboration with photographer Rose Alpert, came down from Haskins Labs at Yale last week and was reinstalled at the Guilford Free Library. Last night was the opening reception...and a grand one it was!

Okay, you can tell by all the big grins. What we didn't capture was the size of the crowd. This was certainly our best received exhibit both in terms of comments about the work and the number in attendance.

This first pic captures me in one of the rare (NOT) moments that I'm not talking (or eating apparently). Beside me is Stephanie, Rose Alpert's sister, who was filling me in on a pretty funny story about Rose.

And this second pic is Rose herself....who also didn't stop grinning all night. And who could blame her? Her work shone. Here she is between Robin Wolek's Purple Iris and Janine Anderson-Bays' Cyclamen Glory.

Later she ran into an art coordinator at a large facility in a neighboring town who had seen the exhibit and asked Rose if Double Take could travel there this fall! I think Rose is grinning STILL.

Then there was the first sale of the evening. I think you can tell who just got a check: The biggest grin is on Debbie Bento's face, having just sold her little sunflower (to her L). Also pictured is Debbie's childhood friend (also named Deb) who drove over an hour to be at the reception. On the far left is Yvette Howard.

It was a wonderful evening.