Original Pink

This cascading wall of ivy covers an entire side of a garage down the alley from my house.  The colors were gorgeous this year and swept me away.  The pink silks came off the shelf in the workroom.  Right now I can't get enough of pink.  But, look at all the variation in the colors of this vine, delicious mix of pink, deep pinks to purples, greens to gold.  I am awed and inspired by color splendor in the natural world.  Sometimes when you look more closely you find unexpected appeal in a color mix that in life you're taught 'don't wear those colors together',' those colors clash' or those colors as in pinks and blue have certain connotations - baby colors - that forbid putting them anywhere else.  I am intrigued with the unexpected, the contrary and am moved to work it in fiber.   There is more here and I'm not done.

Driftless Area Art Festival

So honored to have my work recognized this year at the Driftless Area Art Festival.  So many fine artists in one place, it is humbling, unexpected and Amazing!!!  to be singled out for an award.

Thank you to State Street Gallery in LaCrosse, WI for sponsoring the Merit Awards.

I believe this was the piece that got the attention.  I had it on a dress form, the judge studied pretty well.  The following photo of a monarch caterpillar in my back yard is the inspiration.  All you have to do is look to nature to see the most beautiful colors The pattern is an 8-Harness Twill that  reminded me of 'eyes' in a peacock's tail feathers.

A picture of my booth at the art fair.  

Process

The Warp

Winding it on

Finished.  Ready to wear!  OK - lots of process steps were skipped in this post.  Sometimes you get into the work and you forget to take the pictures 😐

Just Garden

Saw this and the petunias at the same time.  Color inspiration comes out in a piece created on the loom.  Sometimes you don't even know what is in your head and what inspires until it is finished.  And then...discovery.  What is all around floats in your head and out it comes in the touchable.

Walking out and seeing green and blooming flowers can make a sad day happy, if you're angry your mood magically changes just to look at a growing, blooming creation.  Nature for what ails.

Ephemeral

Latest work with wool crepe and linen using a Lotte Dalgaard inspiration.  The crepe and linen collapse after a finish soak in hot water.

Textured landscape

Tencel added to linen and crepe.  Muted, ephemeral, the colors of spring in the air and in my head.

Sun shining through the threads of newest jackette vest and wrap.  Ready for the Winding Roads Art Tour May 20 and 21.   Artist studios and lots of art will fill the weekend tour through the Driftless.

March Musings

Ordered more heddles and warped up an 8-harness Undulating Twill,  lots of texture to love.

Macy's in the Mall closing.

Good words from Abraham Lincoln.  Our first stop on our 10-day road trip we stayed in a B&B, the Flagg House outside of Springfield, IL.  We spent a day with Lincoln and family at the Lincoln Museum and the neighborhood the family lived in.  The neighborhood is a National Park.  There is an ambiance, a feeling, a character in this place of the family Lincoln.  The 17 years spent there were maybe some of the happiest times for this family who experienced unimaginable tragedies.

This campground is in the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky, we had it to ourselves, it was grand.

Our destination was the Gulf Shores, Fort Pickens National Park.  

The beach at sunrise, for the birds.

When we left home the ground was covered in fresh white snow, the warm white sands of the beach was divine to stick toes and fingers into.  What could be better?

Love Pelicans!  Took this from the ferry to Dauphin Island.  

Heading North and home.  So great to get away.

Artist Inspired Art

I am a member of an artist cooperative, VIVA Gallery, in a town called Viroqua in southwest Wisconsin.  In January we hold a member show.  The theme this year is 'Art Inspires Art'.  My Inspiration is Sonia Delaunay, painter and textile artist.  I am in love with her work.  She is most known for her bold pattern and color.  Her textiles, big geometrics and an amazing color sense is the reason I choose her as my inspiration.  I ventured into Doubleweave with this project.  I have been reading and looking at it, trying to figure it out and get brave enough to try this weave method and so to begin this new year I dove into it.  I can read all about it but until I get it onto the loom and actually weaving it I don't begin to understand how it works.  There is a lot here to try.

First - a bow to my muse with a minute sampling of the prodigious work of the awesome Sonia Delaunay.

The doubleweave off loom and after trepidatious cutting.  I love it!

Woven in 100% cotton, 1200 ends.  A big, intimidating project that a couple of times I was sure it was not going to work and would have to be "whacked"  (words of my friend Barb).

Now that I've done it once, I can do it again.