Inspired by a photograph of a marble! I love the textures and portal feeling of this piece I did tonight. I was experiencing painting withdrawal...hadn't done anything all week...so I came home sketched this out and proceeded to add the pastels. Layer upon layer of pastels.

Farming

Barns, cows, vegetables, old tractors, farm implements....you name it...they call to me. We (well...really hubby) are going to plant a garden this year. We (well...really me) will spend time prepping the harvest for canning and freezing to enjoy throughout the winter. My sister-in-law grows the most scrumptious blueberries and right now I have the last frozen batch simmering on top of the stove. When finished they will make a wonderful syrup that we add to Greek yogurt (have you ever tried this stuff? The Best) and put over pancakes. There's something very connecting about growing, storing and eating your own food. Work for sure...but the best kind. Much better than vacuuming or that dusting stuff.

The pastel painting above is done from a photo of a local barn on the other side of the Shawangunk Ridge at the foot of the Catskills.

Child's Play

I posted this awhile back after I painted it. Last night I finished all the handstitching on it (if you click on the photo it will get large and you can see more detail). I am very satisfied with its funky playfulness. I think I'm going to do some more folk arty type of work in the future and already have some thoughts spinning around.
Good Monday all.

Spring

I painted this on cloth this morning.

And then started laying in some hand stitching.

A friend of my husband's passed away unexpectedly this week. His fall down stairs caused a life taking injury. Something that could happen to anyone of us at any time...quite unnerving.

This month has been emotional for me. Not quite sure why this is but I am longing for a sense of contentment to return. Have to say my husband is hoping (praying on bended knees?) I return to myself. He has been a less than willing target of some of my internal conflict....poor guy.

Project 1

I have decided to methodically do the projects in the back of Jane Dunnewold's book Complex Cloth. I've tried a zillion different surface altering techniques but this weekend realized that a more organized approach might be beneficial and help me to build up some stock.
This is project one which consisted of: dyeing cotton, then discharging it, then overdyeing it, then stamping it and screen printing it with textile paint. The final touch is gold foiling. If you click on the photo is will get larger and you can better see all the layers.

Virtues of Pastels & Dyeing

I am still exploring pastels. I did this last night during my Thursday evening class given by Shawn Dell Joyce . There's a lot wrong with it but also some right with it and, since I'm just a beginner doing baby steps, I'm pleased with the results. To me, pastels are as exciting and intimate (afterall one gets as upfront, personal and messy with pastels as with textile paints) as working with dyes and paints on cloth.

Thank you gift

Seems I'm back to making postcards again and - oh look - some heart images have made a return appearance! This one isn't for the museum but for our wonderful hosts during our recent trip to Denver. It's was difficult for us to figure out what to give John and Joanne as a show of appreciation for their hospitality. I hope this brings a smile to their faces.

Postcards

Soooo....have I ever mentioned how much I like producing art in the 4x6" size?....I know, only about 53 times....
This card was created by over painting commercial & hand dyed fabric that was already quilted. After adding a few hand stitches and some beads I was happy with the results.
Happy Monday all...it's hot and humid here in NY....I'm already tired!

Gifts

Until last night this piece was just not coming together. I wasn't happy with the coloring or the paint effect and the piece was just bugging the heck out of me (do you know that feeling?). Then I figured 'what the heck', grabbed more paint and went to work again. The added embellishments were another spur of the moment inspiration. I am happy. Sometimes it pays to not think too much!

On another note.....I opened a smile producing email this morning from the Danforth Museum of Art in MA asking me if I would be interested in...no, not showing there....having my 4x6" postcards in their museum shop....yep....

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.

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.

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.

Endings

I finished painting this at 5a.m. this morning. I am very much a morning a person and sometimes wish I could freeze that feeling of solitude and tranquility when the house is quiet and only I am awake. I love working with my tools and thoughts as daylight is just a hint peeking through the windows.

This piece will be machine quilted with added hand stitched and embroidered accents. I call it Endings. Endings can also be beginnings, don't you think?

Machine Work - Hand Work

My sewing machine and I were tight yesterday! This is a section showing the free motioned, background stitching on this painted piece - that, by the way, measures 17x14" (hip, hip hooray - well into the double digits!). If you click on the photo it will enlarge and you can see all the details.

Now I'm hand stitching accents on the flora. I wanted to finish this today but that's not going to happen. The hand embroidery is going to take hours that I can't give! We're going to friends for the afternoon. Would it be rude to bring along hand sewing? Talking and stitching....that works for me.....

Fair Trade Practice

More adventures in the world of sheer fabric painting. I am having great fun with this technique. I think I will make up a 4x6er postcard with part of this fabric. Anyone interested in doing a trade? Your art for my art?