Graphic Design in Abstract Quilts July 13-17 Workshop

2020 is the year I've planned an excursion/immersion to delve into graphic design and the impact it has on abstract quilts. In conjunction with an exhibit of my work this summer at Rochester Institute of Technology, I'll be teaching a class that uses the archives and collections at RIT. Write me for more information. patpaulyart@gmail.com

Closer

You'd think I'd had gotten farther than this, but I spent time finishing other needs. A few more pieces joined the group, I've got my theme, and if tomorrow gives me time, I'll start to cut. Remind me to tell you about my design class this summer in Rochester July 13-17.

Loading a Pallette

Time to get some stuff on the design wall. Can you see I need some color in my life? And if you care to print fabric with me this year, check my calendar page on www.patpauly.com .

Easy Does It

Students in my printing classes are asked to "soda-soak" their fabric before they get to class. My short cut -- bucket of soda ash solution with 2 gallons and about 4 yards soaks for 15 minutes. Ring and drop in second tub to drain. Next day, hang damp. No drip! Check where I'll be this year for printing https://www.patpauly.com/calendar  which is practically everywhere.

Not Too Early

Some printing classes I teach will need fabric prelabeled and soda soaked. My class in April will need about 75 yards. So, now's the time to get started on that stack. And I need more for ME as well. I'm sewing tyvek squares for that name tag. Fabric is cotton.

Back Home

While I was away, the exhibit that had "Duck's Breath" on view ended. Thanks to a friend, it is safely home again. I so love this little work, for its clarity, spareness, and directness. I'll have to make a companion -- but bigger!

Stacking Genius

The University Gallery is adjacent to the Massimo and Leila Vignelli Center for Design Studies. Here I rediscovered the Heller stacking dinnerware Massimo designed in the 60s. Still available (and in crayon colors as well) it's an iconic marriage of a common material with aesthetic design.

Winter White is Today's Opening

The University Gallery at RIT is showing work of Susan Ferrari Rowley. Her sculptures were build for this site, and you can see the interplay of white and shadow. I can't help but think the tablecloths were trying to sneak in as part of this installation.

Archetypal Image

It looks like we just threw fabric on the board, I know. But we did think about this, work to figure out how to do this, and intend to make a statement. Looks silly, looks weird, but design is not easy. Ellen in "Take Two" at Napa shows (as pretty much everyone will say) we had fun figuring it out.

The Other Side of Life

A day's stop in Baltimore to visit my granddaughter, here three weeks old, was the perfect way to return from being the teacher to being the plain ol' me. Thought you'd like to meet her.

Heading Home

Gray skies across the Bay Bridge on route to the San Francisco airport didn't stop me from my journey and return to the east coast. I'll stop briefly in Baltimore before heading to Rochester. And remember the landscape I have just met.

Remembering Napa Crafters

I'm posting this for Tuesday. My flight out was a red-eye and I completely forgot to get this in. But I do want to remember the act of watching friends honor their work and influence. Midge does this, and me too. Thanks to starting my year off just right!

Life is Full

18 intrepid women took on the task of making improv piecing part of their vocabulary. Craft Napa was tiring,  yes, but exhilarating. Thank you all.

Moving Parts

"Take Two" was the third class of mine at Craft Napa. Janet's work started with a few hunks of combined fabric and quickly morphed into a composition formed from the improvised shapes that she cut. It was a great day, full of capable artists, many who took a chance to try something new.

Full House, Full Fun

Craft Napa day three was "Line, Shape, Setting" so we did just that. At day's end we may not have had finished glitz, but all definitely could cut in a thin line and insert a shape. I say, well done!

Time to Reflect?

The Craft Napa class was a day long exercise in making sketches and designs that become prompts for larger works, that's for sure. But they also gave us images to critique for strong composition, or weak. Happy to see loads of strong works.

Oh to Be De Young

San Francisco, where you want to be young, or at least visit De Young. The ethnographic art is beautiful, and this Inuit piece is most lyrical.

Touchind Down

This morning was devoted to touching the Pacific. A walk at the National Seashore meant miles of uninhabited landscape, clear sky, and sandy pathways. This is mid-January in San Francisco.

Monocromatic

Maybe we like this wall of living plants because it is all green, swirling with energy, and tactile, of course. This was my stop over at the Detroit airport, and a lovely one at that.

Boring But Important

Our field trip today was to see Fort McHenry. An important part of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, it was the less than stellar for photogenic glimpses. I tried, but hadn't time/light/camera/skill (mostly skill) to capture anything but these major forms of bricks.

Fish Out of Water

A visit to Baltimore had a warm weather walk in Patterson Park. This is the Pagoda and magnolia tree with the city in the far distance. Why a Pagoda form in this park beats me. But it's been here since 1892, and now a Baltimore city historic landmark.

Stealing is Easy

As I am heading to Craft Napa next week, I'll give a workshop Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts. One of the prompts is to use an image, object, or group from which too steal a color palette. This pile of leaves is full of color range as well as line and shape ideas. File it.

Moonrise Over Sydney

Facebook and Instagram are full of landscape shots from vacationers. My moonrise landscape is a detail of my Three Sisters work, with cloud forming over the valley. I'd like to think of the moon as this red. The Wolf moon.

Threadwork Seen

Kate Fischer sent this thread drawn piece to the members exhibit for Rochester Contemporary. I love both the line work and the finish (not clipping those threads) for this work on paper.

Clouds Rolling In

I've started my journey to Craft Napa with a stop in Baltimore. This skyscape was an indication that we'd sit on the tarmac an hour through two deicings before takeoff. Yes, a squall hit as we were to depart. Off to better weather.

Top is Finished and Packed

This top will travel mid Januaryy to Napa and the Craft Napa workshops there. It's about 7' square. I'll use if for all my classes, but mostly the "Line, Shape, Setting" one for how to handle unique fabric you might chance cutting into.

Duck's Breath

Thought you'd like a closer look at Duck's Breath, my work that is now hanging in the members show at Rochester Contemporary. It's about 3' square, and features two of my printed fabrics. The left is a monoprint made on a foam sheet, the other mostly silkscreened..

Look Up

Got over to see the members show at Rochester Contemporary. Happy to see my work (upper row on left group) was happy too. The show is around another week or so, and this strong showing of hundreds of members' works is worth the visit --  if you're in Rochester, no excuse!

Sleeves for Ikats

A friend's hangings needed sleeves sewn on, so I obliged. It's mindless but careful work, and I managed to get most of them sewn (there were five) binging a Netflix series with 10 episodes. Now they are returned and ready too hang.

First Friday

Nancy Valle's studio hosts this eclectic group of artists for Vision 2020. Mine is just about dead center in this shot, and this was taken while the crowd had cleared a bit. A great gathering, exhibition openings are a great way to reconnect and SEE art. Find one and go.

On The Wall

This composition has been waiting for me to get past christmas, company, and a self-portrait. I've returned to this, and will update tomorrow. My goal is to finish the top so that I can travel with it to Napa in a couple of weeks.

Fireworks in Sydney

I've taken the finished work over to Vision 2020 at the Anderson Alley (Rochester, NY) studio room 404 for this month. The 60 works of portraits will open Friday night, I'll see you there.