February 8th, 2010
Last night on superbowl Sunday I thought I would be a good American and try to watch the gamel with my husband. After eating too many chips and guacamole, and watching men run into each other I had it. I went back to my studio and finished working on a smaller version of my new piece. This piece is called Mama and Child. It is made up of my hand dyed fabrics, hand dyed and stamped fabrics, figures drawn with fabric ink which I then stamped over. The work is pieced, straight stitched and free motion quilted. I wanted to do a smaller piece to figure out a way to alter the fabrics that I drew the women on. I am very happy with the results and welcome feedback. You can click on the images for a really good view!
Mama and Child
Posted in at work in the studio | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2010
Hand dyed, hand stamped with original stamps, textile paints
work in progress
Original stamps, paints, pieced, my own hand dyed, original drawing with ink and prisma pencils
More work in progress
Original stamps, paints, pieced, my own hand dyed, original drawing with ink
Not much to say. Working.
Posted in 2010 Books, at work in the studio | 1 Comment »
January 18th, 2010
TOTE TUESDAY ACS FUNDRAISER
Themed totes for those who love
quilts, beads, fabric and fiber.
Unique, Beautiful and Inspiring.
Beginning Tuesday, February 2
100% to the ACS through FFAC
Virginia Spiegel is continuing her dedication to raising funds for the American Cancer Society. Virginia’s committment is contagious and this year the fundraiser included totes filled with all sorts of donated goodies for fiber artists.
ToteTuesday, a Fiberart For A Cause fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, will open Tuesday, February 2 and continue through March. It’s a fundraiser AND a showcase for everything that is fun and creative about the fiber arts.
ToteTuesday will feature themed totes filled with unique, beautiful, and inspiring items from the worlds of fiber arts, knitting, art quilting, mixed media and surface design.
You can expect totes offering original artwork, autographed books, hand-dyed fabrics, discharged, rust-dyed and painted fabrics, beads, gorgeous yarns, handmade journals, fun and useful materials/tools for mixed-media and surface design, certificates for online classes and much, much more.
Themed totes will include either a re-usable purple Relay For Life (the ACS’s biggest grassroots fundraiser) tote or a custom-made one.
There will be an auction from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Tuesday with a required opening bid with additional bids requested in $10 increments. There will also be a Go for the Gold! price if you can’t wait to own the tote AND want to be a champion supporter of the ACS. Any donation you make above the retail price is (upon advice from your accountant, of course) tax deductible. All donations will be made by credit card to the ACS through the FFAC donation page. You will receive an immediate receipt. All shipping is FREE to buyers.
You can check out some of the tote themes on Virginia’s blog. Some of the totes will include a selection of my fabrics. Be sure to join in on the fun starting February 2!
Logo designed by Jeanelle McCall of http://www.fivespoongallery.com/
Posted in Fiberarts for a cause | 1 Comment »
January 15th, 2010
I brought my work to the Director of the Flat Iron Gallery, in Peekskill NY. It is an old building in the downtown art section of Peekskill with small studios and a gallery run by Wendie Garber, Director. I asked my husband to join me and help me carry my work. He is always soooo supportive (in fact he has an ongoing exhibition of my work in his office in NYC). Wendy looked at my work and I am happy to say, she loved everything. So much so, that she offered me a solo exhibition. And so, in June 2011 I will be exhibition my work at her gallery. I will keep you all posted when I have more of the details of the date and times….but for now, I am a happy woman. One more thing to be grateful for.
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January 9th, 2010
My first acceptance for the New Year came in the mail today. I entered Autumn Gypsy Rose into the 2010 Juried Art Show at the Nathan D. Rosen Museum in Boca Raton Florida. The exhibition was juried by Jorge H. Santis and will open on Sunday February 28th and run through March 26th. Looks like a trip to a warmer climate might just be in store…who knows!
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January 9th, 2010
I am back home starting my day looking out my studio window, sipping my coffee, fed one of our three dogs, fed the cat and the rest of the family is asleep. Kripalu was priceless. Three days of constant yoga, nourishing and plentiful food, friendly folks and the opportunity to reflect upon beliefs that have kept me from experiencing the joy that I desire. Powerful healing. Laughter, some tears and the chance of a lifetime to be present with my daughter as she so gracefully moved from one beautiful pose to another…with intention, strength and courage.
