Monday, March 30, 2009

The Signs of Spring

This week on ArtDigest, a member asked "What do you see as signs of Spring?" For me Spring is all about color. The lime green that we see on most new leaves in the Spring is indescribable. The white of dogwood trees, yellow daffodils and forsythia, pink tulips and azaleas, purple violets and red bud trees. Then there is the return of Gold Finches, Eastern Blue Birds and Red Robins. I could go on and on about the colors of Spring but I will let you look at some of the photos I took today in my yard that show the colors of Spring in Upstate South Carolina.
PS: I posted so many photos today that you need to click older post to see them all.

white
white
White
purple

The colors of Spring

purple
pink

The colors of Spring

pink

The colors of Spring

Green

The Colors of Spring

Green

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sunshine and Shadows

My husband and I were in California in February to visit our son's family. We went to the Oceanside pier after visiting theQuilt Vision's exhibit. As we strolled down the pier I noticed this interesting shadow. I think it has made an interesting quilt as well.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Frustrating Day


I've been working on a journal quilt today, I actually started it yesterday by printing on organza. After I got the background finished I decided that I was going to put Misty Fuse behind the organza just to make sure it didn't move when I sewed it down. I fused the wrong side. Now this might not make a difference in some photos, you could just transpose the image. But because this one had the lines of the wood planks going through the shadow the lines had to match the background lines. Frustration! I had to print the shadow again. Just a minor set back, hope to get it done tomorrow. After I get this finished I will show the finished piece beside the photo.

A short description of how I print on organza. I soak the fabric in Bubble Jet and lay it flat to dry. I then iron it onto freezer paper cut to fit my printer. I cover the edges of the fabric and paper with painters tape so no threads or lint come loose in my printer. Its ready to print.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Aubrey's self portrait in fabric

Aubrey loves art. Given a minute to do anything she wants to do and she will draw. Her parents encourage her by signing her up for art classes. In the current class she is taking the teacher had them draw a self-portrait on a piece of fabric and decorate around the edges. They were then shown how to do some simple embrodiary . Obviously she is still working on the piece, but isn't this great?

Next Generation Artist

My granddaughter, Aubrey will draw on anything in her path. At our work weekend for Gram she started drawing on grapes. This is the portrait she did of me.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Guys watching basketball game

Dinner at Grams

Gram

Weekend at Grams

For several years our family and my husband's brother's family have had a work weekend for his eighty-seven year old Mother. Mind you, she can do it without us but we like to feel useful. So we weed, trim, prune, mulch and cut trees with her as the over sear. Gram is an amazing woman.

I'm going to tell you a story about her that I just love. Gram is very involved in her church. She has a great relationship with each new pastor. Several years ago she had stopped at the church to do something in preparation for a service. The minister had a truck load of mulch that he was putting out on some of the beds. Well! he wasn't doing it right, so Gram showed him how it should be done and before you know it the truck was empty. She is a mighty force with her church and her family.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Focus Meeting



Diana Pickens show two new pieces. Check out the quilting.

Below Marge Edie shows the samples for a new class.

Focus Fiber Art Meeting




Yesterday our art quilt group (Focus Fiber Art) met at Judy Simmons home located in Fletcher, NC. Focus has ten members and most live in the upstate of SC. Judy has a lovely home sitting on top of a hill. The land was once a horse farm and remnants such as fences and a barn and a few horses are still visible. Judy also has a studio to die for.

These two pieces were done by Judy

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

worked in the studio all day Happy!


I'm so excited I have finally been inspired to work on my Mexican quilt. I told you about the Mother and Child in my post yesterday and posted a photo. Tonight I am posting the work I got done today.

I still have a lot to go on this but it is coming together.

work resumes


For over a year I have been working on a piece that has a landscape and will have people in the forefront. For various reason this piece has been ignored. Today I started working on it again and I am excited about finally having the time to devote to his piece.

Two years ago my DH and I went to the Copper Canyon in Mexico. We were with an Elderhostel tour. This was a great tour and done exceptionally well. The weather was very cold and snowy. We were told this was very unusual. Several of the motels had no heat, normally it was not needed

one of the tours we were to go to a beautiful waterfall. Normally the bus would have driven us there, however, because of the snow the driver would not chance taking the bus up this road. The guide decided that it would be a beautiful hike. I had been sick and several of the group decided that they did not want to take the hike. We were able to stay on the porch of a crude lodge while the others hiked to the waterfall.

Everywhere we went on this trip, we were followed by women and children selling their handmade items. A young girl, we found out she was seventeen, sat on the steps and made baskets. Soon her seventeen month old child was brought to her to nurse. The love for this child was so apparent in this young womans face.

