Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Craft of Stretching an Art Quilt on a frame

Recently, I took a single-day workshop at the studio of San Antonio artist Laurie Brainerd.  Laurie, who is known for her meticulously-crafted art quilts, has been perfecting a new method of stretching and framing her work.  I have seen the results and jumped at the chance to take her workshop.  As an artist who has struggled with a variety of ways to mount mixed media textile constructions in or on frames (with mixed levels of success) I understood the basic concept behind her method.  Knowing my learning style, I figured going through the entire process under her guidance would be the best way for me to learn.  I was right!
Her workshop, "The Craft of Stretching an Art Quilt", was offered for the first time last Saturday in her San Antonio studio.  She will be offering a couple of workshops in the Austin-area in February.  I would encourage anyone who can do it to sign up!
Laurie provided each student with a custom-cut plastic corner template.  This template, while appearing to be a 90-degree corner, is not.  She worked out the precision angle that creates a perfectly squared corner after the facing is turned.
cloth to be used as both the facing and the frame covering are selected.
The pieces that will be used as the facing are first fused with Mistyfuse, then cut.
(Note:  This method can also be done by needle-turning the facing without fusible, if the quilt is to be mounted in a more "traditional" fashion with a sleeve rather than on a frame).

corners are clipped, then re-stitched without the bulk of the batting.

facing is turned.

Using a pointed implement, the corner is pushed out to a crisp edge.

Looking good!

Finished quilts are carefully measured, and then Laurie cut frame pieces
for precisely fit our quilts!
I love a girl with power tools....

Frame pieces are cut from poplar wood, which is less likely to warp.

Pieces were first glued together, then
we used an air gun to nail the corners.  
Woo Hoo!  I love tools.
Background cloth (chosen to be slightly duller than the quilt colors, yet blending a bit with the colorway)
Quilt is seated in the center of a piece cut to a size that allows it to be pulled around the frame,
then stitched in place with a running stitch)

Sides are stretched into place, all the while using the cloth to carefully "seat" 
the quilt into place on the frame and working toward, but not including, 
the corners, which are done last.

Here is the front and a side of the finished framed quilt

Look how nice and neat this is!
The best part:  no bulk around the edges, and no stress on the quilt itself!

Thank you Laurie, for showing me a better way to frame my work.  I will now try to frame a piece using a pre-stretched gallery-wrapped canvas frame.  

Since there were a variety of sizes of quilts, battings, density of stitching, etc., in the class pieces we  learned that there are a number of variables to consider when measuring the quilts for a frame.  
I look forward to creating another piece on a frame very soon.  Stay tuned!


Saturday, January 28, 2012

Doodling over a collage...


Good morning!  Please stop by the Sketchbook Challenge blog to see the step-outs for creating a similar project.  The great thing about using ephemera from an old trip or simply taking used papers (think junk mail and more!) from around the house is that it instantly takes the fear of the blank page away.
Stop by and take a peek!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Foto Fiber 90 Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society

We less than a month from our 2012 fundraising event for the American Cancer Society!  Please stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog to get all the details. Since the first event we have raised over $200,000, and every cent goes to the American Cancer Society.  
This year Virginia has invited a number of artists to contribute three "bonus packs".  When you make a donation to the ACS you will be gifted with a photo and a bonus pack chosen randomly.  Please stop by 
Virginia's blog for all the details.  The gold donor day is Wednesday, February 15th, so mark your calendar!  Foto-fiber day is Thursday, February 16th.  
I will be showing my studio bonus packs as the weeks unfold.  Below is one of the three I am donating.


Each pack includes the equivalent of 2 fat quarters of hand-dyed & screen printed cloth
(either cotton, silk, or a cotton-silk blend)
and a framed mixed-media "mailart" collage!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog today!


