Saturday, July 19, 2008

Vacations/Transformation show/More Classes

I'm off on our two family vacations we take almost every year. Today we leave for Minneapolis (to my see my in-laws) and tomorrow we will make the drive to Bear Head Lake to camp for a week. Last year was rain everyday and mosquitos so bad we couldn't even be outside unless we were in the screened area over the picnic table. I'm crossing my fingers for better weather and less mosquitos this year. Somehow we still managed to have quite an enjoyable time of it. I can't wait to sit and do lots of puzzles, play card games and do some fishing.

Then, we'll back for about 1/2 a day and then myself and the little ones are off again to Charleston to the beach with my family. We will go from complete roughing it to some nice luxury. We managed to score an amazing 5 bedroom house with a pool (for 5 families), brand new, 100 yards from the beach, gourmet kitchen, and on and on and on for 1/2 the usual price.

I'm behind on packing which means I probably won't be taking much in the way of any art projects. I think this is probably good as I am still wanting to focus on kids and family because school starts the day after we get back. It's been too short of a summer but I feel I've been pretty successful at enjoying my time with the kids and making them come first while also teaching 6 new classes at Fiber on a Whim and meeting a handful of exhibit deadlines.

Speaking of classes and exhibits!! Fiber Art Fusion's exhibit, Transformation, opens next week at The Art Place in Marietta. I can't wait to see it when I return!

And, all of my classes were a hit and are back on the schedule and we've added a parent/child class as well! You asked and we did it! So, start signing up. I really have so much fun teaching. I can't wait to get started all over again:

Saturday, August 23rd, 2-5 pm, ages 8 and up (WITH adult) Wet Felting FAmily Play Day
Friday, August 29th, 10:30-1:30 pm, Sunprinting
Friday, September 5th, 10:30-1:30, Wet Felted Vessels
Friday, September 19th, 10:30-1:30, Watercolor Pastels on Fabric
Friday, September 26th, 10:30-1:30, Monoprinting on Fabric
Friday, October 3rd, 10:30-1:30, Needlefelting

There is also a class on Creating your own Stamps from household items and by carving them. The date hasn't been assigned yet, but keep watching!

Gotta run finish my packing!!! Happy end of summer to you!!!

heidi

Thursday, July 10, 2008

The Benefits of Teaching, and Summer/Art/Kids



I've got one more class for the summer, coming up on Saturday, monoprinting (photos at the right are some up close detail photo from a monoprinted piece) I'm really excited! I think this is the class I'm most excited about teaching so far (of the 6 courses I have put together for teaching at Fiber on a Whim this summer). Don't get me wrong, I have loved all of the classes so far! It is almost feels sinful to be taking money for this! (Note, I said almost.)

One of the participants in Saturday's class will be bringing gelatin so we can do some gelatin monoprinting! That is one of the things I was hoping to get around to learning this summer, so I'm thrilled that someone in the class will actually be helping me learn this technique! She spent a week with Rayna Gillman learning techniques such as this one. Wow, am I ever jealous!

Anyway, that is the way it always is with classes right? So many talented and creative people out there and when you teach you learn so much! With other minds in the mix, someone always comes up with something you haven't thought of before. So, it's never really a teacher/student kind of an atmosphere. More of a share and learn and grow together. Tuesday's needlefelting was no exception. A great group of women and we had a blast!

So, if anyone is still looking for a way to spend there Saturday, there are I believe 2 spots still open. The class is from 10:30 to 3:30 and we will have a ton of fun!

Other news? Hhhm, can't remember if I wrote about selling one of my two Yoni quilts I made for the Yoni QuiltArt Challenge! Totally unexpected but I was thrilled that it spoke to someone! I love the two pieces but I wasn't sure that I would ever display them prominently anywhere in my home and probably the last pieces that I thought would ever sell (not because they were not good work/art, but because of the sensitive nature of them). But you just never know! Apparently the work I did to get the challenge posted to QuiltArt was worth the work! Really validating! For the person who bought it, she found it inspiring as it represented rebirth, a place she is at in her life, hoping to rebirth herself through her creative writing. I hope the piece brings her inspiration.


Well, back to the kids, supper, housework. Word of warning, DO NOT take your children to the Foam Factory in Marietta on a weekday in the summer. We went today, and yes, they had fun, but it was PACKED with daycampers. There was no one there running the entry taking tickets, so no one watching whether it was at capacity or not (I"m sure it was well over capacity). The noise was deafening and my kids were a bit overwhelmed until lots of campers begin to leave around 2 pm. I had envisioned myself sitting and working on some needlefelting, going over my notes for the Monoprinting class and an occassional bit of time in the foam ball pit playing with the kids. Instead, it was noise, noise, noise, and I had to hold my 3 year olds hand the entire time so she did not get trampled to death. And, I did have fun and decided to just let go of my plans and enjoy it with them. But, if you go, don't expect to sit quietly to the side while your kids have fun. Ain't going to happen. We had only been once before and there were maybe 2 to 3 other kids (during the school year). Today, well over 100 kids in the same space.

The summer seems so short and not enough time to fit in all the activities but also too long without a break to really work on some of my art. I'm behind on commitments/commissions. I learned that summer is not the time to take these own. Seems I would have known this, but I didn't think it through. So, if you are someone waiting on something from me, please know, I will get to them! But, it will be easier when school starts in a couple of weeks. ;)

Have a great evening! Happy creating!

Heidi

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Tips for Long Life






I'm still working on my family history and a cousin of mine recently sent me a huge envelope of family photos and information. It is so much fun learning about your family, especially when you knew so little to begin with. My Great Grandmother, Margaret Wilson, lived to be 107 years old. I knew this and had found some photos online of her but this envelope contained many photos of her birthdays over the years and a newspaper article about her life. What I found interesting was that my cousin remembered our Grandfather taking her whiskey and that she drank a glass every night and said that the whiskey and her Cherokee blood
(haven't found this in her family lines yet) were her secrets to longevity. The newspaper article said that it was hard work. Hahaha. I'm sure she worked very hard. She had 8 children to raise alone as her husband was killed by a falling tree.

I remember being afraid to kiss her when I was very young, 4 maybe. She died when I was 5. Now what I wouldn't give to have a conversation with her. Part of the article said:

"The Wilsons owned a number of sheep and raised flax and cotton. Aunt Marg then left us rather bewildered by a recital of the many steps involved in the art of weaving flax, wool and cotton, before the fire at night, telling of great piles of flax, which was pulled like wheat by the handfulls and piled in bundles on the floor, 'thick as hair on a cog', and from which so many of the household wants were made."

She also said:

"I travelled over 4 mountains and sold buttermilk at 10 cents a gallon; raised my children with the help of God and didn't ask anybody for help."

Here are several photos of her over the years. The first I believe is her 98th birthday.

The bottom photo is of some aunts and uncles and my Grandmother. I'm not sure what the occasion is but I was fascinated that they actually had a small bear "pulling" the cart.

In my fiber art world, I taught watersoluble crayons last week and had a lot of fun getting to know some folks! Next is Needlefelting, Tuesday July 8th and Monoprinting, Saturday July 12th. There are still some spots available in the Monoprinting class! Check Fiber on a Whim's webpage for the class description and to register!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Heidi