Trying to get ahead!

(Above: In Box LXXV. Unframed 15" x 11"; framed 19 1/4" x 15 1/4". Click on image to enlarge.)

Last Week after delivering all my newest "In Box" series and "Faux-stained Glass" series pieces to the Grovewood Gallery in Asheville, I figured that I ought to continue working on more of these works. I'm trying to "get ahead", to have a few pieces on-hand....in advance. Besides, I LOVE making these and have ideas for variations. So...over the past few days, I made In Box LXXV. It incorporates several animal skin printed polyester velvets. I've rarely used anything except the solid colors. The result has a nice tribal feel to it.

(Above: In Box LXXVI. Unframed 15" x 11"; framed 19 1/4" x 15 1/4". Click on image to enlarge.)

Then I made In Box LXXVI. The first layer of polyester velvet is entirely in shades of gree. The second used lavender and purple. I carefully planned where the 21 abalone shell beads would go before doing the free motion stitching. I bought these square beads at Bedazzled in Washington, DC months ago....a relatively expensive string of very, very attractive beads....just for this experiment. I worried that they'd appear "plopped on", sitting on top of the fibers, inadequately incorporated into the design....but I LIKE THE RESULTS.

(Above: My studio table...set up with tiny trays of cut letters, strips of printed and painted watercolor paper for "tags", acrylic medium to adhere the letters to the paper, handmade cording to attach the "tags" to the keys, a list of words, and a dictionary....because I'm not a great speller! In another life I must have been a kidnapper; I love collaging "ransom note" like text! Click on image to enlarge.)

I'm now finishing up four, small "Windows", faux-stained glass fiber pieces....but, in the meantime, I'm back to creating more tagged keys. The first 200+ are hanging in my exhibition at The City Gallery at Waterfront Park in Charleston and are available for cash&carry sales at just $15 apiece. Several sold during the reception and need to be replaced this Saturday when I present an "artist talk" for the local fiber guilds. I'm also arranging an opportunity to display my door unit and keys here in Columbia....in one of the big storefront windows of the Tapp's Department store on Main Street. The store has been empty for years and there's an effort to use it for the arts! I'm imagining all sorts of "Keys for the City" suspended around the door units....which means I'll need at least another 200+ keys....so I'm tagging keys again....trying to "get ahead" of deadlines and have plenty of work available for such an opportunity!