ArtQuilts at the Sedgewick Re:View 2001-2006

Orange Construction Fence series #18/37 is on exhibit at "ArtQuilts at the Sedgewick Re:View 2001-2006" at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA from March 1 – 30, 2008. This exhibit is a review of work exhibited in past "ArtQuilts at the Sedgewick" shows, hence the name "Re:View."


"Orange Construction Fence series #18/37" is the same piece that was on exhibit when I was filmed for "The Art of Quilting" video that was produced by PBS. It was filmed in part at "ArtQuilts at the Sedgewick 2006".

2008 Weekly Mixed Media Project

Above is the front size of my nineth Weekly Mixed Media piece this year, and below the back side.


Since I'm not at full strength after a week of the flu, I decided to take it easy on making this week's piece. So far this year, it's taken me one hour plus to create each one, and I don't have enough energy to do that yet. This week I decided to use felted scraps from weeks past, and to put them together in a pleasing way.


These are some of the scraps I've collected from past weeks.


I chose some scraps to use ...


... and pulled them tightly together.


Then I needle punched the fibers to "bond" them as one unit.


This is the back of the same piece, before cutting it down to size.

I added some black stitching to the front side, and cut it to 6" square. The whole thing took 15 minutes or so. Very managable.

You can see my 2008 weekly mixed media work (so far) on my website, and read about my process/progress here on my blog.

2008 Weekly Mixed Media Project

This is the eighth Weekly Mixed Media piece this year. The front side is above and the back side below.


This is LAST week's result (not this week's). I started making it on Monday Feb 18th and finished it up on Tuesday Feb 19th, but didn't post it until today because I got the flu. Thank goodness I created it when I did because if I hadn't, there would have been no piece last week.

This piece started with a piece of orange wool felt/fabric. I placed a strip of fuchsia pre-felted wool on the front left of center, and laid a oddly shaped cut piece of leftover printed silk organza from one of my Skeletal Fence Series pieces, in the center, over part of the fuchsia and orange sections. I needle punched the organza in place, and flipped everything over, placed a strip of light purple pre-felted wool and needle punched that in place from the back side, around where I punched the organza. Flipping it back to the front side, I added additional strips of light purple pre-felted wool on both edges of the section I had already punched, leaving a section of the orange wool blank. I punched it from the top, and again a little from the back, with some purple onion bag netting over the same purple area. In order to keep the netting in place, I had to punch it from the back, so the wool fiber would hold on to the netting and keep it in place.

After I was finished needle punching everything, I cut the felt to my 6" x 6" size, and outlined some areas with orange thread and over the purple netting, using my sewing machine. I also used purple thread and "scribble stitched" back and forth on the orange area around the edges of the silk organza, to make that area a bit more obvious.

I did not wash the felt because I was concerned about how long it would take to dry and then finish up, and the fact that I wasn't feeling well. I wanted to make sure I got it done just in case I didn't feel well all week, which turned out to be the case.

You can see my 2008 weekly mixed media work (so far) on my website, and read about my process/progress here on my blog.

Bouncing Back

I was supposed to teach an "Uncommon Quilting" workshop at the Quilters Connection in Watertown Mass this past Saturday, but had to cancel because I was sick with the flu. They sent these BEAUTIFUL flowers, which I have in my bedroom, just a few feet from my bed. THANK YOU, thank you QC!!! They really cheered me up.

I would also like to thank everyone who has called or sent me get well wishes via email while I've had the flu. I am happy to report that I've been fever free for 36 hours so I'm not contagious anymore. I'm getting my strength back, and hope to be back to my energetic self shortly.

The purpose of this blog to discuss art and inspirationally related things only, and not personal things. My being sick (unfortunately) did relate to my art, or lack of being able to make art, and it was very frustrating to me. This past week, I realized how much I enjoy posting on my blog, and I really missed it.

Here's to good health to all, and more blogging about art.

