A little postcard ...

It seems I only get into my studio very rarely these days, and when I do it is a joyful occasion. Today I had two whole hours to myself and wanted to make a little fiber-art postcard for an old friend who I haven't seen in several years. He always remembers me on birthdays and holidays, and I'm not always so good. So this year he gets a special remembrance.

Collaged scraps from 3 different screen prints,
quilted and stitched onto a postcard backing.

I make my own little "postage stamps" for quilted postcards,
since they go into a clear envelope with a real stamp on top.
OOPS! I  just noticed I put "2007" instead of "2017" on it!
Good thing it's not mailed yet, still time to correct it.

Happy Birthday, my friend!

The Journey - Dinner at Eight, 2016

This is my 5th year to be included in the Dinner at Eight Artists exhibit at the Houston and Chicago International Quilt Festivals. (One year I was unable to enter, and one year my entry wasn't accepted.) I'm absolutely thrilled that my piece, "The Journey" has been accepted for 2016, and want to thank Dinner at Eight's founders, Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal, for their ongoing commitment to this wonderful exhibit.

The Journey, 40" x 40"
created for the 2016 Dinner at Eight "Patterns" exhibit.

Shadows stretch out from beneath our feet, up toward
something greater. The Journey must start somewhere.

From their annual interview of the artists, I've pulled a couple of my own answers to include here.

Although I'm a visual artist, I get most of my inspiration from literary sources ... songs, stories, and quotations. One of my favorite resources is my 93-year-old mother, who still sings songs from her long-ago childhood ... oftentimes, these songs or verbal snippets find their way into my artwork.

I think of myself as a whimsical artist because I love humor in all its forms, but I also love bold and mysterious abstracts. My style has developed so gradually and has morphed in so many subtle directions that it's hard to pinpoint when I "found" it ... in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm still searching for it.

"The Journey" began as several digitally manipulated photographs, printed on cotton sateen by a printing service, which I then painted, inked, thread-sketched, and machine quilted. I have been using a "faced" method of finishing my art quilts, rather than a traditional binding. Below is a detail shot of the quilt.

The Journey - detail

As Karey Bresenhan's Quilt Festival in Houston grows nearer (only a couple more months!) I get more and more excited about all the fabulous traditional and art quilts I will see. Miles of inspiration, all in one huge building ... I can't wait!

A Farewell

On March 10 the world lost a kind and gentle soul, as well as an incredible artist, when Oscar Silva passed away in his sleep.  I can't think of a better tribute than that written by his great friend and partner.  "We have lost a talented and clever artist - he will no longer urge us to look at objects for the art that is inherent in their very structure - no longer to push the limit - we are left a little hollow by his leaving us."

I didn't know Oscar well, but whenever I ran into him (usually at art openings), he was so kind and generous that I always wished to know him better.  We always think "there's plenty of time" ... when there isn't, always.  I am among the many who will miss him dearly.

Below are a few of my favorite fiber and mixed-media artworks by Oscar.  He may have been best known for his use of his own hand-made paper, rug canvas and hardware cloth, as well as unusual found objects, especially objects from nature. His creative mixture of "hard and soft" elements is one of the things about his work that intrigues me most. Please see his blog for much more.   http://www.oscarsilvaartist.blogspot.com/

Art of Meditation
Oscar Silva

Milagro
Oscar Silva

Red Sky at Night
Oscar Silva

Prophet
Oscar Silva

Asiatic
Oscar Silva

Wood Nymphs
Oscar Silva

Nomad
Oscar Silva

Seed Quilt (detail)
Oscar Silva

September, 2012 exhibit of
"The Charismatics of Fiber"
Oscar Silva

Please see Oscar's blog for much more.   http://www.oscarsilvaartist.blogspot.com/  (I hope it stays on-line even though he has passed.  It is a wonderful exhibit of much of his work, and his written statement about each piece is often a work of art in itself.)

The Art in Fiber, 2013

Some of my very favorite people in the whole world ... Gerald and Debbie Tobola ... are the owners of the Copper Shade Tree Gallery in the wonderful little art-town of Round Top, Texas.  They have nurtured Texas artists since they started the gallery, and gave me my own start in showing and selling.

Gerald & Debbie Tobola

This year, their month-long exhibit, The Art in Fiber 2013, is themed, "A View From My Window" and features 24 Texas fiber artists, including me.  I'm thrilled to have been juried into this show by the renowned Karey Bresenhan, no less!  The opening is tomorrow afternoon, from 2-5 p.m.  If you are anywhere near this little artful oasis situated between Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, it will be worth the trip to see the exhibit and the town.  It is also very near La Grange, where the Texas Quilt Museum resides ... voted Best Museum in Fayette County.

