Viewpoints9-2 Reveal Day!

I have been SO remiss.  It has been more than a month since I last posted.  I don't think that's ever happened since I began this blog several years ago.  I guess it says something about the time of year and my energy level.

But today is Viewpoints9-2 reveal day.  Ramp up the energy, Diane.  You ARE a team player!

The challenge was posed by Betty Busby in November was "Potential".  Here's my post:

My father was a taciturn statistician.  A time and motion expert in the US military.  I recall the wonderment in my father's voice when he described his trip upon returning from a secret destination.  Somewhere in the US there was a  huge cavern under a mountain.  We knew that.  We didn't know where.  He would tell us about huge machines housed there that could figure out everything.  He lit our imaginations telling us how wonderful our world would be when we were adults and had kids of our own.

Now we know a bit more.  Not the details. But we do know he was talking about the late 1940's first Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer financed by the US Army. 

We can all relate to how incredible the prospects must have seemed (and still do) at the potential for artificial intelligence.  As interesting is the potential in the stories and ideas told to small children by their parents.  Those tales generated such curiosity in us, his four children, that each studied mathematics and three went on to life-long careers.  Fortunately he lived to know that.

Fiberwonk Recalls ENIAC
Cotton and found objects 18" x 18"

I created this weeks ago.  Then on Christmas Day we took the family to see The Imitation Game.  Being a family who loves math AND Benedict Cumberbatch, it was a must see for us.  It is a true to life film about the life of Alan Turing, the inventor of the computer.

As for potential:  I really do think that words spoken to small children REALLY do make a difference.  Yes, actions too.  But those stories that are replayed in little people's heads are very powerful.  Which, interestingly, my father also reinforced in his teaching to me when I was his lab assistant after he embarked on his second career:  University Psychologist.  My second major.

Back from Turkey. Back from Houston. Back to Work.

Our tour and home-hosting in Turkey was AMAZING!!  We took hundreds (thousands?) of photos.  And, we renewed our friendships and made new ones during our cultural exchange in Izmir.  I can't tell you how warm and welcoming our stay was.  Such hospitality!  Oh, and the food!!

Within two days of our return, I was off to the Houston Quilt Fest with four of our Sisters in Cloth group (we met up with another Sister member Carol Ludington, who had work juried into a special exhibit)

My participation in the SAQA Benefit Auction bookended my trips.  Before I left I won Lorraine Dena Kpo's "Against the Odds" in the online auction.  Later while I was in Houston I saw Norma Schlager's "SW#4, Greening Up" displayed there and 

was demanding that I take it home.  I could do no less.  How lucky am I, anyway!?!

Norma Schalger's "SW#4 Greening Up"

Larraine Dena Kpo's "Against the Odds"

And that brings my collection to eleven.  L-R: Row 1: Cathy Smith, Cathy Smith, Holly Altman,
Row 2: Vivien Zepf, Cathy Smith, Sandy Gregg, Row 3: Debbie Bein, Lutgard Gerber-Billiau and Ali George, Row 4: Norma Schalger and Larraine Dena Kpo.

Hmmm....I really NEED one more ;^)

Viewpoints9 Reveal Challenge 7

Lin Hsin-Chen posed a timely challenge to the group:  Our environment, considering the current climate changes to all of Nature.

The day she posted the Challenge, coincidentally, I happened upon my maternal grandfather's obituary.  He and his four brothers were second generation farmers and ranchers in Sutter County CA, which is part of the Sacramento River Valley.  Later that evening I watched the grim realities of the results of the current long term drought affecting this entire area.

The stamp I carved represents the acres of orchards/vineyards now in peril: Almond, walnut, peach, plums/prunes, kiwifruit, grapes (Thompson Seedless were developed here)

Forecast: Hot and Dry is a lament for the farmers of the Sacramento River Valley and us all.

This piece is made with both commercial and hand-dyed, painted, stamped and inked cottons.  Machine and hand stitched.

Forecast: Hot and Dry

Detail of artist-cut block, printed and stitched

What's up? oooooh World Wide Blog Hop!

Work in progress Heron

Welcome to my blog!

Like everyone else in this endeavor, my work days are full of variety.  I can't think of the last time I had a span of time when I just worked on one thing in my studio.  Usually I have a couple assignments in progress.  Currently on my design wall is the blue heron, above.  I have interviewed several different backgrounds and am going for this wonderful piece of hand-dye from Carol Eaton.

