Category Archives: Felt Work

Bounty of Show Work

 Hello,

It is fall and the season of quilt shows.    I always submit lots of entries and this year  I really did well.   I have two works in the Associated Artists  at the Manlius Public  Library.   That show opened on the 8th of Sept and will go until the 29th.   The reception is  Sat. Oct 8 from 2:00  to 4:00 at the Library in Manlius NY.    My works Black Capped Chickadee  and Birch Trees  are a part of that exhibit.

   I am also a part of the Interwoven Journeys in Fiber Arts  show at the Broad Street Gallery in Hamilton, NY.   This show opens on Sat Sept . 15, with the reception from 5 to 7.     Indian Pipe is one of the 14 pieces that I submitted to this show.

 

Xaviorwood Ice34″ X40″

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of the four works that will be in the Quilts Unlimited show in Old Forge at the View  from Oct 5 to Nov 5.   The first weekend on Sat  is the opening  with a lunchen and awards.   The other three works show are    Quartered Glyph, Asters and  Calling Crows.

 

Generational Whispers 43X38

 

 

 

Generational Whispers was the work that is in the  judged “It’s All Relative” show  by Experience Fiber Arts  in the Whiler Building,  1 E. Main St in Rochester NY.   The opening is Oct 6,  2:00 to 5:00.   This show runs until Oct 26.

I was also accepted in the international  Schweinfurth Quilts= Art= Quilts show  Judged Show.   My Label quilt was the entry for that show.  It opens Oct 27 and runs until Jan 6, 2019 .   205 Genesee St.   I also will be a part of the Members show at the Schweinfurth during the same time.  My piece Deep Jellys will be a part of that show.       I am flying high with all this work coming and going and it is requiring a bit of juggling on my part too.

Deep Jellies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have also spent a little time with my friend Tanya this week.  She is exploring dyeing silk with procion dye.    I really like her use of color on this experimental piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report:   JIG   This quilt is 40″ w X 39″ t.   I enjoyed working on this piece.   It really was  finished last week, but I wanted to fray the edges of the letters so it was in the washer last  Thur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I dyed the orange and red fabric behind these letters.  One of my personal challenges for this year was to use my hand dyed in all my works this year and this is it for this piece

 

FOX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have cut all the words for this piece and pinned them in place.  I am now in the process of stitching the words down before I satin stitch around the out sides.   The light green and the rust words use my   own hand dyed work.

 

   Forest Fire  The base for this piece is a yard of Judy Roberts fabric.   I have added Angelina  to represent the light in the burning sky.   The fur trees are fuzed down and I will build on top to create the feeling of fire burning them.

Scrap Happy    I continue to add together strips and bits of fabric from the Ethel box to create squares for the new Scrap Happy quilt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Process    The red orange in the background is some of my hand dyed  on the  fabric.  I am now adding the hand stitching to this work as well.

 Collection IV  I am working on the hand stitching on this project now.  I call it Friends because I am using lots of items that my friends have given me.  The flower applique is from Tanya.

 

 

 

 Label Cards : Life  is Art    For all of us the creation of our individual self is an ongoing process.   doing it artfully is the big challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enduring    Some images  are just universal and  speak to all of us.     They last the test of time.

 

 

   All American     The  Grand Canyon and a native American chief- both are items that are a part of our culture and no other country.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Has Come

 

Hello,

Spring has come to central New York with a burst of color and warmth.    This Bloodroot blossomed this week  after several cold days when I could see the buds tightly  furled.   It is  wonderful.   I am rally enjoying my walks now.  Liz's drawingMay day was the first Tuesday of the month and I had meetings.   The QuEG’s  meant and we had a good talk.  Liz showed off her sketchbook where she had altered some of  the pages that she  printed at Regina’s last week.     Linda's JewerlyLinda wowed us with her wonderful jewelry.   It is good to have her back in central NY.

Then I went off to the Diva meeting .  Again I got lots of stimulation.  Lliese  did this work during the gray days of April.  Tulips are always cheerful.  It is painted silk.   IMG_0935  Noel is making baby quilts as her brood expands.     This one is created from Liberty of London fabrics.  Anne is also dealing with the transition from winter to spring with this work.   The weather sure effects lots of us.IMG_0941  Cheri continues to develop her stencil/layers of painting style.   I like what she is doing and know she is challenging herself.     She is also exploring uses of the wash away from our fall class.  The Lavender in the center of this work is machine thread drawing.