Yoga with Elizabeth
Got back into the studio and went right to work on my gift for Cathy’s 50th Birthday. I am very pleased with the piece and hope it brings her happiness. I especially like the gold scroll quilting which I think brings a sense of importance to the occasion. I am going to bind, sign and add a sleeve to the piece and call her to arrange a date to present it to her. I will bring my camera to capture the moment.
Cathy's 50th birthday quilt without binding
Cathy's 50th birthday quilt with the detail center quilted
Cathy's 50th birthday quilt tree trunk and background quilted
Cathy's 50th birthday quilt with quilted leaves, photo and background
One last thought about my stay at Kripalu. I met a very special woman while I was there and she intuitively honed in on two thoughts for me to take away for the New Year: RECEIVE AND KINDNESS…….
Posted in New Year 2010, Yoga | No Comments »
January 7th, 2010
Kripalu cafe, sunrise over the Berkshire mountains
Last night as my daughter and I held hands and were part of a huge circle of people chanting, I just looked at her beautiful face and knew how blessed I am. We giggled between ourselves as we thought of how so many of her friends would react to her chanting in sanskrit….but we held hands and knew that for us, at this moment, it was right.
I am excited about the new work that will come forth from this experience.
I am starting my yoga teacher training at the end of this month and so this journey continues…
Posted in Yoga | 1 Comment »
January 6th, 2010
I am sitting at small cafe table overlooking the sun rising over the mountains in the Berkshires. It is peaceful and quiet. My older daughter and I are together at Kripalu for a few days doing lots of wonderful yoga, meditation and healthy eating. We even went snowshoeing yesterday for two hours in the forest and it was so much harder than I would have imagined. We are spending some time away from home, doing what we both love. I am seeing her in such a lovely light. There are not many 19 year old’s who would want to spend time at a yoga retreat with their mother, in a very simple environment with no bells and whistles. But, she “gets” it and I am so proud of her and happy for her.
Ah, the coffee bar just opened. The main dining room doesn’t serve coffee and for those of us who need that first cup of java, the coffee bar is the place to say “good morning”. I was here about 10 years ago and at that time things were much more spartan and pure (so to speak) and there was no caffein. I spent the entire weekend with a migraine. Try doing downward facing dog when you have a throbbing headache. This is so much more civilized, yes?
I am looking forward to lots of different yoga classes and time spent with my daughter today. The light is coming up behind the mountains, and the clouds are in motion…yes, it is good to take time away from what we normally do, to be in unfamilar places, to experiences new energies and environments. It nourishes me and brings me a sense of calm and balance.
I will try to get a photo tomorrow morning of the view I am seeing and experiencing. I would like very much to share it with you…whoever may be reading this.
Tags: Yoga and more
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December 31st, 2009
Woke this morning to snow falling and quiet all around. A perfect day to finish sewing the facing to my newest piece Andantino.
I have learned so much about myself while working on this piece. Patience, mindfulness, integrity all come to mind. I took NO shortcuts, understood that the process was what would bring me the greatest sense of accomplishment upon completion, and l let go of need for immediate gratification as this piece took about 8 months to bring to fruition. As I began to sew the facing down yesterday I was overcome with a deep sense of calm and personal satisfaction. I ran my hands over the quilt top and smiled, knowing that I put the best of myself into creating Andantino.
Andantino back
Andantino before facing
Andantino with facing pinned down
Andantino with facing before being sewn down
Andantino with facing hand sewn down
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December 27th, 2009
I began this piece back in May 2009 and have been working slowly and meticulously for months. Alas, the day is here when I can say I have completed the quilting. It has been a lesson in patience for me. There was no way for me to hurry through this piece. No way, to cut corners or get immediate gratification. In fact, it has been all about the delaying of gratification and more about staying focused on each and every little shape I quilted – changing threads and the constant ,constant ,constant never ending process of turning the quilt to quilt each little shape. It has been seven months of color, time spent alone, thinking through the moments of my life’s challenges and dreams and now, on this unususally warm winters day, I am at the end of this process. All that is left is the facing, sleeve, label and signing. I am planning on entering Andantino into an upcoming quilt competition and so, will not be posting full images of it so as to insure that I don’t break any of the rules about displaying work before submitting it for consideration into this exhibition. I can however, provide snippets to give you an idea of the intense quilting and construciton of the quilt and why it has taken me seven months to complete.
Andantino detail 3
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