Art-Wise Women

Drawing Class

2012-01-30T14:46:00.003-05:00

I've been teaching a couple of classes at ArtisTree in Woodstock this term. In drawing class we played around with templates and quotations, creating designs similar to the two examples I put together below, creating a "path" for the words. The first is a quote from Alexander Calder....

"I Paint with Shapes"

9" x 12" - mixed media

The second example utilizes the same materials: soft pencil on gessoed paper using shape templates and masking tape and a variety of shading and line to create good contrast between dark and light....

"Art Consists in Drawing the Line Somewhere"

8 1/2" x 11" - mixed media

It's fun playing with new and familiar materials, using them in different ways....

Tea Warp and Weft

2012-01-26T20:03:00.004-05:00

Sydney's skies have been opening wide to lots of downpours recently, so it's been good studio time. I've been connecting tea bags for quite a while by gluing them together end to end until I had enough to begin weaving this new piece. Pinning the individual pieces to the wall seemed to be the only way to work on it and once I figured out how to do it the piece has moved along quickly. Here it is before I began to add stitching and knotting and the edging:

I should be able to show the completed work in the next posting.

A Summer Day

2012-01-25T16:00:00.000-05:00

I just spent the afternoon working on finishing a plein aire painting from last summer, using the reference photo I took back then. The great benefit to this is that, despite the fact that the field outside my studio window is white with snow, I feel like I was out in that summer field for a couple of hours. A kind of mini vacation on a January day in Vermont....

"Twin Trees"

9" x 12" - oil on canvas panel

I have two other unfinished plein aire landscapes and this was such a fun afternoon I predict they will be completed soon!

Back to work.....

2012-01-13T00:32:00.005-05:00

It’s been a long time since I last posted. I closed up my studio, celebrated an early Christmas with family, flew to Syndey, and finally got settled here. My studio here desperately needed a good cleaning and that led to a major reorganization. So at last I am comfortably working away with the sun shining outside, the windows wide open to the warmth and breezes (the only problem being flying tea bags).

Time to experiment, work with some new ideas, but for now at least, still the tea theme. I’ve been putting materials together with some new thoughts......

I’ve also experimented with using text. Here I made some stamps of T E A and printed them on the tea bags, then assembled. I’m not sure where this will go.

Another try.....working on paper with grids.

I’m quickly working through the materials I brought so will have to do some local sourcing. There are plenty of tea drinkers here, but not so many friends.

"Images of Irene"

2012-01-05T08:44:00.000-05:00

This month, I am participating in an exhibit "Images of Irene" which opens tomorrow at ArtisTree Community Arts Center and Gallery in Woodstock, VT on route 12 just north of downtown. I hope if you are in the area on January 6th between 6 and 8 pm, you'll plan to attend the Opening Reception.

This exhibit reflects the work of six community members who participated in a photography class lead by Carla Kimball entitled "Telling Our Stories Through New Eyes". Over the course of seven sessions at ArtisTree, students wove together photography, poetry and stories to chronicle each individual’s experience of Tropical Storm Irene. The exhibit presents both their visual and poetic narratives of the storm. Through images and poems, the galleries will reflect the personal and universal expressions of Irene and its effect on ourselves, our communities and our land as well as examples derived from the new way of seeing the world through class exercises.

Photographs will be for sale by donation and proceeds will be donated to the Sustainable Woodstock Flood Relief Fund. The exhibition will be available for viewing Tuesday through Saturday, January 7-21st from 11am-2pm or by appointment. For more information about Sustainable Woodstock’s Flood Relief Fund visit www.sustainablewoodstock.org.

I hope that if you can't make it to the Opening on the 6th, you'll be able to visit the exhibit during Gallery hours through January 21st.

Kirigami Valentines

2012-01-04T09:11:00.000-05:00

I've been cutting Kirigami Valentines in preparation for February decorations. Here are five I cut last night (a two and a half movie adventure.) They all have a floral motif. One more session and I will have all my Valentines done for this holiday. Look for them in my Etsy Kirigami shop and at Arjuna in Woodstock, VT soon.

Butterfly - black clayboard etching

2011-12-18T13:47:00.001-05:00

Here is my latest black clayboard etching (scratchboard.) This is a 5x7 inch work on Ampersand clayboard.

New Scratchboard Etching

2011-12-10T23:57:00.001-05:00

I'm nearly finished with the center of a new scratchboard design. I quite like this one. I haven't figured out what to do with the border yet. Stay tuned.

Tick Tock Tea Time

2011-12-01T18:44:00.003-05:00

Just for fun......Adrian gave me clockworks to use in creating a clock that will be in a silent auction at ArtisTree Gallery over the next week. It was really interesting to work on a specific project and of course I had to think of a way to use tea bags. I found myself wanting to embellish the clock with lots of bits and pieces from tea bags, but ended up keeping it simple.

I look forward to seeing what other artists have done in making their clocks. It's a great idea that I imagine will capture the imagination of many!

New Medium

2011-12-01T11:42:00.001-05:00

It's easy to forget that creating art should be fun.

I uploaded a sketchbook app to my Kindle Fire and wanted to share some images that were fun to create.

Nothing else, no expectations, no pressure, just fun.

Enjoy the day.

A Scratchboard Border Design

2011-11-27T09:19:00.001-05:00

After visiting Judy Jensen's Studio the other day and being inspired by her gorgeous illustrations, I am inspired to practice my scratchboard work again. Since I found myself unexpectedly babysitting all day, I retrieved a 5"x7" rigid Ampersand scratchbord from the closet and began sketching. My little ward was fascinated, so I had an observer most of the time. This little piece was a three movie affair. I took some (bad) photos of it in process and then scanned the finished design.

Here is the result after one movie: ("The Last Unicorn.) I've laid out the design as an eight panel border piece, sketched on the board with graphite pencil, and begun scratching out the design.

