Going to TEXAS !!!

(Above:  Nine new Relics.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

Last week was SO EXCITING!  My Found Object Mandalas were accepted into the Smithsonian Craft Show. (April 20 - 24)  I was Booth 507, a 10' x 20' foot space surrounded by 119 of the best craft artists in the USA.  Several pieces found permanent homes. I reconnected with friends and met lots of new people.  Steve and I drove home on Monday, unpacked on Tuesday, and did necessary "paperwork" (like paying the DC sales tax) on Wednesday.  There were plenty of other things that were on our "immediate to do list" because we are actually leaving town again!  Tomorrow, we drive to Greenville, Georgia for the reception for my solo show Once & Again at Artisans on the Square. Then, we drive to the Atlanta airport for a flight to San Antonio, Texas.  Our plan is to take a rental car to Big Ben National Park, go hiking, and return for two days in San Antonio.  

(Above:  Relic CCLIX. Framed:  11" x 8 1/2". $75. Each Relic is layers of polyester stretch velvet fused to upholstery fabric with free-motion machine stitching, hand stitching, and beading.  This one does not have glass ... because it doesn't need it!  

Despite having so much to do, I haven't been neglecting my embroidery.  I started these nine Relics before leaving for DC and finished them earlier today.  Generally, I make them while conducting a workshop but there haven't been workshops for two years due to COVID-19.  With workshops coming up, I decided to make a few more.  They serve as examples plus ... THEY ARE FUN!

 

(Above: Relic CCLVII.  Framed: 7" x 6 1/2". $60. No glass here either.)

 

Thankfully, the world is starting to return to in-person events ... including me teaching at QSDS in Ohio in June and at Aya Fiber Studio in Florida in December.  I'm also busy stitching Christmas ornaments ... because ... well ... the holidays will be here soon enough. 

 

(Above:  Me in Booth 507 at the Smithsonian Craft Show.)

Before showing the rest of the Relics, here's two photos from Washington, DC. 

(Above:  Steve and me at the Jefferson Memorial on Sunday morning ... before the last day of the Smithsonian Craft Show.)

Below are the rest of the recently finished Relics.  To purchase, just drop me an email at mouse_house@prodigy.net.  The price is before SC sales tax (even on out-of-state transactions ... because South Carolina is just one of those pesky states) and before shipping.  I can't ship until I return, but I can estimate the shipping and send a PayPal invoice beforehand.  It is amazing just how much technology has changed our world and how much one can do even on one's cell phone!

(Above:  Relic CCLXVIII. Framed: 9" x 7". $60. No glass.)

(Above:  Relic CCLX. Framed: 12 3/4" x 10 3/4". $75. No glass.)

(Above:  Relic CCLXI. Framed with mat and glass: 17" x 11". $100.)

 

(Above:  Relic CCLXII. Framed with mat and glass: 12 1/2" x 11 1/2". $100.)

(Above:  Relic CCLXIII. Framed with mat and glass: 14 3/4" x 10 3/4". $100.)

(Above:  Relic CCLXIV. Framed with mat and glass: 13 1/4" x 12 1/4". $100.)

 (Above:  Relic CCLXV. Framed without glass: 6 3/4" x 6 3/4". $60.)

Mandala CXXIV

(Above:  Mandala CXXIV. Custom framed: 30" x 30" when hung as a square; 43" x 43" when hung as a diamond. Found objects hand-stitched to the center of a vintage, applique quilt.  Found objects include:  a stainless trivet; a brioche mold; a red Tinker Toy connector; green, lilac, and red, plastic bottle caps; gold flatware; clamps for fluid/IV type bags; wavy hair curlers; jingle bells; four white-and-red toy wheels; white, leaf-shaped party favor containers; expired medical devices in clear/green plastic containers; four, gold shank buttons; assorted flat buttons.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

One of the most amazing things about my Found Object Mandala Series is the generosity of others.  People have sent all sorts of things, even vintage quilts.  This quilt came to me in the mail from a kind lady who was down-sizing before moving to another state.  The quilt was something her mother bought and passed down.  It had a label with an embroidered date: 1965.  Over the years, this quilt had to been well loved; it was well worn.  Thankfully, I put a layer of bridal tulle over all my Found Object Mandalas.  Thus, the frayed parts are protected.

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXIV.)

Yet, the quilt is not the only thing that was donated to my creative endeavors.  I was given the red Tinker Toy connector, the four toy wheels, the brioche mold, all the plastic bottle caps, and the unusual "green things".

(Above:  Clamps for fluid/IV type bags sent to me by my cyber friend Ann Scott.)

The "green things" came from my cyber friend Ann Scott.  I had to write to her and ask what they were.  All I knew was that they were a gorgeous green that added so much to this piece!

(Above:  The clamps for fluid/IV type bags ... in use!)

Ann sent the photo above.  Now ... how cool is that? !!!  (By the way ... I've got more of them!)

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXIV.)

Ann sent these "green things" recently.  My friend Nancy Cook, however, sent the white, party favor containers months ago.  I'd tried to use them several times but they were simply "too white".  Sure, I could have painted them but I sensed that there would come a better piece in the future.  This was definitely it!  (And ... I've got more of them too!)

(Above:   Mandala CXXIV, hung as a diamond.)

Despite having a nice stash of found objects for future Found Object Mandalas, I will not be stitching on a new one for more than a week.  Why?  Well ... half of them are headed to Artisans on the Square in Greenville, Georgia for a solo show.  They get delivered on Saturday.  The other half are headed to next week's Smithsonian Craft Show, April 20 - 24, in Washington, DC.  Steve and I will be using this week to build crates to transport the artwork safely.  We are also tying up some of the loose ends to other, major projects.

(Above:  Me with the 150 original fiber artworks for the individual guest rooms at the Columbia Cambria Hotel which is currently finishing up construction and heavily into completing each and every room!)

Just this morning, Steve and I delivered my 150 framed, original guest room pieces to the Columbia Cambria Hotel.  There's more to come regarding my creative involvement with this project ... and I'm excited!  So far ... April has been busy and promises more of the same!

Mandala CXXIII

(Above:  Me with Mandala CXXIII.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

This Found Object Mandala is BIG!  When it was stapled to the larger stretcher bar, it was difficult for me to reach to the center and stitch the brass rooster trivet onto the underlying stainless trivet.  It was, however, worth the effort!  This piece also went through an "ugly phase", a time when I didn't think the vintage Drunkard's Path quilt was going to be visually pleasing. Yet, by the time I was finishing it, the balance between the found objects and the quilt worked out perfectly!

(Above:  Mandala CXXIII. Custom framed: 43 1/2" x 43 1/2". Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage Drunkard's Path quilt. Found objects include:  a brass rooster trivet; a stainless trivet; plastic forks and spoons; a "Barrel of Monkeys"; carved, wooden mules/donkeys; silver brioche molds; violin-shaped, plastic Christmas ornaments; large, wooden dominoes; orange, plastic circles cut from a six-pack beer yokes; neon green, plastic lids; red Tinker Toy connectors; decorative, copper baking molds; laminated Tampa Nugget cigar bands; assorted beer caps; felt hammers from an old, broken Steinway upright piano; keys; copper-colored, aluminum can tabs; Peet's and Starbucks single-serve coffee pods; brown rings of unknown function; and buttons.)

I am in debt to lots of people who have contributed to my stash.  THANK YOU ... each and every one of you!  Special thanks, however, goes to Brian Cuthrell, an archivist at the South Caroliniana Library.  He's been helping his Dad sort through the things his mother saved.  I hope she is looking down from heaven with a smile, seeing so many of her former keepsakes being transformed into art.  One of the things she saved was the Barrel of Monkeys which truly inspired this mandala.