Here are the front and back of the postcard, inviting you to The Art in Fiber 2013 show.  I hope to see you there, sometime between February 2 and March 3.

 

The artists who will have work in the exhibit are:
Marilynn Barber
Pauline Barrett
Anne Berversdorf
Noreen Borys
Andrea Brokenshire
Susan Byrne
Janice Drees
Suzan Engler
Connie M. Fahrion
Barb Forrister
Debbie Geistweidt
Margery Hedges
Susan Fletcher King
Linda Teddlie Minton
Janet Moran
Sona Nast
Heather Pregger
Diane Sandlin
Oscar Silva
Annie Smith
Jo Sweet
Hope Wilmarth
Gay Young

The Art in Fiber, 2012

If you are anywhere near Round Top, Texas (near LaGrange, between Austin, Houston, and San Antonio), please come to the opening of The Art in Fiber, 2012 at the Copper Shade Tree Gallery.

I'm so honored to be participating in this invitational exhibit, with such wonderful fiber artists.  If you can't make it to the opening on Feb.4, please do try to make it by the gallery before the exhibit comes down on March 4.  I've sneak-peeked some of the incredible work that will be there, and you won't be disappointed!

And speaking of sneak peaks, here's a tiny portion of one of my entries:

"Look Into My Eyes" - detail

I hope to see you there!

Heat Source

We're getting close!  Virginia Spiegel's ONE fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ONE Cause, ONE Wednesday, ONE Hundred Collages) is happening next week!

Here is my fifth piece going up for grabs on Wednesday, February 16 ...

Heat Source

Heat Source, and the other four pieces (seen in earlier posts) are a part of my Journey Series, exploring new ideas, techniques, and personal philosophies.  Although these 5 pieces were created in a concentrated frenzy of creativity, I am also continuing the series in different formats.  There is much left to explore!

All 5 pieces are mounted on 8"x10" 140-lb. watercolor paper, titled and signed, and ready for framing if desired.

I think we have all been touched by cancer in our selves, our families, or our friends, and Virginia has done a tremendous job in raising so much for research and treatment through the ACS.  I don't donate money to many causes, and can't afford to donate my artwork at all ... except through Virginia and her efforts.  In recent years, Karen Stiehl Osborn has also been working tirelessly with her for the Cause.

I want to thank both Virginia and Karen, from the bottom of my heart.  Through them, I've not only been able to make a meaningful contribution to a cause near and dear to my heart, but have also been able to start and nourish a small collection of artwork by my favorite fiber artists.

To quote from Virginia's own website for the ONE Fundraiser:

One Hundred Collages – Created for this event by an all-star team of artists: Natalya Aikens, Pamela Allen, Laura Ann Beehler, Liz Berg, Pokey Bolton, Laura Cater-Woods, Jette Clover, Jane Davila, Jane Dunnewold, Jamie Fingal, Gloria Hansen, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lyric Kinard, Jeanelle McCall, Linda Teddlie Minton, Karen Stiehl Osborn, BJ Parady, Judy Perez, Wen Redmond, Cynthia St. Charles, Virginia A. Spiegel.


Please join us for an exciting event of art viewing and collecting, on Wednesday, February 16.  Don't miss it!

ONE Cause

Deadlines ... what would we do without them?  I just finished sending in images of my 5 fiber art collages for the One Cause, One Wednesday, One Hundred Collages fundraiser, created and organized by Virginia Spiegel and Karen Stiehl Osborn.  This was an Invitational to 20 hand-picked artists, and the deadline is January 1.  I was so relieved to get my collages finished, photographed, and entered, with even a few days to spare!


The goal is to raise $8,000 in one day to add to the $205,000 already donated to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.  Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 16, 2011 ... in fact, you should probably start checking it out a day early.


There will be a direct link from Virginia's page to all the collages at least one day prior to Wednesday, February 16 for a preview and all the details about how to acquire your favorite collage(s). Collages will be featured periodically on her blog and Facebook Fan Page prior to February 16.


Don't forget ... you can do some fabulous art-collecting, tax-free!  All donations for artwork will be made directly to the American Cancer Society online through FFAC here on Wednesday, February 16 and donors will receive an immediate receipt from the ACS.


Be there, or be square, as we used to say ... most of us have had people in our lives who have been touched by cancer, and this is a tremendous way to honor a either survivor (even yourself!) or someone you love who has died from this disease.  Plus ... ART!