African Water Lilies

African Water Lilies 18"x30"

Lisa-Marie's challenge caught me flat-footed.  I had NO idea what to do.  Discarded?  Undesirables? hmmm.  Recycle and repurpose! Yes!

I have a large studio that is FILLED with 'stuff'....mostly fiber related, piles of textiles, paints, books, collections, etc.  No one in my household ever visits...unless invited...therefore I have little impetus to be tidy.....so my temptation is to save everything. 

Starting at the obvious point:  the bottom of all those piles.  I found some bits that really tweaked my interest.

First:  parts of a hand-dyed/stenciled cotton shirt that I had purchased at an outdoor market several years ago in Ghana.

Second:  eight bits from a vintage linen tablecloth that had already been cut in flower shapes with fusing on the back.  I think they originally were to be daisies.

Third:  seven red seeds (also from Ghana) that look like ladybugs to me.

Lastly:  beaded flower centers, and several sizes of vintage abalone buttons.

Thank you, Lisa-Marie!!!

Undesirables?

A thousand pardons to my V-9-3 teammates !!  One of my personal undesirable traits is a poor memory unless I have written information down. When I am holiday far from my home, I actually have to remember to read it..which is what happened.  Totally blanked, Martha had to nudge me.

We are visiting good friends in Northern California.  Friends who introduced me to Mid-century modern design among other things.  We often go 'thrifting' together where we find other peoples undesirables that, for us, are treasures.

Pictured above is beautiful red West German pitcher, paired with a classic Eva Zeisel pitcher bought for $10 at a flea market.

I shot this photo to take in the painting behind it.  It is a collage using discarded magazines, blue flat plastic bottle rings, a bit of fabric, buttons and paint.

All of us find beauty in some things that others find undesirable.  Knowing this, when I return I am going to rent a tent, fill it with my own undesirables and invite all the local guilds to come find something beautiful for themselves.

Greek Isle: Le Journey

This past several months the news has been full of extraordinary, very disturbing images of failed attempts by masses of individuals and families trying to flee war and poverty, no matter the perils.  The image I can't erase is a beachside on a Greek isle, mounded high with piles of color-filled clothing, sprinkled with life-vests.  Detritus washed ashore from failed attempts to cross out of North Africa to hoped-for security in Europe.

With this imagery in mind I searched my stash of text.  I like text, especially foreign text.  Text that doesn't necessarily mean anything to me, it just looks interesting.  Because of this, I collect text...so far the collection is fairly limited to English, French, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.  It was from this collection that I found a piece...a vintage, rough linen sack with cursive French.

Jumping off the fabric was 'le journey' and I knew where I was going.

Combining African fabrics with this linen, I built an island based on the traditional log cabin quilt block to underscore mankind's most basic and longed for right:  HOME.

detail

Greek Isle: Le Journey 40"x42"

Texting whilst quilting

I have employed text variously over the past several years.

For my Aunt and Uncle's BIG Anniversary I wanted to give them something no one else would/could...and surprise them.  At their big party, I quietly handed their friends and family squares of cotton that I had prepared, along with ink pens.  Their messages spanned congratulations to intimate, cryptic, and personal messages.

My Uncle Mort's family owned a department store and he was noted for being ever-present, community-minded and a snappy dresser with very smart ties.  My cousin raided his closet and supplied me with some of them...and, apparently he never noticed their absence.

The quilt was one of his treasures.  As he aged, it was always by his favorite chair for his afternoon naps.

Mort and Sue's Anniversary

I sometimes use cursive script to quilt my fabrics together.  It is functional and adds to the narrative of the piece

I'm Not From Here/detail

In a small pieced titled, Miscommunications, I hoped that the commercially printed text on cotton would underscore the imagery of personal communications in this piece from 2009.

Miscommunications

And then there was the series in which I worked through a big birthday using cotton that I had discharged.  That must have been about 5 years ago....I'm facing a REALLY big birthday next week :^)

Sing

Indigo Abstract

I have to profusely thank Kate for this challenge!  I was so wrapt in the idea that I felt swallowed whole.

For decades I have collected yukata, a Japanese un-lined garment generally worn in the summer or after bath....and mostly the more traditional indigo-dyed.  I have also collected much smaller pieces of vintage yukata.  Now was my chance to actually use many of them in one piece.  Admittedly it did take time to go through the lot of them to decide whether I would choose the blue with white designs or the white with blue designs.

