Five Working in Fiber

I was invited to participate in a Fiber Art show with four other very talented artists. We have been planning as a group and working as individual artists for over a year now. The first show opens on February 1 at the Architectural Heritage Center in downtown Portland. You are cordially invited to attend the show and/or artist's reception.  If you are in the vicinity, do stop by.  We would love to see you. Here are the details:

And then there is this gem...

Doing some of this right now!

About a Stash!!!!!

Doesn't this just say it all...

SAQA Purchase

This little quilt that I made and donated to SAQA, an organization that supports fiber artists, was sold at the Houston International Quilt Festival. It’s always a little nerve racking to put yourself out there and you hope for the best. I was thrilled to learn that my work was one of the first chosen. I am glad that someone will enjoy it and that SAQA will benefit because they give a lot to me. I am looking forward to finding out who purchased it.

Creating the Backdrop

The fiber art that I enjoy most are the ones that make me look closely to see how a piece is layered, how depth is achieved, how color is moved. How I achieve this in my own work follows:

•  I start with a sketch. Generally on a plain piece of typing paper. 
• I create some sort of vague nine-patch,; no straight lines here, just roughing in. I use a nine-patch for the same reason the rule of thirds is so appealing in all design.
• I generally draw in another rectangle between the outside edge and inside lines.
• From this starting point, I begin to manipulate the individual lines to create a less structured space.
• I don't like the look of any line moving from top to bottom or left to right.
• I choose a light source. That is, where in this box will my piece be the lightest?  Just as if you are taking a photo and have a window casting light, where on the surface will the lightest place be. I prefer for the light to land anywhere be absolute center but plan to test this soon.
• After this decision is made,  I move around the diagram and mark individual boxes with value phrases. There are five: dark, medium dark, medium, medium light and light.
• I prefer to have the darkest values around the edge and to move from one value to an adjacent without skipping over a value in order to achieve a better flow.
• The darks are not totally around the edge. Near my light source the value will most likely be a medium which is dark compared to the light source value.
• Notice, I have not yet spoken of color.

Here is an example of a background created this way.

This piece is not yet finished as their are elements yet to be placed on top but I save that for a later date.

A number of years ago, when vacationing family reunion style in Durango, CO, my Sister-in-laws and I saw this piece of pottery. We fell in love with it and knew we had to gift our Mother-in-law. She is the mom to 10, add a handful of daughter-in-laws who claim her as theirs, grandmother to 27 and great grandmother to 14. (Although she really is just GREAT to all!)

Once again I don't know who the artists is. I didn't have enough sense to look for and keep that piece of information back in the day.

Draped Panels in The Charleston Airport

Killing time in the Charleston airport was joyful. There was a lot of wonderful art to look at throughout. Most have a river theme. At least that's how I saw it. Beautiful colorings and drapings and delight.I have tried to discover who the artist is but have not been able to. What a shame. If anyone in blogger land know, please let me know so that I can give credit here.

I love these draped panels the most. So graceful and elegant. The view changes as you walk around them. How sweet are they!