Kind Days of Christmas 9

Yesterday I took a walk around Highland Park with a friend, came across the reservoir there. I was reminded of Wayne Thiebaud's work. This little poster is from visiting his show in San Francisco with a friend two years ago. See -- kindness of friends -- just keeps linking. 

Kind Days of Christmas 8

I would not experiment half as much if I didn't have a crowd behind me asking the question "how do I do this [fill in the blank]?".  One of the latest was the printing a thin white line with thickened dye. That kind question led me to experiment with a tjanting tool and soy wax resist on silkscreen. Viola!
 

Kind Days of Christmas 7

What else can one do? Christmas is for making, so this year over the days of Christmas I made my daughter a dress. It was the kind thing to do, and I had fun. Should I find the time, I'll make it again in linen that I print. 
 

Kind Days of Christmas 6

People send me images, thoughts, compliments. So, the kindness just comes my way, and makes my day. Like this, which today I got in an email:

[subject line:] Great Legs!

[message:] I figure you don’t need any more compliments on your wonderful work!

Best wishes for 2022,

Martha

Kind Days of Christmas 5

When I teach, I work differently. More spontaneously, quicker, less aware of the particulars. Must be because I'm talking as I demonstrate. What happens is an all together different image. I have to thank my students for getting me to do this. It would not happen otherwise.
 

Kind Days of Christmas 4

Making things is a part of the happenings of the holiday. So, being able to be part of that, how ever small the activity, is a great gift. No matter the gingerbread is really graham crackers.
 

Kind Days of Christmas 3

There is a household delight that is found with putting lots of wrapped packages under the tree. It's the wrapping I know that is the drive. Each year my daughter and I vow to not buy anymore, and each year we succumb. Merry Christmas all my dear readers. 
 

Kind Days of Christmas 2

I've finally opened the treats that were sent in the mail. The brandy soaked fruitcake isn't a photogenic as these cookies, but is unmistakably good. All were kind gestures and a wonderful way to connect to friends. This eve was not it's usual, but I did deliver cookies and got to visit in person. A treat in itself.
 

Kind Days of Christmas

Unexpected gifts land in my mail. This tin box triggered a discussion we had about motifs, I presume, so it was sent to me. A lovely and kind thought. I'm sure it will travel around the house finding lots of landings. For now, it's at the kitchen window sill. Thank you, Lory.
 

Old Returns for this Season

I believe I've owned this more than 45 years. Each holiday season it returns somehow. And it reminds me that long before I made my first quilt (1981) I was drawn to the craft.
 

Art Imitates Life

Sunday's visit to the Maryland Baltimore Zoo and this shot reminded me of the previous post. The color palette, the line work, and the spots of brilliant color are here too. If you have a photo you find compelling, steal its qualities. 

 

Line, Shape, Setting Januay 26 & 28

Virtual Workshops will start in January. One of the classes that deal with the fundamentals of construction for improvisational piecing is the Line, Shape, Setting class. For now, it's half full. Mayge gift yourself two days of working virtually with me? https://www.patpauly.com/virtualclasses  
 

Nature Knows

To get a read on shape, line or color, just check in to the nearest zoo. The Maryland Baltimore Zoo has a renewed Giraffe enclosure that affords an inches away look at the fitted irregular pattern that is seen nowhere else. My workshop is much simpler, but you can make complex if you feel like. 
 

Full Moon, Lucky Stars

For tonight's full moon I offer a round of my tire. I managed to avoid catastrophe and drive this with just one lug nut in place. The stars were aligned, and luck was in my favor, the wheel stayed in place. We found the other for nuts in the driveway, the road, and the highway. 

Selfie?

For the past few years I've put a self-portrait in a group show. This may be the beginning, or not, but I've got to get something going by the New Year.
 

