Updated Work / New Work

I updated some small work I created a year ago, that I think needed it. Shown here are five of my "Recycled Fence Series #33" series, which I showed here on my blog in September 2008 in my post "New Work - Recycling (More) Older Work." Some of the redesign required changing the orientation of some of these pieces by rotating them.

Recycled Fence Series #33/2


Recycled Fence Series #33/6


Recycled Fence Series #33/7


Recycled Fence Series #33/3


Recycled Fence Series #33/4

All of these pieces are monoprinted, hand painted, handstamped, with both acrylic and fabric paints, and are mounted on stretched canvas.

I'm hoping to work on a number of other small mounted pieces I did in 2008, and will post them after they are finished.

Fonts

It's Futura vs Verdana. One of my loved ones is really into analyzing fonts, so this caught my eye:

"The Font War: Ikea Fans Fume over Verdana," by Lisa Abend on Time.com dated Friday, Aug. 28, 2009.

Could his interest in fonts be because when he was little, and I worked as a type designer, I would sometimes bring him to work on days that he couldn't go to daycare? Probably not, but it's fun thinking about it. He's a young adult now, and math is his life. He's not into art like his mom is, but he's really into fonts. I love it and I wanted to share this article.

Color

Tomatoes. I can't eat them, but I can admire their different colors.

Rubberband Ball

It's been almost two months since I posted pictures of my family's fossilized and falling apart rubberband ball. I think the summer heat and humidity has an effect on the process. The front side is above and the back side below.


Yesterday I just happened to notice that there have been big changes since early July.


Above and below are pictures showing the difference between yesterday and July 2nd, so you can see the changes.


If you'd like to see more pictures of what it looked like in the past, click here. To see what the first picture I posted, in July 2007, click here. I had forgotten that I've been documenting my rubberband ball here on my blog for over two years. The ball itself must be at least 10 years old or more. I don't remember when we started it, but it was when my son was in elementary school and he's in grad school now.

Inspiration, Connections and Project Runway

When I saw this fungus growing on a tree stump while on my walk yesterday, I couldn't help but think of Uli Herzner's dress on last week's Project Runway: All-Star Challenge. I'm sure I'm making a connection that wasn't even considered, but ...


I really enjoyed both Project Runway and the Project Runway: All-Star Challenge last week, and I'm very happy that Project Runway is back on the air.

Also, hooray (I was going to say bravo but that wouldn't be a good choice of words would it?!) for Lifetime TV for deciding to put each episode online, for those who do not have cable TV. Between that, and how full their website is with information about the show/s, it's obvious that Lifetime is using online media to its fullest to promote the show. Good job!

Weekly Update - Front and Back Yard Installations

This past week, my front and back yard installations got to experience hazy, hot and humid conditions. They've lived outside in a lot of rain this summer, but did not experience a week plus with over 70% humidity. For the first 2.5 months outside, even if it did rain and rain and rain, there were also times when everything outside could dry, before getting wet again. This past week it was in the 90's F and, as I said, really humid. It was really unbearable, in my opinion. I'm not a summer weather person, but it looks like my installations are fine for summers, in New England at the very least.

The picture above is Fence Installation Series #1/16, which is in my backyard, looking at it straight on. Below is looking at it diagonally from the side, so you can see the wooden structure next to it, and how the clematis is growing on both. The tall flowers you're seeing in both pictures is Queen Anne's Lace, which is growing in front of the wooden structure that is next to my installation.



Above is a detail shot showing the clematis and below is the back view.


I forgot to take a picture of the same type of clematis which is growing in my side yard, that is already starting to bloom. I look forward to the one in my backyard blooming. Actually, I'm very excited about it.


In my front yard is Fence Installation Series #1/22. The plants around it aren't as wild and interesting, so this piece is sort of a stand alone sculpture. I think this one will look more interesting when it shows and it's sticking out of a snowbank, which is definitely going to happen since it's only a few feet away from the street.


This is a view of the back top. A little droopy and rusty from the pipes holding it up, but otherwise just fine.

More pictures and commentary in a week.

Drop Cloth

I must use this drop cloth fabric for a new piece sometime. The front/painted side is above, and the back/where the paint soaked through side, is below. Way cool, and totally unplanned.

It's impossible to understand the size by looking at photos. It's about 40" x 50" in size. If I use it, I'm not sure if I'd want to use the front of back side. Something to think about.

If you study it closely, you can see areas of where I stamped +/or painted many pieces from my Orange Construction Fence Series over the years.

