Thursday, March 27, 2025

Mandala CCXXVIII

(Above: Mandala CCXXVIII.  Custom framed: 29 1/4" x 29 1/4".  Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt.  Objects include a metal turtle on a scrap of antique, burgundy fabric; vintage belt buckles; children's scissors; red Mardi Gras doubloons; washers; vintage poker chips; wavy hair curlers; blue Monopoly hotels; purple toddler snack lids; gridded, metal protectors for antique car lights; toy car wheels; blue, plastic lids; four, red checkers; red, heart-shaped rabies pet tags; pale blue and pink sampler spoons; and assorted buttons and beads.  Click on either image to enlarge.)

I finished this Found Object Mandala before going to Florida but didn't get around to photographing it until today.  It was fun to stitch despite the fact that I remember the popularity of the quilt fabrics from my own youth.  It is truly shocking to realize that the 1970s and early 1980s is now considered "vintage" ... at least as far as fabric is concerned! LOL! 

 
(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXXVIII.)

I still like these fabrics and I'm totally in debt to the nice woman who shipped me this quilt.  I plan on using more of it soon!  The funny thing is, however, that the center piece ... a metal turtle ... blended in with the material so well that I had to remove it, add a scrap of antique, burgundy fabric under it, and restitch the turtle in place.  I know that the burgundy fabric is an antique.  It came off a curtain meant to enclose a bed.  It was ancient when I bought it ... in Amsterdam ... during the summer I graduated from college ... 1980.  Great fabrics remain great fabrics!

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

A fiber art retreat, new work, and more!

(Above:  One of several Relic Series piece stitched and beaded in the last two weeks. Click on any image to enlarge.)

I've been to Florida and conducted a most wonderful workshop in the middle of a fiber art retreat.  Before going, I was told that those coming would have their own projects on which to work.  Supposedly, some people would only be interested in watching my demonstrations. Others would elect to do some to the things I would be showing the group. Still others wouldn't be interested at all.

That's not what happened!  I'm pretty sure that all twenty-seven people fully participated in all the activities of my HOT workshop!  It was a total blast!  We even had 24/7 access to a giant conference room.  Plenty of space. No electrical issues despite several irons being plugged in at the same time.  A table of snacks.  Meals together at 9:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM. Fabulous talent at every seat.  Lots of great conversations and laughter.

When I conduct my HOT workshop (that covers my work with polyester stretch velvet, assorted soldering irons, and an industrial heat gun), I finish all my demos. My complete at least two pieces during the experience.  The first work is created on a scrap of fabric, generally upholstery material.  It involves fusing pieces of polyester stretch velvet onto the fabric, soldering indentations and grooves in the thick material, free motion machine embroidery, and both hand stitching and beading.  I call these pieces "Relics".  

Generally, I bring some from past workshops to each new group.  The second demonstration is very much the same except that instead of upholstery fabric as the base, synthetic felt is used.  Thus, the soldered holes go all the way through the project and the industrial heat gun creates work like my In Box and Fiber Stained Glass series.

A week before the workshop, I realized that I didn't have any Relics to bring as finished examples. So in anticipation of this need, I decided to make a few bigger examples.  My idea was to mat the larger Relics to a standard 20" x 16" presentation.  I figured I'd take them to the Smithsonian Craft Show ... just as matted work, not framed ... easy for people to take home!  

Several were made before the workshop and several more have been stitched since I returned home!  Unfortunately, I haven't been snapping photos of all of them.  The ones here are just a sampling!  I am having so much fun stitching them.  I plan on continuing ... at least through the coming week.

Meanwhile, the participants were using my materials and techniques to create exotic bugs.  Why?  Well, at least half of them belong to a group that have a challenge to create fiber bugs.  The resulting creatures were simply mind-blowing.

 

We were all having so much fun that I totally forgot to take any photos myself.  The bugs here were sent to me later.  I wish I had remembered because the projects created were so wonderfully varied.  The group oozed with talent.  There was even talk that I might be invited back next year to conduct my Found Object Mandala workshop!  I hope it works out!


Now ... my second, finished demonstration was given in a random drawing to one of the workshop participants.  It was great! 

One more thing!  I am ahead of schedule on my 2025 Goodreads goal!  One of the reasons for retirement was to return to reading REAL BOOKS, not just articles on my iPhone but physical pages enjoyed for a good story and the pleasure of reading!  I just finished Frances Barry's Back Road and Better Angels, a 540+ page book documenting a 2020 cross-country, Lincoln Highway RV trip while interviewing people along the way about their views on democracy ... and considering "What would Lincoln Do?"  Before retiring, I could never have managed this great book.  It was outstanding.  I highly recommend it!