One of our guides struck up a conversation with her and asked if we could see her house. It was in the field beside the lodge. About five of us went into the house. The building was about 17' x 12', seventeen people lived in this house. The floor was dirt and stone, there was cracks in the wall where you could see light. The stove was an open barrel. I've never witnessed such poverty. When we came outside I asked if she minded if I took a photo of her and her daughter. She said no. This photo has haunted me ever since I took it and it will be part of my art work. I will have more to say on this as my work progresses.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Iris after paint and on new background

Whats on my design wall


On Friday I posted what was on my design wall. I got some inquiries about the little girl, This is a project I've been working on for over a year. Many things got in the way but I think the biggest obstacle is myself. I will get to the story of the little girl later as the piece goes together.

The other piece on the wall is an iris that I finished that day. I have since added the paint and placed it on the background ready for quilting.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Quilt Art Digest



Today Katy, a member of Quilt Art Digest asked members to post what was on their design wall today. My photo actually show three pieces. The face of the little girl is the piece that has been keeping me awake at night as well as not productive.

The small yellow iris was done for a demo at my gallery opening in Sautee, GA. I still have to paint, thread paint and quilt that piece.

The other iris is what I worked on today. I had been working with another iris pattern with these same pieces of fabric but wasn't happy with it. When I looked at the yellow iris yesterday I decided it was the pattern I didn't like. Sooo- today I changed the pattern and it went together like butter.

For those of you who don't know my work I will explain my process. I use my own photos or photos I have gotten permission to use. I make my patterns using the photos. After the fabric is cut and fused together I then paint to highlight the image. Sometimes I thread paint before I put the layers together. Other times I quilt heavily. I'm ready to put the paint on these next.

The background may not be the one I use. You might notice there are three or four pieces behind the blue. Hope you enjoy.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

High Fiber Art Quilt Group



I belong to a new art quilt group located in Seneca SC. This group is made up of experienced as well as new art quilters. They are such an enthusiastic group and I am energized after each meeting. Today we decided that we would use the book "Fabric Art Workshop" by Susan Stein as a guide to trying new techniques. I am not much for experimenting, I know I should be, but I am looking forward to trying these techniques and seeing what everyone comes up with. I will show them later on this Blog. The first photo shows aclose-up of Beatrice's work.


Diane made this beautiful Peony pattern for a guest. Diane can I visit you?

Sandy's quilt


Sandy took a technique that she saw Ricky Tims do on his show and designed this quilt.

Dawne


Dawne is a special friend of our group and does the most incredible cross stitch art work. Today she showed us dish clothes that she has been knitting. Dawne does a lot of work for her church.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Beautiful weather and flowers

Beautiful weather and flowers


My DH and I have had a very bad bug this week. Both of us are eager to get to work but have no energy. The beautiful weather, and flowers that are in our garden, have kept our spirits up this week. I'm enclosing two photos of a camellia that is just outside out front door. "Pink Perfection" is my favorite. These are the types of photos that I like to reproduce in my quilts. Look for this at a later date.

Friday, March 6, 2009

new work


This new piece is hanging in my exhibit in Sautee, GA. The photo I used for inspiration was done by this little guy's mother. She is a natural photographer. I was given permission to use this in making my quilt.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Old Notions


Today, on the art quilter's digest, many people were talking about their old notions and how we hang on to these kind of things. My husband's first job was with Talon Zipper Company located in Meadville, PA. Both my husband and myself had spent our life, to that point, living in the South. Moving to the NORTH was quite a scarry thing for me. I think I had all the North being big industrial cities. This little southern gal had led a sheltered life.

Back to notions. When Talon Zipper started their company they were know as The Hookless Fastener Co. Talon made zippers for space suits as well as home sewers. Through the years Talon purchased a thread company and owned Universal button Company. I have many relics from this time period and I treasure them. At one point the company gave the wives of their executives silver thimbles made at Tiffany's of NY. Mine disappeared over the years but I do still have silver zipper-pull earrings, wooden spools of thread and lots of zippers.

Forgive the flash in the photo it's they only way I could get enough light to show the old advertisement.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Marilyn and Martine demonstrating at Sautee, GA



Fiber Arts opening

Marilyn Wall and Martine House stand by pieces of their art work at the opening Saturday evening at the Center Gallery in Sautee Nacoochee, GA.

Martine, myself and my husband were guest of Lynda and Ted Doll. Lynda and Ted made us feel so much at home. They have a wonderful place in the Georgia mountains and I look forward to going back sometime when everything is green. Lynda is an avid gardener and even during gloomy, rainy days her love of the land shows through.

Sautee, GA has an avid, supportive art's community. The North Georgia Potter Museum is located there, what a treasure. Martine, Myself and my husband arrived on Thursday in time for the show to be hung. On Friday Martine presented a workshop to the Fiber Soup Group, I was lucky enough to be invited. If you aren't familiar with Martine's work check out her blog at, www.housefiber.blogspot.com.