Through Our Hands

I'm totally thrilled!  Recently I was invited to be an affiliate artist in the international Through Our Hands group based in England.  My work was selected for the cover of the newest, quarterly magazine.  It is a free, on-line publication with 76-pages. This issue also features Maggie Grey, Sue Benner, Cecily Sash, Karen Goetzinger, Dijanne Cevaal (whose work I have admired for years and years!), Jane La Fazio and others.  CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE MAGAZINE! 

(Above:  Copy of the new cover!  Through Our Hands!)

I am truly honored to be part of this group organized by the incredible Annabel Rainbow (whose work was easily my favorite at the Festival of Quilts in 2013) and Laura Kemshall (whose work I was introduced to at the same show).  There's definitely a "pinch me" sort of moment about the entire acceptance.  I've been experiencing a new sort of happy energy and I think it is showing in some of the art on which I am working.  In the back of my mind, I feel freer to explore some of my more hair-brained ideas ... stretch the scope, size, and concept of my work.  Who knows what's next!

 Even though I have other blog posts this week, I'm linking this one to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays" ... because I'm hoping to share this wonderful publication and group!

Natural Dyeing and Rusting Vintage Garments and Material

 (Above:  My guest bathroom ... hung with some of the results of a hair-brained idea.  Click on any image in this post to enlarge.)

During the past month or so I've been enjoying the collision of several hair-brained ideas.  First, I've been thinking about the upcoming, February invitational art show Art From the Ashes which is being sponsored by Jasper Magazine.  This exhibit and literary publication will commemorate the sesquicentennial of Sherman's burning of our town during his infamous "March to the Sea".  I attended four lectures presented by expert authors and historians. Surprisingly, I've found the topic most inspirational. Lots and lots of work has come from this. 

Perhaps it is because the focus for this exhibition is NOT on the famous people involved.  As artists, poets, and writers, we've been asked to consider the marginalized people, the ordinary citizens and folks that lived through the night when cotton bales went up in flames and the morning brought piles of rubble in which only brick chimneys and iron nails remained of the former structures.

 
 (Above:  Pecan shavings ... after our 100+ year old pecan tree had to be cut down.)

The inspirations for the upcoming event collided with inspiration from my own backyard that was ignited when we were forced to take down the 100+ year old pecan tree.  I hated doing it but most of the tree was already dead.  What remained standing threatened the house.  Well, there was a pile of pecan tree shavings.  Most was turned into mulch but some went into an electric roasting pan I bought at Bill Mishoe's auction for $7.50.  (The lid was bent and didn't fit ... but otherwise it looked brand new.)

 

Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing at the time.  I just boiled up shavings in water, soaked threads and miscellaneous vintage fabric in the results, and wasn't particularly impressed with the results.  Later I read India Flint's Eco Colour.   It was an amazing book but I still haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing.  The book, however, gave me some rudimentary knowledge about alum being used as a mordant and that I ought not use the same pots and pans for cooking.  The book let me know that different parts of plants can produce different colors ... that different times of the year and different soil conditions can produce different results ... that some plants don't really produce a color at all ... and, most importantly, there was no mention of almost any plant growing in my backyard.  Basically ... I don't need to know much of anything.  Experimenting is a perfectly fine thing to do, especially since I'm not trying to reproduce any particular result!  I can just "go for it" !

  
 (Above:  Steve in our backyard.)

Conceptually, I started thinking about vintage garments stained with the colors of Columbia's soil ... Art from the Ashes ... visible indication of what it might have been like to experience a night of invading troops, drunken marauders, and flames spreading on the high winds of a winter night.  My mind imagined distressed, vintage sleepwear and undergarments.  I own these materials ... and now was the time to experiment with plants from my own, downtown Columbia backyard.
  
 
 (Above:  Two iron cauldrons and a roasting pan ... filled with 1) magnolia, 2) kutzu and oleander, and 3) rosemary.)

By this time, I'd acquired two antique iron cauldrons from Bill Mishoe's auction.  It's been so much fun to "play witch" during the month of October, brewing up the plants in my own backyard.  I also cut down Steve's two "pet weeds", which we learned were poke berry.

