Saturday, June 23, 2007

Oops, forgot the photos of my piece







All but about two of the fabrics were sunpainted and then some were stamped with carved images, painted, stamped with foam cut-outs, etc. There is fabric with chalices, baseball bats, golf clubs, children, the Angels logo. The minister is a big fan of all of these.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Commissioned piece is finished! And, happy dance for acceptance!

Hi!

Hope everyone is enjoying your summer. Mine is flying by too fast! I've had a busy month and am glad to be coming to somewhat of a close on many things. I finished a commissioned piece that will be given as a gift tomorrow to my minister who is leaving my church. Here is a photo. It was made using all of the sunprinted, painted and stamped fabric from my sunprinting day a few weeks ago. I'm really pleased with it. I hope everyone in the congregation (it's a gift from the whole community) is happy with it too.

Also, I received a rejection to Art Quilts Lowell, and an acceptance (well acceptance for 1 piece and declined 2 other pieces) to the National Small Art Quilts Exhibit in Groton, NY at The Main Street Gallery. I also submitted images for a show in Dalton, GA (my home town), both their indoor exhibit and their outdoor arts festival. No word yet. I sent in 2 pieces for A World of Beauty 2007. No word yet on that one either. Wow, I've been busier than I even realized!!


In addition to all of that I helped teach a couple of days of summer art camp this week to some 5 year olds and it went okay I think. We felted some balls, did some flat felting and some sunprinting. I hope they enjoyed it. I also taught a session of my local fiber group on using watercolor crayons on fabric and paper. It was a ton of fun and I think I was able to convey at least some of how I work and achieve the results that I do. I'm thinking I would enjoy more adult teaching so if anyone is looking for someone to teach water media on fabric I'm available (wink-wink).

I've got some biostatistical consulting work that I keep trying to focus on. Hopefully the next few weeks will bring some quiet time where I can concentrate (and try to stop thinking about art!).

So, now on to a piece for August and for my Journal Quilt. Maybe even something by Friday for the East Cobb Quilt Guild. Not sure if I can make that happen. Lots of works in progress but not really in the mood to rush any to completion. We'll see. I may change my mind tomorrow. Right now I'm tired.

July we will be camping with the in-laws in Minnesota. Kids will have a blast. I will hopefully have some time to sit and stitch and sketch. Maybe a trip to Destin, FL with my family.

Had a nice little get together for my birthday this evening. Well, actually a combination bday and Youth advisor meeting for my church. It was nice to socialize. I've been pretty withdrawn with art this last year.

Well, that's all that is new for now.

Sleep well.

Heidi

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Sunprinting, so fun!!!!




Hi everyone,

I had a blast sunprinting yesterday. Here are some pics.

I overpainted on some that didn't turn out as well. I used Setacolor Transparent paints for the sunprinting and then painted with Lumiere (love the silver), Pearlescent Acrylic Inks, a gold spider writer paint pen. I also used salt on most of the pieces. On a few I stamped images using home-made carved and foam stamps.

Would love to hear comments! I was disappointed that I didn't have more luck with the bamboo. I'll have to try it again. It may have been to dry to lay flat. It's also hard to make stay down just because the leaves are so small there are no good places to lay rocks on top. Anyone had any success with bamboo sunprinting?

Heidi

Friday, June 08, 2007

Let me clarify something.....

Oops, I didn't mean to sound so serious in my last post. I know it's how things are for everyone. I just thought folks might get tired of reading, hey, here is another photo of my art. Just trying to be "real" but not pessimistic. Yes, it's life. Life of the stay-at-home/work-at-home Mom, the work-away-from-home MOm and most women in general. Just saying I'm right there with ya! Sometimes I get asked how I do so much (art) and I wanted to let folks out there know I don't really do it all, something falls to the way side. It has too. :)

Have a great day!

Heidi

How can you do it all?






Hi everyone,

Well, I'm falling way behind in updating my website so my blog seems to be my way to keep posting my artwork. Here are two pieces, both of which I've shown on my blog before but are now actually completed. The tree was submitted for Art Quilts Lowell so keep your fingers crossed. The felt piece was submitted to a local juried art exhibit. We'll see what happens. Just plugging along here.

Tomorrow (or today) I'm starting work on a commissioned piece. I'm trying out sunprinting using Setacolor Transparent paints. I'll post photos when it's completed.

I'm finding it hard to put my art "business" and creative endeavors aside to enjoy the time with my kids and get out to the pool. I'm hoping to complete a commissioned piece and one more entry in the next 2 weeks and then take the rest of the summer mostly off. How does one do it all? Be a good Mom, take care of yourself, etc., etc., etc. I know a lot of it is that I take on too much but I haven't figured out how to stop doing that. It seems I want to or need to. This morning I started one of my infamous lists (I make several a day) which started with begin and complete commission piece (by June 23rd), begin and complete a piece for IQA Beauty (June 15th), work on statistical consulting work (been dragging on for 2 years now), help complete banner for GAy pride parade for my church (June 29th), work on notes for teaching watercolor crayon techniques to my local fiber group (June 12th), make doctor appointments for my Dad, get tickets for summer trip, and then here is where I start degenerating and becoming totally overwhelmed. I added potty train my daughter, feed my kids something other than cheese sticks and orange juice, put my daughters clothes on today (yes, she is still in her pajamas and is watching Dora at 1:30, wearing a very wet diaper that she refuses to take off), get out to the pool or the park, go to JoAnn's for some fabric and art supplies, cook a real meal for dinner. Ugh. Makes me want to go back to bed. Or paint!:)

So, what am I doing here sitting at my desk writing on my blog. Lying to myself that I am "working" and accomplishing something. Just my way of coping with life.

Hope you guys are enjoying your summer.

Heidi