Work in progress Commission

Next, on my work table is a commission.  Yes, a commission.  I don't get them often, maybe once or twice a year.  This one is for a couple who know my work well and like my last series.  They've asked me to create a piece that relates to it, but is not part of the series.  They have had a lot of input along the way.  And, fortunately for me, I have no deadline.  This is very important because of the rest of my schedule.

At the end of today's busy day, I was able to arrange to meet the purchaser of my Local Color piece, Town Green.  The woman had actually seen it in the last venue of the exhibit's travel in April, she rang me several weeks later.  Interestingly, it was within of being shipped to in Quilting Arts magazine for a feature about Local Color....and Town Green was away at the magazine's photographer's studio.  My buyer was patient.  Fortunately, because Quilting Arts asked to take the Local Color pieces they had in their possession to exhibit at the Sew Expo in Atlanta.  Truth be told, I excitedly said YES without asking the woman's permission (tho' she hadn't paid for it yet..my rationalization).  She was thrilled when I hurriedly told her. "Her" art was on tour.  Further, she was tickled to share the magazine article with all her friends. (whew!)

Photo taken by happy new owner

This Sunday (Oct 12) my husband and I leave for a cultural exchange (Friendship Force International) to Turkey.  Actually, the day this posts we will be in Istanbul!   After a few days of being tourists, we will rendezvous with the Turkish group who visited us last year.  We showed them what ordinary life is like in CT along the shoreline and they, in return, will show us life in Izmir.  Can't wait.

When my buddy Jeanne Marklin asked if I could participate in this Blog Hop, I initially said no...however, she persuaded me that it was possible and it would be great fun. :^)  It was easy for her, since I seem to be unable to say NO and mean it.  Check out her amazing work: http://jeannemarklin.blogspot.com

And hop on over next week (Oct 20) to my friend Diane Cadrain's blog.  She is one of Five Fiber Friends exhibiting this month at FairHaven Furniture in New Haven, along with Kate Themel, Mickey Lawler, Trish Hodge and me. (Diane's: stitching-it-all-together.blogspot.com)

Then blog hopping still, to Sisters in Cloth, the Art Quilt group that grew out of the small-town quilt group that I started in Guilford CT 14 years ago.  Now a vibrant, inspiring...always-exhibiting-widely group of artists.  In fact, on their calendar are exhibits at the Guilford Free Library in Dec., Willoughby Wallace Library Gallery in nearby Stony Creek in April 2015, and a gallery in Brookline NY also in April.  Current work is being exhibited in Australia after a successful tour of two venues in Europe.  A very busy group, indeed.

One of our 'newbies' to the Sisters' group is Gina Frank who is a full-time college administrator, an assistant to her potter husband David and a rising art quilter.  She is also new to blogging :)
Encourage her at Imagination & Inspiration.http://ginagrubbfrank.blogspot.com

Now.  I'm off to finish packing!

But WAIT.  There's more.  This JUST in:  In the category of "My Cup Runneth Over".  My piece Sing Out Loud (Part of my Aging Lines Series) was just juried into Modern Spin: Contemporary Textiles in an Historic Mill, Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River MA   Fortunately, I don't need to worry about shipping etc until I return.  WOW! What a going-away gift!

Support Your Local!

                                                                                          

From my Secret Series

                   

A House Full of Art

Fine Art Sale to Benefit Guilford Art Center

Thursday, October 9, 6-8pm

55 Wood’s End Road, Guilford

Please join us for a great evening of fine art, wine & appetizers

Local fine artists and artisans will have their works for sale including:

Kim Ruggiero, Dolph LeMoult, Ken Dorros, Lisa Hess Hesselgrave,

Steve Plaziak, David Frank and Diane Wright

A portion of all proceeds will benefit Guilford Art Center’s

 Educational and community programs

Free to the public; no rsvp is necessary

We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you for your support of the arts and Guilford Art Center!

SAQA Auction Wins

I have decided to enjoy my SAQA wins from the past while watching this year's Auction, waiting to bid on another.  On the top:  L_R Debbie Bein, Sandy Gregg, Lutgard Gerber-Billiau, Vivian Zeff, Cathy Whall Smith, Ali George, Holly Altman, Cathy Whall Smith, Dijanne Cevaal, Vivika DeNegre, Cathy Whall Smith, Janine Anderson-Bays, Dijanne Cevaal, Vivika DeNegre, Louise Schwab and Laura Cater Woods.  Inspiring!

Five Fiber Friends EXTENDED!

How exciting!  We were asked if we could extend our stay for another month.  In a nano-second there were five fiber friends high-fiving.  

