Ok, so I have been away from this for a LONG while. I intended to keep it updated but so much has been happening that life seems to propelling me forward at tornado speed. I have just completed two online classes, Sumptuous Surfaces with Sharon Boggon and a pocketbook class with Janet Clark. Both were great with lots of new information to keep me busy for quite awhile.

I love the start of the school year. There is something delightful about shopping for pens, pencils notebooks and all the other "stuff" that is needed to get through the opening days. My sons have been out of school for awhile now but I still shop for supplies at this time of year. There are always fun new things that I can use in the studio...sometimes it is notebooks on sale that can't be passed up, or that special set of colored pencils that is reduced to a reasonable price. 

On the heels of the first day of school is the coming autumn and the cooler weather, my favorite time of year. I hope you are enjoying the last days of northern hemisphere summer doing all those summertime things that we so enjoy.

Ok, so maybe I am not the brightest bulb in the light fixture...yesterday I got lost on my way to work!!! There was a detour and the route I took the day before also had a detour. After being lost for 45 minutes, I finally found out what town I was in and was able to head in the right direction. Working in a hospital has several advantages...there are hospital signs starting about a mile or so away from the hospital and by following the signs, I was able to get to work. Today being Saturday and not having to work, I headed for the area where I got lost and found several ways to get to work, probably something I should have done before but never had the need.

Collage has been the day's creative endeavor. I often collage paper and fabric but today's was strictly paper. I find that less than 5 layers leaves something to be desired. I count the paint I use on the foundation paper as my first layer, then add cut outs, stamped images and nore paint...sometimes some gesso for texture...anyway, it was good to try something a little out of my box.

I have neglected this blog for way too long. I need to write about what is going on with the art in my world. I have been taking an online class with Sharon Boggons called The Studio Journal, The Workhorse of the Studio. This class is designed to create a habit of using a studio journal on a regular basis....and while I don't get into the studio daily (sorry, Sharon), I do get there at least twice a week to play...and yes...what I do is play...even on those projects that have been fully designed and are nearly completed...I get to play.

This morning, I went for a walk to photograph interesting textures and shapes to use in my designs and there were some surprising results...an ancient cement...well, maybe not so ancient...ball that was covered with moss. What a delight it will be to use that in one of my designs. The photo will have to ferment in the studio journal for a while until I can decide how to use it...but that is exactly what the studio journal is for.

I need to get back to my needle-felting machine. I am still trying to figure out how I will use it. I have seen so many beautiful things on different web sites but am still trying to find my own style with this machine and technique.

Studio Journal Class

I am taking a class from Sharon Boggon called Studio Journals: The Workhorse of the Studio. It is a 6 week online class that started last week. The assignments last week were fun. We did frottage which was taking rubbings of various surfaces and incorporating them into a design. This week we are concentrating on color. One of this week's exercises is to focus on a particular color for that day. Today, I am focusing on green. Now it is mid-summer here and there are lots of examples of green. But what is fascinating to me is that while the leaves on the trees are green, the green today is different than what it was in spring and by the time August arrives, the green will take on a darker, dustier hue. For the evergreens, the winter makes them take on an even darker hue so that often the green appears to be almost black. I am enjoying the class and having fun learning how to keep an active journal and use it in developing my art work.

Now all I need to do is find out how to add pictures to this blog!!

Wanda's Progress

The end of June is fast approaching and I have done nothing in the studio. I have been taking care of my friend Wanda who is recovering from her bilateral mastectomy. She is doing really well. One would never know that she had this procedure just two weeks ago. Patience isn't one of Wanda's virtues. She doesn't see the daily improvements that I see. Wanda still gets tired easily and is facing the fact that she has had cancer...stage 1 ...but cancer all the same. She will be all right. We are convinced of that...but in the meantime, we must be patient and let her body heal.

I have decided that the few minutes I will get in the next couple of days will be spent making paper fabric and background fabrics so I can be ready for making any project I dream up. I will continue working on those unfinished projects but have been eager to try some new things.

June already!!!! Time seems to fly by and it goes faster the older I get. I had a wonderful day in the studio on Saturday. I decided to try my hand at free motion quilting. My skill at this technique lacks sophistication. Practice, practice, practice is what I have been told in order to become proficient at free motion quilting so I decided to stitch fabric scraps together not being concerned about the raw edges. It was rather like learning cursive writing. I started with a circular pattern and continued to work is circles going to the left and the right.

I ended up with a lovely piece of fabric full of colored threads...and so I made a purse organizer. My keys, id badge for work and cell phone always get lost in the bottom of my bag, my new "art" piece holds these things together so they don't end up in the bowels of my purse.

Much of my artwork needs lots of thought before beginning. I love to paint fabric when I am not sure where to start. Usually the painting brings out some ideas of where to start the art. That is my task for tonight...get some fabric painted...maybe in colors I don't often use, just to give me some new direction.

Memorial Day

Three day weekends are so special. Not only do I get the things done that need to be done but I have an extra day to play and play I did! I planted the window boxes that sit on the front porch railing. Usually I go with a red and white theme to offset my gray house but this year my husband saw some beautiful pink geraniums and so I went pink...pink geraniums, pink petunias and varigated ivy. It is so fresh looking (yeah, I know, sounds a bit boring for an artist-but sometimes simple is best.)

For a change we had delightful weather, sunny, breezy and warm. It was hard to stay in the studio when the out of doors is calling me...so needless to say, the garden won. I will be designing a few on-the-porch projects so those rockers on the porch get used this summer.

Memorial Day - picnics, parades and a day to remember those who have gone before us.

Wednesday is my long work day and I don't get much time in the studio on Wednesdays. I started working on a small pincushion project. I am not sure where it is going but working with different color combinations is fun and challenging. I want to stretch my concept of colors that "go together". I have been considering red as a neutral and how that would work.

Today was a difficult day. My best friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer decided to cancel her doctors appointments and seek out second opinions. Wanda (did I say that my friend's name is Wanda???) wants to make informed decisions and I agree. A few more days won't make any difference in her prognosis. But it is difficult to change plans so drastically.

Back to the studio for more fun.

My cat is very much a part of the family. She wants to be a part of everything I do, including this blog. She is currently sitting in my lap and interfering with my ability to type. Sage follows the cursor and continually tries to catch it in her paws. She is my studio mascot. She has yet to walk through any work with painted paws but I have had to bathe her to get the acrylics out of her fur.

My current project is a sampler based on the theme of stars. It is a work of paper and fiber that is going to be embellished with beads, buttons and wire and anything else that strikes my fancy. My goal was to enter it into an exhibition for art created by the employees and their family members of the hospital where I work. But, my best friend's diagnosis of breast cancer has put studio time in the background for a short time. All will be well soon.