In the end I chose blue with white indigo dyed cottons, largely kasuri  Only on piece has its design printed on it.

I also decided to continue my 'kimono abstract' series.

This challenge and my stash naturally resulted in using the 'boro' style.  For generations, beginning with frugal farmers, indigo especially has been re-sewn in patches to prolong the life of a garment.  Referred to as 'boro', it is of the forgotten idea "too good to waste".

That is an idea that finds residence in my studio!

Indigo Abstract 40"x21"
Vintage indigo cottons, hand stitched

Indigo Abstract

Japanese Boro

Indigo Abstract detail

Early Spring: Mostly Monochromatic

I was ready for Kate's challenge after my dyeing experiment from the previous challenge using natural dyes; which, for me was really an exercise in using monochromatic material.

I was SO prepared for Kate's challenge.....that I jumped in the day after her post...and it was finished in no time.  That NEVER happens.  Usually I'm wrestling for some time...some times not very successfully.  

Turns out, that was a very happy coincidence.  I usually get my creative juices going with inspirations from my natural surrounding.

Feb and Mar in New England are REALLY monochromatic!

These pics are viewed from my studio.  Brown, Brown, more Brown, Blue, teeny bit of Green. Hard to get the juices going.

Until you get close.  Yeah!  Color!

I'm really looking forward to viewing our members' responses to this challenge.

Thank you, Kate.  I loved this challenge!

Still Dry

Still Dry detail

Sue's challenge was, indeed, a challenge for me.  I avoid dyeing.  I support others who dye so brilliantly, and therefore, I have a wonderful stash and I don't worry about my immune system's uncanny ability to find strange, unheard of, crazily random reactions.

The challenge was posted while I was on holiday on a small island in San Pablo Bay, opposite Vallejo CA.  When the island was developed in the 1800's it served as the first US Naval port on the west coast, in response to Russia's trade in timber, moving from Alaska into N. CA.  Mare Island served as a military station and a ship building and repair yard until it was de-commissioned in the 1990's and became the property of the city of Vallejo.

Still Dry full (24" x 40")

Today Officer's Row, a splendid eucalyptus lined street boasting gorgeous mid-1850's homes, which serve as an inn, offices, a wine-tasting facility and private homes.  Nearby, also eucalyptus surrounded, is St. John's Chapel with 23 beautifully maintained Tiffany stained-glass windows.  Recently new homes have been constructed, a building was converted into a elementary school, a VA hospital moved into a new location and a large private university converted Army/Navy buildings into classrooms, labs and dormitories.  In short the place is hopping and will continue to develop with it's new ferry service directly to San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf.

The part of this story that is relevant to Sue's challenge is the 150 year old stand of eucalyptus.  They are grand things, and while we were on holiday they were shedding their thin bark strips.

The timing was perfect.  Sue's challenge and my affection for eucalyptus.  I harvested armloads of bark, packed them up and shipped them home where I tried my hand at "non-invasive to my immune system" dyeing.  I decided the best tack would be to boil the chips in a big vat for several hours outside on my grille.  After sieving the broth into another vat, I boiled a cotton sheet with black printed leaves that I'd found at a thrift store and a piece of bright gold cotton for several hours.

My results were not flashy.  Indeed they were dull.  The white turned meh, a tad cream,  and the gold turned brass.  But I did like change.

Still Dry's color will probably not be permanent, surely could not stand up to repeated washings.

My theme, Exotic, continues to look at global warning and subsequent climate changes.  This piece is pieced with the dyed and commercial cottons, It is machine and hand stitched.

Yak/silk roving?

I'm on holiday, escaping the cold and sleet at home in CT for the cool and rain in San Pablo Bay CA.  Like most of you, when I'm away from home I explore museums, shops, restaurants, farmers markets, galleries and on and on.  Yesterday was exhilarating as I explored textile places in Berkley and into Oakland.  Check out www.averbforkeepingwarm.com. There were bunches of home grown indigo and marigolds hanging from the ceiling awaiting the dye vat.  My heart was aflutter...and I'm not a dyer...usually.

Among the items I 'had' to buy was yak/silk roving.  Oh, I could have bought plain silk roving or cotton roving (and I might still) but I landed on this weird...er...exotic...looking stuff.  And it feels so good too.

