Additions to My Fiber Art Collection

Here are the two fiber art pieces that have arrived so far.

The first one is called "And Moon" by Kim Hambric. I really like it, but the coolness of it was really not apparent until it was in  my hands. There is more drawing and stamping than I had realized. I am kind of regretting not getting a bigger piece from Kim. (The size is 4.5"x6.5")

The second one is called "Factory Sunset" The artist's name on Etsy is EmmaKlee. I had no communication with her at all. It just showed up. It's OK, just kind of weird. This one is 15" x 20.5"

Joe returned home from the motorcycle rally in one piece yesterday, which is nice. I showed him the attic, and we talked about what I would like to do. I want white walls. I can only imagine how much more appealing the whole space would be if it were bright. Joe wondered, did it have to be sheet rock? He did not think we could get it around the corner to go up the stairs. I am sure he is right. He said Luan might work because we might be able to bend it to get it around the corner. That suits me, as long as it is white in the end. There is an old, non-functional chiminey that ends before it gets to the roof. It stands against the one thing you might call a wall in the space. We talked about taking that out. One either side of this chiminey are two windows. One of them has a lame replacement window in it, the other is boarded up from the inside. I want to open it up again to let in more light. Joe says that's OK, and he would to replace both of those windows. I would also like some decent lighting. At present there is one bare bulb. He's OK with that.

He says he will start right away. Of course I will help as much as possible. We will start tonight by taking measurements. Then he wants to insulate. I wonder what all this will cost?

Frou Frou Flag

Just added to Etsy,,,

All is Well

Here is a picture of the attic before I started emptying it. Scary. 

Please notice the paper attached to the rafters in the next picture. I think this was someone's idea of insulation. It has an aluminum (?) backing on it. It is very brittle and comes off in small pieces. On top of this, there is quite a bit of soot and dust on the paper. I'm sure a new roof was put on when that paper was there. When you pull it down, what a mess. I thought I was going to get black lung. I filled 2 large contractor trash bags with the stuff.

Now, the one side of the attic is clear, but the other side is totally crammed. (The attic is divided in half by the stairs.) The rest of the house is a disaster, too.

I have such high hopes for using this space as a studio. Joe says he will put up sheet rock and heat the place. The fact that I will have no real walls is a drag, but I will make do. Stay tuned.

I did a ton of work on the two quilts I have going. I think I can have them both up on Etsy within a week.

Finally, I have received 2 of my art quilts, and I am quite pleased with them. Show and tell soon.

Warrior Angel

Here is another item that has been shipped from my big Etsy order. This is from the UK. The seller is

The Seventh Magpie. I came upon her blog by accident right after I bought this.

To Do This Weekend

1. Empty out one side of the attic.

This is really a ridiculously intense thing, and should really be the only thing on the list

2. Work on the vacation picture book

3. Gather up all the supplies for the next Art Club (Sept. 22)

4. Help Kate work on her latest small quilt

5. Sort through fall and winter clothes

6. Stop in on Riverfest, an event in Frenchtown this weekend

7. Hang up the green man

8. Fill the bird feeders

9. Force Drew to clean his room.

10. Go to the library to find first-hand accounts of the Great Depression

Oh My God, What is this?

I just googled myself and found this.

It looks like a weird paraphrase of one of my posts. I'm definitely a little freaked out. Who did this? (Someone from Quebec apparently) Why?

Creativity, Continued: "Art Critics"

Once again, I find that I want to make a post about comments I have recently received. We have a lively conversation going, I like that.

Here is part of a comment by Idaho Beauty: "Sometimes having people not commenting on your art can be a blessing. Recently an enthusiastic friend who does not make art herself but fancies herself well educated on it blatently told me what she would change about several of my pieces. Her comments made it very clear she did not understand the work."

Yes, I have been there. As if you did not do it exactly the way you wanted to do it. Another favorite is when people try to decipher the MEANING of your work, and no one asked them to try! I once drew a picture of my X-husband lying in bed. That's it. It was pretty straight forward. I had someone "guess" that he was sick, and was lying on ice cubes to take his fever down.

WTF???

Who has giant ice cubes in their bed?  Pink ones? Maybe she mistook it as an exercise in surrealism.

Sam Quilts want to see the cake. Well, that was years ago!  I can't find a picture of it anywhere. I drew it for you:

So there you have it. The Zenith of my artistic output. It's been down hill ever since. Actually, this might be the best drawing I have ever done. At work, with highlighters!

Finally, I know someone suggested a name for my doiley quilt. I liked it, but I can't find it in the comments. Marty, was that you? Maybe you just sent a separate e-mail? When I find it, I'm using it.

Flower Cake, My finest Moment

Once I made this cake that looked like a flower. It was just a regular cake, but I made a frosting flower at the top; the single flower covered the whole top of the cake.

