Visit the Windy City

From Red Rock Country to the skyline of Chicago, my travels brought me urban delights and some good sites. It's been a long time since I saw downtown, and was happy to tour on a quieter Sunday afternoon. Why I'm not here more often is a mystery, it's filled with such treasures. 
 

Light Tap Won't Work

I won a door prize of a geode at the Alegre retreat. Suggesting a light tap will work, I tried that twice. So I wacked it, and that did the job. It was fun, goofy, and drew a crowd. And I love my little bits of geode to treasure.
 

Tour Time

 The last hour of class on Friday was a tour of classrooms by all of those who attended. Monica was prolific and became an expert printer.  The rest of Alegre's classes agreed.

Full Colorado Moon

 My simple camera captured the nightscape at Gateway Canyon Resort last night for May's first full moon. The retreat was spectacular, the final evening a swell event. If you get the chance to go, do.

The Tour

The last day of Alegre Retreat is a tour where the entire community of the retreat goes from room to room to see what each person made. What a riot! Yes, it made us clean up a bit, but everyone was able to show there work and answer questions. It was marvelous, and I was so pleased to spend a week there. Brava!
 

Printing with Care

You'd think we were in a surgical room, all decked in plastic to protect from the whatever. But the room is so lovely, the finishes so clean, that we were encased in plastic to protect the room. No matter, we are careful, and aware that we are working with dye that would stain natural materials. 
 

Wonders Exist

Jamie took to printing light lighting. She's standing next to her piece where she's scraped color blocks throughout. Don't know if she'll add, or leave it as a color set. Either way, it's lovely. And, check out these wonderful sinks! We are spoiled at Alegre!
 

Show and Tell

Part of every retreat includes some form of 'show and tell' and Luana Rubin took the spotlight quite literally with her work and story of a close encounter with a bear. Ending: she lived to tell the tale. Alegre is proving fun, entertaining, enlightening, and all in a fantastic serene oasis in the red rocks of Colorado.
 

Get Ready Set Go

Alegre has started today for my printing class. We've built a tower of 4 x 4 Styrofoam boards with plastic cup spacers. Works great. And since it's midafternoon, there is a table set with cucumber sandwiches and petit fours. Also a tray of great cookies. You have to be happy here, if for nothing else than the food.
 

On the Way

My undoctored photo was taken at a stop along the route to Gateway, Colorado. I'm part of the Alegre Retreat, and now that I've landed, I am truly spoiled for  any other landscape, workshop room setup, dining choices, and suite if rooms. My guess is the class will be a great set of printers, and as happy as me.

 

Stop in Phiily Airport

 Small exhibit, big impact. The Philadelphia Airport has art Sprinkled around,  thjs one caught my attention. I loved the mother and child figure, speaks well of the two roles. 

Taking Them Along

For a printing workshop, I like to have washed examples of the techniques we'll be using. So, half of these are for that, and the other will be for sale. Lucky if you are in the retreat at Alegre or in the audience at the North Suburban Needle Arts Guild near Chicago. Those are my next visits, can't wait.
 

The Before,and What's Ahead

The closing for my townhouse was today, and now the raw interior can be dealt with. I've floor to repair and rejuvenate, and need to turn the walls light. I'll be away for a couple of weeks, and that will give me time to dream up what I'll do to this to made the studio work. It will, you'll see.
 

Promise a Future

Today was the walk-through and look around before closing on this townhouse. It caught my attention because of the potential for a great work space and one that was home-based. It has a different vibe than my little cape coddie, but I'm ready to modernize, shed a few things, and redo a studio. 
 

Video for the Monkies

Crafty Monkies has asked me to be a part of a project that involves 6 fiber artists. We were to film our design and execution of three blocks that will be joined and shown at some future date. My filming was in January, but one of the parts needed reshooting, so I stepped back in time and did my part. 

If It's Monday...

 

...then it's packing day. I'll take four screens and pad them between with batting (for printing a soft surface) and a few stencils and rubbings. I'll land in Colorado Saturday night, ready to start setting up Sunday for a week of printing at Alegre. Very excited, and I think the class is gonna like the week. 

