It has been quite some time since I have written on my blog. This weekend, along with most of the East Coast, I tried my best to stay calm and dry at home as Hurricane Irene consumed all of our attention. Safe at home, I caught up on the many pleasures that make my world meaningful including some get down and dirty artwork in my studio, knitting, completing my Yoga PowerPoint presentation and addressing postcards for an upcoming exhibition. I also completed an infinity scarf for one of my daughters. I think Hurricane Irene had a lot to do with my productivity, as I felt a natural desire to stay home and “do” all of these things without experiencing the pull to be outside that summertime often elicits in me. Instead, I reveled in the coziness of hunkering down at home with my husband, three dogs and kitty. Hurricane Irene arrived and we watched and prayed that none of the trees surrounding our home would fall. Miraculously, not one did. Many of our neighbors and friends however, were not as lucky. We walked around our road following the Hurricane only to see downed trees and many homes without power. Fortunately for us, we were unscathed and truly very lucky.
During the Hurricane, my husband and I watched a private screening of my younger brother Paul Ben-Victor’s new movie Should’ve Been Romeo which he produced and stars in. It is also co-written by my mother Leah Kornfeld Friedman and features many marvelous actors including Ed Asner, Carol Kane and the young and delightful English actress Kelly Osborne to name of few. Run, run. run to catch it when it opens this fall. You will laugh at loud, tear up and feel good all over.
Not one to keep my hands still, I completed a cropped jacket with beautiful wool I purchased while in Lenox, Massachusetts during my yoga teacher training last winter. There is a stunning store run by fabulous women who were kind, creative and supportive. The name of the knitting store is Colorful Stitches and if you are ever in the area, it is worth a visit.
Knitted cropped jacket
Up in my studio I pulled out paints and white cotton fabric and without much thought, began to play with found objects and did some surface design. Not much to say except it was fun. I used some of the wooden printing blocks my older daughter brought me back from her trip to India earlier this year and was actually very pleased with the quality of the print. The elephants and flowers are crisp, clear and clean. I am already thinking of ways to use these new fabrics for my Ruchel series. I also experimented with stamping and rubbings.
Printed fabric
Printed fabric
Stamped fabrics
Surface Designed Fabric
Although the sky was dark, it was still safe to venture out to the mailbox where I was thrilled to see that postcards arrived for the upcoming group exhibition at the Lazarus Gallery in New Rochelle and saw that they selected my piece “Fiddler on the Couch” as the postcard image. This is a first for me and I am most honored. I am looking forward to the opening reception, meeting the other artists (some who I already know and admire) and seeing the the exhibition hung. The Exhibition is at the Lazarus Gallery and the title is : Reflections: Familiar Stories/New Forms. It runs from September 19th-December 12th 2011 at: United Hebrew The Lazarus Gallery, 391 Pelham Road, New Rochelle, NY. Opening Reception is Sunday September 25th from 3-4:30 PM.
Postcard Reflections:Familar Stories/New Forum ~ Fiddler on the Couch
When it rains it pours….oy vey, not the best pun to use following Hurricane Irene… I also learned that my piece “Tree of Life” is one of five that make up the cover of the soon to be published “Jewish Threads” which is filled with many, many beauitful Jewish themed projects. You can find my “Tree of Life” pattern in chapter one! It is published by Diana Drew and It will be available in October of this year and I can’t wait to see it and to try out many of the other projects in the book. There is a book signing this fall in Peekskill, NY and I look forward to being there. Here is a sneak preview of the cover:
Jewish Threads Cover
As the day wore on and the sun set, my husband offered me a lovely glass of white wine and after getting dizzy from ripping out way too many rows, I completed this lace patterned infinity scarf for my younger daughter. It was rough going, but worth it. Now that I the pattern and rhythm down, I just may make another one!
Infinity Scarf
I am heading back to Kripalu to faculty assist Jurian Hughes and Jovinn Chan this weekend and am counting the days until I get back to my home away from home: Kripalu!! Then off I head to Utah to lecture and teach Yoga to folks there about the benefits of Yoga ~ the mainstay and foundation of all my work. Looking forward to sharing news about my upcoming Yoga website and business in the coming weeks. Namaste, Susan
