I actually did some textile work the other night. I started free motion quilting on some surface designed silk and it seems to be coming out kind of well. I plan to finish for the gallery show in March. Meanwhile I'm on such a pastel kick. I can't put them down. Pastel dust is flying all over the sun room. Finished this bleeding heart interpretation tonight.

Hayrolls in a Shawangunk Ridge field. Fortunately these agricultural icons can still be seen around this area in the summer and fall. These provide such a nicer view than a strip mall or a new house devoid of character.

Now I'm going to try a presentation experimentment with ATC's. More to come.

In the Hudson near West Point, there is a castle on what is called Bannerman's island. The Bannermans built the castle as both a summer home and a storage facility for their ammunitions buisness (!). The castle is in ruins and will cost millions to repair but holds a fascination for most people in the Hudson Valley. I did this pastel painting from a photo my multi-talented friend Canace took when she was given the honor of being allowed access to the island. There is something beautiful in the process of disintegration and I tried to capture that in this painting.

Since the beginning of recorded time humans have been subjected to horrific events brought on by mother nature, our earth and our fellow men. This fact does not make catastrophic occurrences in our time easier to witness or less devastating. But the human spirit will emerge, move on, rebuild its resevoirs and rise again. As it has done so many times in the past.

They leave us in different ways - sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally. It is part of the continuum of life. I finished this pastel painting this morning and while maybe not as technically skillful as other paintings this one has a hold of my heart.

Time to stop eating things like this!

Rusty and Chewed Up

Pretty much finished, although I'll probably 'fix' an issue or two. I took a couple of artistic liberties (see the inspirtation photo is the post below). The next pastel I do is going to be small and simple. These larger pieces are killing me.

Portal

The piece above is something I started awhile ago and am now adding lots of hand stitching embellishment. It's a work in progress with more stitching and things and stuff to be added - yea! I think I'll put this in the March gallery show too....along with another art quilt whose concept is cooking in my brain. I wonder if I should attach these art quilts to canvases for the show?

It's big...it's abstract...and I love it (can you say that about your own work?). We spent New Year's Eve at friends doing the eating (and maybe shouldn't have had that third glass of wine) thing. It was a lot of fun but I'm feeling a bit on the stuffed sausage side and we're going out to dinner today. I really do need to order a salad and not eat another thing after that. Get those cookies off the kitchen island NOW! This morning, while Steve was resting (sleeping) on the sofa, I finished this. So far the New Year is starting off very well...very well indeed. Hope all of you can say the same. Hug someone you love, count your blessings and go forth and create!