After the second movie ("Spiderwick") I've finished the other side panel and the top center area.

At each corner I sketched a critter representing one of the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water.

Finally, after sitting through "The Last Airbender," here is the final result. Perhaps I will make this into a card or enlarge it for a frame. I don't yet know.

More practice to come. Stay tuned.

More and More Coloring Mandalas

2011-11-16T09:36:00.001-05:00

Over the past few months I've been slowly creating mandalas in line format for coloring. I have enough now to create two new coloring portfolios or a mandala coloring journal. I haven't decided which. I suppose, if I create a few more, I could do both. I would love your thoughts on this. Here are some of them:

My first coloring journal, "A Tangle of Flowers" sold out for the fifth time at my local bookstore. At least in this region, it is a best seller. Yay!

You can find my coloring things in Woodstock VT at Arjuna or Shiretown Books or online at www.EmerlyeArts.Etsy.com

2500 Tags

2011-11-15T15:36:00.003-05:00

This piece has been in process for many months. Even though the canvas the large (3 x 3 ft) I didn't guess how long it would take to make it. And it became quite tedious at times and I found I just needed to put it away. But yesterday, taa daaaaaa, I affixed the final tag and can call it complete, minus a few coats of medium over the surface.

About 2500 assorted tags.....that's a lot of cups of tea!

In the Bag

2011-11-05T17:23:00.005-04:00

Things are humming in my studio. I recently had new track lighting installed and as the days darken and shorten it is going to make such a difference! Today I completed a new piece constructed with Mighty Leaf tea bags sewn on canvas. The bags, which are made with a sheer fabric, allow the beautiful colors of the tea really show through. Here's the as yet un-named

piece:

I've also started another book piece which I am binding together with Irish linen thread. I'm about to run out of thread so have ordered more. This will temporarily slow down progress on this project, but I plan to keep working on another piece that has been hanging around waiting to be completed. I'm really savoring my studio time.

An Imperfect Solution

2011-11-01T12:49:00.002-04:00

After trying several things, I came up with an imperfect solution to framing my 3D kirigami piece. First, I placed the acrylic box onto the piece of glass in a standard frame and glued it down.

I inserted some similar colored paper behind the glass with a quotation by Abram Urban: "My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams." The show is called "Reflections" so I thought this quotation fit the theme.

At first I used a standard glue but it didn't hold so I finally relented and used aquarium sealant glue. This means that if you want to remove the papercut you will have to break the seal on the box. I did not glue the papercut or its backing to anything. It is held together by the pressure of the box on it.

Sheesh! When will I ever learn to consider the mechanics of finishing and framing during the design phase - before I create the work? I am forever barreling ahead into some new piece, and only as an afterthought do I think of how I will display it.

3D Kirigami Scene - Step 3

2011-10-29T10:42:00.002-04:00

I finished cutting this three dimensional scene last night. I perfected small details, like the people's clothing, bars on the shed doors, more greenery, and two goats in the shed.

I glued it all together with zots.

Now my dilemna is how to attach the back to the plastic box. That will be the task rolling around in my head today. Until anon....

3D Kirigami Scene - step 2

2011-10-28T08:53:00.001-04:00

Last night, while it was snowing heavily (in October no less) I sat comfortably in my night studio and cut another two-movie piece to the kirigami scene I am creating for the Artistree Gallery show.

This layer depicts two gardeners resting on their implements in the garden. The man has a bucket of berries beside him.

The woman has a (huge) butterfly on her dress.

Next I will be perfecting the couple's clothing and I will put something behind the shed door. My dilemma is how I will attach a backing to all of this to make it stay together in the frame. Well, that is tomorrow's problem.

A 3D Kirigami scene - step 1

2011-10-27T12:22:00.002-04:00

I am creating a three dimensional kirigami piece for the new Artistree show here in Woodstock, VT. I've used much heavier paper this time - Arches hot press watercolor paper in off-white. This makes it much more difficult to cut but it should stand up better. Here is my first cut, done last night - a two movie project.

My intention is to mount it in a plexiglass case like this one. (Barbara Bartlett gave me this idea. Thanks Barb.)

Stay tuned, amici.

Shades of Autumn

2011-10-16T16:03:00.004-04:00

The foliage seemed to come and go within a few short days this year. Dried tea bags are reminding me a bit of the crunchy leaves on the ground. My wonderful tea drinking suppliers continue to faithfully add to my stockpile and I like having a collection of at least eight different designs of bags to inspire new ideas.

I finished another work on paper with the standard sized rectangular bags in quite an array of colors. I think it really does capture something of autumn.

I also completed another big canvas piece with tea bag sacs that Laura at Mon Vert Cafe has been so diligently saving for me. They are much larger than regular bags and really stain beautifully. The hibiscus stained reds are wonderful but they lose much of their color when in contact with adhering mediums. I'd love to find a way to preserve the red when I use mediums on them.

I'm currently sewing Mighty Leaf tea bags together. They are made of an almost transparent light fabric that allows all the tea leaves to show through. I'll have to see where this takes me!

Note Cards are Finished!

2011-10-04T20:48:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time coming but finally I have finished two sets of note cards. The first is a set of four floral prints....

and the second is a set of pear watercolors....

These images are taken from the pear watercolor and floral print calendars just off the presses. It is is an exciting departure for me--from fine arts into a bit of the commercial! They will be packaged and for sale in the area in the near future....

On Paper

2011-09-27T17:44:00.004-04:00

Working on paper with tea bags is a new experience. I'm doing some 3 dimensional work that actually has the tea bag extending from the paper rather than laying flat (as I've done in the past).

I've purchased a number of plexiglass box frames to hold the new w

ork and I'm quite curious to see how it will hang. Here are several pieces that are completed.

This piece is in the final stages....I'm not sure if it will hang vertically or horizontally but will be able to have a better idea when it is completed.