Friday, March 14, 2025

Mandala CCXXVII

(Above:  Mandala CCXXVII.  Custom framed:  23 1/2" x 23 1/2".  Fur coat hooks-and-eyes, a black curtain ring, and assorted buttons hand stitched to a section of an antique quilt.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

About a month ago, I received a box of goodies from an independent fabric store.  One of the people working there follows me on social media and knew that I would absolutely adore some of the old fashioned things that the shop is about to throw away.  Included were thousands of these covered, fur coat hooks-and-eyes.  Upon seeing them, I knew I wanted to use them but it took a little time for me to decide exactly how!

 
(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXXVII.)

These tiny gems remind me of the loden capes I wore as a child.  As an adult, I've seen them on fur muffs and stoles in addition to full length fur coats. (Living in South Carolina, I don't see them often and I certainly don't own a fur anything! LOL!) Yet, looking at the box of them, they seemed to ooze an aura of luxury.  I knew they could "stand on their own" if I could just figure out how to arrange them.

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXXVII.)

No matter how I auditioned them on top of a vintage quilt, I wasn't impressed.  Finally, I remembered the antique, rose colored curtains that another friend donated to my stash.  Like the hooks-and-eyes, this heavy damask spoke of a fancy parlor from yesteryear, an ideal place for posh parties and special guests ... who just might wear fur coats!  As soon as I placed a few hooks-and-eyes on this fabric, I was ready to stitch.  Beyond the mandala circle, I outlined the floral pattern.  Because I still have thousands more hooks-and-eyes, I might stitch something similar again ... especially if I find another fabric that sort of whispers to me, "I'm special! I'm fancy!  I'm elegant enough for visitors wearing fur!"  (Yes ... I sort of talk to my materials!  My artist statement even acknowledges a working partnership!)
 

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Experiments

(Above:  Fugue 1.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".  Click on image to enlarge.)

The artwork for the Smithsonian Craft Show is coming along beautifully.  I'm way ahead of schedule and I'm also quite nervous.  Why?  Well ... the unemployment rate in the DC area is climbing.  Even those who aren't in the midst of cutbacks are living in an environment of uncertainty. It is a scary time, especially considering the high costs involved in doing this sort of show. There are artists in my state who think the application fee is the only expense.  They have no idea that our booth rent is $2300.  Okay, I'm in one of the largest booths:  20' x 10' but the 10' x 10' booths are all over $1300 ... and that's before gas, hotel, meals, etc.  This is risky business.  To calm my nerves, I spent a couple days just playing around with a few ideas.

 
(Above:  Fugue 2.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)
 
Using the same polyester stretch velvet that I use for my In Box Series and my Fiber Stained Glass Series, I started fusing them to a canvas that was loosely painted years ago.  For the most part, the canvas was just splashed with runny acrylic paint and marked with oil pastels.  The arrangement of rectangles and squares are the same as my In Box Series.  Yet, the canvas substrata is entirely different and totally un-meltable.  My idea was to see how these shapes would work on a colorfully marked background and stitched with a variegated thread.  I liked the first one well enough that I made a couple more!
(Above:  Fugue 3.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)
 
I figured that I might as well use all of the loosely painted canvas I had.  It was fun.  It was relaxing.  It kept my mind off the Smithsonian Craft Show!  The photos here aren't particularly great but I'm guessing they really don't have to be. (I prefer a little better alignment!  Trust me, the mats are cut correctly; they aren't wonky!)  These were the results of experimentation.  I knew that I would only put them in standard sized mats.  The photos show only a little bit of the mat.  Trust me!  The proportions are quite nice! LOL!

 
(Above:  Fugue 4. Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)

After finishing several of these pieces, I asked Steve for a title.  He was stumped but asked me what my intentions were.  I told him that I was experimenting with my own materials and using my basic design approach.  He said, "So, they are like variations? Right?"  I said yes and then together we googled for synonyms for the word "variation".

 
(Above:  Fugue 5. Artwork is approximately 9" x 6" and matted to 14" x 11".)

We considered several words until reading "fugue".  We both liked the suggestion of music.  We liked the suggestion of counterpoint, which when not applied to music means "an idea or theme used to create a contrast with the main element".  Yet, I think the word "interweaving" sealed it!  It suggests a relation to fiber art!

noun
1.
Music
a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts.
 
