Fabric Art Workshop

I have almost finished the Fabric Art Workshop from the group Artists of the Round Table. One more exercise to go.

This is a piece of upholstery fabric free motion quilted onto a piece of felt. The felt is melted with a heat gun creating a lacy background.

Fabric Art Workshop

I am getting close to the end of the Fabric Art Workshop. I really have learned a lot by participating in this group. It made me try things that I had only intended to do. Does anyone else buy products and have them set for years before trying them out? I am so bad!!!

Commercial fabric over dyed with a marbled shaving cream technique, then stamped with a natural aspen leaf sprayed with a translucent paint and applied with a brayer.

OK - Back to Play I mean Work

Even though I am not done reorganizing my work space I am feeling optimistic. Today girlfriends and I took a sledge hammer and crowbar to one of my old work tables. Tomorrow two new ones (new to me) are coming in. I will have an eight by eight foot table space!

We tore it to bits to get it out of the house.

An empty floor for 24 hours.

I decided to join Seth Apters disintegration project so my piece is now in my backyard.

I did not roll things real tight because I have started sort of late and I want the weather to have a chance to do its thing. I also added strings and fluff for the birds. It is about nesting time here.

Finished and mailed my 22 ATCs for a swap. This is my first swap so I am enjoying it and excited to see every ones work.

Machine felted backgrounds with embellishments.
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Worked on my Fabric Art Workshop. I am really enjoying this and learning a lot.

Dyna Flow on silk (Lasagna dyeing)

Sun printing with Dyna Flow on silk.

Bubble wrap and Dyna Flow on silk.

Accordion pleats with Dyna Flow on silk.

Saturday I am taking another of Leighanna Light's workshops. This one is called "Funky Found Object Canvas Village". It also should help stretch me (maybe I could get tall and skinny). It is going to be held at Off Center in Albuquerque.

Last night I went to a local quilting chapter (New Mexico Quilters Association) and heard a lecture by Lauren Camp. It was exciting and I loved her Jazz series. It is interesting to see how different artists approach their work.

STIMULATION ON OVERDRIVE

It has been awhile since I have had time to sit down and visit my own blog. I had eight days of constant art stimulation. I am so tired but so happy. First. I did take my class with Leanna Light and had a great time. It introduced me to using metal in my art (aside from a little silver smithing I have not really used any).

Leanna on the right - getting us started.

My pieces at a very early stage. I will post them again as they are completed.

Girlfriend Ella, came over and we worked on the Fiber Art Workshop exercises together. It is always a day of giggling and great fun.

FAW(2) Hot glue on foil - then applied to quilt block. This is so shiny!

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Then my friend, Judy, made it down from Colorado. It was so good to see her and her husband. This was the first time in over twenty five years we have had an extended visit without having some outside influence on our time. I was able to introduce her to some of my mixed media passions and she helped me to get over some of my inhibitions regarding watercolor. We both did Zen Tangles for the first time. Her's were great, mine were OK.

I need a finer pen if I am going to work on ATC sizes.

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She fell in love with my felting machine. I think she will be a proud owner of one soon. I got some of my pieces trimed to ATC size. Now I need to embelish them.

The ATC's are a great way for me to use up the trimings of my larger pieces.

Another friend, Lynne, and I started on papercloth awhile ago. I pulled mine out and got the pieces done. I don't know what I am going to make out of it but I think it is kind of fun and funky stuff.

(muslin - matt gel medium - images on paper - matt gel medium - tissue paper - matt gel medium - paint - stamping)

We worked with watercolors a bit. It is just background stuff but I was able to keep my colors clear.

Pieces for my ATC workshop

water color on paper

Acrylic paint on paper towel

Pearlized paint on paper towel

Watercolor on baby wipes

We also started dolls. I have lots of parts that we made. I will show them as they get farther along.

MAKING MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE

I have put myself in the position of having to produce, I joined three groups. The one I talked about last time "Fabric Art Workshop", and "artist trading card workshop" by Bernie Berlin. These each have a weekly exercise so I will post what I do. The other is "creative every day". Theory is to create something everyday, right now the theme is play. I also committed myself to my photography exercise.

(FAW-1) Angelina fibers fused over a stamp.

(FAW-1) Angelina fibers fused, sliced, woven, fused.

(FAW-1) Angelina fibers fused, cut into bits, dropped on a bed of fibers, fused again.

(FAW-1) Shiva paint stick with stencil.

(FAW-1) Shiva paint stick shadowing (the soft black lines).

(FAW-1) Shiva paint stick rubbed over a texture sheet.

Today was our local mixed media group. Good friends, great show and tell, and yummy food. What more can you ask for?

Michelle Jackson is so talented. You might Google her name and see her work and patterns.

Some of you may know the lady on the top left. Elizabeth Dawson made a new quilt for her own bed.

I was looking out my window and realized how seldom I really looked at the bottles on my windowsill. Today's picture.

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I love blue glass.

No New Years Resolutions

On New Years Eve I thought about resolutions and decided that I want to do more and learn more. But I also want to be relaxed and enjoy life, so no artificial deadlines and lists.

I am joining a online workshop for the first time so I should have pics as I go along. I don't know the rules about giving out data on groups, so I will just say it is based on Susan Stein's book "fabric art workshop". I buy books, look at the eye candy, say I'm going to try it, and then go and buy another book and do it all over again. This workshop will get me to actually work with the different products that I buy instead of just collecting them. Can you tell I am sort of down on myself? I really do like myself and I enjoy my art but sometimes I get in a rut. Anyway, I have gathered my supplies and I am ready to start.

Let it begin

I also am working on a quilt right now. I have been creating wonky circles out of my bright scrap pile. I think it will be a fun quilt. I don't know how big it will be when it is done. I guess it will let me know.

my kind of colors

As I have said before I love working with scraps and recycle fabric and things. I have this wonderful source for upholstery scraps but I need some more ideas on how to use them. I make pillows and purses. I pull threads to use for couching. I fringe small pieces to use for emblishments. I use the fabric as background for some wall hangings. I needle felt it. Anyone have any other ideas? It is a gorgeous mountain of fabric. Taking this picture made me realize that I really do need to tackle it again.

inspiration needed

I was working with my Sweet Charity ladies this week. They were learning a new crochet pattern for making blankets to wrap still born babies in. I was watching their hands and realized how special this group is and what those hands have done over the years. Thousands of quilts, hundreds of handmade scarves and pillows have been made. They work tirelessly and then donate all their work to people they have never seen.

works of art