Full body weaving...

I saw this image on Pinterest and I can't get it out of my mind.

It's taken from a workshop on "Recycled Sweater Potholder Rugs" by Crispina Ffrench in Pitsfield, MA. Maybe this is the seed for a new big project....hmmm.

It's been months...

Life goes on with all of its unexpected twists and turns. We never know what is right around the corner, do we? The way I see it, this is the ultimate (and usually unappreciated) gift.

I started this piece some time ago. It was inspired by my son and his "play gym". As I stuck my head under it and  along side him one afternoon, I was struck by the way it was a world within a world. At that time, he was just a few months old. If I took the gym with us, we could do anything. Need to paint in your studio for a couple hours? No problem, take the little world along and the babe will be happy content.

All of this got me thinking about my little world within the larger world. What do I distract or entertain myself with? What do I fixate on? Do these things really matter? What is going on outside that I overlook or miss entirely? It's a simple idea, really, but I think it is important to be aware and keep perspective.

This adult-size play gym is constructed from tent poles, foam tubes, and hand stamped and stained cotton. The quilt squares are around 20" x  20" each. (Overall dimensions coming soon.) This is my first attempt at stamping my own cloth. I used acrylic paint with textile medium in lieu of dyes (It was easier to start and stop over weeks and weeks...and safe to use in a living room next to a baby.)

 

 

Complete with distorting mirror to capture your gaze.



I also used Cleanline Inko Resist for the first time when stamping this cloth. It is awesome! It is a air-dry, water-soluble resist that is easy to use and gives great results for non-immersion dyeing/stamping/painting processes. More on that soon...

Time Pieces

Something new I have been working on...

 

 

 

 

Thinking about time passing and what remains...

 

These are made with vintage pocket watch cases from CockroachShop on Etsy and human hair(...and glue and patience!) The curly one is from my last dramatic haircut; the others are hair extensions I purchased.

Sweet Home Sweets

 

Sweet Home Sweets: Paper clay with watercolor, cellophane wrappers, found plate. Each house around 1" tall.  2012

 

I found the perfect plate for these in my studio debris. I am using the word debris because it is quite a mess. However, mess equals activity...so I am delighted. More to come!

Looking Around: Puur Anders

 

 

Every so often, I see something on Etsy that sticks with me....and I just can't stop thinking about this leaf. You can find it in the shop Puur Anders which features the work of Miranda van Dijk.

 

Maybe it is because it is autumn here in Kansas (at last!) or because I have a little baby changing before eyes or because of my love of cloth between my fingers...or all of these...this peice has grabbed my attention and won't let go. Changing seasons, passing time, fleeting moments, fading memories, death....ah! So much more than a brooch!

 

If you care to explore a little further, you can read the Puur Anders blog and visit the website. They are a treasure trove of inspiration.

Considering Scale...and Food?

Scale has been on mind lately. I am working on a big project again...though I vowed to "take a break from big" after dealing with transporting one my largest piece to date, Rag Rug,  across the country last year. Sometimes I just get big ideas though...what can I do?

Scale is important in art. The size of the work in relation to the viewer has an impact on how the piece communicates; how it feels; how it reads. If a piece towers over you as you view it, it it feels very different than if you can hold it in your hand. An object can go from cute to creepy to menacing depending on its size. Creating unexpected extremes can be a powerful way to grab attention and stir thought. While it is easy to automatically make work of a certain scale because of standard size materials or costs or space in which to work, it is important to remember that scale can be a powerful tool with which to communicate.

Since I have been thinking about all of this, I have been seeing examples of scale extremes all around me. It all started in the grocery store...

with the cutest (and most delicious) potatoes ever...and then it continued on Etsy

with giant fabric food textiles by Brook Abboud...

and then on thisiscolossal.com with the work of Christopher Boffoli

These scale extremes caught my eye...and gave me a grin. 

Looking Around: Amanda Blake

A great weekend is coming to a close here and I think I'll wrap it up by posting about Amanda Blake, an artist I discovered while browsing on Etsy. Check out these lovely paintings...

Clover followed her imaginary friend everywhere

Nigel and Lily embraced by the sea

Rebecca wore a dress of wildflowers

She made wings of love letters and cherry blossoms 

They built a life out of hope and flowers

Where she went in the night

I respond to the dreamlike, almost haunting quality of these pieces. The painting itself is beautiful...the muted colors and the dry, sparing way in which the paint is applied. Flat and imperfect patterns and flat perspective give the work a folky, honest feel. The figures are mysterious...gazing out at me...waiting? listening? longing for something? I am left to insert my own narrative. When I look at these works, I feel like I am  remembering a nearly forgotten dream.

You can see more of Amanda's work online on Etsy, on The Enormous Tiny Art Show, and on her website.