I'm BACK!!!

Okay, well, it's only been about 2 and a half years since I posted here. Life took over. Divorce, move, job, another job....But I'm back to making art for the first in over 2 years. I've been posting most of it on Facebook and just today added some to my Etsy shop again. I'll try to catch up here and post more about my artistic endeavors, journeys, etc. More than most of my Facebook friends want to hear but hopefully what my artist friends and followers crave just as much as I do.

Here is a mixed media painting from a couple of days ago.

New Drawing and More Stole Photos

Hello again! I'm starting to get the hang of updating my blog again. Not so hard once you get started. I haven't drawn anything in months (since starting my job) and finally felt the urge a few days ago and picked up my pen and paper. Here is one of my recent ones. I'm sometimes asked how long it takes me to do one of my drawings. Since I draw so many little lines, they are usually from about 1 to 3 hours for a 9 x 12 such as this. Depends on the pen size. This one used a smaller pen than usual so it took about 3 hours. It still needs a little bit of work on the shadowing. I used to steal ideas (or be inspired by) from my son. Now it's my 4 year old inspiring me. I drew a circle and then gave it to her to add to and she added butterfly wings and asked "Can butterflies be circles in the middle?". I said "Why not?" and then decided to draw my own. If you are looking for inspiration, especially for something new and exciting, don't forget to look at the world through a child's eyes.

Also, I have the full length photos of the stole I just finished. Unfortunately I took photos with me wearing it and they are not my best! Nor does my clothing do anything to show off the work. Anyway, here it is. :)

And, I have to brag a bit on my 8 year old son. If any of you know what Accelerated Reader is (a program offered in many elementary schools), well, my soon reached the goal of 100 points only 6 weeks into school!! I'm sooo proud of him! The 100 point goal is an end of the year goal! He is actually at 117 and just about to take a test on another book, worth 44 points, so it won't be long until he reaches 200 points. The kids read books with certain point values and then take a test to receive the points. The program has it's good and bad issues, but he loves reading and loves reaching these goals. Way to go Miller!!!

Some photos of my latest project

Hello again! It feels so good to be back in the world of blogging and talking about art!! Here are a few photos of the liturgical stole I recently completed. I hand-dyed, hand-painted, screened, stamped a lot of the fabrics. The symbols the owner wanted included a cross, a yin-yang, a seated Buddha, a star of David, a pentacle, a goddess symbol, a Hindu Om, a Islamic crescent and moon, a chalice and I think that is it for religious symbols. There were also symbols representing personal interests including Reiki and music. I only took a few photos before passing it on. The ones of the whole stole are on my husband's camera so I'll have to wait until he downloads them onto the computer to post those. The photo colors are a bit off as I used a flash up close. I usually try to photograph my work outside but it was a rainy day. Sorry some are sideways, I didn't take the time to turn them before uploading to the blog page.

This is my fourth stole and I find this work very fulfilling. It is so personal. I become very involved in the stories behind the stole and the stories it will be a part of in the future. It's hard for me to describe in words, but it is somewhat magical. I look forward to doing more in the future.


On a different note, if you live in the Atlanta area, you should take some time to visit the Fiber Art Fusion's yearly exhibit at The Art Place gallery in Marietta, GA. I went to the opening last night and, first, it was great to see friends and second, but not last or least, the work was stunning. If you enjoy quilts or fiber work you will love this exhibit.

I'm back!!!!!!

Wow, I've never been away from blogging for so long! I guess you know from previous posts (if anyone out there actually reads this-lol) that I started a job back in April/May. Well, life definitely got a lot busier than I expected. Don't get me wrong, I like my job. And, I couldn't ask for a much more flexible schedule. I was able to find part time work as a statistician. Not the usual for my field so it's working out pretty great so far. The downside, well, less time with my kids and my art. So, kids have taken priority. I have to say I do cherish the time with them more now and sometimes there just isn't enough of it. So, anyway, my art, my blogging, those kinds of things are taking a bit of a back seat for now. I haven't completely stopped making art of course but I have stopped taking on new work, trying to reach deadlines on exhibits, entering art/craft shows. There will be time again for those, when my kids are older (they are 4 and 8 at the present).