Texture

I'm tempted to try to print off of textured cabbage leaves if we get another cabbage head in our CSA. I'd never seen cabbages like these before until we got them in our CSA for a few weeks at the end of July/beginning of August. I took some pictures of the leaves the last week we were on vacation. I would have tried printing them then but didn't have the right printing supplies with me.


If I do try printing off of it, it won't become the start of the Green Cabbage Series. I'm quite happy working on my Orange Construction Fence Series and my other construction fence related series, but it's funny to think about.

12 x 12 x 12 August 2009

I finished my August 12 x 12 x 12.


I decided to use the wrong side of the printed/painted fabric, and I did a ton of stitching, which you can see in the detail above.

The background printing was through the holes of my new white construction fence, instead of the texture of the fence, like I usually do. The fence is very thick and textured, and it's hard to see the grid of the fence. In other words, it didn't print as well as I had hoped.

You can see the fabric painting in process, on the right side of the fabric, in my August 6th post.

The colors I used were chosen because I wanted to try them before I used them for Orange Construction Fences #71-76, which I started on my recent vacation.

If you want to know more about this series, you can read past posts about my 12 x 12 x 12 series here on my blog, or see all of the completed work on my website.

Project Runway!

Here we go! Project Runway begins tonight, after a long absence, and a move to the Lifetime TV network.

Read a review about the show in the NY Times, "Designers, Start Your Engines for Season 6," by Ginia Bellefante on August 19, 2009.

Even if the show is really about creating fashionable clothing, I do enjoy when they use unusual materials for a challenge, even if it's not really wearable as everyday clothing.

I'm not a big TV watcher, but I'll be enjoying it tonight. There's the All Star Challenge at 8pm, Project Runway at 10pm, and I'll also give Models of the Runway a try at 11pm, if I'm still awake. Otherwise I'll watch it off my DVR. (Please note all times just listed are for eastern time. Click the links to find the air times in your part of the US.)

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

This is Show & Tell after my two week summer vacation on Cape Cod. One of the many things I did was paint fabric. Creating art is not "work" for me, even though it is one of my many jobs. While everyone I was staying with went to the beach mid-day, I went down to the basement and painted. I love the beach but not at peak sun, so I had no problem being in a cool basement, doing what I love to do.


The first piece I worked on was Orange Construction Fence Series #70, which I stamped and handpainted on already monoprinted fabric of a construction fence. There were 18 columns x 20 rows, which = 360 rectangles that I painted grey. B-o-r-i-n-g but necessary. Fence 69 (below) had the same number of grey rectangles, which I had already painted at home. #70 is almost completely painted. The final part will be completed after I stitch it.


Before vacation I had been working on Fence #69 (above), which is also almost completely painted. I didn't add any more paint while on vacation. I did bring it with me so I could use it as a reference for when I was working on #70. Just like #70, there will be a little more paint added after I stitch it. This is the back side of the fabric, which will be the side I have facing out before stitching.


Above is the fabric for my August 12 x 12 x 12 series. I think this picture is better than the one I posted while away, since I have more light in my studio than I did in the basement I was working in.


After the above, I started working on a sub-series, Fences #71-76, which may or may not be exhibited together as a group, in pairs, or separately. This has yet to be determined. The Fence #71 fabric is almost completely painted. It still needs a little more paint in the grid area. This is the back side of the fabric.


The Fence #72 fabric, also almost completely painted. It also needs a little more paint in the grid area. This is the front/painted side of the fabric.


I started running out of vacation time, so I only got to handstamp the Fence #73 fabric. It still needs to be painted.


The same thing for the Fence #74 fabric. It's now handstamped and still needs to be painted. This is the back side of the fabric.

My next steps are, stitch my August 12 x 12 x 12 fabric, stitch and finish painting Fence #69 and #70 ASAP so I can include them in my solo show, finish painting Fences #71 and #72, paint Fences # 73 and #74, then stamp and paint Fences #75 and #76, which I never had any time for while away.

I think I may have some time here and there, in the next few months, to work on #71-76, but quite honestly, I don't see finishing them until after the New Year. I may be wrong, but doubt it. With two websites to design, many sweaters to redesign and/or sew buttons on for Open Studios in mid-October, planning my solo show at the Hunt-Cavanagh Gallery at Providence College which opens on October 26th, two possible two-person shows coming up after that, and quite a few other things I have going on, I think I'm being more realistic than pessimistic. Of course I'll post updates here on my blog.