It's not really in my preferred color family, but it works so well with my personal challenge during the current V9-3 cycle and, more to the point, Sue Dennis' excellent challenge "Being Natural".  I have to find a way to incorporate this 'exotic' material.

Where'd All The Fish Go?

I'm really pretty good a procrastinating, if I do say so myself.  I am the challenger of this current rotation: 3D or referencing 3D.  Per usual, I was waiting until the last moment whilst pondering my challenge, when Martha Wolfe said she wanted it early.  Aye, Aye, Capt'n.

One would think as I was the originator of the challenge, and knew it extra early, that I would have already imagined my answer...or...procrastinating again, had at least an inkling of what I was doing.

It was some time before I had a notion and, unusual for me, it took me weeks to make it happen.  Ironic.  My idea and I had no clue of what I was doing.  It is with some ambivalence that I offer "Where'd All The Fish Go?".

Where'd All the Fish Go?  40"x20"

Detail  QRCode awaits author's approval to upload her scientific talk

My over-arching theme is 'exotic' and within that framework I am focusing on nature.  In this case, I imagine a bit of the ocean, long after the world scoffed at the idea of climate change, along with it's by-product of global warming, and stood idle, watching, actually incredulously, as sea life was depleted.

This piece includes commercial and vintage cottons, hand-dyed cheesecloth, Angelina fibers, paint, found aluminum cans, fishing line and a QRCode.  The whole is machine stitched.

Stepping Out

Recently in conversations with curators for galleries and museums there have been inquiries about three dimensional work.  The museum I'm most familiar with, The Slater Museum in Norwich CT, is a case in point.  The director always appreciates when we can supply 3D pieces.  She appreciates fiber art and understands that most of our family of art quilters rely on having their artwork displayed on walls, however, the venue is best served with a variety of art work.  Art work for pedestals and cases in addition to that that hangs on the walls or from the ceilings.

African Bowl: Three Weeks in Ghana

Understanding that V9 also has the expectation of displaying our work on walls, I challenge each of us to find a technique that explores or references three dimensions.  Knowing that our work needs to be size "sensitive' for shipping, I propose that all our work be no deeper than four inches.

Challenge3-5:  Exploring Dimensions
Work should be 40" in height, 18"-54" in width and 4" or less in depth.

And Fortune Followed Her

I had already adopted Japan as home when my parents adopted my little sister Masako.  Having a little sister was a new idea to me.  I already had three brothers to vie with.   Masako being so  much younger was, instead, 'my' girl.  We were ten years apart in age, and because of our large family, we shared a room.  I didn't want her to forget her Japanese after we returned to the US so the two of us continued to talk, mostly about kid things.  I also bought her Japanese story books before we left.

Flying forward decades, Masako has a huge family of adopted siblings and she has reconnected with some of her Japanese family.  She is most cherished by us all.  She still speaks Japanese occasionally (and the Spanish of her husband's family).  

And Fortune Followed Her

As for my Japanese, I quit speaking it except for very brief questions for directions when I'm in country.  Several years ago I decided to take Japanese more formally.  My Japanese instructor did a lot of giggling covered by her soft fingers.  Guess what?  I spoke really nice "baby" Japanese.  Like Mr. Boat for boat...pretty undignified to say the least....perfectly legitimate for a 5 year old.

As for our tradition challenge,  I've used reference to Masako (and my adopted) textiles and techniques.  The abstracted kimono shape is a piece of kasuri cotton.  The shape was driven by the 40" height requirements and the amount of the fabric I had in my stash.  The sleeves were machine pieced, however, all the remaining stitching was done by hand, traditionally necessary.  The leaves which I interpret as 'letters from home' are a combination of over-dyed table linens and over-dyed cotton with newsprint imagery.  Vintage red buttons reference the fortune of family that welcomed Masako.

Just what's so unusual?

I know that what is unconventional or unusual materials  for me is certainly not that unusual to several of my colleagues.

Oil pastel is very unusual for my work as I am unsure of its control and I am also wary of it's permanence.  So, throwing caution to the wind, I combined it with some other uncommon bits:  discharged images and textiles from far-away places.  The piece is densely quilted with added hand stitching.

Home of the Exotic Blue Crow

Now I have a test subject for permanence of oil pastel in my work.  Fingers crossed.

