real studio time

I was going to get started last night but I was pinned down on the couch by two cats and forced to watch a re-run of the 1991 World Series 7th game between the Atlanta Braves, my team, and a buncha guys with long greasy hair. After watching John Smoltz pitch a few clean innings I was overcome with boohoo at his defection to the Boston Red Sox. I mean, just how much friggin' money does a person need? Is there no loyalty left in the world? I abandoned the game and flicked over to revisit "To Kill a Mockingbird" and so there ended my creative evening. Here are the fruits of the morning so far. These critters are "Waiting for Wings". I'm still toying with the kid's book notion but for me a book has to put the story first. I don't want to slave over illustrations for their own sake and nothing is coming to me at the moment, preoccupied as I am with finding work and speaking of which I have an interview tomorrow. Cross 'em if you got 'em. This piece is going to involve a soy-wax resist and some dyeing but the house is too cold to even think about any of that right now.

Mad Moon

I'm looking forward the influence of this big 'ole moon that they are promising for tonight. Hopefully the incoming rain and clouds won't screw the viewing up completely. Remember this piece? For a while now, it's been staring me in the face from the design wall that's opposite my sewing table and it's subtle charm has been growing on me. I started a companion piece last night by building a damask sandwich that includes that very thick, heavy cotton felt batting. It will be a bear to sew through but the stitches will really "carve" the design deeply. How it's going to take to soy wax resist and dyeing remains to be seen.

Crash Test Dummy

I kid you not. All day yesterday I was in federal court doing a $PAID$ gig as a crash test dummy. Of course, the trial dragged on and I have to come back today to do my little bit. It's totally surreal! Update - more delay, dither and diddle in court, and so I will come back as a dummy again on Monday! Thanks all for the input on the critter series especially Terry - will you be my editor? Today, instead of whiling away the hours with Steven King, I will start work on my own book. Words, pictures and my voice. God help the kiddies.

Food Chain #1

I feel this one. And then I don't. So I won't call it finished but it's the fifth I needed for a deadline later this month. Some paint is called for and maybe more. Being locked into a 12"x12" box chaps my ass something wicked. There are three or four other pieces that were supposed to be a part of this group but I accidentally on purpose let the dimensions get away from the rules. Someone said I should use these critters to illustrate a children's book. Looks like I'll have to write this one myself.

Out with the Old

I meant to post this here.

Hope Rising

"Hope Rising" is on it's way to: Location: Cafritz Art Center, 150 King St., Silver Spring, MD

Dates: February 9 - March 5, 2009

Opening Reception: Friday, February 13th

"This show, organized by Susan Walen, comes from an all-volunteer,

grass-roots, multi-ethnic group of fiber artists from all across the

United States and as far away as Australia. Our work is in tribute to our

new President, in gratitude for the hope and inspiration he

has brought us. We present these art quilts at an unforgettable

historic moment in our country's history."

Live Humans!

Hopefully this is the last of my "making frenzy" pieces for a while. Not technically focused at all but I took more time than usual cutting the blocks to size and making some sense of them before nailing them all together. Thinking back (and wondering where the hell it might be) this one is just like Picnic In Hell and the Green Monster, which I know is in the custody of my son Jake. What sort of thing do you do when the muse fails or is on vacation and you just HAVE to make something???

"Pardon me while I have a strange interlude..."

and roll, howling, in the 24 pounds pounds of BOOTY that the FedEx man delivered to my doorstep today!!!! They say that the Good get what they deserve. I was never this good but I will try hard to be worthy. If you look hard you will see the source of all this treasure, my own personal Angel. That's Valdani thread there, and silk yarn and ultrasuede and imported Japanese prints and batiks and woven goods and, and....I'm foaming at the mouth and have to go upstairs now. Upon extensive examination, there is much more here than meets the camera's eye. The soft hand and terrific quality of the yardage has inspired me to imagine myself some new duds. I will be browsing patterns this afternoon at HoAnn's and taking the measurements of the adjustable ( heifer-sized) mannequin that's been set up in that department. There will be pictures!

New Year's Intentions

I've never been much for New Years resolutions. Generally speaking, they have a bad reputation for failure. Who wants to start the new wheel of the year wearing that yoke? As the day goes by I will be having more to say about it. Until then, I had a great post about the matter two years ago. Funny how little things change.

Happy New Year!

2008 was the year that Jim's life was saved. Nothing else matters.

Studio Day!

Hopefully, by this evening I'll have something creative to post about. For now, her Cranky Highness Madam Karma presides over kitchen chores on this rainy Georgia day - (I am very grateful to not be having real winter weather like much of the rest of the country) . One thing that I did get accomplished early this morning was to list my fiber and art books that have been languishing at Amazon. Here's the list. Most are new, some are quite esoteric. All were rescued from a private library that was forced to downsize. If you see anything that you are interested in, drop me a line and we'll work out the details.