The Little Engine That Could

I finished the top for the auction piece last night. Now I have to start quilting it tonight. Should I do some of that organic looking, swirly free motion stitching I do...or....keep it geometric? As art quilters we make a tremendous amount of decisions as our pieces are created. Each step is wrought with potential disaster or success! What if I do this? What if I had done that? Why the heck did I do that??? Ai, yi, yi.....

Will I be able to complete this by Saturday? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

Auction Piece

The top is almost finished (hooray). As I was working on this yesterday it started to remind of old fashioned game boards. I added the triangular pieces to help enhance that imagery. What do you think of them? The jury's still out as to whether they stay or go. I think I'm going to title this "The Games People Play".

The Wallkill River School art gallery wants to become a non-profit agency but this is an expensive endeavor in regards to setting up and filing all the necessary legal documents. Yesterday Shawn Dell Joyce http://www.shawndelljoyce.com/ who runs the school and Michelle Filer (who is the bestest shop gallery mgr ever and quite a talented artist herself) contacted me to talk about an auction fundraiser they are having for the school next week. I offered to donate 2 art pieces - one for a silent auction and one for a live auction.

The piece above might - or might not (we have to see how these things go) - grow into the silent auction piece...I see lots of beading and sequins on this one....

The work in progress below might be submitted for the live auction. Many more blocks need to be completed - in a week - and then quilted - in a week - but I'm going to try. This wallhanging will end up being about 21x31"....pretty large for me! It is comprised of all my own hand dyed and discharged fabrics.

Gypsy Heart

I finished this last night....another in what seems to be an ongoing series of heart art. It's a 4x6" piece comprised of cloth, paper and interfacing that I painted, dyed, stamped and gold foiled. Free motion stitching, glass beads, wire, threads and vintage sequins were the finishing touches.

Snowing here in NY today. I'll be working from home instead of my day job office today. One of the advantages of the internet!

The Strike is Working!

According to the Powersellers.com website Ebay listings are down almost 13% from 2 days ago! This is amazing when you realize that this translates into well over A MILLION listings! Well over A MILLION listings translates into a whole big bunch of money. There are not figures available that are tracking the number of buyers NOT buying but it is known that buyers are also joining in the strike with their sellers as well. Many sellers on eBay have loyal repeat customers who are appalled at eBay's latest policies.

If you care to find out what all the outrage is about please read the following essay in this blog's 2/19 entry (just below today's entry)
http://mousewords.wordpress.com/

I am usually politically quiet. I have my beliefs but do try to keep an open mind when presented with new knowledge or opinions. I have kept an open mind about eBay and the proposed changes. They are a corporation after all and have a board of directors and stockholders to please and make money for....but...still....I can't help but feel the excitement of an idealistic movement having an impact. It does my heart good! Makes me proud to be an American and able to protest - even in the internet world of the year 2008!

Work in Progress

Started messing around with this very early this morning.....needs more work but I like the direction it seems to be going in....have a good middle of the week everyone....

Art and Craft Auctions DOT com and an INCREDIBLE article about Ebay

There is a new artist's auction selling site that opened it's internet doors yesterday. Some of the artists on the site are fantastic. This site is still in the infancy stage but the creators hope it becomes a viable option for those who sell and collect art. If you're able please stop by and browse some of the listings.
http://www.artandcraftauctions.com/

Many of the sellers on Art&Auction are Ebay refugees. A fellow artist has written an incredibly insightful and thought provoking essay on the current state of affairs with Ebay. http://mousewords.wordpress.com/
Ebay was founded by a man who believed that auctions provide sellers and buyers with the opportunity to conduct business while creating a social community. How many of us have attended (or do attend) auctions not only to see what is being sold but for the social and entertainment value these venues offer? The new Ebay CEO is steering the auction to become just another Wally Mart - offering little in the way of unique, innovative or quality merchandise. Even on the internet Main Street is dying.

The piece above is painted cloth, painted and stamped stabilizer, altered paper hearts, beads, vintage sequins, silk ribbon and embroidery fibers. Let's raise a toast to ART, CREATIVITY and INDIVIDUALISM!