Glue Gun Magic

I've used a glue gun to draw or write on a substrate to use as a rubbing. I've discovered black glue cartridges (or sticks, I guess) that work so much better. Able to see them under the fabric, and also see what the heck I was drawing. Get some!
 

Soda Ash Spooky

Before washout the cloudy white residue is the soda ash migrating to the surface of the print. I knew all would be well, so here's the washout. Printing with thickened dyes is a mind game, sometimes. It looks darker wet, the white tint is soda ash, some dyes are wimps. Voices in my head!
 

Delivery

I left this box a month ago on Whidby Island off the coast of Washington. It finally found it's way to home. Now I've got the works I printed ready there to decide -- finished and wash, or unfinished and print more. My favorite kind of decision.
 

Quick Sketch Ideas

Warmup exercises for many of my workshops involve quick compositions using photos from calendars. I can see this little sketch and appreciate the line quality, the asymmetry, the color palette, and the layout (predominately horizontal) that randomly show up. There is always another good idea.

Get Out

It's mid December with a clear blue sky. So a crisp, and a beautiful walk along a gorge near Ithaca, New York today. One spectacular view after another. Just the perfect end to a week of work, house renovation, and catching up. Next week, taking care of details. 
 

Add One More "Hombre"

There used to be six. Six ways to layout a composition. I mean, there's more than six, but that was my go- to for making sense of the chaos of randomly improv blocks. But there's a new kid on the block: Hombre. Yes, I know the transition of value from light to dark is Ombre, but I like to think he's real.
 

Skirting the Issue

Now that I've an artificial tree (no need to water) I can use fancier tree skirt stuff. I've a drawer full of embellished Indian skirts (lehengas) that are the perfect spark. This one is my favorite set of colors.
 

My Hot Mess

The second day of the Columns workshop had me searching for an example of blocks that had set in shapes. This pile from long ago surfaced. Its last configuration was awful, so I applied the columns rule, added a large piece for breathing, and this I'll keep. Moral: listen to your own directions.
 

Cookie Day

I've made cucidate for more than 50 years, the last 20 with my friend Nancy. Last year we made them with Zoom. This year felt more normal. Tomorrow is back to the Columns workshop and more piecing. I'm already gathering ideas for the next composition.

 

Line Up

The Columns workshop deals with how to use -- to advantage -- the artist made fabric we all love. It helps to pull out a string of pieces that might work together. I look for a variety of graphics as well as a good range in value. Color can take a back seat as the value and scale matter more to me. 
 

Not Cutting This

Every so often there's one that should just stay whole. This is one. I'll be teaching this technique in "Just Silkscreen" come February. Check my web site under virtual classes. www.patpauly/virtualclasses
 

On a Column Jag

Round Two for fooling around and looking at columns. Only this one is larger. Now I'm about to add more to the equation. But I've got to be ready for the workshop "Columns" for Tuesday. More classer next year, check my web site under Virtual Classes.
 

Columns Sketched

I've done a few sketches for an upcoming class "Columns". I've got the two starters on top, the mix at bottom. The class is about composition using a columnar form. Another class "Make It and Break It" deals with improvisational piecing (as does Columns) but with adding a template to capture the design. Check my virtual classes if you're interested www.patpauly.com/virtualclasses
 

Half Way Printed

Yesterday was demo/brainstorming day for the residency program I've got going for this winter. These are still in need of additional prints. It's a good idea to let things sit for a while (sometimes, as sometimes I'm inclined to finish them off) and see if a better design emerges. 
 

Virtually Next Year

My website now has four virtual classes that are ready to go. This will be the first. It is five days spread over two weeks. We have fun, and get a day in between to think how we'll have more fun. They are all here:   https://www.patpauly.com/virtualclasses
 

Halfway to New Countertop

Back in college I took furniture design very seriously. Now I find those skills come in handy for when I have to decide how to tackle a building problem. I've got a quartz countertop coming next week and I need to tweak the design to accommodate brackets. This is my mockup for how to handle the extra height.