Banishing the Winter Blahs

Usually about this time of year I go into hibernation. My Muse takes her vacation and I relax, getting ready for my Spring Spurt. Well, not this year. I signed up for two yearly challenges which has proved to be a good thing for this season. The first was Nature Gathered, below is my January contribution. The participants are to create their monthly works of art on an 8x8 canvas. I'm really enjoying this size and using my other talents.



The second challenge is the Bead Journal Project. Everyone who signed up was to pick a size for their "pages" and make a monthly beaded page for their personal journal. I choose recycled respirator filters for my pages, which I'm glad I did, they are small and quick to bead up. Here is my January page. You can check out my blog to see more of my pages.

February is just right around the corner and I need to get busy in order to get my art done for next month.

Rock Crystal and Glass

Oh, I do love shopping for beads. Most of the time I have no idea what I will do with them but I trust that the design will emerge once I start putting things together. At the Cargo sale I bought a few glass beads from Africa. The colors are like sherbet and the recycled glass has a yummy translucence.
From a website I ordered theses rock crystal nuggets. Don't they look like ice cubes?

In honor of winter I whipped up a set of earrings and a necklace with some excellent sterling and gold-fill chain. Brrr.

Learning Encaustic

I've dabbled in encaustic before, but today I took a class to learn the ins and outs of using colored waxes from Kimberly Kent, who creates fantastic, impressionistic landscapes in wax. Three students managed to cover the tables with wax as we created our "masterpieces". We used the conditioned wax and later carved back into the wax and filled our lines with chalk pastel for greater detail. I have a lot to learn in this medium, but was pleased with what I produced in a two hour time span.

Fiber Experiments

We've all been pretty quiet around here after the show and the holidays, but now the energy is starting to build again.  What has everyone been working on?

I've been enjoying time to just experiment without thinking much about final products.  I've been playing with more small pieces to try a variety of techniques.  This is part of my "What If" crazy quilt series.  I start with the basic structure of a crazy quilt and then see which direction I can take it.  This time I asked, "what if I start with a neutral "crazy graffiti" background and do all my embellishments in neutral stitching and fibers?"  I added the stuffed faces to perk it up a bit: 

You can read more about my "What If" explorations on my blog if interested.  

I've also wanted to play with velvet (my next series of "what if's) and started by stuffing and machine embroidering the burgundy velvet background for this small sign.  This piece also allowed me to try some free form applique lettering and to try using small puff balls as a frame:

I have a notebook full of experiments to try, and the list grows a lot faster than I can stitch them.

The 52 Letters Project and making stationary

On my TO DO List in 2008 I listed 'make my own stationary'. I kept meaning to sit down and make beautiful custom stationary for those rare times I actually wrote a letter on paper.

In 2009 I've decided to keep things simple and actually DO more things. So this week I launched a new blog: The 52 Letters Project The purpose is to 'revive The Letter'. It started because my niece was so delighted with an actual letter I sent to her for no official holiday or birthday. Just a letter. And aren't they nice to receive in the mail? Please visit the blog and join the fun this year! Just one letter a week!

This morning I made some stationary. Couldn't be simpler. I used pre-purchased blank cards and stamped them using my favorite chalk ink pad (VersaMagic multi-surface chalk ink pad).

The point is not that they are great art because they're not. The point is that they are done and I am using them for real notes.

Ahhh. Sometimes it's the simplest things that make me happy.

Photo Tour 2008 "Open Doors" Art Show & Sale

Suzanne Reynolds' painted ladies and jewelry.
Suzie Wolfer's pop-up neighborhood.
Maggie Kolkena's jewelry fantasy world.

Judy Stack's art with humor.

Tammy's fun recylced art.

Tory Brokenshire's amazing 3-D art.

Jennifer Campbell's assemblage pieces and shrine kits.

Lenall Siebenaler's felted wall hangings.
Cynthia Mooney's jewelry and dream boxes.
Robin Olson's fabric birds and collages.
Jan Harris' popular snowmen.
Fran Boston's photo cards of her trip to England.
Debi Koenig's little treasures and decorated journals.
Paula McNamee's felted flowers and mandala painting.
Lorraine Jones' watercolors.
Carrie Sakai's jewelry.
Z'anne Bakke's beaded and felted jewelry.

Thank You

What a wonderful weekend we had. It was so nice to see the show come together, sparkle and shine. Friday morning we opened the doors to our friends, family and art lovers. We enjoyed a weekend of smiles, laughter, visiting with guests from last year and meeting all the new people who came this year. Thank you to all who came, your support is what makes it all possible for us to create our art and realize this show each year. I think the group would agree the show was a huge success and we all enjoyed every minute of it. Again THANK YOU everyone who came out to see us this year.

Come See Our Show Dec.5th & 6th

I think this is the start of the holiday season for me, I’m so excited and ready for a great show. Also the fun and friendship that comes with it, it feels like the night before Christmas.
So as I was working today I thought of this poem, well I might of heard it somewhat like this before. Anyway it is for my Portland Art Collective (PAC) friends.

T’was the night before the show and all threw the house’s the artists were scurrying like little mouse’s.
The art was all packed in boxes with care, in hopes they would make it without rips or tears.
And Lorraine with her visa machine and I with my nail gun had just settled in to wait for the sun.
When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter. We sprang from the gym to see what’s the matter.
When what to our wondering eyes should appear, but a great big u-haul in first gear.
With Suzanne and her family so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it was no trick.
More rapid than eagles the PAC sisters they came, Robin whistled and shouted and called them by name;
Now, Paula! Now, Debi !
Now, Lenall and Carrie!
On, Maggie! On, Jan!
On, Fran and Judi!
Now, Suzie! Now, Cynthia!
Now, Jennifer!
On, Tammy and Z’anne
To the truck and the doors,
Off to the gym with blisters and soars.
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, they let out a small cry.
So into the gym the artists they flew, with a nail and hammer and little glue.
And then in a twinkling before our eyes the show was all ready to our surprise.
Lorraine sprang on the table and to her team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down on a thistle.
The town people exclaimed as they walk by that night, what a great group of artists they must be doing something right.
So here’s to a great show, and a pleasant good night!!!

Thanks also go to Dana, Carol, Donna, Jill, Lynn, Leigh, Diane and Marilyn for your support and help.

Tory

Follow the signs to the show

It's almost time and very exciting, everyone has made such nice art for the show we just have to follow the signs to see it all.

The journalist wrote... but the bird preferred shorthand.

A few more items for the show, by Tory

Wire worked man, he's almost done and will be ready for the show.

Felted Soap, smells good, feels good, and great as a gift.