IMG_0931IMG_0932Alice has this opening this week.   I will not make it to the opening, but I will pay a visit some time this summer.

  This is also a work by Alice.  She does great work with crows as so many of us do who live here in central NY where they are abundant. IMG_0952IMG_0953  Lori, Christen and Ruth all took a workshop on the use of fusibles and did some wonderful flower work.    Lori is working on her embroidery on a woven background too.IMG_0957

Maureen showed off more of the work she did at the spring retreat.

She created this resist with a potato masher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Sharon also shared some of her work with us.    It was a lively meeting with lots  wonderful ideas.

Yesterday was a FAB meeting and sense we had not gotten together sense March we had a lot to share too.  This is a new piece by Judy and she is hand quilting it now.  She also finished her the  topIMG_0968that she started at camp last fall.     We too had a lively conversation.    Judy was given a top that she passed on to Sharon who fell in love with it.IMG_0969 I am so fortunate to have so many great folks to support me.

Progress Report: Asters  This work is 33” w X 33.5”l.   It is all raw edge appliqued down.  IMG_0993The center’s of the flowers are  hand appliqued  circles.   Some of the leaves are hand painted fabrics. IMG_0994The vein’s of the leaves are all stitched down with two threads in the same needle on the sewing machine.

Collection  This work is  17”w X 27”l.     One of the little challenges that I put up for myself this year was to create a work that is based on a article  from Quilting Arts.   This is one  from last month.  IMG_0982  I had a good time layering up the stacks of fabric and objects to create this work.IMG_0984

Black-capped Chickadee   This work is 12” X 12” and stretched.     I am working on backgrounds for the other birds too.

 

NEWIMG_0977 This is a new exploration using text as my starting point.  The word is “NEW” and far too visible and poor in composition for this to be the final lay out – but it is a start.

Riotous Romp   This is also a text based start.  The word is New- done in a cursive curvy style. ( check last week for the shape) I have zig-zag appliqued down the letters and I have started to reflective quilt the central part of this work.   It has a curvy cut background.

NewIMG_0975   I built this background this week too.  Again I have no direction as to what I want to do with this surface.  I thought I could use the cut-ways from Riotous Romp as a start- but that idea was awful…..

 

 IMG_0989Blue scarf    I made another scarf from silk paper and yarns that I had in my stash.   I love the texturesIMG_0990

 Card: Odyssey  I am still making little cards and enjoying the collaging process.  The moon is in constant change and watching the constant change of mankind’s  history unfold too.

Keep Creating

Carol

Warming up

 

IMG_0930Hello,

We are starting to see evidence of spring.  I am happy with the few changes that are appearing as the temperature rises.

I went to the Associated Artist Meeting on Saturday where we had a little show and tell.  This is a pastel by my friend Barbara.  I really like the m,movement she created.

Progress Report:    SAQA entry -Layers of Life    12” X 12” .   I did some additions on this piece this week and then shipped it off to the folks at SAQA for their auction.

 

NEW IMG_0911 The \blue paper pattern is my  next word work.    The word is NEW.  I am auditioning fabrics for this project here on my pin wall.

IMG_0914Altered Jacket   I am adding lace and such to doll up this black jacket.IMG_0915I stole the idea from Chico’s- the idea of embellishing a jacket in this fashion  I mean.   I need to get some of the lace and such out of the suit case where I have is stored and out into the world.

Collection   I keep adding more and more items and layers to this work.     I like where it is going .   It’s like existence- made up of may small moments.

 

IMG_0912Thread Painting   I finished the last two Titmice that  I started at the spring retreat.   I have learned that a nice balck bead eye really helps them come to life.

 

   New ScarfIMG_0920Along the same line as the ones I  made at the retreat  this   new scarf uses  wash away  and free motion stitching.   I always get nice compliments on the others when I wear them.

 

Felt Backgrounds   Now that I have all the birds done I need to build backgrounds to put them on.  So I  spent a day with Liz teaching her   how to use her felting machine and I worked on backgrounds.   I will add the branch and birds on this one.

IMG_0924   This second one is just play and I do not have a plan for it.  I was just having fun.