I could not believe the way my family raved about this cake. I took the idea from some woman's magazine, but I am pretty sure that, in their minds, this is my best work to date. I have never gotten a better reaction to anything else.

This post is for Kim, who just left a comment with a sort of similar story.

People understand cakes.

Thinking Hard About Creativity

Today Idaho Beauty has a good post about creativity. She is directing us to a podcast about breaking down perceived barriers. That would be the kind we erect ourselves. http://43folders.com/2009/08/04/enough
Really, it's about just getting to work. You can be as creative as all hell, but if you can't make yourself work, it's all over before it starts.

Here is a tidbit from a numbered list on this site:

"Making Art. Yeah, I know. We're not supposed to talk about making art. It upsets people because it sounds all fancy. Screw that. I think one definition could describe art as anything you make and care about that nobody but you really needs. Which necessarily makes it important."

How freaking delightful is that? I think that's a pretty good definition of the things I make. I feel like my art is kind of esoteric, in that I think a lot of people don't understand why I would even make it. When people look at your art, hesitate and say, "That's interesting." It generally means that they don't know what else to say. They don't have the words for it. It isn't beautiful, they can't say they like it, they don't want to insult you, they don't want to seem stupid. This is just an observation, not any kind of judgement. I'm cool with almost any criticism. That is one thing about college art classes. The critiques are brutal, you need to get a tough skin in a hurry. It is just very important to make the things that are important to you. That is your voice.

I think I have mentioned this book, Art and Fear: Observations On the Perils and Rewards of Artmaking, by David Bayles and Ted Orland. This book actually set my head straight about making my art. I was thinking about this book when I was listening to the podcast, and sure enough, it is on a suggested reading list at the end. I suggest checking it out if you can get your hands on it.

My Etsy buyer already has her stuff, and she seems pleased. I am told the package smells like the lavender soap I included, which is a relief.

Also, I hear that one of my purchases has been shipped! The farthest one, from Australia. Here is a picture:

Time again for Art Club

Remember Art Club? That is the art program I am developing with our county ARC (ARC = Association of Retarded Citizens) I started this because, quite frankly, I thought I could do a better job! The head of recreation at the ARC was more than happy to let me do my thing.

I last posted on that blog in May, which was when we did our collage project. I have another one coming up where I am having everyone make magic potion bottles. I have been collecting clear wine bottles all summer (hic!) and cleaning off the labels. I will have the artists decorate the bottles, but for me, the main event is the potions. I will have labels and I asked everyone to come to class with an idea for a magic potion. I think that will be fun.

Yesterday I got home from work and went right back to work... on the Depression Quilt. I'm happy to say that I put this thing together using only materials I already had. I printed some images onto fabric, but I have included buttons from my collection, an old flour sack, sewing notions, an actual photo of farm people I found at an antique store, and old embroidered patches. The fabric on the border is from a set of reproduction feed sack squares I copped at the last quilt show I went to.

I don't think this is the final arrangement. I will have to look at it some more. There will be a big blank spot where I hope to embroider the words from a personal account of a dustbowl experience. I was up late last night searching to internet, but it looks like I will be stopping in at the library.

Joe is off to the Finger Lakes this weekend for a BMW motorcycle rally. He always does this on Labor Day weekend. I see it as a mini vacation, when I tackle some major project with no distractions. (Even though his distractions are delightful.) I'm going to pick up the clean-out-the-attic project again. Dreadful, but has to be done if I hope to make a studio for myself.

Death by Misadventure

I was listening to NPR on the way to work this morning, as usual. They had a story about Rolling Stone drummer Brian Jones, who died 40 years ago. He was found floating in his pool. The guy did a lot of drugs, but there has always been rumors of foul play. They may reopen the case now due to some kind of document that has surfaced. What struck me about this report was that case was originally ruled "Death by Misadventure!"  I love that! What great words. So British. How many people die through a misadventure? Plenty, I think. I immediately called my husband when I arrived at work; he also loves  a clever phrase.

In other news, I've created my own economic stimulus package by using a lot of the money from my recent sale and buying fiber art on Etsy. I'm so excited!!! I ordered something from the UK, and something from Australia. Also, someone from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and somewhere else in the US. I'm telling myself that a few of these things are gifts. How dare I spend my own hard earned money on myself?

One more thing, I feel like I am getting my creative mojo back a little. Maybe it is making a sale, maybe it is the sudden change in weather. (It has turned cool and dry. I wore a sweatshirt on my walk this morning.) I gathered a bunch of fabric etc. from my dungeon workshop and spread it out on the floor in the living room. I want to do a collage quilt built around an image that I have had for some time. It is a picture of a woman taken during the great depression. I like building a story out of a picture. Here she is: