Monday, April 28, 2008

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today's my birthday, so here's the deal for this year's giveaway:

Email me your original haiku about art or nature, and include your mailing address. On Friday I'll post my favorite one (or more if it is a tough choice). Each artist, whose haiku I post on my blog, will win a grab bag of my hand dyed yarns (not enough for knitting, but great for embellishing). Sound like fun? If so, I hope you'll put pen to paper, and let me see your creativity!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Gallery Hopping in Lincoln, Nebraska

Yesterday a friend and I took a "renew the soul" day and visited several gallery exhibitions in Lincoln, Nebraska.

First stop was the new International Quilt Study Center. "Quilts in Common" was the first exhibition there, and it featured quilts from around the globe and across the centuries. The quilts were grouped in sets of 3, and each group of 3 quilts had a common element. This exhibition will be on display until August 17, 2008.

The second exhibit at the International Quilt Study Center was "Nancy Crow: Cloth, Culture, Context". This exhibition traces Nancy's career as an art quilter and shows the evolution of her quilting style.
This exhibition will be on display until August 31, 2008.

Next stop was the Lux Center for the Arts, where there were two more exhibits. The first exhibit was "Distinctive Directions: 2008 Curated Textile Art Invitational". This exhibit was curated by Lisa Call and featured artwork by Deidre Adams, Joanie San Chirico, Jeanne Williamson and Pam RuBert.

Two works by Deidre Adams

Three works by Joanie San Chirico

Four works by Jeanne Williamson

Three works by Pam RuBert

The second exhibit at the Lux Center for the Arts was "Fencing In or Keeping Out", a solo exhibition of work by Lisa Call. Yesterday was the closing day for both of the exhibits at the Lux Center.

Three works by Lisa Call

Our final gallery for the day was Modern Arts Midwest, which was featuring "The Life In A Day", new work by Michael James. This exhibit was extremely intriguing for me. Each piece combined digital images printed with reactive dyes on cotton. The more I looked at each piece, the more the image details fascinated me. All in all, an inspiration-filled day shared with a good friend --- just what I needed!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

More Color Play

This time I started with 6" squares of gallery-wrapped stretched canvas. I added blocks of bright, cheerful colors, overlaid more colors, then added accents with acrylic paint. I ended up with a set of 4 of these --- one is sold and the other three are headed to a collage exhibition.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Earth Day Postcard

This postcard was created from recycled materials as a project for Green Day Postcards. The background was cut from a cardboard cereal box, and the papers are from magazines. The finishing touches were added with acrylic paint. "Not Anymore" is how I feel about the wastefulness and materialistic greed of our society.
Studio Tour

Some days I envy those artists that have wonderful studio spaces with great views, lots of room, etc. But most days I am very content with my own little corner studio. It is filled with inspiration, and I love the feeling I get when I enter the door. Here's a quick tour:

Heading in the door, looking to the left

Looking straight ahead at my work table with my drawing table to the right

Looking behind me to the right

Friday, April 18, 2008

Renewed Spirit

Conversations with Myself #1
papers, acrylic paint

When I was in college, I had a professor who told me that the best way to solve a problem when you are stuck is to walk away, do something else for a while, then come back to the issue with fresh eyes.

Yesterday morning I looked at the collages from earlier in the week --- the ones that I thought were a total loss --- and I immediately saw possibilities. I continued layering blocks of color with papers, then added final touches with acrylic paints. Now I am very pleased with them. What a difference a new day, a renewed spirit, and a fresh look make!

Click here to see the entire series.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Wednesday Morning Collage

papers, cotton cloth, acrylic paint

Some mornings I find the perfect words for what is going through my mind --- like this morning when someone I know is doing something I don't think is a good choice, but it is her life. Oh well.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Lessons Learned

In the last two days I have learned two lessons....
1. Don't announce that you are working on a new series of collages until you know if they are actually going to turn out.
2. Don't assume that every design that works in a small size will automatically work in a larger size.

Thank goodness for Morning Collages....

and Zeke...