IMG_0926This one is the least developed.  It too will be used for the birds I think as it is also a landscape.

Daily Practice   I keep stitching away on this project.    It has a long way to go.

Card   Clutter.  It seems that more and more stuff gets thrown at us each day  and it is hard to keep the clutter under control.   Perhaps accepting that will help a bit.

Keep Creating

Carol

Still winter

 

   Hello,

The weather here continues to be cold and filled with snow flurries.  I dream of spring and hope next week will find us warmer.  Done a bit more drawing this week too.   I have been watching a video , “Interpertations ”  by  Jan Beaney  and  Jean Littlejohn, that Angela lent me and hope by following some of their suggestions I will build some better compositions and avoid the struggle I am still feeling with my Frozen piece. IMG_0863 I have been reworking the ice lines.

IMG_0860  I went  south  with Liz  to visit Regina yesterday to do some printing.  Regina always has beautiful treasures that this shot shows.  I like the patterns of these two beaded add  onus.    Regina is also doing finishing hand work on this big print she made of the Tree of Life.

IMG_0872  These are the prints that I made.

Progress Report:  Fiddlehead Ferns     This stretched work is 24” X 18”.    I built up the forest floor with bits and pieces of fabric and yarn  before adding the ferns on top.IMG_0871I used silk paper, fused backed hand dyed cotton for the leaves and frapped chenille cleaners for the steams of the fiddleheads. IMG_0870

Layers  This is my entry for the  SAQA auction.  It is 12” X 12”  and is a work built to show how one just keeps adding more and more experiences   layers on top of one another as we age.

 

 

 

Parts   I   have been building little units to work together for the last few weeks.  Now I am beginning to add them together as a whole. Another example of how I feel we are many small things added together.

Asters  I am building the flowers on the surface of this piece now.   The petals are raw edge applique and the centers are hand stitched on top. IMG_0882

FeltingIMG_0876   This is just the start of the background for one of the Black Capped Chickadees  that I did in tread painting  at the spring retreat two weeks ago.

 IMG_0887Daily Practice    This   work just keeps steadily building up  with stitches.

Cards: Relax   Time just keeps rushing forward in this day and age.  I find I often feel a bit overwhelmed so I need to remind myself to slow down and  breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discover    One is forever changing, but unlike butterflies that graduate from a caterpillar to a butterfly  our changes are often much less dramatic and slower.

 

Keep Creating

Carol

Spring Approaches?

 

Hello,

March in its typical approach can not seem to decide if it is ready for spring or if winter should still dominate.  I saw these Snow Drops on my walk yesterday and I did hear a Robin’s song this morning.  But there is also snow in the air and in the forecast  for this evening and tomorrow.     Mother Nature is a bit fickle.

Progress Report:  Indian Pipe   This work is 16” t X 20” w.     The background is felted and it is  based on a photo of a rock cut along a  road in Washington state.  IMG_0480  I selected the Indian Pipes as my subject from one of my mother’s slides.   The steams are made from organza that is wrapped around a pipe cleaner and the heads are satin ribbon.IMG_0481

Winter Apples This work is 27.5” t X 29.5” l.   It is based on a photo I took of a crabapple tree at Thanksgiving when we visited the Turning Stone Cession for our family dinner.    IMG_0494The crystalline snow is made up of silk with a lacy ribbon on top.   IMG_0495

Radiating Joy  I am to the quilting step with my work on this piece.  I did reflective quilting in the rainbow letters and I am doing strait line quilting in the dark areas.

 IMG_0459Frozen   I continue to move very slowly on this piece.   I am just about ready to cut the wholes in the ice where the rocks stick through.

Glyph IV I am happy with the progress on this piece as the top  of the O is now complete and I am working down the right side.

 

Spring Forest    I am done with the quilting on this pieces as well  and have moved onto the beading of the trees.  I had help selecting the beads that I am using.IMG_0469

   IMG_0465Afghan    This work is now done.  I like the colors and it is worm.

Daily PracticeIMG_0474The daily hand work is moving along.  All of the parts are at least tacked down with stitches now.    I look forward to playing with decorative   stitches on the rest of the surface.

New Work IMG_0477 I pulled greens out of the stash to begin a new piece based on an image of asters.   IMG_0489

Star Gazers   This is collage #9 and is called Star Gazers.