 (Cauldrons with vintage garments inside.)

The poke berry turned fabric an exciting fuchsia ... which mostly didn't stay pink. Everything else turned sort of black.  Eventually, all my separate solutions were mixed together.  Yet, black and shades of grey aren't too bad if one is trying to create a distressed look that emulates a night of fires!  Because everything was so dull, I brought out a cast iron lidded pot that was already starting to rust.  (Thanks, Mom!)  I'm good at rusting!  Just add white vinegar, sea salt, water, and old rusty things ... like nails ... my very favorite symbol.  Soon, I was getting the distressed look I wanted.  I'm still at it.  I'm hoping that these garments and damask tablecloth will inspire a larger installation.  Who knows?  It is during the process that the bigger picture occurs to me ... so I'll just keep going!

 (Above: Afterward I.  Scrap of a damask napkin with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

Into the vat of magnolia dye I threw some scraps onto which I'd previously rusted nails.  I liked the results and started ironing them ... and then scorching the fabric.  Eight pieces were finished, matted, and are now shrink wrapped.  Will they be part of the Art from the Ashes show?  Probably not.  They were simply "accidental" pieces that got made along the way.  I like them.  They truly show the "burning of Columbia" in a visceral way ... abstracted, symbolic, distressed, and now part of my inventory!  Below are the others!


(Above: Afterward II.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

(Above: Afterward III.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

 (Above: Afterward IV.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

 (Above: Afterward V.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

 (Above: Afterward VI.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

 (Above: Afterward VII.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

 (Above: Afterward VIII.  Scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Matted 20" x 16".)

 (Above: Detail of a scrap of silk with rusted nails, magnolia dye, and scorching.  Showing how each piece is simply stitched to the mat on which it is place.  Matted 20" x 16".)

Recycled bags!

(Above:  Recycled bags made from two spreads of Jasper Magazines.  I put a pair of scissors inside ... just for "show".  Click on image to enlarge.)

My work has been accepted into two unique, local but juried craft shows next month.  First is the Sustainable Midlands Holiday Show from 4:30 - 8:30 on Monday, December 1st at 701 Whaley Street.  Then there's Crafty Feast on Sunday, December 14th from noon - 6 PM at the Columbia Convention Center.  All the work must be "made by hand".  For the Sustainable Midlands show, it also must incorporate recycled, organic, or repurposed materials.  I'll have bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, and other small items in addition to other, framed artwork.  I'm looking forward to both.  

Last week, my husband Steve asked if I needed to order bags for customers to carry away these small items.  I almost said "Yes!" but something wasn't quite right with the idea.  Why buy bags that will be tossed away ... turned into "trash" ... especially for an event promoting recycling?  It just didn't seem right.  Then, I got a hair-brained idea.  I removed the staples from several back issues of Jasper Magazine, took two spreads, made a fold, zigzag stitched, and made a bag!  The side "not folded" becomes a "tab" to fold over the open end.  I designed and ordered a 1000-piece roll of peel-and-stick 2" x 3" oval labels to adhere over the tab!  (Uline charged less than $75 for the order, including shipping!)  It was fun to make these recycled bags ... selecting which pages would be on "the outside".   Can't wait to use them!

Through Our Hands ... Cover!

(Above:  Cover art for Through Our Hands Magazine ... featuring my installation Threads: Gathering My Thoughts.)

I'm totally over the moon!  Not only has my recent installation Threads: Gathering My Thoughts been selected for the cover of Through Our Hands Magazine but I've been invited to be an affiliate artist in this prestigious, international group!  It is truly an honor.  Check out the website!  I'll post again and provide an Internet link when the magazine issue comes out!  Can't wait!

Framed Keys

 (Above:  The Key to Harmony.  Inventory # 3243. 11 3/4" x 9 1/2". $80 plus tax and shipping, if applicable.  Click on any image in this blog post to enlarge.)