Little Cottage in the Woods

2011-09-19T00:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't cut a large kirigami mandala for a while. This one is a commissioned work for Christine in England. She is moving and bought this as a present to herself for her new home. She wanted something with birds, trees and flowers and a little cottage. I hope she likes it.

The Art of Tea

2011-09-14T21:12:00.007-04:00

Last Friday Chris and I hung my new show at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. When I first heard that I would be exhibiting in glass cases in the Main Rotunda, which won't accomodate large pieces, I wasn't sure how it would work. But as I organized the show I began to realize it would be an advantage to show the tea work in a protected environment and I managed to gather and create enough smaller pieces to fill the space.

The show highlights a number of different pieces, using flattened tea bags, filled bags, tea tags and strings and a variety of construction techniques. Here are a few of the pieces:

The show will be up until early November. I'm delighted to be exhibiting in a venue that will allow many people, including those who wouldn't enter a gallery, to be able to view the work!

Sidewalk Mural

2011-09-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

On Saturday while the Woodstock Arts Festival on the green was going on, three Artwise Women, Barbara, Anne and Kathy, took up chalk and created a flower and butterfly sidewalk mural in our assigned spot in front of the Woodstock Pharmacy. The event was sponsored by the Change the World Kids. Here are a few photos of the work we did that morning....

Barbara is working on her first block here. Sidewalk art is a bit hard on the knees and the back so knee pads were the order of the day.

We checked out some books from the Norman Williams Library and used them as reference for our butterflies.

Anne's beautiful monarch butterfly.

And this is the butterfly that flew to the middle of the sidewalk....

An interested spectator, who asked if he could take a picture, came back after we finished and took this panoramic photo which he emailed to Barbara. Though it's a bit hard to see, the caption reads: "with love from Artwise Women"....

After the Storm

2011-09-05T14:28:00.000-04:00

It has been a long week, this week. When hurricane Irene came through this state she did lots of damage. We were fortunate to come through unscathed. But lots of time was spent taking care of people whose lives were turned upside down by the flooding of virtually every brook, stream and river. So many roads and bridges washed out. So many houses damaged and lost. So many lives altered dramatically. Every morning folks met at the elementary school here in Woodstock to volunteer in whatever way they could. What a fine community of generous, involved and caring people we have in Vermont. I am so grateful to be part of that community.

And, finally, despite the storm, my floral print calendar is complete--here is the final print intended for November....

"Rose and Holly"

9"x12" - soft cut linoleum print

"Rose and Holly"

9"x12" - hand colored linoleum print

At the moment, all twelve prints are being scanned and turned into a proof calendar. I'm excited to see what it looks like! I still need to make some decisions about typeface, binding, etc. after I see it. But I'm almost there.

And then the question becomes what to do next?

After Irene

2011-09-02T10:55:00.006-04:00

It's been a while since I last posted. There was the fabulous trip to the big skies of Montana. Then some serious studio time before Hurricane Irene landed in Vermont earlier this week. Life is not quite back to normal, but it is moving in that direction.

Before I left to go out west I worked on a canvas piece with some wonderful envelop tea bags called Tea Sacs that the local Mon Vert cafe is saving for me. I don't feel like it's complete yet, but here's the first layer of work:

I've also been preparing for hanging my solo show "The Art of Tea" that will go up next week in the main rotundra of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. I made a smaller version to fit in the display cases of a favorite piece, "Fragilitea" (which I have titled "Fragilitea 2"). I really enjoy the process involved in this particular technique where it almost feels like I am painting with the tea paper.

"Come Round for Tea" is now complete. This is the third version, a permanent one.

Now I have to work on writing my artist statement and hanging details. It's quite exciting to anticipate a new show!

Staying Busy During Storm Irene

2011-09-01T11:24:00.001-04:00

While the storm raged and later when there was no electricity, phone, or water I had to stay busy in order to stay calm. Here is a sample of what I did by candlelight for the past three days:

This is one of the 12 ribbonwork pins I made. See the rest of them on my art blog HERE.

One More to Go....

2011-08-23T17:59:00.000-04:00

It has taken me much longer than I thought it would to create twelve finished prints for my floral calendar. Buying one house, selling another, moving from place to place and then painting and renovating is very time and energy intensive!

But I am now working on the last month of the calendar, involving roses, and here is the latest print, for the month of January.

"Amaryllis and Paper White"

linoleum print - 9"x12"

"Amaryllis and Paper White"

hand colored linoleum print - 9"x12"

It is just wonderful to have time to work in my studio today and I look forward to more of it in the days ahead....

Making a Kirigami Mandala

2011-08-19T06:57:00.000-04:00

I've made a new papercutting and I thought you would like to see the process. This is a combination cut (multi-fold forms the outer edge and a bifold in the center.)

To begin, I first took a large square of lightweight paper, folded it diagonally, then diagonally again, and then once more. Thus I was cutting through eight pieces of paper. (That is why you can't use tiny, delicate scissors for this kind of kirigami. You need tools substantial enough to cut through several layers.)

First I determined the dimensions of the edge design and made some cuts to guide me.

Next, I began cutting out a floral design. If the client wanted particular motifs in the papercut, I might add them at this stage. This is how it looks as I am cutting:

And here it is partially opened:

Next, I created the center to make it a "combination cut." That means that the outer edge exhibits radial symmetry, each motif repeating four times, while the inner part is a bifold. So, instead of folding it back up all the way, I will leave it folded only once so that the design in the center will be a bifold, or mirror image.

Since this is a papercut for a gardener, I wanted to have leaves, flowers, and fruit trees in it. First, I cut the basic shapes out, leaving connections to the outer edge.

I cut the details out of the tree . . .

And then began cutting a basic human shape. I always make the woman first, as she is depicted with more flesh and hair.

Then I opened the whole piece up and cut off some hair on one of the figures to make the male. With an x-acto knife I cut details to distinguish their outfits and... Voila!

