The Bloody Shoe & The Quilter's Prayer

For lack of anything artistic to report this morning, I'm going with News of the Weird. Some time ago I posted this photo-shopped image of a shoe. I bought them online and sadly, the fit was wrong for me to the point of pain but it wasn't quite this bad.

Nothing like a little drama and blood to draw a crowd. There's a huge group of folks out there who seem drawn to this picture like it was an image of the Virgin Mary on a Dorito. Go figger. Have a ball guys!

And the runner up in the hit parade? My Quilter's Prayer, which, btw, didn't prevent this particular piece of hand dyed cotton from winding up in the recycle bin in my studio. Bits of it are in pieces all over the place. As a whole piece, the prayer failed it but I have often snatched up a chunk, cut off what was needed and given thanks.

Cold 'Lanta

It's sixteen whole degrees outside and not a whole lot warmer in the house. Even the furred folk are happier under the covers. To provoke Spring, I've started the handwork on my latest garden quilt. At the new job we don't have assigned seats so, gypsy style, you squat where you can when you get there. Yesterday I had a bad chair, a flicker-y monitor and bad lighting so hand work was out of the question. Pray for a window seat today.

Thanks Arlee...

My photography is not getting crappier. My camera is starting to have issues. I'm going to leave this on the design wall and stay my hand for a while. Less is more. The hole in the center where nothing lives provokes me eye. I had all kinds of snide and entertaining notions to share about the new job but, right now, I'm not feeling the comedy of things but I am feeling deep gratitude for the generosity and kindness of (almost) strangers. The Card of the Day is Strength and there I abide.

Flourish continues

The time I have to do artwork is so precious all of a sudden. I spent most of this morning in the studio working on Flourish. they have an orchid feel to them although I've never given a real orchid a good hard look. They look more like creatures of some kind than plants. They sell orchids in the grocery stores down here, the most expensive things in the produce department. I'm going leave off with this now cause I've stopped feeling joyful about it - got a cold brewing I think - don't want to run off the rails the way I tend to when working past inspiration.

a flourish of progress

Stabbing myself with pins while laughing at "Two & Half Men" has become part of my routine. I'd like to say I'm going up to the studio to spend some time with this but truth is, the job got to me today and I am just plain tired and I don't want to make any commitments with needle and thread that I'll regret come Saturday. Instead of nattering about the job, I will tip my reading list to the late John Updike, rave about Slum Dog Millionaire (OH! the Textiles!) and the latest issue of American Style Magazine (featuring one of my favorite artists, Eleanor McCain) - in my mailbox 'cause I'm a 9/10ths member of SAQA. Long story for another time.

works in progress

I've been fascinated with Tricia McKellar's "Flourish" series and noticed akinship shapewise with a new piece I started last month. Tricia has generously granted permission for me to interpret her work in my medium. Yesterday, I isolated the stitched shapes with soy wax and got it into a dyebath. I wanted a neutral gray but, as any attempt at black in whatever concentration, you get what you get. In this case a rather nice dusty lavender that will work well in the long run. From here there will be much applique and dimensional work, both hand and machine stitching. Given my new schedule, some real slow cloth in the works. And finally, I finished the last of this set for another summer garden quilt. I think the border/edge on this one will be a series of overlapping leaves. That should take me through April or May.

Personal Archaeology

I started digging out our walk-in closet today. You can put an awful lot of crap in one of those construction weight black plastic bags, but then you have to lift it up. I was appalled to find that much of the clothing I was getting rid of would be rejected by Goodwill. I made the mistake of going through an old art portfolio that I have been dragging from closet to closet for some forty years. A lot more crap went into the bag. Why do we keep some things? Seems as if creatures real and imagined, dark views and riotous colors have always been part of my art heart. This was our cat Moses. Probably the only time I've ever been able to capture a real likeness.

The Wheel of Life

It turns for us all.

No, I have not "run oft" with pirates. I have lately been consumed with the logistics of returning to the rat race. I couldn't do it without the love and support of my family.

So far it's a day-long proposition but if and when I get past the training period I will have some time for the studio again.

In the meantime, I put myself to sleep at night putting the finishing touches on a few of the summer quilts and making notes and sketches for future projects.

I've reinstituted my practice of turning a Tarot card while sitting at a light in traffic. This morning - the Queen of Cups.

I have been both chastened and enlightened.

Wild Baby Blue Launching Pad

Between setting up electronic banking stuff, general correspondence and the usual ether-wandering I feel like I've spent the better part of the day on the computer. It's stuff I won't have the idle time to do starting tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to starting the new gig. Feels like the first day of school. I'll still find the time to do as much as moves me in the studio only it will be as the schedule says I can. Maybe I'll be more productive with someone else setting up the whens. I finished this little quilt off last night and gave it a good thrash in the washer and dryer just to make sure it's fit for public opinion. It is. An heirloom in waiting, I've just posted it over at my Etsy place just to see what sort of traffic it brings. I've let that little cyber shop languish a long time. There are detail shots and lots of marketing babble over there too.

Changes Afoot

The painting does not go well. A much as I wanted it to, it never did for me. I can only think of one canvas that, once finished, satisfied me. In dim recollection, it was something I dashed off as decoration for the new nursery, some thirty years ago and so had an important purpose beyond my mere need to fling colors around. All the hard edges that we create when piecing fabric become impossible boundaries when recreated in two dimensions with paint. So far,I've only painted ground colors. The need to have to fashion the effects of the texture of fabric and stitching with paint confounds me. Once the studio warms up, I'll give it another go before I gesso over the whole mess. On a completely different note, I'm delighted to have found a full time job. It's going to be familiar - when AT&T dragged us from NY to GA I spent three years of hell taking inbound telemarketing calls - but there won't be any "marketing" in this position. There's room for advancement - my IT skills and experience were noted, and so, back into the workforce we go! I am deeply grateful.

Crossing back over to the darkside

It's been thirty years since the last time I painted a canvas. I had to open some of the paint tubes with a pair of pliers. Jimmy gave me this easel for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. What did he know that I didn't. I had the alligator dream again last night. It was either paint or start looking for drugs. I made this piece while waiting for the paint to dry. It's going to be one of the book's pages I think. Some people are better at waiting than others.