A la Carte

I'll be showing this A la Carte when I visit the Alegre retreat next week. It'll travel on with me to Chicago and the North Suburban Needle Arts Guild the week after that. I'll use it to explain the fun of 'hiding' squares in a field, barely noticeable. This has several throughout the piece, well hidden.
 

A Few Hours

I've spent the last few days reorganizing my bits of videos for Crafty Monkies. They are putting together a set of online views of me doing a project, along with others, for a group  quilt. This is one of the 'blocks' I've made. I've still got to put finishing touches on the three and mail them, but these videos come first.

 

As Others See

I think I took this shot a half dozen times, so when I caught Zara Zannettino's 'travelogue' of the Australasian Quilt Conference on FB, I had to show it to you, too. There are no crowds here, my guess is that it's early morning. But you can see the grandeur of the hall and the lovely high vaulted ceiling. 

 

Schweinfurth's Head Shot

If you've not noticed, I'll be printing on (almost) home turf May 29-31 for a three day class in Just Silkscreens. We'll be hunkered down at the Schweinfurth Art Center in their lovely print workshop space. It's a great opportunity to print -- I'll mix the dyes! -- and take in a surface design opening there as well.
 

More from Melbourne

One from the Elite Taiwanese Quilt Collection caught my eye last week. I've featured a rose in a quilt that I developed into a paper-pieced pattern -- "In the Garden". This one is titled "The Wind Lifts Water, Petals Flutter" by YinPing Tuan. It's a good style between absolute realism and abstraction. 

 

A Look Behind

I brought Edge of Autumn to Australasian Quilt Conference to hang with the other works. It may have been the most exuberantly printed work, so easy for me to find. The mornings were open to the classes and tutors to stroll in long, early light. And the exposition building was every bit a World Heritage Site.
 

All In a Day

An Uber to airport at 7:30 am Melbourne time to my front door 11:30 pm Rochester time, makes for 24 hours of flights, terminals, and runway holding. I loved my week away 'down under' bot only because the AQC is so carefully planned, detailed to the max, but gathered my grateful students. My sincere thanks for having me. 
 

All Hands on Deck

Cutting apart the 'blob' is always tricky, as so much has gone into making it. Here Wendy is using her own printed fabric, all with beautiful tones and changes in color. What a great class, we're getting into Design Camp for sure. 
 

Hunkering Down to Design

First day of four and works are being drafted, cut, sewn, improvised. A truly great class, 19 in all, who took on the challenge to learn more about improvisational quilting. The Australasian Quilt Convention is run as smooth as clockwork, always support when you might need it. 
 

The Place Was Hopping

At the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne the Australasian Quilt Convention is going strong. I'm on he second floor above the fray (but not the noise) and we're sewing like crazy. W?th over 500 quilts to view, and of course the gaggle of vendors, what's not to love.
 

Gangs All Here

If you signed up for one of the AQC workshops then one of these folks would be leading the class. We are in our Hi-Vis vests for set-up day, to get a briefing, and set up our classrooms. What a great and well run operation. And I can see it's going to be loads of fun. Plus a few quilt shows to boot.
 

Room Full

Painted bark cloth works fill the walls at the NVG Ian Potter Center. Made my way over there on the train and then back home on the tram. I also toured the National Gallery of Victoria. Definitely makes me want to paint, sculpt. or print. If art wants you to join in, join in!

 

Time Suspended

The Australia trip was a long slog through four airports. The last flight was 17 hours in the air. So, this posting is a placeholder for that 30 hour time delay from start to finish. All went well, got lucky with a whole row to myself, and managed to stay sane. I've a day to explore tomorrow, then the fun ramps up.

One Last Twist Before I Go

It's hard to resist a good scrambled block. This has the elements I love -- dark and light, large 'blank' areas, and places with small textures. I love getting the parts to move across the inherent grid of the four patch. I've left it on the wall so I can return to it.
 

Lotusland Goes on a Trip

My second offering for exhibit is Lotusland. Here's one of my large walls at home to display my works. This is packed and ready to roll out Saturday so I can land Monday morning in Melbourne for the Australasian Quilt Convention. Lotusland will get to see everyone, I'll be somewhere in class.
 

Pink Moon

The tote bag was sent off today to Alegre Retreat along with a couple of quilts to display, and a heavy box of material to print this April at Gateway Canyon in Colorado. This detail is where I signed it, and I think it's a good stand in for tonight's full moon -- the Pink Moon.
 

