Firsts, Lasts, and In-Betweens

Last night Tompkins County Quilt Guild (I'm a member) had "bring your first and last quilt" as the topic. Nancy Ostman brought this work, a collection of orphaned blocks that she set in a great red zig-zag. It was 'in-between', and we're happy to see it regardless of when or where she made it.

SAQA Admits Me to Dusk/Dawn

Nightscape in the City was selected for SAQA's Dusk to Dawn exhibit set for this November in Houston. Maybe this will be my prompt to go see it, I never have. It's label will say:

Drone’s eye sees a flattened street, buildings full of life, and a night sky. Night after night, scene repeats.

Not Dale, Something Else

I was revisiting my trip to Denver (via my phone pics) and stopped at this sculpture. As much as my knee jerk reaction was to say "Hey, it's a Dale Chilhuly!" I remembered it was a tubers & zots kind of sculpture. All plastic soft tubing. Playful and fun, kid-friendly, and doesn't shatter if dropped.

Week's Work

I love to iron, and ironing my own fabric a plus. So, here is a week's worth of printing hanging up, damp from the iron's steam. I'll pick one or two to keep for myself, the others travel with me to be sold. My way of populating the world with color.

February is Gifting Month

I turn older in February, and this justified a gift I'd had in mind. It's the glowing baubles I'm wearing, and I convinced my daughters that they could share the purchase. Clever, no? Now to show them off.

Painting On Fabric

This is the quilt that at the head of my article on the internet's Hand/Eye Magazine. In case you didn't know (and who would?) Hand/Eye has many many wonderful articles from endless locations and media. So check me (and the world) out http://handeyemagazine.com/content/painting-fabric

Fabric to Go

I'll be teaching while in Florida next month, and will take a few of my fabrics with me in case they're needed. These are not yet washed out, so look a bit crisp and high chroma. I'll wash out when I get a bigger batch. More printing tomorrow.

Winter's Read

Kathy Ford's book came today, just as the weather turned back to cold from its unusual warm break.  Fine here, I'm due for sitting, reading, nursing a cold. Maybe add some wood (figuratively) to the fire.

Rich Line-Up

Selecting two more pieces of my printed fabric to use for the next design means lining up the usual suspects. These are a few; more jump off the table, but I'm keeping those under wraps for now. It was 69 degrees here today, so difficult to concentrate.

Inspiration from Lester, Again

I can't let this photo stay in the camera, I must share it. It is an ink and watercolor (possibly) by Lester Beall, perhaps in the 1940s. The linear quality, coupled with the red organic shape is worth a study. And splitting the background in two colors lands it on the earth somewhere. At least for my eye.

People Still Want Your Stuff

A trip to the George Eastman Museum included the story of how 774 prints of Indian movies were rescued and moved to the archives at the Eastman House. These posters are part of the treasure, and were by themselves worth the visit.

Take Two Some More

I'd finished this a day or so ago, and thought you'd like to see the piece. When I made two very similar monoprints, I put them aside for this, and (with just those two pieces) made this 40 x 40 Take Two piece.

Lester Beall and a Box of Drawings

RIT's University Gallery is showing works of Lester Beall. A talk tonight included the story of his life, how these new drawings were discovered in a crate, and how Beall revolutionized graphics to how we know it today.

Stay-Cation

It was a mid-winter break today with a friend. We found Frederick Douglas (in statue form above), visited Susan B. Anthony's home, and the Memorial Art Gallery, with a few more things throw in for a great day close to home.

Take Two, Two Sides

Couldn't wait to finish this, and can't figure why. Quilting was finished, and spent the morning sewing the facing and sleeve. The back has a soft commercial backing, so easy to sew by hand. Latest in the "Take Two" series, and I'm eager to pick another pair tomorrow.

Pin Basting

Straight pins are my tool for basting this quilt. I can pull then out quickly. It's 40 x 40 finished, and wool batting. I've started with the dark blue thread, will add in the light color next. Did I mention how I love to quilt the lines I've printed?

Take TWO Workshop in April

Progress on the next in the "Take Two" series. And progress at finding a time and place to have a workshop composing with just two fabrics. Join me April 19th at Buckland Park in Brighton (Rochester) for a day of composing with JUST TWO fabrics. Wilder artist made fabric encouraged.

New Windows

11 new replacement windows were installed this past week. With 6 more in the kitchen, and 1600 square feet, it seems I live in a fish bowl. New windows mean finishing curtains from 4 years ago. Enough numbers.

Portrait from Roger Remington

It was on my calendar for weeks, and finally got to see the last day of Roger Remington's work at RIT University Gallery. These prints were so alive, and current, that I had to look twice at the dates (1960s). This is "Portrait of Many Sub-Atomic Events". Graphic design, sigh.

Silk Scarves for Winter

The same dye process for cotton I use for printing silk scarves. The crepe di chine is a lovely weight, and these are half a yard wide and cut two yards long. So, joined in a long loop, they will wrap three times around for a T-neck, or twice, if that's what's called for.

Winter Starkness

I've got a yen for something zen. Something just one color and white. These just came off the print table a day ago, and I've shoved aside other contenders. Must be the outside that matches these. I'll add a clue, but don't expect two too often.

Stacked Up and Glorious

Ironed, packed, and ready tomorrow where I'll have these to sell as the "sale table" for the Genesee Valley Quilt Club, my home base. I've been making some as teaching examples for my Glorious Prints class this May for Pro Chemical and Dye, and in June in Saskatchewan. 

Finished and On the Wall

These remind me of Chinese lanterns, lit up, swaying. It is another in my Take Two series, and at 40 x 40 it finds a place to hang pretty easily. Two yards of my hand dyed fabric were the start.

Hand Me the Visine

The back of this latest quilt gets some wild and graphic commercial fabric. I've certainly got loads of commercial stuff, and this is so easy to hand sew, it makes a perfect candidate to use. I always say -- use fabric you love for the back , it's often seen.

Back in the Dye Studio

When I need a break from the design wall, I do a 180 and head over to the wet studio side. I manage about 10 prints a day. With or without daylight. Remember, I'll teach this printing at Pro Chem in May 7-12. I challenge you to see if you can best my 10.

Coming Together

It would be so much easier if the pattern were blocks, but it is what it is. So, I'll piece it together as if I had windows to slip into each other. The construction is the challenge for now.

Cut Up Those Pretties

Two yards, that's my challenge. So, here is the start on the design wall. I've so many more ideas for my "twofers", but for now, this is on my mind. Print some like these in my Pro Chem and Dye workshop May 7-12.

Taking in a (n ART) Show

Judy Gorhinger (her work above "Water, Sky, and Fields") and Constance Mauro had an opening tonight at the Davison Gallery at Roberts Weselyn. I checked in to see the landscapes. Makes me want to paint. On canvas, with acrylics. Maybe in my retirement.