Card- Medusa IMG_0490  I always saw Medusa as a very tragic figure.   All that constant noise and motion around her head all the time.  Must have been tiring.

3 Witches  These three women from a clothing add made me think of  the 3 witches from Macbeth.  They seem to conjuring  trouble to me.

Keep being creative

Carol

Snow days

IMG_0348  Hello

We continue to get snow here in New York.  The wind is not blowing however as the snow laden  windmill shows.   Its just the light fluffy  wet  lake effect stuff.   The snow is piling up however.  It was much nicer earlier this week and I went to the QuEGs and Diva meetings.IMG_0324   At QuEGs there were only three of us so we meant at Liz’s home and did a bit of Gelly Plate printing.      Liz says she will use some of hers to make Valentines. As a part of the season Judy Sent me a cheerful water color Valentine to celebrate too.

The Diva group  meeting   had lots of folks with lots to share.  Mary did this delightful piece of her grandson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regina  shared her new work where she used some of her hand dyed fabric. ( the orange)  I am glad she too is doing that with her stash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice is getting ready for her show at the Women’s Museum and this is her most recent work.

IMG_0332Noel made this pillow using her fabric form her Mothers old clothing.

Progress Report: Joy II This work is 34.5” w X 39.5” t.  I am so fortunate to have a group of folks to bounce ideas off of.  I took this work to the QuEG’s meeting and they gave me some valuable suggestions.  I went home and applied them and then took the work to the Diva meeting that eve.  The gals in that group pounced it completed.   IMG_0364This close up shows where I did some of the altering.  Before I reworked this area the orange in the letters and the orange in the background where too close to the same color.  I used a colored pencil to darken the background. IMG_0366  The high contrast is  what it needed.

Double Joy   This work is 28” w X 40.5”t.    I used the cutaways from  Joy II to create this work.  I  like the vertical movement of this piece.  IMG_0367I feel the color gets a bit washed out in the full photo.IMG_0368

IMG_0356New Work I seem to be in a rework mode at the moment so I redesigned the Joy to use as a radial design for the next piece in this series.

New ZAP This word also a rework and I am playing again with.    This is a close up of the word. IMG_0352The letters are cut from some hand dyed fabric I did at a QuEGs play day a few years ago.

Glyph  IV I keep beading away on this project.  This side of the O is almost complete.

 

Indian Pipe This felted project  is at the build stage.  I am struggling along with the  integration of  the plants into the setting.   I think I have just about completed the bracken on the forest floor.   Now to work on the pipes themselves.

Frozen  This work is also proving to be a bit of a challenge at the moment.   The organza ice is on now and I need to decide where to let the stones poke through so I can build the flow patterns  around them.  I am just unsure about how to start.

 Daily Practice-Orange Essence  I have decide this daily practice work is done.  I do not know how I want to finish the series so I am setting this work aside for now .  I will begin the next one this week.

Daily Practice  This is the second work in the series, it is base before any stitching has been applied.     Again I will try to limit the number of stitches I use on this work.

IMG_0361 Scarp Happy    When I do not know what I  want to do next I keep myself in the working mood by doing a project that requires little or no thinking on my part.  I am doing that with this project as I have done many  of these scrap happys.  I pulled out the box of left over  blocks from previous  Scrap Happys and started  a new project.   I know I can always find a home for these quilts.

Collage    This is collage #5.  I am please I have kept up  this series and feel I have a routine now.   I know this   summy work is in response to the snow and cold too.   The environment really does affect my work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Susan challenged me to do a collage where I used the sewing machine and this project is the result.

 

 

 

Tarot- The SunIMG_0341  I did this tarot card the same day I did the  collage.

Spirit   This piece was also an avoidance project.  But I feel staying in the working spirit  helps me move forward.

Happy Valentines day and Keep Creating

Carol

Camouflage

 

IMG_0277 Hello,

I am enjoying the sun of this January day and the rich smell of these blossoms that were a gift from Judy.      As I was looking at my grandson’s camouflage pants the other day I was wondering if the goal of was to mislead or conceal.  Here in central NY in doors in the winter the patterns  doen’t do either job- but out in the woods in the summer they must do a bit of both.   Many animals and plants use camouflage to trap and stalk their pray as well as hide from predators.   I know my grandson purchased  the pants  so he could lie in wait with his camera to take photos so I guess his goal was to conceal.     It is not a fashion statement in his case so I guess that means his major intent is  not to mislead his peers- just the animals.   A strange bit of both in the end.

