How Sweet It Is

Can I get paid to just paint on sheer fabric all day long???? Oh, what a wonderful world that would be! The top abstract will be made into 4x6er's - JAN email me, please! The bottom 4x6er is the finished postcard that will be on its way to Deb in GA.

I think I am making all these small pieces to avoid a personal commitment I made with myself. I was planning to create larger pieces for juried consideration for a local gallery but can't seem to 'get to it'. I think I know why....although I'm secure enough to know that juried selection rejection is, often, not a real comment on the quality of one's work; I do find it a bit disconcerting to be told 'thanks, but no thanks'. Of course, the trade off is the sweeeeet feeling when one's work is accepted.

Perhaps I'll be able to settle down this weekend and get to some serious work on larger pieces....we'll see.....

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?

Hand Work

Worked on this last night while listening to television and waiting for Steve to come home from his Nuclear Physics (quake & shudder) class. It uses only my own hand dyed fabric and was done purely intuitively – no planning done on this little baby. I’m actually pleased with how it’s turning out. When finished this 4x6 postcard will be sent to Deb L,
http://morewgalo.blogspot.com/
who is owed a long overdue trade from me. Better late than never is a motto I live by way too often!

Spicy African Sweet Potato, Carrot and Peanut Soup

Made this for dinner last night. If you like ethnic & spicy (and we do) give it a try. This soup with some warm, whole grain crusty bread is a complete meal. Yum!

Note: This is very spicy - turn down the cayenne for a milder soup.

Ingredients & Method:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 large cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
4 medium tomatoes, peeled & chopped
1 small apple, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped, roasted pecans
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (most people need to only use a pinch to 1 teaspoon)
2-1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrot, and continue to cook and stir about 5 minutes.

2. Pour the broth into the saucepan, and season the mixture with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 - 45 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.

3. Remove the soup mixture from heat. In a food processor or blender, blend the soup and peanuts until almost smooth. Season with cayenne pepper. Return to the saucepan. Whisk in the peanut butter and cilantro, then cook until heated through. If soup is too thick add more broth until it is the consistency you want.

Enjoy!

Sunday Afternoon

Kathy asked in a previous comment how this was made. It is sheer fabric attached to a frame then matte medium was applied to both the front and back. When that dried I went to work with acrylic paints, dynaflow, rubbing alcohol and water. Then I created folds that I stitched together. Now the free motion quilting is progressing with more to be done. This is very sensuous when seen in person. I think I will try to create more of these pieces and submit them to a gallery for their consideration. I doubt they'll have anything similiar.

Autumn Hearth

Yesterday was Steve's b'day and we traveled north into the Catskills (the photo is from a stock photo site but you get the idea) to see Los Lobos at the Bellayre Music Festival. It was a cool, fall evening with temperatures in the 50's! Yes, we had to do some dancing to stay warm - good thing Los Lobos provided quite the right amount of great music to keep the body moving.

Another piece that you've been seeing in my posts for the past month or so got completed. It's completely constructed of my own hand dyed fabrics and I really like the modern yet primitive feeling of this piece. I don't know how arty it could be considered but I do know people seem to like it very much.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Odd Things Happen Late At Night

Some of most interesting (creative?) work happens late at night. Of course the need for sleep often gets in the way. But those times when I'm wide awake and full of energy are some of my most pleasurable. Last night at about 11:00 pm I created this and I like it as much in the daylight as I did last night (sometimes these later night venures don't look as promising in the daylight). Now to drop free motion stitching into it.....maybe some beads....maybe some different textured threads....cross your fingers for me.....