Been a Bang Up Year

I'm looking back on a wonderful year. From the Grand Central Station, to the heartland of Iowa, to Lake Havasu, the Coast of British Columbia, and the Golden Gate Bridge, I was able to visit wonderful quilters. And to my generous hosts, thank you for sharing your world with me.

Time Out

Took in a movie tonight Big Eyes, and who should I pass in the hallway? Had I known, I would have worn my tiara.

Back in the Studio

Clearing the detritus of christmas wrapping paper from the cutting tables at last! Now to get back to the design wall. Yes, it looks like what I posted before. But not. This one, by the way, is without a pattern.

In the Details

For one more week, the Schweinfurth has my work What Lies Within on view in the Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibition. This is the detail I sent for the jurors to decide on whether to accept my work, or let it go.

Christmas Art

You have to hang (your) art how you wish others would. This season Mummies Collide makes the scene as the compliment to the tree.

On My Walk

I had to walk today because I could. This time of year is usually full  of snow, cold, and gray. Tthe studio could not contain me. So, this was on my afternoon walk.

For a Long Winter's Nap

Selfies taken. Presents presented. Food made, eaten. Friends around with lots of cheer. Now it's time for a long winter's nap. Good tidings, and to all a good night.

Add a Little Green

Christmas eve, and there is a pile of green apple peelings in preparation for brunch on Thursday. That rounds out the red, white, green for must-have colors.

Not a White Christmas

...which is alright with me, for once. Just a dusting last week left this greenery looking fine. I am sure that winter is just behind a bit. Fine here.

Needed Some Red

A friend who drives by each day on her way to work, said my door needed a bit of red. So, with some fresh gifted boxwood, what I could scavenge of red ornaments, as well as some painted catalpa pods, crisis averted.

Walk Along the Genesee

The sun finally came out today, and just in time for my walk (with 50 of my new best hiking friends). This is the lower falls of the Genesee River. Of note, a half mile down stream was a pickup spot for Canadian boats, used in the nineteenth century, that took slaves to freedom to Canada.

Poppies

A detail of Merill Comeau's piece "Meadow of Poppies" shows the discarded discontinued designer fabric samples, deconstructed repurposed clothing, and vintage fabrics. With painting, block printing, fabric composting (?), collage and machine stitching, Merill has made a wonderful landscape.

Hang It All

While in Des Moines this fall I came across these wall magnets that mount to the wall with command strip adhesive. Seeing that I use these metal drapery rods, the magnets seemed a good idea. And now I can rotate works easily, and just reattach it on the wall.

Hockey Gear Art

It is always hockey night in Canada! I saw this piece at the World of Threads Festival and it just blew me away.  By Liz Pead of Toronto, it is Louis Riel - The Church at Batouche. Made of recycled hockey gear and mounted on hockey pucks, it totally redefines fiber.

Seen Round Town

Karen Frutiger's piece currently hangs in the Rochester Contemporary member's show. I know her from her fiber work, but this painting "Four Square" is a strong statement in mixed media.

More Printing

The last day of monoprinting class was today, and we got to experiment with other inks. This is speedball, which needed dampened paper. We had been using Akua Kolor, which is a water based ink that goes on dry paper. Thanks Connie Mauro for a great class.

Presents Under the Tree

Now that it is mid-December, gifts appear under the tree. My daughter used the half-square triangle pattern to make the quilt, and finished tonight. She did the sewing, long-arm quilting, and binding. And, in that wonderful tradition of quilt making, she will give it away.

Progress

I know, it seems like you've seen this before. Its like a growing child. You can't see the change day to day, but looking back, big difference. The left side is about finished, now for the right.

Art Speak

Ed Buscemi talks this afternoon for the last of the "Days the Artists Spoke" series at RoCo. His rant was full of humor, wisdom, as well as peppered with his pile of sketches. We so often work in silence, and it was refreshing to hear and speak to other artists. I look forward to next year.

Basting / Basta

One of the first words I learned in Italian was "basta" which means "enough." Here is a tricky joint, which I will not fight with. The machine gives me a long basting stitch, and now I will go back and hand applique. Basta!

Just Cool

Snow has a mesmerizing effect when lit. This is why I don't mind living where winter storms take over my life. You get to see odd and unusual -- also non threatening -- things. Oh, this is in color, too.

More Work, like 9 to 5

I've started to include the right hand side in the plans now. And it feels like a 9 to 5 kind of work. So, that is what I have nick named it for now. Nine is the start of the day, for some, and five the end (or should be.) In my Time of Day series.

Pulling Prints

The class in monoprinting was my gift to myself this season. I get to work in another medium and with other machines. And making art absolutely takes me away from all pain and worries. I guess that is what love is all about.

Quick, Get it Potted

Waiting to find the pebbles for the pot took longer than this bulb anticipated. Without getting planted, it began its journey. I think it will straighten up now that it is planted.

Repetition

A trip to the public market this morning and I thought of those shapes repeated over and over. I think I can do this in clamping and dyeing. Minus the lights, of course.

