I’m working on a continuation of my Seed Dreaming series with some new twists. These will be large stand alone seeds which will then be mounted (somehow…working on lots of options at the moment) on a fixed silk covered frame for hanging. I’m hoping to have at least 3 or 4 done for my upcoming solo show at Mitchell Giddings Fine Art in August.
Here’s a detail of the first completed seed:
new seed- detail
…at the beautiful Mitchell Giddings gallery in Brattleboro, VT on February 11th. I will have work up alongside creations from many amazing artists. I’ll be at the opening! Details below.
The Spaces Between VI will be there!
It seems I often grumble about how difficult it is for me to gather enough clarity and confidence to actually jump in and start a new piece. So for a change, I thought I’d focus on the sweet place of being in the middle.
seed construction zone
Lots of ideas a poppin’. Every time I walk past my design wall (which is in my bedroom!), I want to try a new placement or color or fabric or juxtaposition. Nothing linear here… Just lovely chaos!
And though I will still have moments of doubt, the general feeling is one of excited possibility.
This is why I keep at this art thing.
…but unlike Frank, I have way too many to mention!
Sometimes, when looking at a stunning work of art, I am amazed at the sureness of hand and clarity of vision of the artist. My (hopefully wrong) assumption is that she or he moved forward step by step in an enviably linear fashion to arrive at this balance of line, color and composition in front of me.
My process is messy. Full of confident, full of beans decisions that result, days later, in ripped out stitches and frayed fabric (and confidence). These false starts often do result in new ideas that I’m happier with but I rarely remember that as I’m ripping those stitches out. Years later, I can look at one of my pieces and still see places where I should have headed in some other direction.
A highly valued tool!
Scott Adams (of Dilbert) said:
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
That second part’s a bear sometimes. Am I right?
“The plant is the dream of the seed.” Australian Aboriginal saying.
This quote has inspired me in the past…
Seed Dreaming I
…and is inspiring me again. Large seed shapes are taking root in my studio!
New Seed
Stay tuned.
17 ARTISTS – 3 DAYS
December 4-6
Brattleboro West Arts 2015 Holiday Show and Sale
118 Elliot St, Brattleboro, Vermont
Friday 5:00-8:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-5:00
If you’re close by this weekend, please come and say hello! There will be a rich variety of creations by my artist friends at Brattleboro West Arts and also many of my smaller (more affordable) works priced at over 20% off! They are each mounted on silk wrapped canvas stretchers and ready to hang. I will also have several giclee prints for sale.
Consider giving art.
Roots of Rhythm VIII
Are you near Brattleboro, Vermont?
If so, you have a one time opportunity to see a selection of my smaller mounted pieces. They feature vibrant colors, most with extensive felting and are mounted on silk covered canvas stretchers. Ready to hang.
I am offering these at over 20% off during a 3 day only Brattleboro West Arts group show the first weekend in December. Each would be a lovely gift or addition to your own wall!
Biome IV
Sixteen other fantastic artists will also be displaying their creations! Lots of holiday shopping opportunities! Details:
17 Artists-3 Days
Mulberry Bark.
Well new to me anyway. Apparently it has been used for hundreds of years in Japan and elsewhere in Asia. It’s also referred to as kozo and is used extensively in papermaking.
I got some bleached and then dyed it with Setacolor.
dyed mulberry bark
I’m a sucker for the texture which is irregularly grid-like but can be teased into curvier lines that form around serendipitous holes. Very fun to play with. It’s quite stiff and when wet and shaped will dry to that shape. Folks, like this woman, make delicate bowls with it.
Me, I will dye it, pull the fibers into the pattern I want and stitch it down. That’s the plan anyway. I think it has great potential to add interesting organic surface texture.
Have any of you used it?
During this past summer, due to other obligations, my artmaking was fairly fallow. Periods of time like that leave me uneasy and both eager to get back to it and anxious that it won’t come easily. Though I wasn’t dyeing and stitching much, my mind was playing with an unformed, vague idea that I wanted to do something about Breath. This connects to my (mostly) daily meditation practice and the role breath plays. It also fired up my curiousity to understand more about respiration both in us and in plants and how the miraculously efficient and rapid exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. And this (of course, to me!) lead to thoughts about the interconnectedness of our world.
I get excited about making art when the seeds of an idea are connected on multiple levels like this! I felt a series coming on…and about a month ago, I got to work!
There are several new-to-me materials I knew I wanted to include one being silk organza (lovely but tricky) as well as attempting to sew bombyx silk directly onto fabric and felt. Many mistakes were made! A lot to learn! Here are a few glimpses-close up detail shots-of the workpiece in process on my design wall right now.
glimpse 1
glimpse 2
glimpse 3
Hmmm…hard to believe these are all coexisting in the same piece! Hopefully I’ll finish it and post a photo soon.
I am really honored to announce that my art is now being represented by Mitchell Giddings Fine Art in Brattleboro, Vermont. Petey Mitchell and Jim Giddings, both amazing painters themselves have created a beautiful and warm gallery filled with the work of both regionally and nationally known innovative artists. I’m thrilled to have my work hanging there in such great company! If you are ever in the area, this is one gallery not to miss.
Cultivating Connections II
31″ x 44″ (approx.)
