Portfolio of older work

Friday, March 30, 2012

Journey not a Series

I got my second series, Journey, back from being graded.  I got a B+ for the concept and an A- for the technique.  I am going to enter this one into the juried student show so I need to get it framed.  From this set of pieces I learned more about what a "series" is. 

The instructor said that I had the beginning of 2-3 series.  I am not going to post all the pictures again but you can go back to here to see them all if you want.  One series is the Venus figures; another is the circus tent--I have another one like that; the third series is the clothes tree--I have a couple more like that one.  I see her point.  I could have done 10 of the Venuses or 10 of big clothes being repurposed or 10 of the clothes tree.  Those would have been series.  But including them all together under the concept of losing weight does not tie them together well enough.

I was able to help someone else in class this week who is working on a series for figure-ground.  She is really creating two series.  I like them both but they are separate series.  One is of a spidery type of shape and the other series is a spiral.  I ask her which series she was going to complete and turn in. She had planned to turn in everything.  I told her my experience and what I had learned about series.  She is going to talk to the instructor next week and then determine which direction to go in. I'll be interested to see what she decides

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Current Project

I love making scrap quits.  I have been home the last couple of days with a cold so I have started another.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Batik Play Date

Saturday Beth and I got together and did some soy wax batik. These two are about 13 inch squares of dupioni silk that I batiked using acrylic ink.

Friday, March 16, 2012

2nd Print Series "Journey"

Artist Statement
This is a pictorial travelogue of a weight loss journey. Unfortunately, weight loss, especially when it is more than just a few pounds , is a long journey. To go from a Body Mass Index (BMI) of “Obese” to “Overweight” (and let’s not even talk about the final destination of “normal”) will take saying good bye to some good and faithful friends (i.e. emotional eating), and require a lifetime of eating strange foods ( i.e. vegetables) and visiting exotic locations (i.e. gym). It is the losing of one identity and the striving towards a new identity which you hope is: 1) achievable, 2) sustainable, 3) healthier, and definitely 4) sexier even though it won’t make you younger. My artistic influence comes from Matisse’s Large Reclining Nude, Louise Bougeois, and ancient Venus figurines.







Here are the words that are printed on some of the pictures.

How much weight have you lost?

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human's skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant's heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World's Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she's 5'11")
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she's 5'4")
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony

By this scale I have lost an average 2 year old, a human head, including the brain, and all my skin. 

Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday Favorites

 Friday Favorites

Beth has been really busy posting tutorials on her blog and they are quite detailed and worth checking out. She even has the tutorials listed in a tab at the top of her blog.  Isn't she clever!  This particular post is not a tutorial but she does give details on how she dyed this fabulous piece of silk.

I love reading Elizabeth Barton. She seems to have the wisdom I need.  This post is titled "Eight Steps to Overcome Quilter's Panic"  Step 1 includes making tea.  I recommend Mate Chocolatte by Guayaki Yerba Mate.  I don't get a kickback; I just love the "blissful blend of yerba mate, cocoa, and spices."

And talking about wisdom I need, Leni's blog is full of art lessons.  I love her site, her art, and her lessons!  I've bookmarked it for my edification. 

I am  now off to read my new book, Design Basics by Lavid A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak and then I am going to work on my fat lady prints.

Have a good week.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Thread Sketching

 Beth gave me the book, Push Stitchery, as a present.  Rosie James, one of the 30 artists in the book, does thread sketching.  Here is a link to her blog.  And here is a link to Rosie's interview on Wacky Short Creations. 

I had seen thread painting before and only been mildly interested.   Perhaps because I knew I would never have the patience to do all that endless stitching.  But I don't remember seeing thread sketching and I really like it.  Of course, that means I want to find out more about it so that I can try it.  Here is what I have found out about it so far.


The first thing I discovered is that the two terms are used interchangeably alot.  I think they are very different things.  Here is a good example of what I consider to be thread sketching.   And here is an example of what I consider to be thread painting. See the differences?  The thread painting is all about the color that you are adding and filling in the space.  Sketching is about line and I agree with Rosie that black seems to work best. Of course, lots of artist do a mix such as Lesley at the Sketchbook Challenge.


Now I have also found that I am particular about the type of thread sketching that I prefer (see footnote).  For my style I want to not just echo quilt or to outline the shape.   Nor do I want  to stitch every single blessed line that a shape has. What I particularly like about Rosie James's work is that it is more like gestural drawing--it doesn't have every line but enough that you get the essence of the object or person.  Gerdiary does that too.  So that is what I want to do in my thread sketching.

Footnote: I am very pointedly not saying that one style is better than another or that any other artist is wrong for doing it differently.  I am saying what my preferences are and you can agree or disagree with me as far as your preferences go.

I was able to find several tutorials or instructions in various blogs and have  the April/May 2011 QA that has an article on it.  I have listed several of the options here but my very most favorite is Gina at Clutterpunk because she pays attention to the quality of the line.
 
1.  Gina at Clutterpunk

2.  Leni Levenson  Wiener 
Leni has a video on Vol 3 of In Stitches emag but I don't have the copy of that. She also has a book that you can find out more about by going to her website and clicking the "books" tab.

3.   Nettie's instructions.

4. Cyd at Completely Blocked

Time for me to put my sewing machine to work!





Monday, March 5, 2012

They sold!

Remember the two fiberart things I donated to the Harlow Gallery for their 8 X 10 Show?  Here is a picture of one and here is the picture of the other.  Remember that they did not sell at that show? They recently got recycled into the Harlow Gallery's silent auction and both got multiple bids and sold!  Yeah! 

Now, here is my question. Does that mean that they are now part of someone's "collection", which is a requirement to become a PAM in SAQA?

Friday, March 2, 2012

Friday Favorites

This is quite a month coming up.  Lots of deadlines staring me in the face.  The SAQA Auction.  Two other SAQA shows.  Entries into a local art gallery show.  Proposals for a fiber show at the before mentioned local art gallery. And of course, more prints due in my print class.  Do  you think my boss would understand if I told him I simply don't have time for his priorities right now?  LOL

Friday Favorites
Lets just start out today with some Pure Eye Candy.  I have got to get back into mokube again!

And here is another technique that is my short list--drawing with the sewing machine.  While this article talks about still lifes, drawing with sewing machine can include lots of other subjects. The thing that holds them altogether is the drawing.  If you can draw it, than you can stitch it.

I had to laugh at this post because it reminded of the technique of the month in December on the And Then We Set It On Fire blog. The technique was melting plastic bags to make a usable material. Well, this recycle idea just accepts the plastic bags as is and turns them into art (or not, depending on your viewpoint.)

Terry Jerrard-Dimond is running a give away but that is the least important part of her post.  Her favorite fabric for dyeing is being discontinued and she would like your input about what fabric to switch to.  If you have not decided on a favorite yet, it is worth reading the responses she has received.  I cannot stress how important it is to be consistent in the fabric you use when making art  IF you want to have more control over the results of your dyeing.  Different fabrics will react differently.  If you want to be surprised, then I guess it does not matter so much.

And, as a good follow-up to Terry's post, Connie Rose posts some pictures of fabric dyeing  with thickened dyes she has done recently.  Great results!

This really has nothing to do with quilting except it is a couple of quilters who are doing it.  I won't say more. Go and read it yourself.   It will make you smile.

So, hopefully you started out with a smile at some beautiful fabric and ended with a smile at a beautiful idea.  Have a good week and I will see you next Friday!