Although I'm always working on something I consider "major", I really enjoy making fun, small, accessible pieces too ... especially when I use recycled old keys!  I love keys!  I also love using my embellisher to create unique backgrounds onto which I can stitch each tagged key.  All fourteen pieces incorporate recycled materials ... from antique scraps of brocade ... to trim and vintage lace from Bill Mishoe's auction ... to leftover pieces of rusted doileys and damask ... to donated bits of fabric with lovely beading from cyber friend Margaret Blank in Canada!  (Thank you, Margaret!)

(Above:  Key to Peace.  Inventory # 3239.  Framed: 10 1/2" x 8 1/4". $60.)

I made these keys in order to beef up my inventory for the upcoming Sustainable Midlands' Holiday Sale on December 1st and the Crafty Feast show on Dec. 14th.  I'm very excited about these two events.  I've attended both these shows in the past but never applied to be a vendor until this year.  Hopefully, I'll have lots more handmade and recycled items to share during the coming month.  In the meantime, I'm listing my inventory number, dimensions, and prices ... because ... well ... they are "for sale" and were made with "holiday gift giving" in mind.  Yet, I hope no one thinks this blog is about "marketing" more than about "sharing".  It has never been my intention to blog for the purpose of drumming up business.  (This week I got blasted on an Facebook group because a price showed up on a post.  I left the group.) 

 (Above:  Key to Fame and Fortune.  Inventory # 3240.  Framed: 13 1/2" x 9". $80.)

Of course, if someone reading wants to make a purchase ... well ... great!  Just call or email me.  (803) 254-0842 or mouse_house@prodigy.net. Selling work has always been more of the "icing on the cake" than a reason to make anything.  There's a real "rush" when someone buys ... but it isn't the same feeling that brings me to my studio for hours on end.  It also isn't the motivation behind any of my installations.  Seriously, who buys things like my recent "thread" installation?  Selling is not the point!  I think artists can make both deeply profound and generally unmarketable work as well as enjoy making items that are right for gallery representation, craft shows, and for Internet sales.  As for me, making one type of work often provides the mental time to prepare for the other type of work.

 (Above:  Key to Freedom.  Inventory # 3247. Framed:  11 3/4" x 8". $70.)

So ... here are the rest of the framed keys made this week!  Enjoy!

 (Above:  Key to Happiness.  Inventory # 3252.  Framed:  11" x 11". $70.)


I am also linking this post to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site for sharing fiber arts.

 (Above:  Key to Hope.  Inventory # 3251.  Framed:  12 1/2" x 10 1/2". $70.)

 (Above:  Key to Knowledge.  Inventory # 3248.  Framed:  10" x 8". $60.)

 (Above:  Key to Life.  Inventory # 3242.  Framed:  7 1/4" x 6 1/4". $40.)

 (Above:  Key to Love.  Inventory # 3241.  Framed:  9 3/4" x 8 1/2". $70.)

 (Above:  Key to World Peace.  Inventory # 3249.  Framed:  12" x 8 3/4". $80.)

 (Above:  Key to Wisdom.  Inventory # 3245.  Framed:  10 1/2" x 8 1/4". $60.)

 (Above:  Key to the Unique.  Inventory # 3250.  Framed with bottle caps collected recently by my parents with a key that came from my sister Sonya ... who is definitely "unique"!  11 1/2" x 10". $80.

 (Above:  Key to the Future.  Inventory # 3244.  Framed:  10 1/2" x 8 1/4". $70.)

(Above:  Key to Respect.  Inventory # 3246.  Framed:  12 3/4" x 8 1/4". $80.)

TEDxColumbiaSC

(Above:  TEDxColumbiaSC presenters and performers.)

I've known about this wonderful opportunity for several weeks but had to wait for the "official" announcement and the release of this great photo by Brian Dressler ... and that announcement was just made in a joint release from TEDxColumbiaSC and an article by Xavier Edwards in the Free-Times. 

So ... it's official!  I'm a local TEDxColumbia presenter!

