Hello,

I am home from a week in Gulfport Florida.  I really enjoyed the new sceanry .    There was so much to look at my eyes could hardly take it all in! From the shore with lots of bird forms to the sky and the plant life- I was a shooting fool when it came to taking pictures.    I just love how this split pine looks and I am  sure it will turn up in some work at some time.   Then  there was all the art.   We went to a show of work by  Geoffrey Gorman.  He builds  wonderful found object sculptures of animals and birds that include wire and canvas that he has aged with rust.   His work was wonderful.

Susan took me to an opening at the Florida CraftArt Gallery, where both  Oiseau Sisters had pieces.  This shot shows Susan with her birds.  She and I played in the studio every day.    I did Gelli prints with Lora on Tuesday.  I used one as a base  when we went to drawing on Wed eve.    Susan and I designed and then started a flag project.    We each made six stencils and printed two of each.  These are my images. At the end of the week we traded one of each of our images for one of each of the other person’s works. Now we will both work on the flags as we see fit and when we meet again at the June Diva meeting we will compare how each of us has altered all the images.   We designed it to be an open exploration project- trying new materials and techniques.   It will be fun I think.

I worked away all week on this owl stitchery project.   It is nearly complete now.  I had intended to work on a piece that I brought form home, but I did not do a stitch on it.  The first day  Susan pulled out one of her bins  of fabric and I got inspired.  Something about some one else’s materials I suppose.

Tuesday was a FAB meeting and after a month of not seeing folks we had a lot to talk about.  Nancy is making great progress on her bed quilt( this shot shows the center section folded up  as it is all the stripes. ) Now she will build  more images on top.

 Progress Report:  Boiling Point

This project went together quickly just before I left.  I am still using the fabric collage technique that I used with the Foundations Series, but it not based on any stone this time.    I also did all the work on canvas this time and then stretched it around to the back of the stretcher bars before tacking.  This first close up is near the center of the work.    I used  red, rust, gray and dark green velvet in this work as well as satin and silk fabrics.    The more I play with the layering and folding of the various fabrics the more I enjoy the process. This second shot is near the middle on the right.    A little copper paint adds fun.

 

 

Raw edges here add another texture to the mix,

 

 

Name Game 1- Carol     I cut  the work  into 6″ square and then reassembled it.  I am only going to show this close up this week  because the only step that remains for completion is the facings and I will complete them for next week.

 Owl   I am showing the completed owl that I did in Florida as I am going to send it off to the framers this week and shooting through glass is as strong as a strait shot.  I really enjoyed working on this.  I tried lots of varieations on the fly stitch on this work.    The vanes in the leaves are fly stitches all connected to one another.   The tree bark is that same stitch on its side and interlocked with its neighbor.  The wing tip is shown here and it is made from a pair of textured panty hose.  The pin feathers on the chest are woven copper ribbon that has been tacked down with open fly stitches.   The claws are made from fake leather that was frapped.     The found objects that started this whole work are the chroched  rings that are the whites of the eyes.  The orange is a bit of bias tape and the black is a sequin held in place with a french knot.  The beak is created from the same fake leather as the claws.

 

Memory Map- Canyon de Chelly     I am still strugling with with were this project is going.   But I feel closer then before.  Adding Spider Women’s towers ( on the left) will help anchor the work I think.

Nail Castings

I am still fasinated  by the shapes of these plastic parts.  I enjoyed tacking them down with lots of different types of stitches.    the shapes just tickled me.

Keep Creating

Carol