Double Take: Photo and Fiber

My art quilt group, Sisters in Cloth, has been invited to exhibit our latest project Double Take: Photo and Fiber at Yale University's Haskins Lab in New Haven beginning February 1.

Our project was a collaboration with photographer Rose DeLucco-Alpert whose gorgeous work will be hung along side our interpretations. We chose 15 of her botanicals to interpret in fiber. (Three of us have chosen two of her works.)

This is my Roses, along with a detail (below).

I painted the fabrics and machine stitched, using free-motion zig-zag in one rose to create more texture in the nearer flower.

The second photograph I selected was Water Lilies. In this one I free-motion stitched koi swimming beneath the lilies which were not actually in Rose's photo but I imagined that they should have been. I know she won't mind...she is looking forward to the "interpretation" part of the challenge.

Check out Sisters in Cloth and Martha Wolfe's blogs for more great images and information.

Another oldie

Godwits at Hammonassett

This is another art quilt that is in my son's collection. The godwits are thread painted on a piece of batik. I liked this one too and thought that maybe I should return to sketching and to doing a bit more thread work.

This little trip through time via my past art work has been very helpful in nudging me back into the studio. The studio that has not been worked in for a very long time. With all the guests and travel during the past 2 1/2 months, it's little wonder. I loved hosting and our trips...but I VERY much need to get back to work.

Many Moons

I made Many Moons several years ago as a gift to my son (and his then wife....don't you hate it when you get blindsided?). I'm pretty sure it was inspired by something that I'd seen that Ruth McDowell had done. At least that's the picture that's in my memory...if I'm wrong, I'm sorry to whom ever I SHOULD have credited.

DH and I drove to Raleigh NC to help him relocate into his new townhouse. It was a fun, very busy weekend. We selected window treatments, bought rugs, hung artwork and organized the kitchen. Phew! One of the really nice things that happened was that I was reacquainted with some of his artwork that had been in storage....reminding me of all his artistic abilities that showed early on.

His relocation included moving all the artwork I had given him over the years too. Many Moons is now hanging in his new dining room and looks smashing (I say very immodestly). I like it so much I may make another....similar but never the same, of course. This one has tie silks, kimono cottons and silks, taffeta and some pieces that I treasured from long forgotten projects.

TEXTile

This first photo is a shot of my friend Yvette Howard's Connections, her interpretation of our group's most recent challenge to create a piece inspired by "word". She always does crisp, sharp work...and in this case...a bunch of fun. You can't help but smile when you see this. The base fabric was designed by Jean Ray Lawry whom Yvette and I were lucky enough to meet and hear speak a few years ago. If you want to see some happy work check her out.

Twelve present and past members of our group Sisters in Cloth participated. This time we decided to mount our work on stretcher bars. It certainly made for a very easy to hang exhibit!

The thing that strikes me about this collection is how broad the subject matters are. Granted two relate to the judiciary: Gail Kotowski's Justice and Evelyn Judson's Testimony, but the rest span from my rant on the demise of newspapers, to the beauty of nature, to the passing of people in our lives. It is very interesting.

So, if you are in the area stop by the Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St., Guilford CT on Thursday, December 9, 5-8pm for our Opening Reception. We will be joined by the friends and patron of two other artists, Mark Janke and Mary Ann Flick, photographers whose work will be on display in the libraries outer galleries. The exhibit will be up through December.

What a weekend

Open Studios was a success from all of our points of view. The four of us (three fiber folk and a potter) were very busy on Saturday and just a bit busy on Sunday. We sold work, we renewed relationships with friends and patrons, we networked, we met a new audience for our work, we spread the word about fiber art AND we had a grand time with each other.

It's lovely working with friends/colleagues that can seamlessly cover for each other when one or the other is occupied.

This little piece Zen Garden, roughly 18" x 22", has been hanging in my home for a couple of years and this year I decided to include it in the work that I would offer for sale. To my complete surprise, my buddy Robin had never seen it...I thought all my friends had seen absolutely everything I'd ever done...but apparently not. She loved it. Bought it. And, clutching it to her, told me I was welcome to visit it any time I liked. That was a very nice sale indeed. It's such a comfort to have a sentimental piece be appreciated by someone else...especially someone dear to me.

More good news

I am absolutely over the moon. "Promised Land" has been juried into the latest SAQA New Frontiers series Beyond Comfort. "This exhibit challenges each artist to venture into uncharted territories of creative expression by turning away from the comfort zones of their established body of work. It provides a 'permission slip' to experiment fearlessly with radically new conceptual and narrative agendas; to employ techniques, technologies, or materials new to the artist. The artistic goal of the exhibition is to encourage reaching beyond comfort to make new and unexpected works of art"

The juror was Marci Rae McDade, a fiber artist, curator and the editor of Fiberarts magazine. My 'fat' email revealed that there were 30 works selected from 209 entries for this exhibit curated by Eileen Doughty. And the even MORE good news?....my buddies Kate Themal and Martha Wolfe were also among the 30!

The exhibit debuts at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, England, August 2011.

Oh, DH, I have the perfect suggestion for that "big" birthday gift next year! (Imagine someone saying that sweetly.... candles lit, favorite dinner on the table)

Open Studio Weekend!

So much to do! So little time! This weekend I will be participating in the annual Open Studios of Shoreline Arts Trail, a juried group of 37 artists living in 3 towns along the Connecticut shoreline. The group covers the range, from cut paper, to jewelry, to calligraphy, painting in all its forms, sculpture in all its form, to three hearty art quilters. Vivika DeNegre, Linda Zimmerman and I will not be in our home studios this year, but instead, we are camping out at the Guilford Art Center. It's central and we will be "bigger" by virtue of our association.

The weather is suppose to cooperate. So with high hopes we dive into a busy and, hopefully, productive weekend. At the very least I will get to re-connect with some of my friends and patrons that I only see once or twice a year.