Progress Report: Aces and Spaces   This work is 37.5” w X 27” t.     It is built from the cutaways  of ACE plus a few transparent fabrics.   IMG_0257I did free motion quilting in the patters of aces- mostly using the ace of spades  for my pattern as that is the one most folks think of when they picture aces  in their heads. IMG_0259I enjoyed playing with this project.

Collage 2 The Song Bird    I am staying true to my goal of trying to do a collage every week.  This is my second piece.  I was listening to a recording where there were bird calls as a part of the intro and this work came form that joyful sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ribwort Plantain   This work is 14”w X 18” l.   I used felting for the background and did the Plantain on wash away  before I applied it to the surface. The heads are made from yarn and the steams are robin.  IMG_0264 The leaves are fabric with sewn lines on top for the vain patterns.   A fabric boarder was added before binding.

  Hand work   This daily practice is moving along nicely.   IMG_0253  I am trying to limit the number of types of stitches I  use here so it holds together and one can see how different yarns look with the same stitches.

Joy II   As the shot shows I finished the building of the second base for the joy cut.  I tried several backgrounds before settling on this one and then tried several layouts too.   I finally decided that I liked the diagonal layout with the words not being read from the same direction.  This work is ready for stitching now.

Double Joy    With this project  it take a lot of trial and error before I settle on the background and placement of the parts for the work.   This time the two tops of the words are pointed toward one another.  The centers are not even pinned in at this point as I need to make a curvy cut to unite the yellow unit to the orange one.

 Glyph IV   The beads just keep being added to the work.   I am inching up the right side of the O now.

Ice The stones are all  stitched down to the stream bed now.   I plan to go back and do a bit more to anker them and start to build a water flow pattern across the surface.     IMG_0271This is the photo  I am working from.   I did a little test piece to see if I could get the line effect with my stitching  for the ice that will go on top of the rocks.  IMG_0272The best one was when I zig-zagged  and appliqued down a bit of cording.

Wool 1 I felted down some roving to begin a new work based on a part of a photo I took last fall.  I only did the hand “basting” part so the roving would stay put before I get out the machine to do the final work here.

Wool 2 IMG_0248This is a second piece of wool with the same treatment as the first.

6X6 The call came out for the next 6X6 works for the Rochester Contemporary Art Center show  and so I responded.  I have been a part of this for the last six years I think.   They are all done now and I will mail them off next week.

 

High Priestess  Card  Susan has suggested that we try to do the Major Arcana for our Tarot cards so this is the  third in the series.   I am enjoying doing these collages.

I hope everyone is warm and working at  there creative activates

Carol

Magic

IMG_0183Hello-

We are deep in winter now so the sight of my Christmas Cactus  blooming is  a nice bright sight.  I have had a good week.    I went to the opening of the New Members Show at the Manlius Library on Sunday.   There are six of us who are showing about six pieces apiece.     It was great fun to talk with the other artists and the public too.  I had great support from several of my friends and that added to my positive feelings.    Before the day was over, much to my delight, I sold two of my works.    Fox Tails and White Iris both have new homes now.   It is a great feeling of confirmation when a stranger likes your work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Joy I   This work is 24”w  X 23” l.   It is also a rework.  The curvy cut quilt was made in 2012 and was set to be donated to the  Helping Hounds shelter.  But I pulled it aside and added the JOY  graffiti on top instead.   This   second shot shows the word pattern in paper.  The blue was cut following this pattern then stitched down on top.   IMG_0212 I am exploring the use of my stylized lettering with this work. IMG_0214This last shot is of the “O” in the center of the word.

Glyph IV   This shot is of the lower right side of the “O” in the Owl Glyph   quilt series.  This work is number 4 as the number indicates.   I am glad to be working on the biggest letter in the grouping now.

 

 

 

 

 

New Ice   The work goes slowly forward on  this piece.  I am rough cutting out the stones now.  The upper right corner is my  test run of various fabrics for the ice overlay  part of this work.

