Saturday, November 30, 2019

Traveling Boots

Mid January will find me in Napa, California to teach. But this boots mola will take the US mail first and wait for me there. The packing is underway to get materials packed and shipped out.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Life on the Edge

The traditional pieced quilt has inherent edges where one fabric cleanly meets the other. Sometimes, patterns make that edge. I'm interested in how a print can move and morph without piecing for that edge. Yes, I piece (piecesandresistance) but I preserve that printed edge when I can.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

No One is This Island

There are islands, true. But even though we may think, want, or believe we are alone, we are not. Something connects us, reaches us, even if it is water and shore. So, my thanks for those around the world who connect me to them. I'm thankful to have that in my life.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Seasonal Doings

With Christmas coming soon, bear with me while I get projects  together. Tis the season.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Before the Shot from Yesterday

Here's a slice of the design wall. I've already cut and pieced a few things, as you can see from yesterday's post. Slow going, though. Not to mention today's weather was perfect for non-studio work. So, yes, a slog.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Line, Shape, Setting

I'm taking my own advice. I'll be at Craft Napa in California this January teaching how to cut shapes into any background and then piece in. I love what comes of that. I've got my start, now to see how it morphs. Oh, and line needs to show up, too.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

New and Just Hung Up

Three Sisters is not quite pressed, tidied up, or signed, but I wanted to see how it would read on the wall. I've not got a properly large wall in my house, but no matter, it seems fine. Now I can live with it a while and see how it holds my attention. So far, so good.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Off to New Home

Take Two: Sharks and Jets was all about a rumble. Two distinct groups clashing, along with lines that shoot through each set. It was admired, then purchased, and now gone to hang in its new home. I'll miss its noise.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Remembering



Today a snapshot of my class in Geelong went in my student email binder. I lingered on this photo. Not because the group was from Australia, though that gave it a measure of different, but because there were each such wonderful and giving people with with to spend a week. I am so lucky.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Trials that Bind

With hours of impeachment inquiry on, I've got the perfect reason to stay still and sew on a binding. Good thing this is a large quilt. You get my tip for ganging up my tools on a tray, which also holds the TV remote.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Take My Word

This is my view from one of my kitchen windows. There are at least six cardinals in this group of trees/bushes. It is a study on not seeing what is really there in the details. But I know they're there. Take my word for it.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Starting Again

Quilters of a certain tradition are bent to use every little scrap in the basket. These were left from the last piece, and I'll see if they can measure up to something. And, for the record, those bitty scraps I toss away. They piled up so they just about blocked the door!

Monday, November 18, 2019

All Around the House

Counting the bathrooms, my house has seven rooms. Which means I can set up projects just about anywhere. On the living room table is a friend's weaving that needs a sleeve. And handy for getting "away" from the studio.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

More of What Else

I'm channeling the great modern quilters here with my swoops, my dives, my curls. You might call it aerobics for the long arm. And that pic from yesterday?  Took the stitches all out. Somehow the red thread just was not a happy camper. Monday we'll have a redo.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

More Stitching

Once the quilt is loaded on the machine, I can walk away, or return to stitch. Today was that kind of day, so having it sitting at the ready meant I could hop on and off the time to quilt this top. Good for a Saturday.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Foolin' Around With Red

William Keyser's piece morphed with his wall hung work on the University Gallery's wall at RIT. I took a busman's holiday to hear Evan Snyderman's talk on artists in his New York R Gallery. But Keyser's work "Foolin'..." (there to be seen, not in a slide) kept my attention. Plus, I'm attracted to that red.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Just Fits

I've managed to just fit this work on my longarm with a few inches on the side for breathing room. With all intent to start something on the design wall, this compelled me to start quilting. That "closure" thing must be a habit.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Loss, and Loss

Yesterday was a large snowfall. This front yard tree couldn't take that amount and split severely. Being on city property, the city quickly removed the limbs and thought they might be back to take down the rest next week. Maybe there'll be new this spring.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Henry's Moon

Tonight's full moon was extraordinary. I don't know who Henry Lester was, but his safe was painted with a haunting night scene depicting a ship on the water guided by moonlight. This I found in the Rochester Art Supply Store. Candy for any visual artist. Or more like drugs.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Starting Anew

It helps to have a design wall. And it helps to clear it. I've taken a dive in the pile of prints from this summer to jump start the next piece. We'll see how it evolves.

Inside / Outside

Colleen Buzzard curated a show "Inside Out" that deals with the space either interior or exterior (or both). This cardboard group (and I'm sorry to not know the artist) sits on a clear plexi shelf that gives a group of strong shadows from the single light source. Such dynamic shapes!

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Up and Delivered

I've finished the piece I'll call "Duck's Breath" in time to drop it off for the Rochester Contemporary Art Center's member's show. A statement in minimal piecing, this is all about leaving the print to do the work. The show opens December 7. If you're round Rochester, NY, stop and visit!

Friday, November 8, 2019

Sleeves. Can't Go Without

Always, even for a functional couch quilt, add a sleeve. That will save looking at your work nailed, pinned, taped or clamped (between wood cleats) to the wall. It happens; I've seen it. I've sewn a sleeve with wrong sides together so there's a finished seam when I look inside, which is never.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

On the Machine

I say this to whoever will listen: I love to quilt the lines that I've drawn with dye. They might be from silkscreen, monoprint, or directly drawn with a thin pointed bottle. But accenting what is already there just feels like the right thing to quilt.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Meeting Up

Now, I know the second piece was a demo for some class. I was using a "fun foam" sheet that I got from Walmart. Great for monoprinting. Same thickened dye formula for both pieces. I love that there is white background in both half yard pieces.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Starting Off

When I teach surface design workshops I demonstrate methods on a half yard piece. This may be one, can't remember. It's got various printing techniques. I'll pair this with another to make my entry for the Rochester Contemporary Member's show.

Monday, November 4, 2019

What I Use in Between

I often forget just what I use,and people often ask. Today I opened a new roll of batting. Mine is wool. This gives me a fairly flat sandwich, which I like. I've stopped using cotton because wool is so much lighter to work with, carry around and packs beautifully for travel. All good reasons.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Shirting the Issue


I'm revisiting the images I've captured from the Quilts=Art=Quilts show. This Piece "Spin Cycle" by Helen Geglio has me standing and lingering long. It's not just the fabrics -- cotton, linen, and found white dress shirts -- but how she has stitched them and presented them that please my mind.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

RIght Side Up

I was reminded that I've returned to and upstate New York fall from leaving Australia's spring. These eucalyptus plants, for example, left an impression of the wild, strange forms I saw left and right. Those with me had to slow down and look as well. I've not forgotten the kind beauty I saw.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Begin November

These reds, golds, yellows will be left for gray, brown and bleak pretty soon. As November rolls in its time to turn inward and inside to work. I'm giving myself the weekend to put back my house and take care of chores. Monday I'll head to the studio.