For Aisha

My daughter just tweeted that she would be building a protective hut against snow on the campus green.  To inspire her, an image from the Franklin Park Conservatory:

I believe the show was called "Earth Works".  This was my favorite hut in the courtyard, across from it was another built with chicken wire and plants.  I still may build one in my back yard one day.

Opening Recap

Two openings in two nights was exhilarating and exhausting and everything in between.  The Women of Appalachia show is a beautiful jewel, with remarkable works by each of the artists represented.  I was impressed with how many of the artists I already knew.  I guess I’m not as much a hermit as I thought.  Here I am in front of Garden Party, speaking with Piet (I hope I remembered her name correctly):

I attended this opening with a full posse, including myself, my husband, my son Izzy,  NaNoWriMo friends Melinda and Andrew, and Melinda’s husband Jeff, as well as my friend from knitting, Sonja and my art group friends Lynda and Lanna.

The next night was the opening for the Women in Fiber show at Marietta College:

This is the first wall you see to your left as you enter the gallery.  The two pieces to the left are by my friend June Baker, who also is a member of my art group.  June started out with traditional quilting, and is also a watercolorists.  I really like the piece with the circles.  Tyger, Tyger hangs to the right.

We were joking that they were in such a hurry they could only put up post-it note labels.  But each piece had an artist statement accompanying it.  You can’t really see it in the next picture but it is there.  I also am tickled by the arrow which seems to point out Red and White #4

The show is part of a multi-media project including the play “Quilters”.  Here you can see some of the cast members in costume, admiring Marilyn:

I also met the sweetest King Charles Spaniel puppy whose name is Scout.  She was decked out in an adorable white dress with red hearts on it, complete with a bow on her back.  She was in attendance with her owner, Rob.  I wish I’d gotten a picture of them to show you, but trust me, they were quite the sartorial pair.

I was so thrilled to be able to attend both of these openings.  The energy was high at both, and each crew did such a great job putting together the shows.  I spent Sunday in the studio working on new pieces so that I can attend even more openings, as well as making plans to attend the opening of The Artist as Quiltmaker XIV in May.

The Stern Workshop

This has been a busy week in the Stern household.

Izzy is experimenting with food coloring and various foods for his science unit (we are studying cells).

“Hey Mom, why you taking my picture?”

We also have an upcoming show at The Plains Public Library, in addition to the two shows I already have work in, so it is up to the studio we go:

Izzy at his clay station.  We spent a good half hour earlier this week cleaning up the old clay. He couldn’t be happier to have the extra room to work in.

A different angle.  You can see the many plush creatures I’ve made from my own patterns as well as a few from Ravelry and books.  My hats are off to the right, and that is a mini quilt hanging from my design wall above them.

Izzy wanted me to take a picture of him demonstrating how to make a bead.  He uses Sculpey III brand polymer clay.  I supervise the baking process.  Izzy has been sculpting for nearly 8 years now, and I am amazed at how detailed his work is becoming.

Here he is decorating an earring part with Pearl Ex powders.  I was watching him while I was seated at my sewing machine.

Not to be left out, I have been creating, too.

Yellow strips in process.  I was having a tension problem and had put this piece aside while I figured it out.  Finally I managed to dislodge the lump of lint which had made a home in my bobbin case and all was well. 

Here is a closeup of the big yellow base.  I added the ten long strips I pieced between yesterday and today.  I am very happy to have my sewing machine working again.  To the right is “Day of the Cichlids” in process and to the left are the completed White Queen and Frog Prince.

The family who creates together stays together!

Little Steps

I read with amusement this article at MSN.com, about how Starbucks is increasing prices on their drinks to reflect the amount of steps each barista needs to put in when creating the beverage.  I was amused because every so often an article on saving money pops up with advice like “cutting out a premium beverage a day will save you x amount of dollars over the course of a year.”  The first thing that popped into my mind was “Wow, now I can save even more every year!”

Of course I’d have to buy that premium drink to save that money. 

This principle is also brought up when someone is writing about diet and lifestyle changes.  “Eliminate a pat of butter a day and you’ll save 30,000 calories during the course of a year” (exaggeration purely mine, I do not have time to do the math for you; here are the numbers to use if you’re so inclined:  pat of butter = 100 calories x 1 year/365 days).  Great idea, wonderful plan.  But what if you don’t eat butter at all?  Shouldn’t you already be that much thinner? I wish it worked that way. :)

The key is to analyze what you do eat, and to gradually introduce little changes that lead to big results.  I learned this during my weight loss journey. 

Instead of white bread, I started buying whole wheat breads. 

Instead of white flour, I began using white whole wheat flour.