Plantain    Selling Fox Tails got me going on doing another wash out plant piece. IMG_0189   I did the machine drawing on the wash away just as Amanda taught us in Oct.  Then I pinned the work to the Styrofoam and washed  away the “plastic”.    The   dry work is now ready to be stitched down to the felted background.

6X6   The call for six by six came this week so I pulled some pieces to work on.  It was so easy to excess them now that the studio is in order.

Collage 1    One of my resolutions when I was cleaning was that I would do a collage every week too.    This work is 8.5” X 11” a size that I think I can work with easily.     I did find someone to pass a lot of the paper stash on to so I will use making the collages as a way to sort and share the materials as the year goes forward  and I make pieces..

IMG_0191  Joy  II   This is the base for my next JOY quilt.    I pieced it and then added a bit of inner  facing to the back to stabilize it.   The same pattern is used as in JOY I .    Because I am working from the backIMG_0197the word is turned upside down for  marking the edge and then it will be  cut out.   The result will be a positive and negative from this same fabric.  The interfacing will  cut down on the distortion  when I stitch it down to the contrasting base.

 

Hand work   I am doing my daily studies of stitches on this work.   It is beginning to feel very solid to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magic Card  This card represents how I feel about myself and my fellow artists.  We all are really Magicians.  In our processes of taking raw materials- with  paint, clay, pencils and fibers we work magic with them.  Just looking at the elements, one never knows   what they could and do or  become  in artistic hands .   With sparks of creativity and the magic of  our hands, we bring into the world things that without us would not exist.   That is true Magic.

Keep Creating

Carol

Getting Rolling

Hello-

I am finding it a bit difficult getting back into the studio after the holidays.  There is so much I want to do that is not  art work related.   I am hoping that will remedy its self with time.

I did do a big trunk show at the Schweinfurth Art Centersh- my talk on Sunday and that took a lot of preparation.   I  discovered some themes in my work that I had not noticed before and that is how I structured my talk.  I talked about five of them- Animals, Water, Rocks, Plants and Text.   I was epically flattered by the attendance of my friends from all parts of my life.   I did have fun with it and enjoyed the support I got from everyone.   In talking with folks afterward I  came across another topic that I could do a whole different presentation on- my use of embellishments.

IMG_9920There was a FAB meeting yesterday and we got to look at Nancy’s newest work.  She will be making “postcards” out of these images from the National Parks for a quilt.   IMG_9938More evidence of being busy is the fact that  I am still working on getting the fabric washed out from the play weekend at the Schweinfurth three weeks ago.

Progress Report: Fox Tails This work is 12” w X 12” t.   I created the heads of the fox Tails in the Experimental Surfaces with Amanda McCarver .  It was  a  great class and I learned a lot.    The background rock wall is felted wool roving. IMG_9936

IMG_9935

Peeling Orange    I am to the point on this project where I am doing reflective quilting on this work.  I have decided to leave the orange plain and not quilt in that area.  I think the contrast will add interest.

Zap It  As the photo shows I have made the “It’s” a part of this work.  They are just pinned in place and subject to change, but one needs to start some where.  I ended up making a second “It” stencil as I wanted a second size.IMG_9927I am planning to hand stitch down the circular “It” add ons  after a bit of quilting by machine.

Creative Assistants IMG_9937  I really am at the end of making these fellows.  I know I was avoiding starting a new hand project and that is why I did them.  But I need to straiten up  and  begin the  project.

 Card- Trust   I usually trust that good things will happen to me and for the most part that has been a truth in my life.   But the happening in the world at this time are throwing a lot of question into my mind on this subject.

Keep Creating

Carol

Travel and such

Hello,IMG_9626

  •  I have had a busy two weeks.   It all started out with traveling and visiting museums .   Marty and I visited  six different ones on our trip to Maine and back.   With  shopping, a factory tour and visiting with friends it was all very exciting and stimulating- A very enjoyable experience.   But before I went away there was a three day workshop with Amanda McCavour.   She  is an expert on the use of various water soluble materials.  I learned a lot.  She has a show  of her life sized machine drawn rooms on display at the Schweinfurth  that will run from now until the first week end in Jan.   Most of the work we did in class was much smaller. This shot is of Cheri’s peacock feather. IMG_9633 I experimented  with   creating Fox Tail for use in one of my felted pieces.     Doing this workshop with fifteen others creative women made for lots of different and  exciting applications  to the use of this material.
  • The Quilts =Art= Quilts  2017 opened on Sat at the Schweinfurth too and so I went to the opening as I was already in the building.  This work is by Elizabeth Bush.  She won a Jurors Choice award as did  my friend, Julia.   IMG_9647This work by Emily was done by one of the other gals in Amanda’s class.  She came all the way fro California to be at the opening and to take the class.    It’s a strong show and I plan at least three more visits.