(Above:  The vintage quilt used for this mandala.)

I've had the Barrel of Monkeys for several weeks.  I tried to use these colorful, plastic monkeys several times but they weren't quite right ... until I ended up with this Drunkard's Path quilt.  There was just something about "monkeys" and "drunkards" that just had to go together.  The odd assortments of colors on the quilt made it easy to cut too!  Seriously, the woman who made this clearly ran out of some of the materials!

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXIII.)

I am already stitching on the next mandala but it might be the last one for several weeks.  Why?  Well, Steve and I are very busy building crates and preparing for both a solo show at Artisans on the Square in Greenville, Georgia and for the Smithsonian Craft Show.  It's an exciting time!

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXIII.)

Brian's mother also saved the plastic forks and spoons.  There's no doubting that they came from the 1970s.  When else would one find harvest gold, avocado, and rust colored disposal utensils?  I am truly grateful for people like Brian's mother and for his generosity!

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXIII.)
 

Mandala CXXI and CXXII

(Above:  Mandala CXXI. Custom framed: 17 1/4" x 17 1/4".  Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt. Found objects include: miniature teddy bears; lids from vintage cans of Hoppe's gun clean-up patches; old keys; brass grommets; eight, small cookie cutters; and a plastic centerpiece of unknown function.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

I've had the Hoppe's gun clean-up patches lids for at least two months.  They came from my local auction house where used household items are sold by the "table lot".  I've tried to use them on several, earlier Found Object Mandalas but they never seemed quite right.  Then, my friend Flavia Lovatelli donated the cute, miniature teddy bears.  There was something about "bears and guns" that just made some sort of warped sense.  This piece then came together quite quickly.

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXI.)

The quilt used was a scrap cut from a utilitarian quilt donated to my stash by another friend.  Yet another friend donated lots of things to me ... and in the mix, I found the plastic "thing" used in the middle.  I have no idea what its function was.  It is labeled "This side up" ... so that's the way it was stitched in place.

(Above:  Mandala CXXII. Custom framed: 18 3/4" x 18 3/4".  Found objects hand-stitched to a block of an old Drunkard's Path quilt.  Found objects include:  a woven trivet on which a Maxwell House coffee lid was placed; yellow Tinker Toy connectors; badminton birdies; silver brioche molds; pinch pleat curtain hooks; small, crochet doilies; plastic combs; and buttons.)

Among the other interesting things recently donated to my stash were the badminton birdies and the Maxwell House coffee lid.  I couldn't help but to put them together on a basically red-and-white Drunkard's Path quilt block.  I'm very happy with these two pieces and am now stitching on a large mandala.  It will take at least a week to finish, especially since this weekend is OPEN STUDIOS here in Columbia. 

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXII.)

We really don't expect many people to drop in for Open Studios but it is an excellent reason to "clean up".  I might even have to tackle my studio.  It's currently quite a disaster area ... but I seem to thrive in all the mess of odd objects!
 

Mandala CXX

(Above:  Mandala CXX.  Custom framed:  27" x 27" when hung as a square; 38" x 38" as a diamond. Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt. Found objects include:  a unique Popsicle and wooden bead trivet from a friend's sister's 1970s summer camp experience; carved wooden donkeys/mules; plastic bottle caps; four stars removed from metal napkin rings; and buttons.  Click on either image to enlarge.)

Before going to Norfolk, Virginia for the weekend, I finished stitching this new piece in my Found Object Mandala Series.  I even had it framed and photographed but not blogged.  Since then, I've finished two more, much smaller mandalas.  I'll be posting images of them soon.  One of the brilliant things about maintaining a blog is the needed pressure to finish a piece properly ... and by that I mean:  photograph it, price it, enter it into my inventory book, put a label on the back, and then blog it!  It's a routine and a good habit ... even when I get slightly behind!

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXX.)

