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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!

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 :-)

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

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.

Hanging together

Rosalind Spann is pictured here with her work Dad's Greens Harvest. Behind her are two of my pieces: top Windfall and below Harvest of Leaves. I'm adding this in a rewrite, after I received her permission to post her image. Below is the original.

How happy is this group!? CT Fiber Arts Collective hangs their latest collection in West Hartford CT (l to r Jeanne Landry, Mary Lachman, Diane Cadrain, me, Carol Vincik, Rosalind Spann and Carol Eaton...Karen Loprete was absent). We were all in attendance to mount our exhibit.

The library is very supportive...the walls are self-healing, hence very forgiving and easy to use, the staff was very helpful and there is lighting specifically for the artwork.

The gallery space is three-sided, devoted to the arts.

This photo looks out to one of the library areas.

Dyeing and Discharging

Saturday was another CT Fiber Arts Collective event. This time we were playing with grape juice and bleach. No, we did not drink any of the grape juice...fermented or otherwise.

Carol Eaton has dyed using natural ingredients. As Rosalind Spann is working on a venue for this fall, we are aiming for a "harvest" theme. Carol thought dyeing with grapes would be interesting...and it was. We met at her house (brave woman!) and dyed using both grape concentrate and Concord grapes. I'm not a "real" dyer and, therefore, preferred the more instant gratification of the concentrate. I have photographed my results in dyeing a vintage cotton napkin, some white on white Marimekko and some muslin. I'm hoping one of these

works itself into my harvest contribution but right now I'm un-inspired.

While we waited for the hour that the grapes would take to cook, Carol suggested we discharge fabric in her driveway. I told you she was brave.

Now that is more my cup of tea. I really enjoy the more instantaneous serendipity of discharging. This was much more inspiring for me.

After the dyeing and discharging we broke for lunch. Food too! Everyone brought goodies to contribute. Those meals are always the best. I got everyone together for a group shot.

In the group photo: Carol Eaton, top L, Mary Lachman, Roz Spann. Sitting Cher Hurney, Diane Cadrain and Toni Torres. Diane (aka the other Diane) chronicled the day much better in her blog post.