Zebras Stripes

Grasses are in their bloom now, and soon will be either left to sway in the winter wind, or cut back and neatened till spring revitalizes them. These were outside the door where I was selling fabric at Chautauqua.

Discharge on a Building

Peeling paint, abraded through years of weather, leave this siding a beautiful light blue hue. I spotted it in Mayville, just down the road from Chautauqua. The flaming color of the vine was a bonus.

Mind Your Modern

The Western New York Modern Quilt Guild found my booth at Chautauqua yesterday. And since I was laughing so much, the photo is blurry. But you get the idea. There is a fun bunch of quilters/artists here. Glad I met them all.

It a Pittsburgh Salad

Around these parts, and we are so close to Pennsylvania, a salad with Pittsburgh in its title, comes with french fries and cheese. Those who stopped by my booth today knew it, now I know it, and so do you. (And yes, I ate most of it.)

Do it With Yupo

This detail of a little sketch includes some Yupo watercolor paper that I  painted, cut out, and sewed to the quilt. Might get to like using it.

Next Weekend

The Tompkins County Quilt Guild will have their biennial show next weekend, and I thought I would send this off for their silent quilt auction. It is 12" x 20" and just needs to get over to Ithaca on time. I am already late!

SAQA Auction Piece

Each year Studio Art Quilts Associates holds an online auction and they are all 12" x 12". I sometimes add one of mine, and now "Pink Leaf 5" has a new home with Nelda, and I could not be happier. Nelda and I shared a workspace at QBL a couple of years ago. What fun. Thanks, Nelda.

Building Patchwork

Architecture has always fascinated me. Though the building is gone, the interior space is clear. A kind of urban archeology, or maybe urban petrograph. The space in the void will become an art museum someday. And down the road, who knows, some installation artist may decorate the exterior to look exactly like this.

Add Water, Then Iron.

Two dozen hand dyed yards are squirted with water, rolled up, encased in plastic, set aside to "get humid", and wait till I am ready to iron. Which I did. Tomorrow I will trim them up, stamp them, add labels, and box them up for my weekend sales at Chautauqua.

Getting Smarter

Newest tool in the pack -- a windows phone to help me join the 21st century. Now if I could only figure how to turn the photo around. Where is that smarts?

Morning Light

A block away from the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, the light on this house was beautiful. The feeling of being close to the water (along with that view) was there.

Line Up

The Peeps got together today and I took time to layout some works to decide what to send off to Quilts Unlimited at View in Old Forge, New York,  this fall. I will be speaking there on November 2 for their opening day festivities.

Freezer in mid-September

Fitting the wrong side of the constructed fabric to a pattern piece is the start of my large work. Anyone who has had a workshop with me knows how I love to use freezer paper templates for construction. It works great when I have just so much of that special fabric.

Find It and Ship It

Last seen in Iowa, this is now somewhere home in a box. Time to find it, check it over, and send it on to the Quilts=Art=Quilts show at the Schweinfurth in Auburn for the end of October.

On the Drawing Board

I have started a maquette for a larger piece. My full scale drawing is now sporting fabric choices, and the freezer paper pattern on the right, at the ready. The sketch is just above the pattern. Not quite ready to plug in the fabrics, but at least it is a start.

Fiber to Wear

Jean Burns, one of the artists at the Public Market yesterday, had beautiful silk scarves and nuno felted vest things. If only money grew on trees, I would plant a few of those -- then have all the scarves I loved.

Morning Rooster Call

Lucinda has a great painting style, and her rooster anchored the table and booth at the Rochester Public Market Artists Row. I stepped up and added support for regional art.  (But you will have to wait until the Christmas to see what I got you.)

Modern Quilt Show in Harrisburg

Lois Bruno must have been in my class this spring in Lancaster. Her quilt "Pat's Shibori" was hanging in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania show of the Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild. I popped in to see the works, and what a surprise. And honored to have my name added as the title.

View to the Distance

Break in the wall, break in the arbor vitae, then the tree centered in all. Should I line that pot up with that tree?

Lucky Number 53

My latest piece is called "Iodine" and I learned its atomic number (I would love to have an atomic anything) is 53 -- which happens to be my lucky number.

Reason for Planetariums

Boat loads of money went into establishing the Strasenburgh Planetarium. And maybe back in the 1968 it was a treat to see the night sky. Now we have NASA's photos at our fingertips on the web. Back in the 70s they played a Moog synthesizer for sound effects. Can't get that in the web.

Finishing Line

Iodine, made for the SAQA Radical Elements show, is finished. I can only show a detail, but I will reveal the whole enchilada when the show is unveiled next year. This detail shows netting, metal grate, bark, transparencies, fabric and my quilted substrate. Now those design walls are free.

Family Matters

Wendell Castle's sculpture at the sculpture garden at the Memorial Art Gallery is called "Unicorn Family" and I think its just splendid with a coat of rain.

Heavy Lifting

Another tidbit from the sculpture garden at the Memorial Art Gallery. This figure is about 6" tall, and the weight seems monumental.

Walk at the MAG

The rain only makes for less crowds, and even light to see the art and craft on view at the Memorial Art Gallery's annual outdoor festival. And it was enlightening, as usual. This is both with wood sculpture, big and bold.

Detail Work

Iodine is taking shape. It has to, to meet the deadline. So, I am adding the transparencies, bark, aluminum grill, and paper cut-out to the surface. Tomorrow is some hand-sewing. I don't want to run that metal through my Bernina.

Time in Exchange for Time

After I plugging in a few hours in the studio, my reward was a garden tour tonight. This water lily caught my eye. I would love to put this into form and line in another piece. But it will have to get in the queue.

Turned Down Under

I am trying a new tack (for me, at least) of finishing the bottom of the iodine piece. I am trimming the batting and tucking under the back, leaving the top to hang loose. Will see how I like it after I quilt it.

World Book Circa 1964

Our encyclopedia was finally dumped about 10 years ago, so I had to search for another to find these transparencies. They will be part of the iodine piece. I wish I could find the volume with the body overlays. That was my favorite.

Rough Idea for Iodine

I am still working on a scheme for the Iodine piece. On the design wall is lots of material. I found transparencies from an old World Book that will make wonderful shapes and add clear color.

Food for Fuel

Glad that the itinerant baker left some of these chocolate white chocolate chip cookies. Keeps me going -- when I have to face the design wall.