I am the featured artist today on Virginia Spiegel's blog.  Check out my messy studio!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

A textile installation

My oldest daughter has a design/finish business called XOXO.  She does a wide variety of things, and among them is the occasional design installation for weddings.  I'm showing this particular installation because a) it is created from textiles and b) she finished it here in my home studio before driving several states away to install it for an outdoor wedding.

and here they are, under construction....
the backyard garden was the best place to re-sort the panels as they were being constructed


Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Foto Fiber 90 Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society


We are less than a month from our 2012 fundraising event for the American Cancer Society!  Please stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog to get all the details.  Since it began, we have raised over $200,000, and every cent goes to the American Cancer Society.  
This year Virginia has invited a number of artists to contribute three "bonus packs".  When you make a donation to the ACS you will be gifted with a photo and a bonus pack chosen randomly.  Please stop by 
Virginia's blog for all the details.  The gold donor day is Wednesday, February 15th, so mark your calendar!  Foto-fiber day is Thursday, February 16th.  
I will be showing my studio bonus packs as the weeks unfold.  Below is one of the three I am donating.

Each pack includes the equivalent of 2 fat quarters of hand-dyed & screen printed cloth
(cotton, silk, or a cotton-silk blend)
and a framed mixed-media "mailart" collage!

Friday, January 13, 2012

More Mason Bees On The Way!

bee fabric
(so it is sort of fiber-related LOL)


I love bees, especially Mason Orchard bees.  These bees are larger than honey bees, very docile because they do not live in a hive complex (so they don't protect a queen).  Unless you aggressively interfere with them, they are gentle.  They are great pollinators so they are a wonderful asset to the garden.  I became more interested in bees after the colony collapse syndrome several years ago.  I saw a dramatic loss of bees in my own garden.  I worried about it.
So I decided to do what I could to increase my little bee population around here.  Enter the Mason bees.
My first attempt to restore bee activity was just short of a failure, thanks to an attack upon my fence-mounted bee skep by fire ants (ugh).  Last year I hung a bamboo bee skep in a tree and put a water trap above it, so the nasty fire ants would drown before they got to the bee larvae.  It worked, but the bamboo skep didn't fare well over time.  
This year I'm adding a more substantial bee house.  I think it is officially a house, or a condo, don't you?!
I'm ordering more bee larvae to insert into the house.  I know there are bees around because they did use the tubes inside the skep, but I want to be sure I have bees.
The fence skep would work in an area that wasn't plagued with fire ants.  Unfortunately, this did not occur to me until too late.

I got this house here.

bee larvae inside these tubes can be ordered from High Country Gardens 
out of Santa Fe.  A wonderful nursery!


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Foto Fiber 90 Fundraiser Studio Bonus Packs!

We are just over a month from our 2012 fundraising event for the American Cancer Society!  Please stop by Virginia Spiegel's blog to get all the details.  I hope you will participate.  I have been part of this wonderful grassroots effort since the beginning.  We have raised over $200,000, and every cent goes to the American Cancer Society.  
This year Virginia has invited a number of artists to contribute three "bonus packs".  When you make a donation to the ACS you will be gifted with a photo and a bonus pack chosen randomly.  Please stop by 
Virginia's blog for all the details.  The gold donor day is Wednesday, February 15th, so mark your calendar!  Foto-fiber day is Thursday, February 16th.  
I will be showing my studio bonus packs as the weeks unfold.  Below is one of the three I am donating.




Each pack will have the equivalent of 2 fat quarters of
hand-dyed, screen printed cloth (cotton, silk, or a cotton-silk blend)

Each pack will have a framed, mixed-media "mailart" collage!

This could be yours for joining the fun and making a donation!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Quilting Arts TV Series 900

Available for pre-order here

Pokey and I on the makeshift "set" at the Cincinnati quilt festival


In Series 900 I did a demonstration of paper to cloth lamination, and showed some of the uses for the resulting imagery.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Great graphic prints on linen towels

I just love hunting for great things on Etsy!  Recently, I was on a quest for (actual) linen t-towels, so I headed over to Etsy to see what there was to be found.  I am so glad I did!  Take a look at these cool linen towels that just arrived at my house!  I love them.
The shop owner is Cherie Interro, from Melbourne, Australia.   You can see her shop here.




Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Foto Fiber Fundraiser!


