Addiction

What happens when you have one crabby woman, a husband who is steering clear and a small amount of time late in the evening? This! I was having major art withdrawal tonight and even though it was a long day with day job work and other obligations I sat at the machine and starting stitching.....then grabbed the paints and alcohol. I'm all done being grouchy (and I apologized to the husband person - thank goodness he could be a poster child for tolerance). Art is my drug.

Americana

An internet folk artist friend sent me a box of these luscious shirting cottons that are so finely woven many of them feel like silk. We are going on vacation in about a week and since I can't bring paints and dyes along (doubt our hosts would appreciate newly colored floors and rugs compliments of my less-than-tidy work habits) I plan to bring materials to do hand stitching during quiet times. The cottons are fabric samples so none are larger than 8x4", and will be perfect to mix and match. I figure if I make small appliqued blocks when I get home I can machine stitch them together. Sound good?

New Disintegration Series

Late yesterday I messed around with some sheer fabric, paints, inks and rubbing alcohol. I plan on trying my hand at continuation of my Disintegration series in larger pieces (but, of course, not real large - maybe 10x10"). With the cost of gas and heating oil skyrocketing perhaps I should rename this series Countdown. I don't mean Countdown to diaster - I mean Countdown to getting our heads out of sand and stop being in denial. I sincerely hope this shift in our nation's economy and financial stability will bring on new commitments to family and community.

Nested

Monotype, gelatin printed papers overlaid with transparent paints applied through hand cut stencils. Nothing I do is every simple and sparse......

Right Brainedness

I'm taking a drawing class based on Betty Edwards' book 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain'. Time and again I have taken those online tests that - supposedly - determine which brain side you operate from. For me it's always the right hemisphere, hands down. Anyhooooo....this is the second drawing I have ever done and....flaws aside (what is going on with that thumb???).....I can't believe I did it! It looks like what it's suppose to look like. I'm going to try drawing that tree stump in the front yard next.

Not Folk Art

I'm continuing work on this piece. I think I'm going to start stitching it this evening....free motion quilting imitating veins in a leaf.....

Folky Art

I belong to a small, internet group of artists in various mediums. We share our art and aspects of our lives. It's a safe haven where a kind thought, funny message or creative inspiration can be found. The group is comprised of only about 7 active members and we are from various countries. Recently one of the members posted a photo of the front of her house in England. I just had to paint and stitch her yellow door and red bricks. You might wonder what the deal is with the blue....she also posted a photo of great blue painted brick wall inside the house.

Hope all of you had a nice Father's Day. It was a bit tough here for my husband. There's nothing like a holiday or special day to remind someone of the loss of a loved one.

Fini

Last photo, I promise! I am happy with how this piece turned out. The beads were a nice touch I thought....
This piece started out as a painting very early one morning when churning thoughts were keeping me from much needed sleep. It has stayed true to its initial inspiration. I'm calling it "The Winds of Change".
Have a lovely day everyone.

Metamorphous

Last night as I was working on the painted piece in my last post I wasn't liking it and since I had already decided this was going to be a study/experiment/why not? kind of piece I grabbed a paintbrush, the rubbing alcohol and went to work on over all the previous color and stitching. This is what emerged and (other than adding the fewest of tiniest of glass beads) I'm happy with this result. It feels incredibly organic to me.

Out of Control

I did some more work on this one last night. I've decided that I'm going to let this piece take me where it will. Right now there isn't any 'message' inherent in the piece (although it was painted while my brain was spinning overtime with thoughts) and I'm going to leave it that way. I'm going to use it as a study and try different embellishments/additions as the spirit moves me. I need a break from all this thinking that is consuming my life.

Early AM

What does one do if you wake up at 5am with thoughts churning and spinning 'round your brain? Getting back to sleep didn't seem to be an option so I got up, brewed some coffee and painted. There's this 80's song looping in brain...I don't know who does it but the words go something like "Wheels in the sky keep on turning, don't know where I'll be tomorrow".....appropo, don't you think?

Reach

As some of you know my stepdaughter died in a tragic car accident last Nov 1. To read a bit more about Carla here is an article written by a family friend that appeared in a local newspaper: http://elephantsandothermatters.blogspot.com/2007/11/art-matters-carla-aumick-c.html

My husband and I are moving forward with plans to fund art outreach programs for teenagers in our community in Carla's name. We are working with Shawn Dell Joyce, the visionary director of the Wallkill River School http://www.wallkillriverschool.com/Page_1.html to coordinate and implement the programs. We are developing ideas that will incorporate ways to give back to the community (perhaps sessions where teens make art, hold an auction and donate the proceeds to a cause of their choosing?), provide workshops for teens who otherwise might not be able to attend workshops and programs for children that may benefit from art therapy.

Carla was an extremely generous girl - we know she is smiling. It feels so right and so perfect we know her hand is guiding us.

Fruits of Labor

This weekend I did not clean or cook. I do believe I tried to at least give the appearance of paying attention to my husband (poor man) but the jury's still out on that one. What is the result of all this neglect? Studio time! Oooooh, baby. Started work on Fruits yesterday. Still needs more stitching but it's coming along.

Burnt

I tore and burnt the edges of the multi-layered, mono-printed cloth I created the other day. I also dyed some silk organza that is now scrunched and peeking out of the portal crevice. I'm seeing more texture as a result of quilting and hand stitching, plus some other unobtrusive embellishments. I do like the back ground the hand dyed cloth provides for this piece.

It's been a tremendously busy week for me in my non-art life but I've been able to carve out some time to keep my hands in the creative pie. Even though I moan and groan about never having enough time, I am grateful for the opportunities I can grab and cherish them.