A Spring Flower Print

2011-08-15T12:24:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy summer with not much studio time. We've had a great vacation on the Cape, a wonderful visit from our son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, lots of work on the house and normal, fun, summer activities.
Here is a spring flower print, perhaps March.... I think the little bee in looks suspiciously like "Flying Piglet" and that entertains me!

"Daffodil and Crocus"

linoleum print - 9"x12"

"Daffodil and Crocus"

hand colored linoleum print - 9"x12"

Unbound

2011-08-08T14:44:00.006-04:00

The end of July was all about the final stages of putting together the Book Art show at ArtisTree Gallery, Unbound. We have been working on this collaborative exhibtion (between Pentangle and ArtisTree) since November, so it was quite a relief to have received the entries, had the work juried, and figure out all the logistics of hanging the show.

The result is a wonderfully diverse and interesting show of 40 artists interpretation of book art. The four small rooms of the gallery provide an excellent showcase for the mostly intimate work.

I have two books in the show, both made of tea bags:

Now I am back in my studio, finishing some pieces and beginning some new "experimental" work. I continue to find new ways to use the components of tea bags.

Sizzling in Vermont

2011-07-23T11:43:00.006-04:00

These long, hot summer days haven't lent themselves to posting. I'm in the studio not quite as much as I'd like to be, but some pieces are in process. I've been working on an old 3 by 3 foot canvas, covering it with tea tags. It is a time-consuming task requiring patience and a huge number of tags. It's difficult to knowat this point if it will be successful in the end. Here's an image from last week.....it has progressed since then:

At the local church fair last weekend I found some interesting odds and ends that may become part of the series. I've played around with filling a shallow round basket with still full tea bags. I don't think I like all the strings hanging down as shown in the photo, so have tried it without the strings. The jury is still out.

I've also been working on the exhibition UNBOUND that is opening next Friday. It's going to be a fantastic exhibition of book art from all over New England that Pentangle and Artis Tree Gallery are sponsoring. I can't wait to see the pieces displayed as a whole.

I'm also pleased that my tea bag swimsuit made it into the AVA Summer Show and won an Honorable Mention. On these steamy days I imagine gallery visitors will be amused to see it there.

Exercises in Radial Symmetry

2011-06-28T07:36:00.000-04:00

In order to make a series of coloring pages which reflect the kirigami papercuts I make, I've been fooling around with radial symmetry lately. For the past two weeks I've made eighteen circle borders like these:

I intended to add the centers later, perhaps making a mirror image, like I do in my combination cuts but after a couple of attempts, I've decided it is too difficult to make centers for my circle borders so I'm going to leave them as they are for now. It is simpler to integrate the center into the whole drawing from the start. So here is my first one. It has a thistle motif, although the leaves seem to have morphed into something else. As with my kirigami mandalas, it is sometimes difficult to tell which angle looks the best. I decided to place this one with the thistle on top but it also looks good with the wreath or leaves at the top.

Gown in the field

2011-06-23T17:53:00.003-04:00

Life has been busy with travel and community events. But I was able to work on some book art to enter into the local show and to complete the gown I had started several weeks ago. I photographed it among the newly blooming daisies.

Paintings at the Chandler

2011-06-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

Here is an excerpt from Dian Parker's review of the current Area Artists Exhibit at the Chandler Gallery in Randolph, VT where I am exhibiting plein aire paintings. I am pleased that my painting, "Swimming Hole on Locust Creek" was singled out by her for favorable comment...

"Saturday, June 11, 2011
REVIEW: 50 Area Artists on Display at the Chandler Gallery in Randolph

Every spring the Chandler Gallery offers an opportunity for area artists to exhibit their work. This year 50 artists display more than 140 pieces of their art in the expanded gallery. You’d think it would be impossible to show that many pieces without the gallery feeling crowded, a mish-mash of art. Instead the show is a wonderful surprise. Not only is the show pleasing as a whole, there are also many different genres of art displayed. To consider each of the artists is not possible so I have selected only a few.

"Swimming Hole on Locust Creek"

12" x 16" - oil

Two landscape artists, Kathleen Fiske and Katherine Ravenhorst-Adams, have 3 paintings each in the show and they alone would be worth the visit. Fiske’s Swimming Hole on Locust Creek, oil, is striking with its meandering stream with sunlight splashing across the water, and when seen from a distance takes on new dimension."

This review first appeared in the Randolph Herald on June 9, 2011.

Here is the link to the complete article.... http://vermontartzine.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-50-area-artists-on-display-at.html

Tea bag gown

2011-06-05T18:16:00.006-04:00

After a busy week with visitors I was very happy to have more time to work in the studio. I decided to try to make a gown out of (yes.....) tea bags. I found a pattern that gave me the basic shape and I extended it to make it floor-length. After sewing the dress together in white muslin I began gluing on torn tea bags with a great (new to me) glue called Fabri-Tac.

As I worked my way up from the bottom it became necessary to create a sort of mannequin out of an easel, bubble wrap and masking tape that would keep the shape of the dress while I glued the layers on. Here's how it looked a couple of days ago (I am closer to finishing it now):

Initially it was to have straps and be displayed on a hanger, but I am liking the strapless version. It means I'll have to create some sort of mannequin to display it, maybe from an old discarded floor lamp or tripod......all part of the challenge that keeps me engaged.

Kirigami Mandala for an award winner

2011-06-02T09:02:00.000-04:00

This is the kirigami papercut I recently cut as a commission for a person who won the Lambda award for Jewish writing. This is a combination cut (outer edge is a multicut and inner is a bifold.) It depicts two Jewish youths balancing on a tightrope, hanging the Lambda award. Stars of David are at the cardinal points. Stylized doves surround them. Between the birds are palm trees for California. A tree of life grows between the youths.

Another Page

2011-05-29T08:26:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite beetles.

Unbound - An Insect Book

2011-05-26T18:35:00.005-04:00

I've been entranced by the process of creating books. I've learned the coptic stitch and have two books partially finished for the Unbound show that will happen in Woodstock.