I join a stellar group of people who on January 19th, 2015 will be making presentations on topics as diverse as the preservation of our rivers to the committee's need for social services to new approaches in breast cancer research to .... me!  My presentation is called "Precious" and will focus on the reasons I use found objects and vintage materials in my artwork.  Each presentation is meant to "challenge the audience to reconsider how they interact with others and our world".  I hope people hearing my talk (which will be video taped and available later on the Internet!) will think about their own precious possessions, what makes each one "special", and especially what future they might plan for these items.  A month after I present, I'd love to hear someone say, "I used my china and silver just for the fun of it!" or "I labeled the backs of all my family photos" or "I pulled out everything from under the bed and shared it with my family ... all my memories". 

The presenters are all listed on the TEDxColumbiaSC website ... including an excellent new photo of me!  I even like it!

Some Day We Will Understand

(Above:  Some Day We Will Understand, Grave Rubbing Art Quilt.  38" x 32".  Crayon on antique child's dress with vintage lace trim and buttons; discharge cotton; dense hand stitching; vintage buttons.  Click on image to enlarge.)

I've been asked to be part of an upcoming invitational event commemorating the sesquicentennial of General Sherman's buring of Columbia.  The project is called Art from the Ashes and is being presented by Jasper Magazine and Muddy Ford Press in conjunction with One Columbia and Historic Columbia.  Ten visual artists, a film maker, and sixteen writers were invited to participate.  There will be a big exhibit at the Tapps Art Center in February 2015.  A book will also be published.

Obviously, a great deal of research is needed in order to creatively respond to such a historic theme.  To that end, there was a series of four, informal yet in-depth discussions led by leading historians.  I attended all four and also visited the Woodrow Wilson Family Home (which is here in Columbia ... and is also the only museum in the country dedicated to the Reconstruction Period.)  I love history.  The speakers were very, very good.  Now, it is time to make artwork!   

 

(Above:  Detail of the dense, Kantha styled running stitches over the entire background.)

My imagination was already deep into the sesquicentennial marking the end of the Civil War.  I am currently working on Stitching Together, a piece I will submit for a regional juried show at the McKissick Museum of Art.  I'm actually surprised by how inspired I am by a 19th century war. Why?  It's sort of strange; I'm a pacifist through and through.  Yet, I have several projects underway and I'm excited about each one.  I think it is the entire notion of history.  I'm fascinated by the concept of time.  I walk on streets where bales of cotton burned.  I grocery shop in a structure that was once the Confederate Printing Building.  I live about a mile from the State House and know the bronze star markers indicating where cannons hit.  A favorite restaurant was once the train depot, a military target and the passage out of harms way.  The Civil War is still very much a part of Columbia.  (Many say that the locals haven't surrendered yet! LOL!)  

I'm not a Southern but I'm also not a Yankee.  My Dad came to this country in 1952!  I don't  really belong here, but I've lived here longer than any other place.  The results of the Civil War are still with Columbia.  Heritage.  Hate.  It is all both familiar and foreign.  Trying to imagine life in Columbia during the week of February 17, 1865 is captivating, easy and difficult.  It is easy to imagine what one might do in a dire situation but it is nearly impossible to do without superimposing current values and lifestyles in the mix.  

During several of the four educational/research sessions, there was a time for questions and answers.  I asked: How many people died during the burning of Columbia?  No one really knows.  Where were the bodies buried?  No one was sure.  Who cleaned up?  Everyone just laughed and said, "Of course Susan would ask!"  The most reliable knowledge is that fewer than a dozen died, mainly Union prisoners being "freed".  They were probably put in the potter's field just west of Elmwood Park Cemetery, near the river, near my house.  The feminists in the group said, "The woman probably cleaned up!"  Of course, this is probably correct.  

 

(Above:  Brown, cotton Austrian dirndl material.)

I hate war.  Every person killed was mourned by someone.  There's just so many viewpoints on the Civil War ... slavery, state's rights, Northern aggression, economic considerations, international alliances, biased reporting, etc.  It's all highly opinionated, open to interpretation, and painful.  There are conflicting stories about the burning of Columbia too, even in the original source material.  Who burned all those bales of cotton?  Sherman's troops or the locals trying to prevent them from falling into enemy hands?  How much of the city was destroyed ... a fourth, a third, half, or as much as two-thirds?  It depends on who you ask.  All in all, it seems largely senseless to me ... plenty of reasoning but none of it completely sound.  