 
(Above:  Fugue 6. Artwork is approximate 11" x 10" and matted to 20" x 16".  Hand and machine stitched with beads.)

While I was working, I noticed this scrap of paper and wondered if I could incorporate it on top of two layers of polyester stretch velvet.  It worked.  It didn't look quite right on the loosely painted canvas but there was a piece of upholstery material nearby.  Voila!  Another successful experiment!

(Above: Fugue 7. Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and matted to 20" x 16".)

After that, I just continued playing with things sitting around my studio table, including a couple peacock feathers.  I'm glad I took the time to simply experiment.  It was fun!  If anyone reading this wants to purchase one of these, just write to me or leave a comment with your email.  Nothing is over $125!  You can reach me at mouse_house@prodigy.net.

 
(Above:  Fugue 8.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" matted to 20" x 16".)
 
 
(Above:  Fugue 9.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" matted to 20" x 16".)
(Above:  Fugue 10.  Artwork is approximately 12" x 9" and despite the fact that I didn't show even a sliver of the mat, it is a standard 20" x 16".)










 


Monday, March 03, 2025

Four New Windows

(Above:  Steve holding up two of the recently finished Windows.  Pardon the slight glare from the glass!  Click on any image to enlarge.)

Getting ready for the Smithsonian Craft Show has meant making new work including these five Window Series pieces.  For scale and presentation, I had Steve hold up two of them.  He smiled in one of the images but the glare from the glass was worse! LOL!  For the first time in years, I've decided to raise the price of these pieces from $265 to $275.  I don't take raising prices lightly.  It's hard to do, especially in this economy and with the fact that unemployment is hitting the DC area badly.  Yet the past few years, my costs have been gradually creeping up too!  Plus, lots of artists have told me that my prices are too low to begin with (an opinion I actually know to be true!)  Below are the photos I took of each piece before it went behind glass!  If you'd like to adopt one, please reach out!  Although I've returned to this work "for the Smithsonian Craft Show", it really doesn't matter if they get there.  If they find permanent homes beforehand, I'll simply create more!

 
(Above:  Window CCXV.  Framed:  19 1/4" x 17 1/4".  Layers of polyester stretch velvet fused to recycled packaging felt.  Free-motion machine embroidery using 100% black cotton thread before being exposed to unique melting techniques.)
 
(Above:  Window CCXVI.)
 
 
(Above:  Window CCXVII.)
 
(Above:  Window CCXVIII.)
 
(Above:  Window CCXIX.)


Saturday, March 01, 2025

Mandala CCXXVI

(Above:  Mandala CCXXVI. Custom framed:  27 3/4" x 27 3/4". Found objects hand stitched to a section of a vintage quilt.  Objects include:  Part of a Grove Park Inn souvenir stitched to the lid of a bird bark container on a decorative plate; plastic sewing thread spools; decorative plastic pears; beer bottle caps; Masonic medallions; brioche molds; child's scissors; blue casino chips; yellow poker chips; a 60" measuring stick cut into four sections; assorted crochet hooks; buttons and beads.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

It seemed absolutely surreal to find another Grove Park Inn souvenir at the Pickens County flea market, but I did.  Thankfully, the old tin was just two dollars ... and the decorative element (the part depicting the Grove Park Inn) was easily detached from the ugly tin.  It didn't take long to stitch it to the birch bark lid but stitching through the lid to attach it to the decorative plate required a lot of effort! 

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXXVI.)

There's almost a bit of engineering involved when designing these mandalas.  I'm constantly thinking about where my needle will need to travel in order to stitch all the objects in place.  There's also plenty of drilling to do.  Each one of the little pears has two holes in it!  The beer bottle caps only need one hole but five stitches!

 
(Above:  Detail of Mandala CCXXVI.)

The sixty-inch measuring stick was also found at the Pickens County flea market.  It was in such great shape that I almost felt badly for cutting it into four sections and drilling holes every two inches ... but the results are great!  This is also the first time I've included a button edge that isn't on the perimeter!

 
(Above:  Mandala CCXXVI seen from an angle.)

Before stitching down the plastic sewing thread spools, I collaged anonymous photos/faces to the end that once was the label.  I'm really pleased by the way this piece turned out.  Hopefully soon it will be at the Grovewood Gallery ... right on the grounds of the Grove Park Inn!