To be honest, I didn't really know I had enough of the maple colored wooden mules/donkeys until I stitched Mandala CXIX.  Once I stitched the first forty+ animals to that mandala, I could actually sort the rest of the box.  Amazingly, I still have more!  I've moved away from these wooden toys ... for now ... but I wouldn't be surprised if I return to the rest of the herd!

A trip to Norfolk, Virginia and three Relics stitched during the ride

(Above:  A composite image of me holding each of the three Relics stitched during the drive to and from Norfolk, Virginia.  Click on most of the images in this blog post for an enlargement.)

Steve's hometown is Norfolk, Virginia.  He graduated from high school and Old Dominion (undergraduate) in Norfolk. Both his parents are buried there. (We visited.)  Norfolk is also the home of the Virginia Arts Festival.  This past weekend ABT (American Ballet Theater) opened the festival with three performances of Don Quixote.  We decided to attend on Friday night. It was grand!  We had a wonderful time all weekend.  Knowing that I'd be riding in the car, I prepared three, small Relics to hand stitch during these hours on the road.

(Above:  Relic CCLIV.  Framed:  15" x 14". Layers of polyester stretch velvet fused to cotton upholstery fabric with strips of sheer chiffon. Both hand and free-motion machine stitching and beading.)

Generally, I don't stitch a Relic unless I'm conducting a workshop.  Each one is supposed to be the result of finishing one of my own demonstrations.  With COVID-19 cancelling in-person workshops for two years, I've sort of missed making these pieces.  So, I decided to make these a little bit different ... as in "a little bit bigger".  Normally, I make Relics to fit into an 8" x 10" standard frame.  This time, Steve had leftover pieces of moulding that made bigger frames.  It was my job to "fill them".

(Above:  Relic CCLV.  Framed 15" x 14".)

I had to work quickly though ... which is how a workshop demonstration goes! I didn't start until Thursday afternoon.  We left on Friday morning.  So, the design was constructed and beading were done FAST!  The hand-stitching was done in a more relaxed manner while in our cargo van.  After coming home, I mounted and framed each one.  My challenge is to use whatever thread I randomly threw into a plastic bag.

(Above:  Relic CCLVI. Framed 16" x 15".)

Each one of these pieces is priced at $165 plus SC sales tax and shipping.  For me, however, they weren't made as "merchandise"; they were intended as a way to make the trip even more enjoyable, a way to be productive when otherwise just looking out the window!

(Above:  The ferry coming to take us across the river to Portsmouth.)

On Saturday, Steve and I took the ferry to Portsmouth.  We watched re-enactment of the British occupation of 1781, went to a farmer's market, and shopped at the library's used book sale.  

(Above:  The lobby at the Chrysler Museum ... with Sam Gilliam's soaring Norfolk Keels fiber installation.)

We spent the afternoon at the Chyrsler Museum.  The docent led tour was great.  The glass collection is particularly amazing.  We also visited the Perry Glass Collection inside the Glass Light Hotel ... which was really awesome as there is no enclosures around the pieces on display.  Every work was shown "in the round".  This truly gave the sense of what it must be like to actually "live" with such marvelous (and truly expensive!) pieces of original art glass.

(Detail of one of the amazing pieces in the Perry Glass Collection ... but I forgot to snap a photo of the artist's name.  Trust me ... it was someone with an awesome talent!)
 

The Giant Diptych

 

(Above:  Me painting the tan side of the giant diptych.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

For several months, I've been working on a couple of VERY LARGE commissions. They all started with correspondence discussing size and price, a proposal, a contract, and a schedule for required updates.  (These are the same, first two sentences on my earlier post from today ... about the other commission, a giant triptych!  The diptych and the triptych were for the same client!)  This has been quite exciting ... and more than a little scary.  After all, I don't generally paint.  Yet, the art consultancy saw my earlier piece, Capitals in Blue and Gold.  They simply wanted the finished work to measure 7' x 3' ... which is really, really big!

 

(Above:  Me painting the blue side of the diptych.)