Blog Still Paused

My husband drew these pussy willows (kitty pillows), and brought them up on the dinner tray last night.

Still sick with the flu, but I at least I didn't wake up with a fever today. I don't think I've been this sick since I was in college in the late 1970's. I'm still very weak but there's light at the end of the tunnel. Time for me to get back in bed.

Don't get the flu!!!! Stay well.

Blog Paused

I have not abandoned this blog. I have the flu. This is a flower my husband drew and brought up to me when I had dinner in bed (again) tonight. I probably shouldn't be at my computer posting this, but I'm bored. I hope none of you get the flu. Not fun. OK, back to bed. I'll post more when I'm feeling better.

Inspiration / Printing and Painting on Fabric - continued

There are times it can be boring to work on art work, but not often. One thing that was boring for me recently was painting white paint on white fabric. The effect is a bit boring too, so I'm going to stitch over it to create line and texture. (Read more about this piece here.)


Coincidentally, this is how my deck looked after a snow and rain storm the other day. Nice lines and texture.

On Exhibit at MassMoCA

I visited the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA) this past weekend and saw some new work since the last time I was there in May 2007. One show is called Eastern Standard: Western Artists in China, which is open until February 1, 2009. I usually only blog about shows with fiber in them, but I wanted to mention this show because there was some photography I found very inspirational, since I have been using architectural images in my work recently.

Edward Burtynsky's photograph "Manufacturing #4" (Factory Worker Dormitory, Dongguan, Guangdong Province, 2005) had beautiful grids, color and pattern.

Also in this show is Michael Wolf's work. I couldn't find the exact photo from the exhibit on his website, but I found these series: Hong Kong Industrial Architecture and Hong Kong Architecture. I LOVE his photographs! Wonderful grids, line, color, pattern, and texture.

Also at MassMoCA, a "long term installation" Fransje Killaars: Installation: Figures, Colors First, by Amsterdam-based textile artist Fransje Killaars.

Inspiration / Printing and Painting on Fabric - continued

I'm slowly working on the new piece that I last posted about on February 8th. I ran into trouble when I was stamping rubber erasers at the bottom, and I ran out of fabric. Hmmm. I need to think about whether I should chop the bottom off where the fabric ends, or use the cotton batting as part of the design.

2008 Weekly Mixed Media Project

My seventh Weekly Mixed Media piece this year. It was influenced by a wrapped building project I saw when driving down Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts last week.


Thankfully I had a stoplight, so I could take a quick picture from inside the car. If I didn't have the stoplight, I guess it would have had to be a memory because parking in Cambridge is very difficult to find. I would have preferred a better picture, and more views, but this is all I had time to get.


I started with a base of off white wool felt. In top of it I a piece of brown pre-felted fleece vertically and strips of tan pre-felted fleece horizontally. Then I added the yellow strip vertically next to the brown strip but on top of the tan strips. After that the two pieces of off white pre-felted fleece went on top of most of the yellow and tan strips, and I cut and manipulated two sections of the white to represent the ripping as seen in the photo of the building.


This is the result of needle felting it from the top side only a few times...


... and this is the back side of the same step.

Because there were a lot of needle marks from felting it only from the top side, I washed it in hot water and dish soap. To dry it I used a combination of air drying it and ironing it. If it takes over an hour to dry in the winter, it's going to take a very long time when summer comes. Need to think about how to handle that.


This is the back side of the finished piece, after I stitched the lines and added some yarn to the brown section.

You can see my 2008 weekly mixed media work (so far) on my website, and read about my process/progress here on my blog.

Color!

Flowers for Valentines Day, seen at South Station in Boston. I did NOT change, enhance or brighten the colors of these flowers. I kid you not!

Materials Hard & Soft

For those of us who can't make the trip to Denton Texas, to see "Materials Hard & Soft", the show is now posted on the web. Click here to see the show (in pdf format). "Orange Construction Fence Series #41" can be seen on various pages. Nice, large gallery. Nice show!