We will be exhibiting through October :-)

The Virtual Fat Envelope!

One of my pieces was just juried into Chandler Center of the Arts' ART QUILTS XIX Permission to Play: Storytelling Art Quilts!  I am over the moon.  My piece, A Shift in Time has never been shown. I thought it had no place in the exhibit world...until I read Art Quilts XIX Call to Entry and gave it a go.   :)

ARTQUILTS Year XIX: Permission to Play

Juried by Denise Currier

November 7, 2014 – January 17, 2015

I'm in some pretty fancy company too!  Click to see for yourself.

Viewpoints 9 Reveal Day

Today is reveal day for Viewpoints9-2

Weeks ago Australian art quilter Sue Dennis posted this challenge to the other members of Viewpoints9

 The old saying goes 'a stitch in time saves nine'. Is this really true I have wondered through my life? I have diligently mended seams and rips before the damage got worst and repeated the catch phrase to myself often, finding it funny that as I get older, the little homilies repeated by my parents have made their way into my vocabulary and thinking.

I'm also reminded of the seemingly reckless behaviour of my grandchildren and carefully watch out for them, anticipating danger and try to avoid spills and slips and think that this too relates to 'a stitch in time saves nine' in another context.

I invite you to contemplate this folkloric jingle and come up with your interpretation
Reveal begins on August 27.

Click here to Flash on over to their blog to see the always interesting and varied responses the members of Viewpoints9 pose to each other.

My reply to the challenge is 'Cosmos'.  You can read all about it on the Viewpoint9-2 blog.  I hope you like it.

Quiet, recharging weekend

After some very busy, draining but often exhilarating days this past week, I had the chance to relax over the weekend.  Instead of starting a new series...finishing the last...or working on the new commission, I decided to step into a calm, Zen kind of place and make a baby quilt.  oooohhmmm

Celebrating Two! pictured here is for the upcoming arrival of a new friend's second child.  As both parents have math backgrounds, I included numbers, of course.  And as they are also Australian, and she did work in Aboriginal Communities, I also included fabric from Aboriginal designs.  Some are in pairs so that the first child, a 21 month old boy, can have some fun finding matches...or numbers...especially the number 2.  I got 'lucky' in finding a backing fabric that was light pastel Immigration Stamps from passport entries.  Including Sydney Australia ;^)

I will be sending it as soon as I've stitched on my label.  Fun.  And very calming.  Just what I needed.

Juried In!

I was delighted when I was notified that I had been juried into Connecticut Women's Association's 85th Anniversary Exhibit.  One of the primary reasons I applied was that it is to be installed at the Slater Museum of Art in Norwich, CT.  The Slater is a gem of a museum with soaring ceilings and wonderful natural light.

If you are anywhere nearby, please, come to the reception Saturday 6, 1:00-3:00.  They put on a great spread ;^)

Slater Memorial Museum, 108 Crescent Street, Norwich, CT

Painting: Raymond by Jeanne Ciravolo

Silly me.  I almost forgot to post the my own juried piece.  Love For Three Oranges

Five Fiber Friends' Invitation

Yesterday the five of us met at FairHaven Woods Furniture in New Haven to install our collection under the curatorial eye of River Gallery Director Kate Parenteau.

The Gallery showcases artists' work in home settings with gorgeous furnishings, many one of a kind.

Our reception will be Sunday, August 3, 2-4pm.  Come!  It is a wonderful venue.

Represented: Kate, Diane C., Trish and me

Our 'logo' l-r Trish Hodge, Kate Themel, me
Lower Mickey Lawler and Diane Cadrain

Another vignette: Mickey, me and Diane C

Kate P giving me the 'big picture'

Kate, Diane C and me

Kate, Trish and Mickey

Local Color Goes Wide

Our Connecticut Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA-CT) group created a juried exhibit, focusing on our local landscape.  Titled Local Color, it traveled widely though out the state from a university, an art center, the CT Legislature Office Building to a very fine museum, The Slater Museum of Art.

After what we thought would be the end and time to return all pieces, we were asked to contribute eight, selected by Quilting Arts Magazine, to be featured in this August/Sept issue.  It includes work of Kate Themel, Ruth Anne Olson, Phyllis Small, Cathy Smith, Barb McKie, Kendell Storm, Norma Schlager and my own.  Yeah!

Kate, who was co-rep with me at inception, wrote a wonderful piece to accompany the mini-exhibit.  The two of us have had such a wonderful trip with Local Color.  Every step:  'let's put on a show' to this last 'hurrah' has been informative, interesting, exhilarating, frustrating, and most of all FUN!  Thank you, Kate for being my co-rep, partner-in-crime and cohort.  It was a blast!