I'm trying to figure out a way to just enjoy my art making again without it feeling like something I have to do. Get back to the fun of just playing and discovering. The only problem then is that I'm left with more stuff I don't know what to do with. If one of the goals is not to eventually sell it, enter it somewhere, give it as a gift, I'm finding it hard to justify the time to just play. I did fill that need some with teaching classes, where I was able to demonstrate and play along with everyone else. I'll just have to keep figuring it out. Life is always changing and I'm in a new chapter of mine.

Well, you probably don't read my blog to hear about my statistical job or my kids, so want to do what I have actually accomplished the past few months. Let's see, I entered a couple of pieces in a show, and now I can't even remember which one, I'll have to go back and look. I was rejected from a few. I completed a piece for the SDA conference for the members exhibit. And, most recently, I completed a liturgical stole and an article for Quilting Arts magazine. So despite feeling like I'm not doing any art, I'm still plugging along. I didn't enter my fiber art groups yearly exhibition, a bit sad about that and I haven't made the meetings for that in many months, also sad. But, once I get this whole working and running a family thing under my belt hopefully that will change.

Here is a couple of photos of a piece from the last few months and I'll hopefully have some good ones of the stole soon. I'll write more about it and the process when I post the photos.

Happy creating! (and happy working, and playing with kids or gardening or whatever you like or have to do!)

Classes and Upcoming Exhibit of the GA SDA Members

Hi everyone,



Yes, I've started back to work as a statistician and have to cut back a bit on my artistic endeavors but I'm not letting work take over everything. I'm working hard to find a balance as I'm sure many of you have had to do over the years between family, work and your art.



I wanted to let you know that I'll be teaching a few classes very soon.



The first is Needle Felting Basics, May 16 at a fabulous yarn shop in Woodstock called The Whole Nine Yarns. It is a Saturday, 10:30, $35.00. Just a few weeks away! I'll teach you the basics and in the class we'll make a set of coasters and a small case (ipod, cell phone, eyeglasses, whatever you wish it to be for).



The other class is Saturday, June 20th at Intown Quilters, a wonderful quilt shop in the Decatur area. Never been? Oh, you must! I am very excited about this class. It is called Mixed Media Fabric Collage. We will cover as much as possible in one day! We will especially focus on transfer techniques! It is a full day class. I have to check on the times and price.



Other things happening this month are the opening for two exhibits that I have pieces in. One being Focus on Fiber II-Small Art Quilts and the other is local, the member show for the GA SDA (Surface Design Association). It is opening this Sunday at the Defoor Center. I just dropped off my pieces and saw some of the other work and it is simply stunning. Especially unique. The name of the show is Extreme Threads and it "showcases the energy and innovation of diverse professional and emerging artists working in fiber, stitch, surface, textiles.....employing unusual materials, and using timeless and radical techniques."

Collage Mania Preview is Open!

Collage Mania, the wonderful, amazing fundraiser by Virginia Spiegel, is now open for Preview. There are over 30 pages of gorgeous fiber and collage art to be purchased to raise funds for Cancer Research. You may preview now to choose the ones you hope to purchase on opening day, May 5th! Prices start at $80.00, a great deal for unique piece of artwork. For those pieces that don't sell on the first day, price goes down to $40.00 on May 6th and 7th.

Virginia hopes to hit to the $200,000 for all of her fundraising efforts and she can do it with your help!!

My contributions are on page 25 but there are so many to choose from! Something for everyone!

To preview, go to: http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/CM2009Collages1.html

Fairies

are always fun. I have a Creativity Party scheduled for this week and I'll be teaching 10 year old girls how to paint fairies, so I painted this one as a demo of what we will be doing. I think she is pretty cute. :)