caesura

The box of flea market treasures arrived on Friday and I boiled and roasted everything. So far I'm not galvanized to bring on the colors. It's the heat and humidity for sure. The only time I feel at peace and comfort these days is when I'm in the pool but, hey, it's summertime. Everyone is feeling the dog days drooling. I feel like a surfer sitting on the board on a glassy sea only I'm not looking over my shoulder at the horizon for a wave to come. I'm looking at the shore thinking about paddling in, laying face down in the sand and listening to a ball game on an old transistor radio. I will pat myself on the head for polishing off a 2o item to-do list yesterday (so it took me since Friday, what of it?) including getting my Day of the Dead quilt sleeved and shipped off to the Everhart Museum and "Hope Rising"off to Dr Carolyn Mazloomi to be photographed for inclusion in her upcoming book and a touring exhibit. I'm also terribly flattered to hear that a certain Famous Artist intends on bidding all her golden choppers for a piece I donated to a certain auction to be named once the bidding starts. And here I will allow myself a rant. Kids here in GA are already back to school and the marketing is at frenzy level. This overhead on a local commercial radio advertisement. Young teen male whines "If I don't get those jeans I'm dead!" PLEASE go lie down in the weeds first so the vultures can clean up quickly.

oldies

One of the fun things about visiting with distant families is getting into their hoard of old photos. Now that I've scanned these, I promise to get them on their way back to you Rob. They are my Dad's parents, Charles Useted Sr. and Nellie Farrington Useted. If I have any art genes, they come from Gramma. She's the one who put the embroidery hoop in my hands and set me to bordering her entire closet full of pillowcases with cross stitching just to keep me out of her hair (and her sewing basket). Here's my Mom and Dad back in the Swinging Sixties I think. I was in high school when my Dad came to me and asked me for a recommendation on a "cool" place to go to in "THE VILLAGE". He meant Greenwich Village in Manhattan of course. I used to get on the train and be a tourist in the city so he thought I knew what was happening. I did not. So I innocently picked up a copy of the East Village Other and found an ad for a joint featuring someone named Tiny Tim. The add looked innocuous enough so I made my recommendation. I can still see my Dad all decked out in his Fair Isle sweater and loafers. Boy, did I hear about that adventure the next day! I'm fairly sure I know this fat little unhappy camper. They told me I could swim before I could walk because I was so chubby. Cousins, help me out here...do you recognize this baby? Ten bucks its Rosie behind the camera and me reaching for her with complaint, as usual. Mom was a dish. Kitty looks just like her.

the red Moon brings revelations

Sometimes vacations allow time for contemplation. This time out, there was little time but lots of good feedback from new sources on all manner of subjects. Did I mention that I don't get out much? For now, I will be concentrating on surface design. There's just too much blank raw materials in the world. The art will come back when it's good and ready. This is a scrap of silk about a foot long that's been worked with inks and alcohol. Kara and I found a 100% silk skirt at a thrift shop in Chappaqua. Off white, mid calf length and deeply pleated - I calculate close to three yards of exquisite fabric. Several embroidered antique pillow cases, sheets and some gauze-like woven silk dresser scarves bought for a song and a smile are coming parcel post. Also concluded - I have to take charge of my health before another moment passes. I canceled a trip to MOMA because I knew that by noon I would be needing an ambulance to get home. or a hearse. To friends and family who voiced concern over this last remark. Sorry to alarm you all.It's nothing new or exciting but it is the first (and last) time that my weight + my age has gotten in the way of my will. Can't have this crap happen again!

home

It was a great visit but I'm very glad to be back home. This was waiting for me out on the deck. And this guy was on the doorstep the night before I left New York giving me a sendoff. Some toughguy. I found a wiping rag stuck to the bottom of the studio sink and organized it a bit with markers and alcohol.

new friends & family

It's been great to meet and get to know new family members. This is Kara and Dallas.Can you tell Dallas and I are related? Here's my sister Kitty and her buddy Joe. When we got to the Stormville flea market I gave them a quick tutorial on what kind of vintage fabrics I was looking for and they scored big! Better yet, they are going to keep eyes out for my raw materials as they shop till they drop (a regular thing I'm told) in the future.

Finally, a break in the grisly weather if not some sunshine! There's been some stitching going on. Here's the start of another summer fling. This time I chose a hard road - for the first time all the applique work will be all hand dyed damasks. As pesky as it is to needleturn, the weight and drape of the results will be worth the trouble. My brother is preparing the traditional Useted family birthday cake for my sister Pat. It's an icebox cake made from chocolate wafer cookies stuck together with whipped cream. The Katonah Thrift shop is having a big sale (all you can cram into a bag for 1$!) and then it's off to Somers Manor to visit with Mom for while.

vacation post

túrána hott kurdís by hasta la otra méxico! from Till Credner on Vimeo.

packing post

I'm supposed to be packing but I have been watching reruns of Buehrle's ninth inning. Just wonderful! Stumbled across this total gem titled

"Historic, Vintage & Reproduction Home Decorating Fabrics: A Musically & Otherwise Punctuated Glossary of Textile Terms"

Do not pass on some of the vintage rock & roll music videos scattered along the way!

gasp! some art for a change.

I've put the last of the hand stitching into Gates of Grace and I'm happy, for once, at how the machine stitching and hand work came together this time. Usually, it's an all or nothing proposition for me. Now I have to give some thought about backing and finishing the edge. I was going to mount this one on a canvas but handling it all this time has given me second thoughts. I don't even want to iron it because I don't want to lose the dimensional quality it's come by from layering six or more separate pieces of fabric. There is a discussion going on the SAQA list at the moment about quilts that suffer from the wavies looking unprofessional. I disagree. No one asked me but when I've seen pieces like that on exhibition I'm reminded in a nice way that a.these are quilts and, b. these are pieces of art made from cloth and, c.beating cloth into two dimensional submission is not part of what I'm looking for in fiber art, mine or anyone Else's. You can block a piece until the cows take up the bagpipes but temperature, humidity and handling are going to have their way with textile to some degree unless you mummify it with plastic or nail it down to canvas and wood. It's just cloth being true to it's reason for being. It was originally designed to live, breath, flex and conform to a three dimensional purpose. I like to let it be once I'm done fooling with it. addendum - see the side bar for two auspicious and delicious cards I pulled to contemplate this day.

Reaching back and reaching out

Stumbled across yet another online marketing opportunity this morning and spent a little time rummaging through old files to post these images where someone else might see them. At least I know for sure where this one is physically. See more online here at ArtBreak "Giraffe Crossing Against the Light" (145 x 87 cm)

SAQA Benefit Auction

I donated "Food Chain #3" to the SAQA Benefit Auction 2009 One Foot Squares. The Auction will begin Thursday, September 10th, 2009