Saturday, April 12, 2008

More Artist Trading Cards

This small size is highly addictive! I spent some time yesterday afternoon, creating this set of 5 Artist Trading Cards. I love the blocks of color in these, and I have started a new set of collages based on this design. As I worked on them, I noticed that I was continuously talking to myself --- "maybe I should add this", "what will happen if I do this", "oh, I like that", etc. So the working title for the new series is Conversations With Myself.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Artist Trading Cards

Up / Down
found papers, cotton cloth, acrylic paint

Inspired by the small format of Debbi's ATC (posted yesterday), I decided to create some Artist Trading Cards of my own. Here are the first two that I made. I did not realize, until after they were finished and photographed, that the line of torn paper flows from one ATC to the other. Serendipity!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Art in the Mail

This is an ATC by artist Debbi Baker. It is part of a series of 4 that spell "LEAF". I love this piece and think that the elements she has combined in such a small piece of artwork are fabulous!

This is another piece by Debbi, postcard size. It is made from brown paper bags, and I think the leather-look that she has achieved on the background piece is wonderful.

Because of my love of typography, both of these pieces are welcome additions to my collection. Thanks, Debbi!

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Obos

Obos created on the rocks at Carmel-By-The-Sea, 2008

Obos is a Japanese term for a stack of rocks. Sometimes they are used to point the way, but most of the time they say "I was here." For me, they are a solitary tribute --- created in places that cause me to pause and reflect and create. They compel me to contemplate those that have reached this spot before me and those that will arrive after me. They seem like a perfect melding of man and nature. These are the reasons that I have fallen in love with these creations.

Monday, April 07, 2008

A Reason To Come Home

When we first got Zeke, a good friend told me that dogs give you a reason to get up in the morning. Very true, and they also give you a reason to return home whenever you are wandering. We missed Zeke terribly while we were on vacation, and I admit to spoiling him even worse since we've returned home. How could you not fall in love with such an adorable puppy?!?!

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Goodbye to Monterey & Pacific Grove...

Photo of the gorgeous sunset, taken our last evening of vacation, overlooking the rocks & the Pacific Ocean.

Hello to Spring in the Midwest...
Photo of the forsythia blooms, taken our first morning home.

While we were gone, spring has definitely arrived here --- our tulips are above ground (no blooms yet), the forsythias and lilacs are budding and blooming, and the miniature hollyhocks are poking a few starter leaves above ground now. Coming home to the new life in the gardens is great consolation for the beauty we left behind in CA.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Asilomar State Park

Photos taken at Asilomar State Park, California:

Seagulls on the rocks, overlooking the Pacific Ocean

Bat Starfish in the rock crevices

Hermit Crab
Monterey Bay Mammals

Photos taken in the Monterey Bay area of California:

Risso's Dolphins, open water in the Pacific Ocean

California Sea Lions, in the Monterey Bay harbor by Fisherman's Wharf

Humpback Whale, open water in the Pacific Ocean

Friday, April 04, 2008

10th International Collage Exhibition


The 10th International Collage Exhibition features artwork from 160 artists. The artists are from 28 different states in the US plus Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Romania. Each artist contributed 13 collages to the exhibition and exchange.

One collage from each artist is included in an exhibition on the Virtual TART website during April. Once the exhibition ends, this collage will be sent to the Amarillo Museum of Art in Texas to become part of their permanent collection.

Another collage from each artist is on exhibit in a gallery in New Plymouth, New Zealand during April, and it is also available for sale online. To view the exhibition and purchase collages, click here.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Asilomar/Pacific Grove Coastline

These are some of my photos of the coastline along Asilomar State Park and Pacific Grove, CA. As you can see, it was absolutely breathtaking in its beauty! Many hours were spent here --- watching and listening to the waves and exploring among the rocks.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Ruth McDowell Reception

Ruth McDowell (left) & Del Thomas (right)

Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove, CA is hosting a gorgeous display of Ruth McDowell's quilts --- all from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection. The exhibition runs from February 10 - April 16, 2008. On Sunday, March 30th, I stopped by to meet both Ruth and Del at the artist reception. It was especially nice to finally meet Del since she has purchased some of my work for her collection.