"Materials Hard & Soft" is on view at the Center for the Visual Arts, in Denton, Texas, through March 20, 2008.

All My Children

I have been "watching" All My Children (AMC) since 1972, when I was in high school. When I was in art school in the mid/late 1970's, I always rushed home at lunch time to watch Love of Life and AMC with friends.

Love of Life is long gone, but AMC lives on. For the past 10+ years, "watching" AMC has usually meant having the TV on and listening to it as I work, because I haven't found the script that interesting in recent years. My favorite characters over the years include Tad, Lily, Reggie, Jesse and Angie, and a few others.

Jesse supposedly died in 1988, and Angie left the show in 1990. Only on a soap opera can a character die but not die. Jesse and Angie are back after 18 years, and I'm not sure if I'll only be able to only listen will I work.

12 x 12 x 12 February 2008

This is my February 12 x 12 x 12 piece. This month I decided to use scraps left over from Orange Construction Fence Series #57, and stitch them together (as seen below, before I trimmed it to size). I almost always work only on one piece of fabric, but I really wanted to use these scraps. I stitched them together, matching them as best as I could, added some stamped shapes and more stitching to pull it together.


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.

Waterfall Display!

I stopped by a local Barnes and Noble and saw my book, The Uncommon Quilter, in a waterfall display. I am very thankful for the opportunity to have my book displayed cover side out vs spine side out. Thank you to Barnes and Noble and to Potter Craft for arranging this. I very much appreciate it!

Another Artist Using Construction Fences

Check out the work of Louise Hamlin, who is also using construction fences as inspiration in her artwork. On the Dartmouth College website, there are two of her construction fence paintings: Green Fence and Rocks and Orange Fence Underwater.

Louise has five construction fence paintings currently on exhibit in a group show called "Networks and Intersections" at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center until March 22, 2008.

Inspiration / Printing and Painting on Fabric - continued

More progress since my last post on January 31th about the new piece I have been working on that's based on a condo construction project in downtown Natick, MA.

On Tuesday night, I was watching TV for the Super Tuesday election results, and I was having trouble sitting still for what I knew was going to be a long night. So, I decided to paint and listen to the TV instead of watch it.


I painted a thin layer of semi-transparent metallic white acrylic paint over the squares and rectangles I filled in on January 31st. It's sort of mindless work, and is perfect if listening to the radio or TV.


After looking at the result on my design wall the next day, I sort of liked what I did, but there was something missing. After some thought, I decided that the three sections needed texture and line. A lot of it. I have always loved Lisa Call's multi-line stitching, so borrowed from her, making sure to be true to my own esthetic.

When I first started stitching the lines, I had one of those "oh no!" moments, because I thought my idea wasn't going to work. After stitching many close lines in the first of three sections, I knew I was doing the right thing, so I felt better and I kept going. After stitching all three sections, I am very pleased with the result. The piece now has texture and line, which is very important to me.

Now to continue on, probably this weekend. I'll report back when I have more to share.

2008 Weekly Mixed Media Project

The picture above is my sixth Weekly Mixed Media piece this year.

Last week I used sandwiched multiple pieces of colored yarn between a piece of black wool felted fabric and a piece of white wool felted fabric. After I finished it, I was curious if the result would be different if I used fleece instead of the felted fabric, so this week I went about the same process, substituting fleece for the felted fabric.


Knowing that the fleece is weaker than the fabric, I decided to add a layer of a loose knitted netting/fabric, to help hold it together, and to add some texture to the finished piece. The picture above shows how I paired the black and white fleece with pieces of black and white knitted netting/fabric.


I laid pieces of colored yarn on top of the white fleece and black knitted netting/fabric......


... and placed the black fleece and white knitted netting/fabric on top, creating a sandwich.


