Holsts Planets

Best seat in the Eastman Theater to hear Gustov Holst's "The Planets" tonight. Now that I heard the piece, I've a mind to whip up my own set of planets -- but will have to follow Gustov's lead and make the works astrological, not astronomical.

Dusk to Dawn Close Up

Today was the last day that the show was up in Newark that had my work "Dusk / Dawn". So I leave you a close up detail in case you did not have the chance to see it in person. I wanted to do something with my hand dyed fabric.

Screen Diversions

After hours of staring at the screen wrestling with a web site design, I figured it was time for some musical diversion. The Little Theater was ending their series with jazz tonight. The summer will be just movies (a different kind of screen) and eats.

Art versus Design

Artists are singular, making art for themselves. Designers must solve the problem. Massimo Vignelli, who passed away yesterday, designed the NYC subway map in 1972 (on the right). It was replaced with another in 1979 (on the left). I remember my first trip to NY and using his map. Pure design.

Staring at the Wall

Sometimes I just have to get out some of those oddball fabrics and see what they do when I throw them on the wall. That is one way to start a composition. Can't see them if they are tucked away. Could use more walls.

Paint Job

Without the numbers, you can see how not much paint is left on the siding. The two bands left and right were covered by shutters. Beautiful day to paint, which is just what I did.

Twelve Tulips

Twelve were planted, and twelve came up. They have lasted and lasted, and this is the last evening's light caught on the petal. This color reminds me of a dress I wore to my mother's second wedding more that 25 years ago.

SAQA Square in the Mail

Applied seat of the pants to seat of the chair and finished this tonight. Now I will pop it in the mail for the SAQA benefit auction. Oh, wait. I need a name. Not for the auction, but so that I can remember it.

SAQA Sketch

That annual SAQA auction asks that we get our donation of a 12" x 12" work to them by June 1. Guess it is time to get going. Here is the start.

Web of Desire

Much as I truly want to be in the studio/garden/outdoors/eating ice cream/napping/dyeing/painting/silkscreening/in the hammock I am stuck looking at my program to update my web site. Not happy/elated/painfree.

American Craft

Someone left magazines on the table at the quilt show, hoping to have them go to another home. I grabbed this choice American Craft from 1985. The cover has a silver piece by John Marshall called "Landscape in Memory of Patrick Lannan." Sure looks like needlework to me.

Take a Lilac Break

Over 1,200 lilac shrubs are in Highland Park. The first lilac Sunday was in 1909. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the park has more than lilacs, but lilacs were the reason I went there today. Studio time will wait.

Sunday Treat

Graduation parties were everywhere Sunday, and I found one at the edge of a lake. (You can just see it in the upper right corner.) Perfect for a May day.

Visit to Schweinfurth

Many of my friends who are far away send their art quilts to the Schweinfurth's exhibit Quilts=Art=Quilts. This is the view on a crisp spring day. I stopped in today to see my work (yes, an art quilt) in the juried Made in New York exhibit, which has every conceivable medium.

Vest in Pink

This great vest appeared at my booth today and inspired me to make one using MY fabric in this very easy pattern. But, I can see I will already make it a bit differently. But I like the concept -- and I have nothing else to do with my time.

Gathering Friends

Parked in my booth today, my job was to stay put. So, my peeps could easily find me. 2/3rds of my Art Quilt Group were at the quilt show (counting me). Nice to have company.

Selling Prints

Many years of selling my hand-dyed fabric yields the question "But, are those printed fabrics for sale?". So, tomorrow and Saturday I will be at the Lake to Lake Quilt Show in Phelps with a small selection of those prints. I might part with a few.

Connecticut Spring

Near New Haven, I took a walk this weekend to visit a lovely garden. But it was hard to continue past this flowering cherry. Double beauty.

Easy to Talk About Your Work

The crowd leans in. Carol Soderlund is explaining her two works during the opening reception Saturday of my group's exhibition in Newark, New York. Her two, seen just left and center are based on the theme Night / Day and are about the winter and summer solstice.

Caught in Reflection

Yesterday, at the Ikea in New Haven, Connecticut I saw this reflection of the now vacant Marcel Breuer building (1970), caught just above the entrance. Already missing a large part of its building, the "tower" remains for now, but its future looks bleak. Perhaps it will be replaced by a hologram.

Fabric in the Works

This is silk-screened fabric before the wash out phase. So, the color is brilliant and dense. If only you got what you see. This and others will be at the Lake to Lake show this weekend, Friday and Saturday, and for sale. Meet me in Phelps, New York to see how it really looks.

Wacky Log Cabin

Karen Eckmeier was visiting the Genesee Valley Quilt Club this past week and brought her work that featured a wonky log cabin. It comes with raw edge "fringe" and scattered shiny beads.

The Human Flower

The man in the striped suit, a rep from the Guinness Record Book, declared this group (I am the one with the camera) the record for the largest human flower. The green is the stem. Just something to do in 80 degrees wrapped in plastic.

Perfect Fit

I put a new sink in my studio when I moved in, and this silk screen wedges in just perfectly. Who knew I would be so lucky? Enjoying a few dye days and getting ready for the Lake to Lake quilt show (May 16, 17, 18) and selling some printed fabric along with my hand-dyes.

Wind Through Your Hair

A side trip to the Memorial Art Gallery today to see the Matisse drawings again. This is Thomas Ridgeway Gould's "The West Wind" and she is just marble-licious. Can't get much whiter. A good figure to usher in this warm spring breeze.

Have a Cup o' Jo

Driving back from Washington, I could not get this out of my head. I wanted to make a coffee cup with two fat quarters. And pieced. So, after a bit of studio time, viola. Love to make this a class. Focus would be curves and color.

Wanted Portraits

Paul Dodd draws portraits from the newspaper's wanted listings. These are superb in line quality and are extremely compelling. Tonight's gallery lecture featured his father, Leo, a watercolorist, and John, a fine woodworker. All three have work on view at I-Square in Irondequoit.

Quilting in 3 Dimensions

This piece "Hay Meets Rontgen" is also part of the Radical Elements show in Silver Spring. Made by Jim Hay, it jumps off the wall with over 160 layers of photographs and various other materials. The content is Jim's foot operation and recovery.

Radical Up Close Elements

Deidre Adams gets up close to my work "Iodine" at the Cafritz Foundation Arts Center in Silver Spring Maryland. Yes, it was hung behind a pillar, but then the effect is that you have to get up close to see it. If you can find it. But you can. But without the materials list, and oh, yea, the artist's statement. Oh, I have said too much. Post too long!

A Visit with the Queen

Renee Altman is the "Clay Queen" of the DelRay neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia. Tonight was dinner with the queen and then a peek at what is loaded and ready for the kiln. And I have something from the shop to take back to my home, as well.

Stainless Steal

Take one of these for a walk and you are sure to find some fun. And lighten your wallet. So, I left one of these behind and toured with just a bag.

Bars in Beautiful Color

While researching historic quilts for an upcoming project, I was able to get up close with this Amish bars quilt. What saturated and beautiful color. A real treat.