Here's a first look. This wee book is only three inches square.

A second page.

I'll post more, when there is more to see.

Carol

"Trillium and Bloodroot"

2011-05-24T11:46:00.002-04:00

Two weeks ago I was sitting in my chair in the garden contemplating--an assignment given to me at Shambhala as part of my "Wisdom in Everyday Life" class. "Find a meaningful place outdoors and sit and contemplate there for ten to twenty minutes every day." During that week, each day was different in the garden. The birds sang, the sun shone (or didn't), the hawks soared around high above, the little brook burbled along.

And as the week went on, the bloodroot came and went and the trillium came and stayed. Beautifully. Not often have I just sat. No weeding, No drawing. Just contemplating. I highly recommend it, because I fell in love with the trillium and bloodroot during those contemplations, and they became my latest prints....

"Trillium and Blood Root"

9" x 12" - linoleum print

"Trillium and Blood Root"

9" x 12" - hand colored linoleum print

I discovered that wild flowers are more about the leaves and less about the flowers. The wild trillium leaves feel like they could fly and the quiet bloodroot leaves are like little fans of joy.

Rosette Border - line drawing

2011-05-20T07:49:00.000-04:00

Here it is: my newest line drawing. Can you find the five rosettes in this border? I am saving this as a coloring page. I may paint this one as a border for a new quotation card. We shall see.

Round tea bags?

2011-05-16T18:58:00.006-04:00

What a pleasure to spend the cool, rainy days in my studio! I have just (finally) finished the tea bag book bound with a coptic binding technique. I think it will best be shown hanging on the wall, but it certainly could rest on a shelf or table:

I've also been working on a smallish "quilt" piece that I plan to place in an frame currently has an old unloved piece in it. The square bags are machine and hand sewn together. I've just temporarily taped the round tea bags on it as I decide how to finish it.....the jury is still out on whether the round bags really work........

Hat & Coat Ornaments

2011-05-11T15:45:00.000-04:00

I am getting all my little elf-made items ready for the Open Studio Weekend in two weeks. Since I sold out of the ribbonwork brooches I made last fall, I thought I would make some more.

This is the final batch of ribbonwork brooches and accessories I will be putting together this month. For the next evening or two I will sew the felt & pin backings on, package them, and list them on Etsy or bring them to Arjuna shop in town. These are much more elegant in person. The textures and shimmering ribbon is quite lovely.

I've been in my night studio putting together the ribbonwork flowers I made last week. I embellish them with leaves, small flowers, beads, buttons, and other sundries. Problem is, I would like to keep them all for myself! Here are the most recent ones. Now, back to painting....

Cyclamen and Snow Drop

2011-05-08T16:36:00.000-04:00

Just finished are the latest prints in the flower series. "Cyclamen and Snow Drop" will be January in the calendar. Here is the black and white original....

"Cyclamen and Snow Drop"

linoleum print - 9" x 12"

And the hand colored version....

"Cyclamen and Snow Drop"

hand colored linoleum print - 9" x 12"

The cyclamen plant itself will grace our dining room table now that its work in the studio is complete.

Coptic binding and tea bags

2011-04-25T18:58:00.006-04:00

This past week has been full of packing, traveling, unpacking, and settling in....it feels wonderful to be back in Woodstock even if we were greeted by snow! Spring seems to be taking its time this year.

Before I left Sydney I began work on a tea bag book, as yet untitled. I'm holding it all together with linen thread sewn in coptic stitch, which is an ancient (Egyptian, I believe) method of book binding. It's been easy to continue working on it here and it is really good to have a piece in process that helps with the transition. I believe the completed book will hang from the wall with two pegs holding it so the book can fan open and the tea bag strings can sort of dangle. I seem to have misplaced the back cover, which will soon be needed so I will have to try to make another like the front. Other than that little piece, everything I carried from Sydney has arrived in good shape.

Here's the book as I am working on it:

"Daisy and Balloon Flower"

2011-04-21T14:43:00.002-04:00

Today, I put the finishing touches on the latest in my floral print series, "Daisy and Balloon Flower". Now that it is complete, it reminds me a bit of "Foxglove and Black Eyed Susan" which I created last fall and which is one of my favorites. Here is the finished print...

"Daisy and Balloon Flower"

linoleum print - 9" x 12"

I discovered that balloon flowers come in many colors including pink, blue, white and purple. I thought about coloring a sunset sky of golds and pinks but decided to stick with shades and tints of blue in the sky and use pink balloon flowers to contrast with it. Here it is...

"Daily and Balloon Flower"

hand colored linoleum print - 9" x 12"

I hope to enter three of these hand colored prints in Chandler Gallery's Area Artist Show in May.

Turquoise Duo, session 21

2011-04-19T18:29:00.004-04:00

I am still working on this pair of 24x30" floral oil paintings I call the Turquoise Duo (the background is a grayed turq.) They are taking f o r e v e r. Fortunately, I am rounding the home stretch and I hope to finish them by the end of April.

I'm beginning to add small details now. In this session I added stamens to all the tulips. I also put stems on the spray of white berries in the upper right.

I added three leaves in the lower center because it bothered me that the stems looked so thready in that area.

Berries! I began adding some depth to the berries in the lower right and I also added some berries to the spray in the lower left. I will be putting little caps on these - just something to fill in that space a little without calling attention to it.

Now my last, biggest design issue is what to do with the central flower . It was just too unfinished looking for me. After working this out on paper, I decided to paint a fluffy but subtle center. The rest will be adding small details and refining stems, etc.

Getting Political

2011-04-12T04:05:00.003-04:00

For a long time Chris has encouraged me to create a flag out of teabags...oh, the possibilities of making a political statement given the ongoing strength of the Tea Party! I could never figure out how to do it, but recently the method surfaced so I have begun. So far the basic flag is complete. I plan to use rubber stamps and black ink to add the stars and an appropriate quote from one of the founding fathers. I wonder how it will evolve.....