Second in the series

I have continued using the German fabric designed by Ernst Beck in the vase.  This time I have included three 1940(?) vintage stars given to me by my fellow Sister in Cloth Barb Adams, a piece of an Indian textile in the 'window', Finnish Marimeko fabric in the Chinese lanterns, and a piece by American contemporary designer Marcia Derse as the table top.

I still have a tiny bit more of the Beck fabric.  I'm hoping to cobble together another vase for a third, and maybe, last of the series.

I am titling it "Falling Stars" but I'm open to suggestions.

Love For Three Oranges: A Collage

It has been so long since I have posted here.  This reflects how busy and distracted I've been.  Did I mention that my hair is falling out?  Stress.  I think.

I have taken on the Membership Committee as my job on the SAQA Board of Directors.  Yikes.  What was I thinking?  Way, way into the deep end of the pool.

In order to compensate for reduced studio hours, I've been concentrating on having some, one, thing in progress.  I have given up "beginning and seeing it through to the end".  At the moment I have a piece on my design wall and yesterday I finished this collage.

The piece was driven by the blue vase fabric, a small vintage piece designed by German artist Ernst Beck.  I used a larger piece in my Salon: After Matisse several months ago.   Hard to tell with the following image, but it is at least 50% larger than Love For Three Oranges.

There is just a smidge of Beck's piece left which I hope to use in a third work.  So far the other commonality that these two have is that I have used fabric from Finland and the US in each.  After Matisse also has a piece of Japanese yukata, while Love For Oranges has a piece of African.  This allows me to delve into my embarrassingly 'hoarder' size stash and feel justification.

Thanks for reading.  I feel better now.

Viewpoints 9-2 Reveal Today!

Another interesting challenge, fifth in the current series, is just being revealed.  This time by Alicia Merritt.  You might recall that every other month a member of the group of 9 poses a challenge and the members' responses to that challenge must be portrayed in a format that is divisible by 9", up to 27" in either height or width.

My submission is "One Small Step into My Universe" pictured here and 18" x 18".  More info about it and the other submissions can be found at Viewpoints 9 blog here. 

I can hardly wait to see what the other members have done!

Viewpoints 9

Today is my day to post about our upcoming online reveal.  Alicia Merritt posted an interesting challenge based on the number nine:  Planets…interpreted.  Universe?  Coincidence?

Whilst wrestling with my response to her challenge I resorted to distracting myself in hopes of an epiphany.  I am the first to admit that I'm not an abstract thinker…

I did think this little piece (21 1/2" square) fit the challenge and it also oiled the gears for a more original reply to be revealed on June 27.   Read more here.

Navigating the Journey

In my mailbox.

Featuring Elaine Quehl as the Cover Girl with one of her gorgeous hostas, is the latest issue of Quilting Arts, out on newsstands…and mailboxes.  I am in wonderful company with a beautifully edited piece about free-motion quilting with double/twin needles.  Check it out:  Double Down 

Double Down Crow

A Tip of the Iceberg

This past week has been extraordinary!  Just, WOW!

In fairly random order:  Driving to DC with my buddy Vivika DeNegre to attend the SAQA Conference "Capitolizing on Fiber" last Wednesday thru white knuckle weather conditions with strange and frightening weather alarms coming from Maryland Highway Patrol over our phones.  Flooded streets.  Hydroplaning cars. Scary.

My first meeting as an incoming member of SAQA's Board of Directors.  Most of my fears about how I would fit in and make a difference have been allayed.  Well, maybe some of them anyway.

Attending the lectures, talks, meals (okay…this could have been better with respect to the food in the hotel but certainly not the company), networking, exploring galleries, meeting friends old and new.

Participating in the Spotlight Auction and successfully winning Pamela Allen's donation (!)

Avery Revisited

The crazy thing about this is I never looked at the artist statement on the back while I was busy bidding.  I was just going for Pamela Allen.  Later I did read the statement: "Fabric collage beginning with a fragment on fabric of a Milton Avery painting.  The pastel-close tones and simplified forms attracted me"  Milton Avery(!!), American 20th century Minimalist, is one of my very favorites!!  Here's a bit of what Wikipedia has to say "Avery was often thought of as an American Matisse, especially because of his colorful and innovative landscape paintings."

