Opening today the Medex Show, at the Push Skate Shop and the Stupid Creatures Toy Company of Asheville, North Carolina. Over 70 plush pieces by more than 50 artists (including moi). Show dates March 17- April 18, 2007.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Show Opens Today!
Opening today the Medex Show, at the Push Skate Shop and the Stupid Creatures Toy Company of Asheville, North Carolina. Over 70 plush pieces by more than 50 artists (including moi). Show dates March 17- April 18, 2007.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Owl in Process
Well, I can't call him Woodsy, even though that song keeps going through my head (the old PSA, "help Woodsy spread the word, never be a dirty bird, in the city and in the woods, trees keep America looking good") Whatever did happen to ol' Woodsy anyway? Is he hanging out with Smokey and McGruff and Timer? (I know Smokey's still working, McGruff too, occasionally. I say it's time to bring Woodsy out of retirement).
Anyway. I am making an owl, and this is what she looks like so far:
Full body shot, hand-dyed twill (by me), shibori dyed cotton by Lunn Fabrics, commercial cotton prairie points, crocheted features and scrapbook ribbon trim.
Detail of the prairie points. Took more than I thought, but was worth the effort.
Detail of the eye, bullion crochet in Koigu Painter's Palette, commercial button.
Next up, wings for her and the butterflies.
Anyway. I am making an owl, and this is what she looks like so far:
Full body shot, hand-dyed twill (by me), shibori dyed cotton by Lunn Fabrics, commercial cotton prairie points, crocheted features and scrapbook ribbon trim.
Detail of the prairie points. Took more than I thought, but was worth the effort.
Detail of the eye, bullion crochet in Koigu Painter's Palette, commercial button.Next up, wings for her and the butterflies.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Slow Food
I am reading Chapter by Chapter by Heather Sellers (author of the equally terrific Page after Page) and she has a chapter about letting the work take the time it needs to be the work it needs to be. She compares it to the slow food movement. It is hard, sometimes, especially right now with all that is pending and all that wants to be done, and of course money that wants to be made so the family can be fed, to remember that and to still allow the work to take the time it needs to take. I am not disappointed by making the butterflies with simpler features, for example, but am not willing to compromise their beauty by giving them wings that are less than spectacular. It is good to have these reminders, though, like someone holding our hand as we walk into (what we may perceive) the scary dark woods, but which will turn out to be the most marvelous adventure. We just have to be willing to let it happen at its own pace.
Butterflies with Faces
Shiny happy faces, machine embroidery on peltex, and felt lips. Fabric glue. Part of the "trying to simplify construction to make them more affordable" experiment. Wings are still going to be fancy though. Simple wings just didn't look right.
I Love Burt Bacharach
It must be the colors of what I'm working on, and the weather, but I have "I'm Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" running through my head. Mom got these Reader's Digest music books, one was lime green with purple flowers, and I think the other was orange. I learned a lot of lyrics reading through those books. Imagine if they made them for some of the music out there now. Of course, being the little kid I was at the time, there probably were entendres that just went over my head.
Anyway, I am making a batch of smaller butterflies to upload to my Etsy shop later this week. Here they are in process:
Stash fabrics, commercial hand-dyes, each body is about 14" long.
Side view of one, lots of fun color and visual texture.
Later, after I spend some more time in the studio, I will post features (eyes and mouths, maybe wings)
Anyway, I am making a batch of smaller butterflies to upload to my Etsy shop later this week. Here they are in process:
Stash fabrics, commercial hand-dyes, each body is about 14" long.
Side view of one, lots of fun color and visual texture.Later, after I spend some more time in the studio, I will post features (eyes and mouths, maybe wings)
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Making Softies
I have been madly making animals this week.
Belle, cotton and synthetic fabrics, crochet features and legs, silk flower and button decor. Belle brings a bit of sunshine to a cold winter day (we are still talking windchills here and got an inch of snow yesterday morning). She is the follow up to Flo.
Flo, the alligator who dreamt of being a flying nurse. Flo is also made of cotton and synthetic fabrics, with crochet features and nurse cap. She is embellished with rhinestones on her scales. Flo is off to the Medex show in Asheville, NC.
And a little older, Ally is from an animal making rush in December. Being that she is not used to Ohio's colder climate, she asked for a scarf and I kindly obliged. Cottons, African batiks and crochet make Ally a real charmer.
Belle, cotton and synthetic fabrics, crochet features and legs, silk flower and button decor. Belle brings a bit of sunshine to a cold winter day (we are still talking windchills here and got an inch of snow yesterday morning). She is the follow up to Flo.
Flo, the alligator who dreamt of being a flying nurse. Flo is also made of cotton and synthetic fabrics, with crochet features and nurse cap. She is embellished with rhinestones on her scales. Flo is off to the Medex show in Asheville, NC.
And a little older, Ally is from an animal making rush in December. Being that she is not used to Ohio's colder climate, she asked for a scarf and I kindly obliged. Cottons, African batiks and crochet make Ally a real charmer.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Inspired by Moderngypsy
Eliza over at moderngypsy has been posting about her cleaning and organizing efforts in her studio. As I have tons of upcoming projects and two concurrent shows this summer, I decided to follow her lead and make a little room so that the new creativity can burst forth.
This is the top of a set of printer's drawers I got from Ann over at 100 Proof Press, before:
See the overloaded pencil cup that is spilling all over the top and covering everything else. The packed plastic locking bins, and the jumble of things in the plastic drawers. There is nothing in the cigar boxes on top, they are awaiting new incarnations as shrines, shadow boxes, even storage .
And after:
I added an extra plastic bin to hold the chenille peeps and model trees I'd gotten for assemblage. I cleared out the pen vase by having Izzy go through the pens and throw out what didn't work. I also organized the drawers by theme, so that the most used stuff is toward the top. What you don't see is that I also started cleaning in the drawers, but as I actually want to make stuff too, I'll save that for another day.
This is the top of a set of printer's drawers I got from Ann over at 100 Proof Press, before:
See the overloaded pencil cup that is spilling all over the top and covering everything else. The packed plastic locking bins, and the jumble of things in the plastic drawers. There is nothing in the cigar boxes on top, they are awaiting new incarnations as shrines, shadow boxes, even storage .
And after:
I added an extra plastic bin to hold the chenille peeps and model trees I'd gotten for assemblage. I cleared out the pen vase by having Izzy go through the pens and throw out what didn't work. I also organized the drawers by theme, so that the most used stuff is toward the top. What you don't see is that I also started cleaning in the drawers, but as I actually want to make stuff too, I'll save that for another day.
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