Blue Crow detail

Socializing. A Good Thing.

One doesn't immediately think of socializing when one thinks of participating in 'art'.  Most of the time we long to be alone in our studios.  However, there is that component that occasionally becomes quite important...for exposure, for inspiration, for affirmation.

In our little shoreline town here in Connecticut, a local gallery promotes local artists by calling for their participation in a pop-up installation that encourages interaction with the public.  Greene Art Gallery hosts these events in their sculpture garden where a wonderful little 'Habitat for Artists' acts as focus.

For the second time proprietor Kathryn Greene invited our art quilt group Sisters in Cloth to host an event, one of her summer series aptly titled "Nurturing Joy".  We brought small finished work and displayed it on lines that we strung between trees.  We brought works in progress to share.  We spend two hours chatting and sharing with the public, encouraging them to show the art work that many brought and ask questions about ours.

It was a huge success.  So much so that Kathryn asked that we establish it as an annual event.

From my personal point of view, these events are energizing and provide an opportunity to promote our medium, however, there is nothing more satisfying than productive time in my studio.  It's not an either or situation.  It is an AND situation....with studio time greatly out weighing socializing.

Habitat for Artists

Work in progress

Original needlepoint by visitor

A more traditional work

Carol Ludington's floral

Hosting art quilters,  needlepoint and mixed media artists

HoneyBee Armageddon

This report just in from sometime in the near future.

In response to the recent honey bee colony collapse across the US, Congress, sitting in emergency session,  has authorized the use of drones.

Reporter
Diane  Wright
Honey and Pollen News Times

HoneyBee Armageddon

The QRCode links (with permission) to Dr. Maria Spivak's TED talk "Why Bees Are Disappearing".

Ditto Here, Betty!

Bright is delight-ful.  This is a very exciting challenge posed by Hsin-Chen!  Maybe it's working with all these bright colors.  Thank you for this opportunity to brighten things up a bit.  Can't wait for reveal day June 27!

Small sampling

I'm not from here

New challenges are always filled with excitement.  For our third rotation of eighteen month challenges, I have chosen 'exotic' as my personal theme.

 A couple of weeks ago it dawned on me that I had been an "exotic" growing up.  Military families move many, many times and for Air Force families, usually to places in the 'middle of no where'.  Landing fields, naturally, need space and the military needs security.  Consequently my brothers and I turned up in schools (4 by the time I was 8) in small towns.  Towns where most everyone knew each other or were directly related.  We were always the outsiders.

"I'm Not From Here" depicts the eight states and two foreign countries that our family made our home. California (4 times), Texas (3 times), Colorado, Missouri, Maryland (2 times), New York, Florida and Connecticut (2 times).  Japan and, later as an adult, Australia.

I'm Not From Here
48"x45"

In keeping with Martha's Challenge to make a piece using stitching or a stitch type that we had never done before, I floundered.  I'm old.  And I dabble.  Ergo there's not much I haven't done (My Granny taught me to knit, crochet, embroider,  sew and tat.  Yes. Tat).  I decided to go with something that I have rarely done and not for a very long time.  Free-motion script.  The stitched sentences and phrases sketch our family's journey.

Tattoo Geese

Referencing traditions in quilting of my own work adds a layer to the narrative that I have always enjoyed; probably because I have fond memories of my learning various stitching techniques from a beloved grandmother.  And, to be honest, I also enjoy a bit of poking fun at the 'rules' the traditionalists set for themselves and their followers.

This piece was created in response to Windham Textile Museum's invitation to make a contemporary art quilt inspired by one of the antique quilts in their collection.  The antique that fell to me was a tone on tone beige calico bed-quilt.  The block was a flying geese variation.  From my viewpoint all the geese were pointing into each other....never to take flight.

Flying Geese Variation

I worked at making my response contrary to all that the antique displayed: Hand dyed.  High contrast.  Use of the original block setting, but setting the geese free with the underlying geese symbols colored in.  Hand quilted in bold contrasting color with very big stitches.  Then, I decided to really set the geese free by painting figures atop...and bringing them  up-to-date with hand embroidered 'tattoos'.

I enjoy being challenged to do something with thread that I've never (or very, very rarely have) done before.  Stepping out AND being a little irreverent to tradition....fun!  Thanks, Martha!