SAQA CT had a huge group of attendees.  We might have been the biggest.  Among them, of course, was co-rep Cathy Smith who brought along postcards for me of the "Inspiration Quilts: Then and Now", 25th anniversary celebration exhibit at the Windham Textile & History Museum.  I happened to be one of the artists invited to interpret a quilt from the museum's antique collection.  I chose Flying Geese Variation.

After adventures too numerous to relay, I drove home…this time a happily uneventful time with Vivika and Kate Themel.  Upon my return I found in the stack of waiting mail a package from Quilters Express to Japan.  Another Wow.  The fabric is vintage and beautiful.  Oh, and did I mention that I'm going with QEJ (Susan Faeder) on an amazing tour to Japan in January?!

My head is stuffed with inspirations!  Where to begin…...

Viewpoints 9-2 Revealed

The challenge posed by Viewpoints 9-2 member Misik Kim was very interesting, indeed.  September.(9th month) Remember that this rotation we are focusing on the number 9.  And, Movies.  Not two things I ordinarily link together.

That was until I gave it some thought.  Actually, lots of thought.  Took ages…then in the middle of the night, literally in a dream I remembered:

I was a teenaged university student.

Yes, it was a l-o-n-g time ago.  How long ago, you wonder?  Well, none of us used an abacus.  However, data entry from all of our studies was input by punch cards.  And, we still used slide rules.  I'm pretty sure that the last time I saw a slide rule was on Antique Roadshow.  But I digress.

My family had just relocated from Itazuke, Japan to Fort Worth, Texas, where I matriculated at the university in September.  It was the early 1960's.  The heat had diminished somewhat…locals said it had 'broken'.  The evenings were beautiful.  Drive-in movies on a Saturday night with my current beau were magical.

1960's Romeos and Juliets

Where did April go?

First was helping man the SAQA booth at the Sew and Quilt Expo in Worcester MA from the 9th until the 12th.  It was a ton of fun because of the SAQA/MA volunteers who came, brought work to share and schmoozed.  We talked 'saqa' to SO many people…enjoyed two SAQA traveling exhibits, bought a few things, had some tasty dinners and generally socialized with old and new friends.  Not a bad assignment.

I was able to get to Boston to see Quilts and Color: The Pilgrim/Roy Collection.  It was STUNNING!  The layout…the installation…the lighting…the background wall color….where to start/end.  A gotta see for sure.

Then on the 16th I helped Diane Cadrain install Impromptu Fibers in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.  This exhibit included contributions from three CT art quilt groups:  CT Fiber Arts Collective, Women Against the Grain and Sisters in Cloth.  It will only be hanging until Tuesday (2 weeks) as the Legislators are in session so the exhibits are of much shorter duration.

I did get some creative work done in the studio.  I have a series underway.  Flying Solo, above, is from the leftover schnibbles of a larger piece…still under construction.

Next week I head south to the DC area for the SAQA Conference.  SO many of our SAQA/CT members are going…and friends from all over.  I can hardly wait.

Hopefully my next post won't be so long in forming.

SAQA Annual Benefit Auction 2014

Autumn Years Squared

Autumn Years Squared detail

I am WAY ahead of schedule.  For me REALLY ahead.

SAQA has its Annual Benefit Auction in September!  And here I am.  FINI!

And, wonders of wonders…I like this piece.

The basis of it is a black linen vintage table napkin.  The tree was stamped on a piece of batik with a block that I recently carved.  The leaves are hand dyed cottons and the whole is both machine and hand stitched.

Spring Snow…grrrrrrr

We are all so tired of winter!  This was the view outside our back garden this morning.  The little tree on the right in this pic is a dogwood….should be blooming soon.  And, I'm pretty sure that our garden's nesting bluebirds, cardinals, robins and chickadees are pretty bummed out too with the snow covering most of their food options.

I look forward to spring…like everyone else…in addition to the usual, I await the warming of my studio.  It is on the lowest level of our home and is unheated.  However, there is a wall of windows that allows wonderful solar heat…often.  But, not today.  Hence, little work will get done as I'm too darn tired of wearing gloves whilst I work (actually my gloves are 'wristies' with fingers exposed so that I can feel what I'm doing…why else do it?  Part of the reason for preferring textiles is the touch)

I'm cold.  I'm tired of being bundled.  I'm leaving to hang another exhibit.  Oh, and we took Double Take down on Friday (stowed it away temporarily…you may be hearing about another venue in the future.  The exhibit that would not die)

Happy Spring.