Then on Monday morning with the help of Cheri, Julia and Liz we hung a Finger Lakes Fiber Artist show at May Memorial Church  3800 Genesee St, in Syracuse.  This shot is of  a work by Sharon.  IMG_9658  These works show  two quilts  by Regina and a piece by Alice.     There was a Meet the Artist event on Sunday and that went well.   The contact at  May was very pleased.

  Marty and I  visited the Sherborn Museum  as one of our early stops on our trip to Maine.  We were blown away by the work of Patty Yoder who did wonderful hooked wall pieces.  She raised the sheep, sheared them, spun the wool and dyed it before she cut it into strips to create  beautiful and playful wall pieces with it.  IMG_9677  This is a close up of the eye of the sheep in the first photo.     There was lots of humor and  fun in  this  delightful show and we enjoyed it very much.

  • IMG_9695Our next  stop was the Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream factory.  We took the tour and had ice cream Sundays for lunch that day.    I  Loved their motto” If it’s not fun- why do it?”
  • IMG_9709 We went on to visit our friend  Elizabeth.  We enjoyed visiting her studio and talking about her work.  This shot is of a colorful basket full of the hats she makes to give away at Christmas.
  • IMG_9713  The next day we went on to Camden to visit with Barb and Steve.  Barb took us to Rockland and the Farnsworth museum.  We hurried through the Wythe art  works as we had seen them  before and went to a great show of wok by Marguerite Zorach.   No photos where allowed, but take my word for it – the works was fabulous.    The photos is of the black and white show, another temporary exhibit that was up in the museum.  We also visited  the  Center for Maine Contemporary Art.     The last museum we visited before we drove home  was  the Clark, where we saw the exhibit of Impressionist Line and  listened to the lecture on that subject.   I did not know that pastels were invented around the same time those artists were working.  Degas and Mary Cassatt sure used that new material.
  • Tuesday was the first one of November so I had both the QuEG’s meeting and the Diva meeting.   This quilt is by Liz and will be for sale at the Everson’s  Christmas Tree event.   IMG_9737 Angela continues to work away at her on line felting class.  I really like this piece.    Sally is busy with Christmas gifts for her grand daughtersIMG_9742and Sue Ellen is having fun doing cats.
  • The Divas had a good meeting as well.  Regina did a splendid job Finishing off her Garden Gate piece.  I love how she combined  a rubbing with a hand dyed to get this great look.IMG_9747Maureen is working with colored pencils and stitching on this piece.  Most folks had work in various stages of completing in preparation for the Thread of Change Show at the Unitarian Church in Ithaca  to open Dec 1.
  • The to round things out I had a FAB meeting yesterday.   Judy is working away on her red sweater again now that it is cold.  Nancy is making “post cards”  to attach to her quilt.     It has been a full two weeks.

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Progress Report:  Glyph IV  Because I was away not a lot of progress has been made here.  But I am working away to fill in the L with beads now.

Peeling Orange I have started zig –zagging down the  shapes on this project.   I am still thinking about how I want to quilt it.

IMG_9757Zap   I did start to applique the shapes down – but had to remove all I had done as it puckered up.  I purchased tear away and now I am ready to try again.

KnittingIMG_9763Winter cold has finally found us.  I could not find my muffler,   so I decided to knit one as I still have not focused on a evening hand project.

Felted work   I made this rock face a while back and thought that I would use the Fox  Tail from Amanda’s class on the surface.  But I think they are too close in value to get the effect I am shooting for.   So they will be a part of another project and I will work on a different idea for this piece.

IMG_9749 Label Card “ Share the credit.”  I have been thinking about how important  it is to work together for a big goal and value all the different things one brings to  projects.  I was trying to express that with this card.

Keep Creating

Carol