"Tulip and Pussy Willow"

2011-04-08T16:36:00.001-04:00

Here is the latest in the flower print series, finished this week. First, the black and white version...

"Tulip and Pussy Willow"

linoleum print - 9" x 12"

And then, the color print...

"Tulip and Pussy Willow"

hand colored linoleum print - 9" x 12"

It is lovely and meditational mixing and blending the Prismacolors to get the shades and tints just the way they fit together best.

I am rounding for home now with 7 prints in the series of 12 completed for next year's calendar. Spring and summer months are much easier than fall and winter months. So I still have to do January, February, October and November. But June is underway!

Book Art

2011-04-03T06:04:00.003-04:00

I'm off on an early morning flight tomorrow to go to Brisbane to participate in a 2-day workshop in making pop-up books! My friend Lisa is a big influence in my new found interest. On Friday night we went to an opening of a fantastic Book Art show in Manly (across the harbor on a ferry, my favorite way to travel here) where we saw 50 beautiful, unique "books." It was amazing to see the range and the wild creativity that artists have used in their interpretations.

The teacher of this workshop is from the UK, here in Australia in various locations to share his craft. He's supposed to be an amazing teacher, which is why I'm going. It should be great fun.

Meanwhile I am still with the piles of tea bags, preparing lots of pieces for completion back in Woodstock. Only a couple of weeks left here....I hope the snow will have melted when we finally touch down.

Turquois Duo, session 12

2011-03-31T07:57:00.000-04:00

In this session I added more depth and color to the large purple flowers in painting #1. In the first picture you see what I ended with. In the second picture you see midway through the session.

I also began adding depth and dimension to the leaves in painting #2.

The second painting is at that boring stage when nothing looks good and there is a lot of "invisible" work to do. At this stage sometimes at the end of a session it doesn't seem like much was accomplished. It all adds up in the end, however.

Finished "Poinsettia and Berry"

2011-03-29T11:27:00.003-04:00

This morning I finished hand coloring the latest in the floral print series and here it is....

"Poinsettia and Berry"

hand colored linoleum print - 9" x 12"

I may go in and darken the background a bit more, but basically I am pleased with the finished product....

Carpe Diem Print

2011-03-29T07:19:00.000-04:00

One of the paintings I've recently made into a print is "Carpe Diem." It is one of my favorites. This was done back in my colored pencil days. The symbolism is different than what is normally depicted for Carpe Diem.

The Reaper isn't grim. She is a child, symbolic of purity and new beginnings. Time clicks in the background. Her totem is an owl, symbol of wisdom and swift, silent death. An open sky and landscape suggests the vastness of the world and its possibilities. She holds her robe open as an invitation to enter. Inside, instead of flesh, she is filled with open sky and hummingbirds, emblematic of eternity. Her face is lit from the light inside her robe.

The message is multifold: Live now. Seize this day, for Eternity beckons you. Find eternity within yourself now and forever. That which is Eternal in you is here today. Now is the time to embrace it.

This archival print is for sale in my Etsy Shop HERE.

Another printing plate....

2011-03-21T18:36:00.003-04:00

I've been working on "Poinsettia and Berry" and thought I would document what happens when the initial print isn't what one hopes it might be. Here is the first artist proof:

"Poinsettia and Berry"

linoleum print - 9" x 12" - artist proof

It looks pretty good and I wanted some black areas--maybe even more than show here. But I hated to lose the red of the leaves to solid black. I decided I could always darken them when I hand color the print. I did some more cutting and this is the result....

Poinsettia and Berry

9" x 12" - linoleum print

I may have given up some graphic strength in service to texture and color, but I like it. We'll see how it works....

Turquois Duo, session 10

2011-03-14T10:06:00.004-04:00

I've been working on a pair of 24"x30" oil paintings for the past month and making v e r y s l o w progress. Lately, though, one of them is beginning to take shape enough for me to feel hopeful.

This is my tenth session working on it. I've begun to bring in more fantasy elements, such as the leaves in the two bottom corners. (I don't aim to paint accurate botanical illustrations, only to render fanciful flora based on actual plants.)

I've also added the daisy-like flowers at the top, the beginning of a couple of buds, and more definition in the other flowers.

I've decided on the design of the two large flowers (shown sketched in white.) I've also worked out the path of the ribbon (not shown) by printing out a photo of the painting and sketching on top of it.

At last. Some progress.

For more updates on my daily work, you can check out my personal art blog HERE.

Tea Text

2011-03-14T03:40:00.004-04:00

It has been an interesting addition to begin to use text in the tea work. I made a small book with tea quotes in it....its cover is a lovely little tea tin that Susan gave me (filled with almonds!) just before we left Woodstock. I knew it would find another life!

A quote from William Gladstone seems to sum up my feelings so well!

The New Studio

2011-03-07T14:46:00.002-05:00

I am finally back to making art after our move and my new studio here at home is wonderfully convenient!

The computer is handy for blogging, referencing images, etc. And it's a dream to have lots of storage space for materials. There's room to breath here and a nice view of the south field through the trees.

Of course, today the view is of yet more snow (and the window screen is showing!) but I'm looking forward to a greener vista in a little while with spring only thirteen days away....

This afternoon I am working on designing my next prints in the flower series.

Green Bag

2011-03-04T18:24:00.003-05:00

The "green" tea bag is finished.....not exactly practical but here it is....

I've been working the past week on book making, inspired by my friend Lisa, who has offered to teach me many binding techniques. And the idea of using text with my tea bags has wondered into the imagination. Lots of experimenting going on and I feel energized to look at the work with a new approach.