Weekly Update - Front and Back Yard Installations

Here is an update of my front and back yard installations. I missed posting pictures last week because I was away on vacation, but I'm back at home now, and catching up.

It's a jungle in my back yard where Fence Installation Series #1/16 is installed. The Queen Anne's Lace is still in bloom, and my fall flowering Clematis seems happy growing through my installation.


These are details of the clematis growing threw this piece from the front (above) and back sides (below).



In my front yard is Fence Installation Series #1/22. It's doing fine.


There is some mud on the bottom, and a little rust from the connectors on the outer edges. Above and below are detail shots.


I've posted early-June and mid-August pictures of both installations on my website to show how they are fitting in with their surroundings. I'll update them again in a few months. Take a look.

I'll post new pictures in a week.

Art and Theater

Yesterday was a day of lasts. I went (again) with family and friends to see the Shepard Fairey show at the ICA Boston on the last day, and we saw the last night of the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's "The Comedy of Errors" on the Boston Common.

(We also went to the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, which is open again, and saw the show they put together from their collection. This show is open until September 20th, so it's not a "last" since there's over a month left.)

It was really good to see the Shepard Fairey show again. You can read my thoughts about it, from when I saw it in April.

We all really enjoyed "The Comedy of Errors." The acting was great, as was the music, and I loved the set, which should come as no suprise to anyone who knows me, since it was based on grids and lines. It was very inspirational. The pictures in this post are of only one side of the stage, in daylight, and after dark. Sorry for the blurry bottom picture, my camera isn't good in the dark.

Anyone who lives in the Boston area should keep their eye open next summer for the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's 2010 production. We have never been disappointed with their shows, and it's really fun to picnic and watch theater, outside with hundreds (or thousands?) of other people on a warm summer's night. It's very peaceful and friendly, and is an annual tradition for my household.

Color and etc

I'm home after spending two really nice weeks on Cape Cod. I have to admit that I never touched my pile of art magazines, nor did I read my book. (Sorry Wally Lamb! I promise to read it ASAP!) I did paint a fair amount of fabric, and besides that, I socialized with friends and family, ate good food, got some good rest, saw Julie & Julia, did some looking at nature while walking (though not as much as I should have) on two bike trails, and I did get a little later in the day beach time and avoided that peak sun.

This was only the second or third time, in my adult life, that I have had a two week vacation, and if you can do it, I highly recommend it.

I've got lots of unpacking and laundry to do, email messages and snail mail to sort and go through, and it's time to get back to working on web design, sweater redesigning for Fall, and planning my solo show at the Hunt-Cavanagh Gallery at Providence College, in Providence, Rhode Island, which opens on October 26th. I also have to get my car in the shop because my radiator decided to leak the moment I pulled in to my driveway at home. Bummer!

As quickly as possible, I'll post new pictures of my outdoor installations, which I haven't posted in two weeks. I'll also post pictures of the fabric I painted while I was away. I also must stitch the fabric for my August 12 x 12 x 12, because the month is already half over.

The picture above is of many many pieces of bamboo. Our friends on the Cape have a huge amount of running bamboo growing in their yard, and they let my husband cut enough so we have 90 6'-7' length pieces so we can construct a fence with it at home. (More on the fence at a later date.) I love the color of the fresh bamboo. I'll try to photograph it when it dries and changes color, to show the difference over time.

Pattern

A friend didn't want to put the Croquet set away at the end of two great weeks on Cape Cod, so he made this design with the mallets and balls to enjoy for a while - before the inevitable.

Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowships Changes

The Massachusetts Cultural Council announced a change in the application dates for the 2010 Artist Fellowships. Instead of a December deadline, as in the past, the dates are much earlier.

"The online application for the Drawing, Painting and Traditional Arts categories will be available September 1. Applications for these categories will be accepted from September 1 through October 12, 2009." Read more.

In an email, the MCC said "This new schedule will mean a faster turnaround time between application and award announcements, while preserving the program's focus on a fair and anonymously judged review. As always, the program aims to foster the creation of new work by Massachusetts artists, the individuals at the center of our state's vibrant creative life."

I'm looking forward to September 1st, when more information will be available.

Color, Pattern and Texture

The color, pattern, and texture of seaweed, found on the sand at the beach on Cape Cod, last Sunday.

Color, Pattern and Texture

Color, pattern and texture during low tide at a beach in Brewster Massachusetts (on Cape Cod), last Sunday.