Thank Goodness It Didn't Snow

This has been another long winter.  After a couple of 'balmy' 40-50F days, the temps dipped again with blustery winds and tiny white particles blowing around….but we are NOT calling it snow.  Mostly because I can't bring myself to say the word…that and there will (fingers crossed) not be an accumulation, so we can ignore the white stuff.  Right?

I am taking a break from clearing a bit of my studio.  I am tempted to say cleaning…but I actually know that will not happen.  Oh, I vacuum and clean…but really "cleaning"? Nope not happening.  There is simply too many 'things' and mountains of fabric about.  I organize a bit and then get distracted.  Probably only happens to me.

Today I went through shelves of magazines.  About 25-30 Australian Patchwork magazines, 8-10 New Zealand, from the beginning Quilting Arts and the like.  I have put the Aussie mags aside to offer for sale at our SAQA/CT vending day at our regional meeting on Mar 22.  No idea what they are worth.  Maybe a dollar or two.  I can't just toss them.  I HAVE to find a home for them, otherwise, I'll have to keep them. ;^)

I also 'found' fabric that I'll never use to offer in my collection to sell.  I probably could just randomly pick every fourth piece in my studio, put it in the bin for sale and never miss it. Hmmmm…..

I am also working on my second commission…but when I come to a point that I need to ponder its direction, I try something else constructive to divert my attention.  This week I made another SAQA Conference Spotlight Auction contribution.  No, we are not suppose to send more than one.  HOWEVER, I hated the one I sent off earlier (check it out…I'm sure you'll agree…it's a couple of posts ago titled Forsythia).  I was haunted by it.  Even dreamt about it…not a good sign.  Here's my 'real' contribution.

I am rationalizing the problem with my Spotlight project…the dimensions are just too small…6"x8" to be matted to 4.6"x6.5".  Imagine this matted.  It's little.

Okay.  Enough procrastinating:  Back to clearing a path through the fabric.

It's About Time

Double Take's Swan Song

Well, we THINK that this is the last venue for Sisters in Cloth traveling exhibit, Double Take.  But, we've said that before and then another opportunity pops up and we are constitutionally unable to say no.

Gail Kotowski found a venue in the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton MA.  Yesterday member Marie Shepherd, Gail and I, along with toter and photographer DH, installed the exhibit at the Grubb Gallery, a very nice, well attended gallery at the school.

Check out Sisters in Cloth blog for five more pics.

The Opening Reception is March 23 2-4pm if you are in the area.

Poster featuring Martha Wolfe's and Ruth Anne Olson's interpretations

Diane, Gail and Marie getting started

Entry facing wall: R-L Zimmerman, Wolfe, Olson, DeNegre, Ludington, Howard

Vivika DeNegre's piece with inspiration photo by Rosemary DeLucco Alpert

Carol Ludington's piece with inspiration photo by Rosemary DeLucco Alpert

Viewpoints9-2 Reveal Day!

Gosh, I almost forgot to alert readers.  Viewpoints 9 Challenge 3 is being revealed right this moment.  In fact the third one…Kate Themel's was just posted.  Mine is in line.

The challenge was posed by Lisa-Marie: 9=Nein=NO.  (This year all of the challenges are about '9' and Lisa-Marie's was about 'NO.  You might enjoy reading her actual challenge.)

Here is my response.

Perhaps it's the contrarian side of me, but I couldn't help myself.  "NO" just naturally means "YES".

I recall that we were cautioned as teenagers, learning Japanese while living in Japan, that "Iei" (No) was impolite to say in business and formal situations.  I don't think it's as much of a taboo now, except in retail/business exchanges when it is still very impolite, but long ago and in a rural area it was stressed.

That suited me fine!  I tried to co-op the etiquette and extend it to American-English situations as well.

It is very interesting…and sometimes requires adroit mental gymnastics, to communicate 'no' without using the word.  Prime training for diplomacy that was required years later when I became a parent and, later still, during my career as a real estate broker.

Now, older, wiser and much more experienced, I see real value in not saying 'no'.  For instance, I try dyeing, or a new technique, or a new idea without success.  Perfect time for a 'yes!'  That situation simply set up a new dynamic….time to try something different.

I hope to build on negatives with a big, old, hearty, fist-pumping YES.

You really MUST read the other responses!  Besides the art work is GORGEOUS!

It Would Be Impolite to Say No (27"x27")

Workshop Update

Yesterday I completed Kate Themel's Magnolia workshop project, employing her layering technique and using Carol Eaton's hand-dyed cotton.

Thank you both!  I enjoyed every moment.

Magnolia detail

Magnolia full