I knew the perfect grave rubbing to reflect my feelings:  Some Day We Will Understand.  It's not that I actually think this understanding might come to pass, but it certainly feels like the scholars and the historians and the people still tied to this history think that day will arrive.  Understanding war is like trying to understand death itself.  Some day.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  The grave rubbing went directly onto an antique child's dress.  I later added the vintage lace "belt" and two buttons.

I selected this brown dirndl material.  I bought it in the mid-1980s when I thought I'd make a dirndl using one of the popular Folklife patterns ... which, incidentally is still available ... #123 under Old Europe!  Somewhere I might still have the pattern but I know I'll never need it!  The thought of me making my own clothing is now hilarious.  It would have gone badly.  I loved the brown material though, still do.  The tiny floral design looks like cotton!  Perfect as the background for something intended to commemorate the burning of my town.  Yet, the color was too deep, rich, and vivid.  A few minutes in a bath of bleach and water and it was beautifully altered!   

(Above:  Bleached dirndl material with dense running stitches.)

The discoloration was wonderful.  I put a piece of recycled, black acrylic felt (former packaging for a kayak being shipped to my friend's outdoors shop) under it and started stitching.  I took it with me to Oregon and stitched in airports, planes, and in the rental car while Steve drove.  I used all sorts of threads and yarns. 

(Above:  Detail of the hand stitched background.)

The entire surface was covered in rows about 1/8" apart.  Okay ... I admit it ... I drew an outline of the garment on the material before I started.  My stitches weren't quite as tiny in the area that I knew would be covered up.  Still, I knew to stitch there too.  After all, this sort of dense stitching shrinks the overall piece considerably.  I wanted this background to lie flat!


(Above:  Detail of finished piece.)

Finally, I appliqued the garment to the background, blanket stitched the edges, and added the vintage lace and buttons. To finish it off, I used the same brown dirndl material for the reverse ... just a piece that wasn't discharged with bleach. 


(Above:  Steve holding up the work ... showing the reverse.)

Generally, I pin each piece to the gallery wall and photograph both the front and the reverse.  This time, however, I forgot the reverse.  Yet, I like seeing the proportions of it while Steve is holding it.  The back is special.  Why?  Well, in addition to the former dreams of a brown dirndl, it includes three pieces of crochet given to me by Ann Feller.  Ann was married to my Dad's first cousin John Feller.  (John passed away a few years ago.)  I used a large piece for the center.  These pieces are important.  Why?  Well, the dirndl material is really a "false back".  It is only attached to the front along the four edges (sort of like a giant pillow) ... until I applique on these vintage pieces.  I hand stitch them to the back ... but in the process I also pierce the black acrylic felt in the center.  Thus, all three layers become "one".

I machine stitched the title on one small piece.

I signed my name and the date ... but added "Crochet by Ann Feller".  Thank you Ann!  I am honored that you wanted me to turn these pieces into art.  It is wonderful to know that my family truly understands why I love these precious pieces!

I am linking this post to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site for sharing fiber art creations.

I Believe Anita Hill and in making new work!

(Above:  A group of young ladies under the "I BELIEVE ANITA HILL" sign at last night's 23rd anniversary party honoring Anita Hill's bravery, feminism, and the power of female networking!)

I haven't been attending the "I Believe Anita Hill" annual party since 1991 but several area women started this function twenty-three years ago here in Columbia, SC.  I've been going for the past several years.  It is a fabulous party, a great networking opportunity, and full of positive energy. It is wonderful to see the awareness being passed down to a younger generation.  Many of the ladies cheering for the keynote speaker and clapping for the professional video hadn't been born when Anita Hill testified.  The keynote speaker was only eleven years old.  The best photo op location was under the event sign.  I took the photo above ... and I don't know a single person in it but know each one shares something in common with me.  (To read more about Anita Hill and her courageous stand against work place sexual harassment, CLICK HERE.)