A Little Progress

In the studio today, the half-square triangle quilt is now getting quilted, and since it is not my quilt, I'm not doing the quilting. Great for me! (The benefits of mom having a longarm are wonderous).

Facing the Crowd

My audience tonight at Rochester Contemporary gallery, wonderful and kind, for my rant and rave on fiber art and its place in the art world. It was memorable, for sure. They recorded it; maybe they will look at it in 30 years for my obit. Okay, 40 years.

Opening Tonight, Speaking Tomorrow

At Rochester Contemporary tonight for the opening of the members' show. I'll be talking Friday evening from 8:20 to 8:30 on my piece (seen just behind the fellow with the green glasses on his head). He might be there, too. He directs this whole thing. http://www.rochestercontemporary.org/exhibitions.php

More Fun with Shibori

More flinging on the design wall for tonight. The gradual color change makes adding something else -- like color or shape -- seem annoying. But I'm gonna do that anyway.

Monoprints on Paper

A sampling of today's work in printing from a plate in a monoprinting technique is spread out to dry on the kitchen table. I found a great class for working on monoprints, and can't wait to make more so that I can take them apart and collage.

Charm(ing) Square Idea

The folks of the Concord Piecemakers, in Massachusetts, spend the open part of their monthly meeting cutting fabric to later sell as "charm squares." This fundraiser makes big money for them. Not to mention, it also gets people interested in design and quilt making.

Looking at Line

My neighborhood walks have less color, for sure, but there is line more evident with bare trees. And if I stop and look down, these lines make a great texture. Now, how to mimic this with screen printing.

Half-Square Triangle of a Different Sort

In an incredibly short time, my daughter and I cut out and sewed up one of my Half-Square Triangle quilts. I usually use shibori fabric, but this is all commercial. We've got it on the longarm tonight, and will quilt it up tomorrow.

Art Fling

I always get a charge when someone imagines that I just throw fabric on the wall and see what sticks. Hey, sometimes I do.

Autumn's Thanks

If I had looked up "tart" instead of "pie" I would found the recipe sooner. Lots to be thankful for this season, not the least of which is a helping hand to make the leaves. (For a change, not me). I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.

Kathy Loomis' Discussion on Copied Art

Kathy Loomis' blog http://artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/2014/11/perfect-copies-but-are-they-art.html has a wonderful discussion on recent works honored with prizes at Houston's quilt festival. She says it so well, so do read the discussion. I post my piece "Cat and Mouse" interpreted from a photo used with permission. I stray far from the original and bring a fresh look to the piece. But, maybe not? Installation shot by Amy Rader.

Nature Knows Best

I may try and try to get an interesting texture on my dyed/printed/stamped pieces, but still can't replicate this!

Shibori Get Together

Selecting two pieces for a Half-Square Triangle Quilt to make for a present this season is not too difficult. The last batch of shibori had happy coincidences. I'll miss the warm weather to "underpaint" the fabric, but I can make due in the wet studio this winter.

From the Dye Pots

This looks like a mild disaster, but its not. It's the time to dump out the dye, unwrap the bound fabric from the pvc pipe, and rinse, rinse, rinse.

Well Planted Garden

My apology for not remembering this woman's name. At the lecture on Wednesday night in Concord Massachusetts, she showed the top finished from my "In the Garden" class at the Vermont Quilt Festival in 2012. Her top is as lovely as she is. (I'll be back in Vermont in 2015.)

Walk in the Woods

On my way back from Concord's workshop, I stopped at a friend's house on the way back home. A morning's walk in the wood at her house, located in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts,  revealed thin ice over the stream, crisp leaves, and brilliant sun.

Sisterly Love

Jennifer loved what her sister made (her sister is in Batavia,but her Big Leaf is hanging behind Jennifer) and so made a Big Leaf of her own. My thanks to Jennifer for inviting me to visit her guild in Concord, Massachusetts -- the Concord Piecemakers. What a lovely and fun group with which to spend the day.

Pieces and Piecemakers

Tonight I was the lecture at the meeting of the Concord Piecemakers in Massachusetts. Tomorrow is a day of The Big Leaf, so stay tuned. Lots of fun women, certain of that!

Cat Chair

Now and again I get involved in an exhibition project. Today I worked on a prop for a children's book illustration show. This will be a version of a "cat chair" for the show.

Cutting Up Fabric

I've gotten bold enough to slice through my hand-dyes getting ready to teach in Concord, Massachusetts later this week. I thought if anyone wanted to try The Big Leaf in these fabrics, fine with me.

Yeah Beauty

I'm revisiting the exhibit in Mississauga, and Alexandra Emberley's work "fur poem, "yeah beauty yeah yeah" here. I don't often use thread and stitching in my work, but I am intrigued and compliment those who do.

TED Time

Spent the better part of the day sitting and listening to ideas on Technology, Entertainment and Design. You thought it should be all about quilTED? Hey, maybe next time.

Little Coffins of Dye

Well, that is just what they look like. I went over to my neighborhood Ace Hardware to pick up some plastic trays to try this new shape to hold the fabric and dye. I'll let it sit extra long, as the dye is old, then add the soda ash tomorrow and process.