Foto/Fiber 2012
90 Photos AND 90 BONUS Fiber Surprises
Beauty and Mystery Unite to Fight Cancer

Gold Donor Day - February 15, 2012
Make a minimum donation of $100, choose a photo by
Virginia A. Spiegel, Karen Stiehl Osborn, or Cynthia Wenslow
and choose a Fiber BONUS by a specific artist
from the following list of fiber artists.


Regular Foto/Fiber - February 16, 2012
Make a minimum donation of $50 and choose a photo by
Virginia A. Spiegel, Karen Stiehl Osborn, or Cynthia Wenslow.
Your Fiber BONUS will be chosen at random for you
from the following list of generous fiber artists.

Artists donating Fiber BONUS include: Natalya Aikens,
Frances Holliday Alford, Pamela Allen, Liz Berg, Sue Bleiweiss, Nancy G. Cook, Jane Davila, Vivika DeNegre, Diane Rusin Doran, 
Jane Dunnewold, Jamie Fingal, Leonie Hartley Hoover, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lyric Kinard, Susan Brubaker Knapp, Lynn Krawzcyk, Jane LaFazio, Susan Lenz, Jeanelle McCall
Linda Teddlie Minton, Karen Musgrave, Gail Myrhorodsky
Karen Stiehl Osborn, BJ Parady, Cate Coulacos Prato, Yvonne Porcella
Wen Redmond, Sue Reno, Lesley Riley, Cynthia St. Charles,
Susan Schrott, Suzanne Silk, Lura Schwarz Smith (with Kerby C. Smith),
Sarah Ann Smith, and Terri Stegmiller

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Introducing: 8 That Create!



For a while now I have been dreaming of working with a diverse group of artists who are interested in seeking out, organizing and creating venues for group exhibits both in person and online.   And so towards the end of last year, Jane DavilaJamie FingalGloria Hansen, Sue BleiweissLiz KettleCarol SloanKathyanne White and I teamed up to form 8 That Create.   Our mission is to support each other in our individual artistic journeys and to provide inspiration to others through our group exhibitions, publications, website and blog.  

We’re already starting to prepare for our first live group exhibition for later this year (details on that later) and we’re working on an online exhibition of work around the theme “empty spaces” which will debut in March.  We’ll be blogging about our 8 That Create initiatives on our group blog here.   We’re all very excited about our group and we’re looking forward to sharing our journey with everyone!

This is such an exciting beginning for the new year.  I feel that this collaboration will greatly enrich my artistic life.
I hope you will come along for the ride!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

I am bursting with excitement at the possibilities that 2012 holds!  I feel energized, ready to get into my studio and make art, and I look forward to crossing paths with many of you throughout the coming year.
I spent New Years Eve quietly at home with my husband.  Part of that time was spent working in the studio and contemplating the previous year.  I feel so grateful for all the opportunities that came my way in 2011.  I taught at a number of wonderful venues, filmed a workshop dvd for Interweave, and contributed work to the upcoming book, The Sketchbook Challenge, among other things.  It was so much fun to meet and work with so many great students.  I managed to make some of my own work, too, but it was admittedly a greater challenge because of all the travel.
The Sketchbook Challenge continues in 2012!  I hope you will consider joining us for the journey.  Several new contributing artists will be joining many of us who remain.  The year promises to be at least as great as the past one.  We start off with the theme of "Doodling" for January.  Who doesn't love to doodle?!
Are you a person who sets new goals at the beginning of the year?  Perhaps spending more time drawing could be one of them.  The SBC has been a great and positive influence for me, personally.  I think it might be the same for you!

On a completely different topic:  I spent some time at my friends' new property near San Antonio.  I was so inspired by the beauty and unusual rock shapes on the land.  I thought I would share a few recent photos with you.  I hope you will enjoy them.

I grew up in the midwest and all the rivers had muddy water.
Look at this water!  Gorgeous!  So are the mallards!

Can you see a gorilla face in the rocks?


Spanish moss overwhelms this gigantic oak tree.

Huge cypress trees line the edge of the river.

This is a huge branch of one of the biggest live oak trees I have ever seen.

Ahhh!  Life is good.