Well ... if I can paint once, I figured I could paint again.  Apparently, this attitude works!  I'm very, very pleased with the results. 

 

(Above:  The finished diptych.)

Of course, I really couldn't capture quality images of these works.  First, the size is enormous.  Second, the glare from the coating of UV filtering epoxy makes it really hard to photograph.  Yet, I did take plenty of pictures of the work while in progress.  These were needed for the periodic, PDF progress updates.  Some of image are below ... including ...

 

... a composite image showing a detail of the painting before being stitched (top) and after being stitched (bottom). 

 

 

 

The image above shows the same detail area from the back side.  Both pieces were free-motion embroidered using 100% black cotton thread on the single layer of painted canvas.

 

This image above shows the back of the piece clamped to the original stretcher bar.  Basically, the free-motion stitching outlines the paint while adding contrast and detail.  In order to share this part of the process with the clients, Steve shot a short You Tube video. Truly, I absolutely love my Babylock Tiara!

After the stitching was finished on both pieces, the work was sealed with GAC 400, a fabric stiffener and nailed to the back side of a heavy-duty stretcher bar.  3/4" galvanized roofing nails were used.  The sides of the stretcher bar were previously painted white.  (Why "nailed to the back side"? Well, the front of a stretcher bar has a raised outer rim.  The back side is totally flat!)  Once prepared, the giant pieces were coated with UV filtering epoxy.  This liquid is self-leveling.  A propane torch is used to eliminate any bubbles that form while the two-part solutions are aggressively stirred together.  There's a 22-second video of this too!

Once both the diptych and the triptych were finished and the arts consultancy got final approval from their Seattle client, crates were built.  Steve and I got to learn plenty about the high cost of freight shipping in this wild and crazy world of fluctuating diesel fuel costs, driver shortages, and supply chain problems that have tied up various trucks.  Some companies weren't accepting new clients.  Others had exorbitant costs.  Believe it or not, my best quote came from FedEx freight!

Both crates weighed nearly 100 pounds.  We put handles on them.  The FedEx driver couldn't have been nicer.

Yet, I think Ernie the Cat misses the boxes.  Everyone knows how cats love boxes.  These were no exception!  This project evolved over several, exciting months.  I was reluctant to blog about it until the crates were safely in Seattle (and ... yes ... I used FedEx tracking to see where they went every step of their west-bound journey!) 
 

The Giant Triptych

(Above:  Me with the two side pieces for a giant, commissioned triptych.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

For several months, I've been working on a couple of VERY LARGE commissions. They all started with correspondence discussing size and price, a proposal, a contract, and a schedule for required updates. It's been extremely exciting ... mixed with an expected touch of nervousness.  After all, this triptych was commissioned by an art consultancy for their client in Seattle, Washington. The artwork needed to please lots of people in very faraway places.  Thankfully, I know what I'm doing when using my own melting techniques!  Yet, this is bigger than I normally work!

(Above:  The finished triptych.  Please excuse the glare from the Plexiglas.  The sizes are 48" x 30" for each of the two side pieces and 48" x 40" for the center piece.)

Along each step of the way, I snapped photos in order to create the required PDF updates.  Some of the images are below, including ...

 

... a picture of me constructing the various layers of polyester stretch velvet on the center piece ...

... and a snapshot of the two side pieces after all the shapes were fused together on the two side pieces.

 

Here I am doing the free-motion, machine stitching on my Babylock Tiara.   

Here I am melting holes through the layers of synthetic material using a fine-tipped soldering iron.  There's even a video showing me melt one of the side pieces.  Because I posted it on You Tube, it has already been viewed more than seven-hundred times.  Yet, until now, I never mentioned that this was part of a commission.  Honestly, I kept this triptych under wraps until both it and a diptych were finished, crated, shipped to Seattle, and the final invoice was paid.  Yes ... there's a diptych too.  I'll be blogging about it as soon as I publish this post!