Instead of pasta or rice as a base for sauces, I began using a large bowl of salad.  This is also a great way to increase your fruit/vegetable count, and there are a variety of greens out there to choose from.  Right now I have been enjoying kale greens as my base.  Adding the filler of the salad also satisfies my need to chew, and fills my tummy.  I don’t feel deprived when eating this way, and I am getting needed fiber and vitamins so my body will be healthy.

I didn’t make all of these changes overnight, but unlike all of the other times I would start a diet at the beginning of the week , beginning of the year, beginning of the day, they became habit, and the pounds came off and stayed off. 

And just think of all the art supplies new clothes you can buy with the money you save on the premium drinks! 

Two Shows, Two Openings

This is a busy week for me, show-wise.  So many of the shows I’ve exhibited in are too far away for me to get to the opening receptions.  This week I have an abundance of riches as I am able to attend not one, but two opening receptions. 

First up, Friday, is the opening reception for the Women in Appalachia show:

Garden Party 2009

Then on Saturday, we get to road trip to Marietta College for the Women in Fiber show:

Tyger, Tyger  2008

I am very excited to be able to attend both openings, and already have my outfit picked out.  If you are in the region, drop by and see the shows.

NVC in Practice

Yesterday I received an anonymous comment on the blog in regards to my list of 100 Things to Do in 2010.  The tone of the comment was less than friendly, and while I can agree to disagree, I felt that this comment added nothing to the discussion, and since this is my sandbox, I chose to delete it. 

If such an event had happened to me last year, I may have taken up the fight in the comments.  I would most likely have been hurt, and possibly have even edited the post in response to what was said.  It’s even possible that I would have taken a hiatus from putting anything on the blog for a while, and retreated back into the safe comfort of my living room.

However, doing that would not have helped me.  And I would not be able to share my process of applying the principles of NVC to my response to the comment.

In Chapter One of Non Violent Communication, Mr. Rosenberg outlines the four steps to take when engaging in a dialogue:

1. Observation.  What is being said or done that you like or don’t like?

2. State how you feel in relation to what you’ve observed.

3.What need is being met or isn’t being met because of the action you’ve observed?

4.What specific action can you ask for that will meet that need?

With these four steps in mind, I present the comment (“C”, the pertinent passages) and my response (“M”):

C: “How could you get stuck on feeding Koi? Surely fish feed is not expensive where you live??”

M: 1: “How could you get stuck”  2:Feels accusatory, and also I did not say that I felt stuck on feeding koi, just that that was number 38 on my list, 3: doesn’t meet my need for feeling understood and 4: I could ask that the commenter re-read my post to see that I did not say I felt stuck about the items on the list, rather the stuck was in making the items on the list. 

The commenter goes on to give a suggestion for how to feed koi without spending any money.  It’s actually a good suggestion (go to a local shop that sells koi and ask to feed them) and I probably would have left the comment up if that had been the only paragraph.  I also would have commented on how we have a local succulent greenhouse with a koi pond, and that I could drive out there this spring and do just what s/he suggested.

C: “It's silly to waste time drawing pretty lines around a goal like "Gain 10lbs of muscle" when I could use that time to actually work towards my goals.”

M: 1. “It’s silly to waste time drawing pretty lines” 2: feels judgmental, uses judgmental language “silly” ,“waste” 3. makes me feel defensive 4: and I don’t think an ask would get a result from an anonymous commenter (hey, I have said I am practicing).

I could say something like “I’m sorry that you feel it is a waste of time.”   I could ask “How do you keep track of what you want to accomplish?”  This would acknowledge that this person’s process is different than mine without making any judgment about the different ways we go about doing things. 

Applying the steps, and responding thoughtfully to what was said made today’s blog post possible, in more ways than one.  Thank you, Anonymous Commenter.

I don’t pretend that I have a full grasp on the process, and I’m sure I probably got some of the steps wrong, but that is why I am blogging it here each week, to help myself get a better understanding of how it works and how to apply it in all of my communications.  I invite you to pick up a copy of the book and read along. 

Coming Soon to a Store Near You

500 Art Quilts has arrived, I hold my contributor's copy in my hot little hands almost as I type (well, it would be difficult to type with a book in my hands). I can't tell you how honored I am that my work was chosen to be part of this book. Ten years ago I remember looking through similar books and imagining my work was included. Now, after lots of hard work and persistence, it is! I can count many friends among the contributors as well, thanks to the internet and being able to attend workshops such as Quilt Surface Design Symposium and one-on-one instruction at Susan Shie's Turtle Art Camp, my SAQA membership, and visiting my local guild.

This book is truly a feast for the eyes and spirit, and will provide endless hours of inspiration and delight. Look for it at your local booksellers toward the end of the month.