End of a Project

For months I'd been preparing to sing a 25 minute set for the folksinging groups here. And I did. That was enough for my day, can't wait to get back to my other jobs.

 

What Goes Around

Packing prompts for Design Camp with Australasian Quilt Convention has me finding and sorting through older montages. I can see the beginnings of the work with Within the Frame, a technique I've loved using lately, and sharing as well. This is just calendar images, or perhaps from a recipe book, but are strong.
 

The Never-Decreasing Pile

From each workshop comes a stack of unfinished pieces. They wait and wait. And this interruption in printing the layers makes for a more interesting and responsive addition. The urge to finish in one go is tempting, I've done that, but a pause brings fresh perspective. And so, no hurry.
 

Leftovers

A January virtual class and a February in-person class left me with bits and bobs of thickened dye. I can't toss them, and haven't much time this week, but I'll try to use them up. The holes or slits allow for the spoons to stick out, something I have to wash. I'll check strength on cloth, process, and add dye if needed. 
 

To Go

I made this for my mother who liked all things pink. Now it can go to her great grandaughter. Like that it will be in the family.
 

Going With Me to Australia

I'm packing this one to take to Australia. Called "The Edge of Autumn" for the simple reason that I'll be entering their fall, leaving our spring for a week. This was one that I designed in Studio 301, and I hope the next studio will afford the same vibes.
 

Art Exposure

My neighbor was a portraitist, I knew as her daughter's pal. She had a 'studio' and was paid to paint oil portraits. One day she was keeping an eye on me and sketched this. I think I was five. Art was a curiosity for me, not a home-based practice. I was lucky to have exposure to her work, and this as a remembrance. 
 

Recon Missions

In between travels is a project that promises rewards. But it will take time and effort. I'm getting ready to set up a new studio, but first comes dismantling the old one and shifting a lot of things around. Plus outfitting the joint. So, new lights, new walls, new everything. Reconnaissance for now. 
 

New Ain't Better

My print paste has a new formula, and I find when it's left on the screen, and dries, it doesn't wash out completely. So, a bit of scrubbing may help, but so far, it's staying put. I'll keep in mind that next time I print, and make sure I wash it out at the end of the printing day. New, not as good.

Ahead Three Steps

I've three places where I'll be teaching printing before we officially hit summer. This are name tags for the third batch of fabric-- the Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville, Washington, June 15-19, and before that Schweinfurth Art Center May 29-31, and first Alegre Retreat, Colorado April 27 - May 1. Seats still!

 

Why We Need Guest Rooms

My guest room is off my kitchen, much like my grandmother's bedroom I remember from the 50s. My office too, and it's the heart of administration. It affords me a landing place for packing -- this time for Melbourne, Australia and the AQC in April. Exhibition, workshop, and lecture make for full cases.

 

Tweeking

I'm trying to get these three blocks ready to ship to Crafty Monkies for the project that involves five other fiber artists. I needed to unpick stitches that were over the given size for this block, and also add quilting up to that line (pinned to delineate). Tedious is something I hate, but I know this needs my attention. 

 

Travel

Headlines around the country relate long lines at security gates for American flyers. I had no problem with flights, with the exception of lousy seat mates, but that's the luck of the draw. I'm landed, in the washing clothes phase, and now repacking for Australia in a couple of weeks. Lots to do ahead of that. 
 

Simple is as Simple Becomes

 Mark Rothko at the Portland Museum will always have me believing complex can be simple. These color field paintings continue to impress me especially when I'm at the printing table and see the color shifts that mixing dye can do. As well as driving home that abstraction is swell, and enough.

Art Imitates Life

A visit to the Portland Museum of Art and the David Hockney show brought this juxtaposition. I asked the visitor if I could take his picture, and gosh, it's just like David was here himself. Life keeps doing this -- bringing me these dual images. 
 

Give Me a Panorama

Up on the rooftop of a new build in Portland, Oregon is a panoramic view of the hills (mountains?) around the city. Mt. Hood the most noticeable but also the dome of Mt. St. Helens (off this view). We finally had a clear day with warmth to boot. So, a good sightseeing day for contemporary design.