Then I used my needle punch machine and "felted" half of the sandwich white side up, and half black side up. The picture above is the result, from both sides, of the first pass, punching it in straight lines in one direction. I then repeated this step turning it 90 degrees from the first pass.



Then I only felted it with the white side on top. I concentrated on some areas more, so that the knitted netting/fabric started to show through.

After the needle punching was complete, I washed the whole thing with hot water and dish soap to shrink it so it would become more dense. After it dried, I sewed black lines that followed the different colors of yarn, to emphasize the colors. Then I used a template to choose the centering of the design, and I cut it down to the 6" x 6" size.

Below is the back side or the finished piece. You'll see from the upper left side of this picture that a section of the white knitted netting/fabric got stuck and felted on the back side in one corner. I didn't notice that until I flipped it over to photograph it, and decided not to try pulling it apart since it didn't matter. The back sides always get felty-er and fuzzier and I like the the other side better for my own exploration (though I do document both sides).


What I learned from doing this process a second time, using fleece instead of wool felt, is that the fleece can be manipulated more as felted, so I could see the colored yarn after going repeated punching from the top. When I tried the same thing with the wool felt last week, I could barely see the yarn at all. That's why I cut last week's piece up last, and rearranged it so that the extra yarn was showing. I'm really glad that I tried this both ways.

You can see my 2008 weekly mixed media work (so far) on my website, and read about my process/progress here on my blog.

Super Tuesday

It's Super Tuesday. I hope anyone who is reading this from a US state that has a presidential primary today, will go vote. If you don't know where to vote, visit vote411.org and enter your location in the "Find Your Polling Place" section.

The picture above is a flower made out of toilet paper, created by the woman who cleans my house every few weeks. Please don't think this is a commentary about American politics, because it is not. This is an art blog, not a political blog. This paper flower made me smile when I saw it, and I wanted to make you smile too.

Now please vote today.

Super Bowl Sewing

Eight adults and three kids at a Super Bowl party last night, with one of them (me) sewing. I stitched the sleeves on to the four pieces that are going to be in the Distinctive Directions show at the Lux Gallery in Lincoln, Nebraska, in April. The picture above shows a little of the top of the four pieces I was working on. It would have been boring to show the sleeves I was sewing, since they are white fabric stitched to white backs, with white thread.

I started at kick off, and was able to finish everything with 8 minutes, 24 seconds left in the game. That included stitching through the half-time show, but stopping every now and then for some commercials, and also to munch on guacamole and chips, veggies, ribs, wings, "pigs in a blanket", nachos, chocolates, and football shaped chocolate cake. (Not the most nutritious night, but it could have been a lot worse.) Everyone was cheering and/or telling the refs what they should be doing. I had no idea what they were talking about. It was still a lot of fun, and I got some good sewing done.

Sorry New England Patriots. :(

New work!

Orange Construction Fence Series #57


Orange Construction Fence Series #58

I started working on both of these pieces back in July 2007. They took a long time partly because I took time away from them when my book, The Uncommon Quilter came out on October 9, 2007, and also because they were difficult pieces for me to create. Both of these pieces combine two ideas. One idea was from a picture I saw in the New York Times Magazine architecture section in May 2007, and the other idea was inspired by beautiful small blue glass mosaic tiles some friends installed in a bathroom renovation. Getting these two elements to work together was a challenge, but I think I did it successfully.

If you have time on your hands, you can follow the trail back to the beginning of this project, here on my blog. On January 12, 2008, I discussed how I was using Photoshop to help me with the finishing details with the tiles in #58. On December 17, 2007, I discussed other issues, and that post has leads the trail back in time.

More information about Orange Construction Fence Series #57 and #58 can be found on my website.

Rubberband Ball

HUGE changes with my family's rubberband ball!!!!! The band that was about to break the last time I posted pictures, broke!! What fun! Above is the front view and below the back. Both pictures were taken yesterday.


The picture below is the same (front) picture from the last time. I just added arrows to show which the band broke.