Broken Window Memories

I made this at Friday Altered Art night at the Montgomery shop/gallery. Heat guns aimed at photos produce a stress reaction that causes the surface of the photo to crack. Looks a bit like a broken window, doesn't it? This was one those times when an 'uh oh' became a 'oooooh'.

Photo I took on mat board with modeling paste, acrylic paints, pigments and handmade paper.

Quiet Week

Melt & Thaw

After the Thaw

I've had a pretty unproductive week - art wise. Best not to count the piece I tried to do the other night that ended up in trash. Would have been fantastic if a 2 yr old had created it.

Anyhow I thought I'd post photos of recently completed pieces. 'After the Thaw' is finally finished and will be on it's way to Melanie as a huge thank you for her article editing assistance. 'Melt & Thaw' is a 4x6 postcard and will be placed in the local shop/gallery that carries my work.

After the Thaw II

Sunday night I started messing around and this happened. Tissue paper glued on cloth, painted with acrylics and pigments altered with alcohol, a bit of added foiling and free motion stitching. I don't think I'm going to add anything else, but we'll see....it's always hard for me to know when enough is enough and when to stop. This is going to be a 4x6" postcard for the shop in Montgomery that carries my work. Their customers seem to be taken with the idea of mailable postcard art quilts!

Seeking the Yellow Brick Road

I haven't been feeling well so the last day and a half saw me camped out on my sofa watching movies and bad t.v. Yesterday while watching 3:10 to Yuma (good, good, good) and Elizabeth (good, good, good) I stitched this 4x6'er.

Friday afternoon I finished binding Ruby Slippers. Believe it or not, this one has turned out to be one of my husband's favorites. I think he's responding to the folk arty feeling of the piece. This is listed on Ebay but will - probably - be one of the last pieces I offer on this site. Ebay is making all sorts of changes that will hurt small time art sellers. Ebay use to offer an opportunity for lesser known (but less known by no means implies less quality) artists to have a viable marketing venue. Those days seem to be over.

Land of Oz

A couple of people have asked that I post work in progress photos of Ruby Slippers...so...at the risk of being redundant I am obliging them...

Last night I started hand stitching the background. I like how this stitching really texturizes the piece. Now I'm wondering if I should add some stitching to the yellow (kind of) brick road.

Those Shoes are Made for Walking

I made a bit of progess with Ruby Slippers last night - yes, while watching the Superbowl - no, I don't know anything about football. I'm going to try to keep this piece simple. All that's left is to finish the second shoe and bind it.

Cloth painted with acrylics, washed with wood stain & rubbed with Shiva Paintstiks - hand embroidery and beading.

Brue Chapin

I love edgy, outsider type art. I lusted after this piece the minute I saw it at the Wallkill River School Gallery a couple of weeks ago. http://www.wallkillriverschool.com/ It's title is 'The Philosopher' and was created by Bruce Chapin http://brucechapin.com/ Oh, it spoke to me alright - me, who lives inside my head a bit too much. I kept thinking about it and my desire to own it grew. Well, I dragged the husband to see the piece (because I need a comrade in art buying arms, so to speak) and he encouraged me to purchase it. So I did and it holds a prominent position on our fireplace. Don't you just love him?

Iconic Ruby Slippers & Cradle Me Always

This piece is going to Judy. I don't really know Judy other than an email she sent me explaining how one of my pieces really called out to her and gave her peace. She is suffering with an illness that leaves her both physically limited and financially strained. I am sending this in the hopes that it will provide her with a bit of solace and joy.

This photo isn't the best (dreary day at dusk doesn't quite cut it) but it gives you an idea of something I've been working on. This is painted cloth with a stain rubbed in. I'm going to add some gold foiling on the brick road, some beads on the slippers and a bit of machine and hand embroidery. So far I'm pretty happy with this piece.

Unearthing

I'm still digging through pieces that were never finished or photos of work that found homes somewhere else. I made this piece over 12 yrs ago. Interesting...even then I was painting on fabric and embellishing it with machine and hand stitching.