Continuing Work

2011-02-21T21:07:00.004-05:00

Summer is flying by here "Down Under." March 1 marks the official beginning of autumn, although the warm days usually continue well through that month. The weather has been so hot and humid this year that I really look forward to cooler days to come. Still, I'm not sure about freezing Vermont as the alternative....I can't really complain.

Tea bagging progresses. Last week I finished the big grid piece and am pretty happy with the results:

Then I started work on a "green" bag. (I believe it was Carol who gave me the idea some time ago!) I used one that I had to make the pattern and started adhering pieces of bags to the canvas in quilt-like fashion. Here are the components, ready for final assembly:

I met up with my friend Lisa Giles last week. Lisa is a photographer, book artist, newly a printer, and very creative soul. We shared our artist experiences of the last eight months and I got to see some of her new work. I will try to post some photos.....her work is so original and beautiful realized!

Starting Over...

2011-02-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

How can it take so long, require so much energy and eclipse everything else to move from Gaysville to Woodstock? It's barely 25 miles but it might as well be 2500 miles because everything you own has to be picked up, considered, discarded or packed, moved, unpacked and installed somewhere in the new house. And that's after the new floors and walls have been sanded, patched, painted and painted again.

The most fun painting was the dining room floor which was painted with a checkerboard "rug" using the colors of the walls in the living room, dining room and office. Here's Sandy working on the Rockport Gray squares (thank you Sandy!) using Carol's little stool (thank you Carol!).

And here is the finished product....

Now that the really necessary curtains are up and only a little tweaking here and there is required, I am back in the studio. Two months and fifteen days since I last posted, I am starting over! And having a studio at home again will be lovely....

Line Drawings for my Adult Coloring Journal

2011-02-14T18:54:00.004-05:00

Finally! Today I finished the last interior drawing for my second adult coloring journal, this time around the theme of things Edible. Here are a few of the drawings I've recently completed:

Hops

Coffee & Tea

Raspberries

Onions

Toiling and Coiling

2011-02-12T01:51:00.006-05:00

A very welcome cool rain today was the perfect backdrop for studio work. I was away most of the past week, so was especially happy to be back to my tea bags. The large piece, really resembling a quilt in many ways, is almost finished (rather "tea"dious after a while)....just the edges left to complete. This photo was taken a couple of days ago, before it got to today's stage:

I've also been playing with making some 3 dimensional pieces. For now I've been experimenting with wrapping the tea bags around rope or upholstery cording. The idea is to create something made of long coils, perhaps a vessel. Here is a tea bag bracelet and a wrapped coil I've started. The jury is out on this one!

Updating My Adult Coloring Journal

2011-02-02T07:14:00.004-05:00

News from Cynthia's Studio:
Last year I created an adult coloring journal called "A Tangle of Flowers." I didn't even get around to promoting it before I sold out of the first printing of 100. This week the second printing arrives with a slightly heavier laminated cover. You can find these at the Shiretown Bookstore in Woodstock, VT or in my Etsy shop HERE.

I've decided to make this concept into a series of journals and coloring books. First I am re-formatting the journal to a slightly larger, more standard size of 8x10 inches. I am already working on the designs for the second and third journals. I still need to create about 20 new drawings though. Hopefully all will be done this spring.

Two Red Flowers

2011-01-30T10:26:00.001-05:00

Except for the varnishing, which can't happen until this has cured for a while, I am finished with this painting. It is a small (11x14) mixed media painting and will be place in a gold frame when dry. What doesn't show up well in this photograph is the three dimensional nature of the flower centers and the luminescence of the ribbon, which is done in gold.

Treasures in the Trash

2011-01-25T02:10:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow is Australia Day, a bit like the 4th of July but basically a day for the beach and firing up the "barbie". I can't believe the contrast in weather between here and Vermont.....so hot here, so cold there. I love keeping up with our group's work on the blog....Cynthia is obviously taking advantage of the indoor time and producing some wonderful new paintings!

My work continues to truck along. I have finished the feathery piece and moved on to another large one. Here' the torn tea bag piece, which is 50" x 39", still in search of a title......

The new one is being assembled on an old rice paper blind that I found in the trash a few years ago. I knew it would eventually come in handy! It is about 72" x 60", so presents some challenges as I put it together. This photo was taken a couple of days ago and I have completed about twice as much as of this afternoon.

My fan has been cranking away and the only problem is the occasional tea bag that goes floating through the air!

Painting Progress

2011-01-24T10:25:00.006-05:00

Barbara (lovely art-wise woman) was so dubious that I would actually keep my promise to get back to painting in 2011 that she wanted me to "sign it in blood." Well, I've kept my promise. I've been working on three canvases at the same time (since oil dries so slowly) and am making slow progress. Here's what I have at the moment - all of them unfinished. I tend to go slower as a painting progresses, terrified that, after all the work, I will ruin it by over-painting.

My Practice Canvas

2011-01-16T09:28:00.006-05:00

I've been working on an oil painting for the past couple of weeks. Since oil is an unfamiliar medium for me (I am used to pen, pencil, watercolor, guache... illustrator mediums) I am going slowly. I've begun a second canvas I call my Practice Painting, where I am simply practicing a grisaille (grey tones) technique while paint on my main canvas dries. In some ways, I like the practice canvas better than the main one. Ha.

I began by using tones of sepia to sketch out various leaves on a light blue canvas.

I then added some blossoms in neutral grays.

Then I experimented with using burnt sienna as my neutral but I didn't like it as much as plain gray.

Now I've begun to practice different flower shapes and play with shading.

Here is the evolution of the practice painting so far:

It's All in the Air

2011-01-14T22:30:00.005-05:00

It has been a good week for working, keeping all the windows open to get some air in my warm studio space. The piece I have been working on is more than half finished and I am enjoying the change in process, which involves gluing pieces of torn tea bags onto light weight fabric. Here's a photo taken a couple of days ago:

This close-up gives an idea of the layering that's taking place.

I envision hanging the piece from the ceiling on a rod, probably about 6" from the wall, so it can move freely. It fun to see how the work changes as the breezes pass through our house!