(Above:  Anita Garrett, Chief Strategy Officer at the Weathers Group ... a brand new friend.  Dolly Patton, Executive Director of the Saluda Shoals Foundation ... a friend for nearly twenty years ... and me.)

My friend Dolly met Anita Garrett earlier in the week at another business function.  I was introduced last night.  Making connections, networking, and supporting other, strong, focused women is what the evening is all about.  We are stronger together!

 
(Above:  The crowd at 701 Whaley for the "I Believe Anita Hill" annual party.)

Anita, Dolly, and I had to wait for our turn under the sign ... because the evening was packed with people ... mostly women but also a few, strong, supportive men.  I snapped the photo above ... of half the large room!  It was a great evening ... worth foregoing my studio for.  Ordinarily, very few functions can steal my precious studio time.

(Above:  In Box XLXV. Framed: 19 1/4" x 15 1/4". $225 plus tax and shipping.  Click on any image in this blog post for an enlargement.)

Fortunately, I did get plenty of studio time during the past week and managed to finish several new pieces.  I'm working hard to increase my inventory.  The American Craft Council shows in Baltimore and Atlanta will be here before I know it!

(Above:  In Box XLXVI. Framed: 19 1/4" x 15 1/4". $225 plus tax and shipping.  Click on any image in this blog post for an enlargement.)

(Above:  Lancet Window XLV.  Framed:  31 1/4" x 11 1/4". $375 plus tax and shipping.)

I know I want to make at least four more "Lancet Windows".  The unique size is perfect for odd walls ... especially ones sort of "ruined" by light switches or thermometers, etc.  Many collectors have homes that are quite filled with framed artwork ... but they frequently have a long, skinny place!

(Above:  Top section of Large Stained Glass Window LXI.)

I also finished a new "Large Stained Glass Window" and have yet another under construction.  These take hours and hours but the results are great!

(Above:  Bottom section of Large Stained Glass Window LXI.)

(Above:  Middle section of Large Stained Glass Window LXI.)

(Above:  Detail from the top section of Large Stained Glass Window LXI.)

(Above:  Large Stained Glass Window LXI. Framed:  66 1/2" x 22 1/2". $1200.)

(Above:  Window CX.  Framed:  17 1/4" x 15 1/4". $265 plus tax and shipping.)

(Above:  Window CXI.  Framed:  17 1/4" x 15 1/4". $265 plus tax and shipping.)

(Above:  Window CXII.  Framed:  17 1/4" x 15 1/4". $265 plus tax and shipping.)

I've also been busy with another hair-brained idea ... which includes my first attempts at natural dyeing.  I'm only using plant life from my own backyard.  I'm also busy rusting several vintage sleeping gowns.  Those images will be shown sometime next week.  I'm going to iron a few pieces before shooting pictures!


(Above:  Wade Sellers ... the new owner of Time Revolving!)

Another wonderful thing that happened this week was that my friend Wade Sellers selected Time Revolving for his personal collection!  This was my part of our trade.  I think I got the better end of the deal!  Wade is a real pro.  His equipment and staff are "serious".  His company, Coal Powered Filmworks is also a very well respected local business.  This summer Wade shot a segment on our South Carolina veterans returning to the shores of Omaha Beach for eTV.  His client list is significant.  I don't really want to imagine how much his normal charges for my video would have been. Wade shot, edited, selected the music, posted, and made possible the fabulous video called Threads: Gathering My Thoughts.  (CLICK HERE to see the video.)  I've already uploaded it to one of the "call-for-entry" sites and used it to submit an exhibition proposal. 


(Above:  Steve with his new "toy" ... a gigantic, flat screen, HD, "smart" television.)

We did make a significant purchase this week.  Why?  Well the twenty+ year old television (which had been my parents before we inherited it) "died".  My husband Steve is now very, very happy.  He tells people that we've finally arrived in the 21st century with this enormous, "smart", high-definition television even though it sits on the treadle sewing machine on which I earned my Girl Scout sewing badge!  As for me, I likely wouldn't own a television set.  Everything I really want seems to be "on my computer"! LOL!