Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Photoshopping for Fiber Art

I often use Photoshop Elements to manipulate my photos before using them in my fiber art. Here are some examples.

One of the few times I can get my cat to sit still for a picture.
Just a quick camera-phone shot.

This Photoshopped version brings out details of his fur,
as well as adding more vivid colors ... fun!

This was a small (2x3") 1913 photo of my maternal grandmother, working as a telephone operator.
I had already done some painstaking clean-up of surface dust motes, scratches, etc. at this point.

Here is the final Photoshopped version that I made to look as if
oil-painted. I then sent it off to be printed in enlarged form (18x24")
as a gift for my 92-year-old mother.

A dear friend whose beloved dog had passed away
gave me this photo to use as a basis for a thread painting.

Here is the finished piece. I chose to place him on a
background of Texas bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush
flowers before thread painting. He was such a
sweet little guy.

The 4 kids in my family, ca. 1957
(that's me on the right)

I wanted to see how would all have looked
as a family of cats! Just having fun. Each cat face
was chosen with a view for the personality of each child.

Small Works

Small fiber artworks are almost a "vacation" for me, created between larger art quilts. These are a few of my favorites.

Joy in the Morning
4x6" framed thread painting (sold)

Kiwi Bird
4x6" framed thread painting (sold)

Kiwi Fruit
4x6" framed thread painting (sold)

Nevermore
4x6" postcard (private collection)

Mr. Oziapus
4x6 thread painting

Vintage Toys
3 4x6" postcard sized thread sketches


Tuesday, July 14, 2015

A Medley of Mixed Media

This is why I need pictures of everything I do! Some of these I had completely forgotten about.

Fresco (sold)
This was an early mixed-media piece featuring quilting, gesso,
impasto, paint, and strategic ripping.

"Generations", 24x36 (sold)
Inspired by Fran Skiles

In Vino Veritas (sold)
Highly textured and embellished drawing on stitched paper.
Inspired by a friend's refrigerator magnet!

The Quiet Hunter (sold)
small art quilt

Heat Source (private collection)

Traveling Companions (private collection)
The Wanderer (sold)

Make new friends but keep the old ...

One is silver and the other, gold.  Remember that song?  Here are some of my oldest friends ...

Annie, Darleen, and Judy
2014

There's Me, Darleen, Annie, and Judy
2013

Judy knitted this beautiful cowl for me!

We are all scattered now, but still try to get together at least once a year. I miss you guys!

Hallie in Africa

My grandmother, at age 84, decided to go to Africa on safari with her older sister. It was typical of her that she simply neglected to tell anyone where she was going until after she had returned. She told her son (my Dad) afterwards, "Well, I knew you wouldn't approve," and then laughed.

Nothing ever stopped Hallie from doing what she wanted to do.  I admired her tremendously and miss her immensely.

Hallie at age 84 in Africa, 1988

Monday, July 13, 2015

Mixed Media Assemblage

Shuffling through photos, old and new, is both daunting and exciting! I had all but forgotten about these little bits and pieces, and now I'm inspired to drag out my boxes and boxes of assemblage parts, tools and glues. What do you think?

TV Madame

"There Were Never More Devoted Sisters"
(I guess this might be considered more mixed media than assemblage.)

Dr. Feelgood

Dr. Feelgood - detail.

Mystery Assemblage; Photo Manipulation.

Art Dolls

As a mixed-media artist, I often switch back and forth among art quilts, surface design, sketching and painting, assemblage, and hand-stitching.  (In other words, I have a short attention span.)

In a recent effort to bring some order to pictures of my various art-forms, I came across these images of some of my art dolls.

Red Hot Alien Mama

Red Hot Alien Mama - detail

"Gloria" ... a birthday doll for a friend.

Circus Baby (aka Creepy Baby)

Doll pin (purse embellishment)

The Fisherman's Wife, 2006
These next dolls were made for my FiberVoices art group, as "studio muses" or "art witches". They were so much fun to make from recycled men's shirts, bits of hand-dyed velvet, buttons and other embellishments I had around the house.

Studio Muse With Deer
Studio Muse, Hugging Doll

Studio Muse With Puffy Pink Nose

Studio Muse With Lizard

Studio Muse With Pocket Doll



Friends

Quilt Con in Austin, 2013.  And a great time was had by all!

Maybe the shot was blurry because of the margaritas?
Sharon and Me.

Buds, Betty & Barb

Sharon & Barb, waiting for a table at Trudy's.

Me, Sharon, Betty, & Barb
at the Moda Photo Booth.


Collecting Art

I've posted pictures before of art I've collected, but I don't believe I've shown these more recent acquisitions. Here's a little catch-up of some of My Favorite Things ...

Neon Stones #1
by Mary Ann Littlejohn
(I had coveted this beautiful piece for over 5 years, and finally got my hands on it!)

Walking Her Chicken in the Rain
by Pamela Allen
(12" x 12" ...  I love it with a passion.)

Wrens on Flowers at Night
by Ginny Eckley
(I saw this at the Copper Shade Tree Gallery and just couldn't walk out without it.)

Postcard
by Frances Holliday Alford
(Frances is one of my all-time favorite mixed-media artists ... thank you, Frances!)

Venutian Sea Rise (encaustic)
by Skye Daniels
(Skye and I did a little art-trade a few months ago, and I was blown away by this gorgeous piece.)