Into the new year

2011-01-05T22:04:00.010-05:00

The long trip, Vermont to Sydney, always gives me time to think....not always too clearly, mind you, but the brain does wander as the miles slide by. So I reflected on the work of 2010, which consisted almost entirely of tea bag creations. I am amazed that I am still loving this process and quite captivated by the beauty of the stained paper and what is possible to do with it. Here are some patterns taken from the clothing I've made.

We use my studio in Sydney for storing our personal belongings while we are gone and the house is occupied by others. So to be able to get back to work I have to clear everything out.....how motivating for getting the job done quickly! Two days of unpacking and filling the pantry and the house is in order and I am beginning again.

On the plane I thought about layering, lots of layers, almost like feathers on a bird. So the new work will begin with experimenting. Luckily I have hundreds of bags, all emptied and ready, thanks to my dear friends and family back home. Here's my studio, ready for action!

Working on a Book

2010-12-28T08:34:00.004-05:00

I'm creating a sample chapter for my BOOK! Although I haven't settled on a title, I have ideas for size and format as well as a clear idea of where I'm going.

An exciting part of this project is that there will be many opportunities to include patterns as well as paintings of food and food related images.

Crown Hat

2010-12-27T11:15:00.000-05:00

Here is another winter hat I made as a present. This one is a new design I'm calling a Crown Hat. It is a simple triangular design which, when worn, has three peaks which looks like a crown (or perhaps a cross between a crown and a jester's hat.)

I think its delightfully wacky. My adult daughter thinks only weirdos would wear it.
Humbug.

I have one more present to make and then I'm done. Got to hurry now, New year's is almost here and I've promised this art group I will begin painting then -- or else.

Fancy Names

2010-12-20T10:02:00.001-05:00

Have you ever noticed that abilities tend to progress in leaps rather than slow, steady increase? This is what has happened recently with my calligraphic talents. Two years ago I wrote fancy names on my daughter's wedding invitations. They were very nice. But this season, without any more practice, my lettering has taken a huge leap forward. Perhaps it is a reflection of how much better I feel about myself. After all, I find that what the hand can do is greatly influenced by the emotions coursing through the body.

Last night, after writing names on Christmas presents . . .

I was so happy with what I was creating that I stayed up an extra hour to fool around with fancy writing. Unfortunately, my pen leaked. Now my thumb and middle finger have huge india ink stains. Ha! I guess that shows I've been working.

For years I have enjoyed scribing in fancy lettering when I've had to address envelopes...

make invitations, create awards and the like. I'm not a "real" calligrapher. I don't have a portfolio of various styles I can write in. My style is... swirly. Nevertheless, I've suddenly become much bolder and I like the results. Perhaps I will start offering this as another marketable skill. (Oh dear, I can hear my alter ego screaming already about dissipating my focus yet again.)

Moving on

2010-12-16T20:47:00.004-05:00

It was with a great sigh of happiness that I sewed the last few stitches in the tea bag dress today. As with most of these pieces it took more time than I imagined to get to the end point. The dress was quite fragile to work with and there were many logistic decisions as well as aesthetic ones along the way. So it is great to call it "finished".

I have quite a backlog of tea bags to open and empty over the next couple of weeks. I plan to take an extensive inventory with me to Australia so I will have plenty with work with there (especially without my loyal group of tea bag providers here). I will recruit my visiting family to help with the task....perfect for bonding over the holidays!

Adam & Eve

2010-12-13T10:01:00.000-05:00

Last year I made a kirigami hanging heart with an image of Adam & Eve on it. Two angels flew overhead. It was wonderful, one of my best. I hung it with my kirigami display in the living room without thinking. At the Snowflake Party many people buy my wares from my Itty Bitty Art Gallery and someone bought my Adam & Eve before I realized it. (You take what you want and put the money in a box. I use the honor system.) I was sorry to find that my baby had left the nest.

So here is the new one I've created. Alas, it is not as fine as the old one.

Perhaps I will practice depicting the first family again next season until I am satisfied.

Tiny Kirigami Ornaments

2010-12-09T08:01:00.001-05:00

This year I am again participating in Chandler Gallery's Holiday Artisan Bazaar. I just got a call from them asking me to bring more wares because my things are selling out. So I've been cutting more kirigami ornaments (something I do rarely) to put in the gallery. Each one is about 3-4 inches square. This lot was a three movie affair.

Milan fashion

2010-12-06T17:20:00.005-05:00

I hadn't been shopping for dress patterns for more than 30 years. Yet it all seemed quite familiar to be browsing through pattern books at Joann Fabrics last week searching for something similar to the dress I found in the New York Times Magazine recently. The sleeveless rather 60's trapeze dress would be perfect made out of tea bags! I eventually located a McCalls pattern that would do the trick (at a surprising $15.95......whatever happened to patterns priced at $4.95?)

I've spent days sewing the folded teabags together. As with each project recently tackled, I've had to figure it out as I've been working. Today I was very happy to actually get to the point where I could cut out the front of the dress. Here's how it looks:

It may take a few more days to finish the back, put it all together and figure out the finishing details. I'm working in the house now as sewing in the chilly studio isn't very comfortable. So much for our dining room table!

Holiday Open Studios at Tip Top

2010-12-03T14:18:00.002-05:00

Today from 5 until 8, and tomorrow from noon until 5, artists at Tip Top Art and Media Center in White River Junction will have Holiday Open Studios. There will be artwork, refreshments, music and more. In addition to oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings, I will be showing my floral prints both hand colored and black and white. Please come tonight to enjoy the festive atmosphere!

The latest print in my floral series is just finished. I think it looks like the flowers are dancing in the summer breezes....

"Foxglove and Black Eyed Susan"

linoleum print • 9" x 12"

"Foxglove and Black Eyed Susan"

hand colored linoleum print • 9" x 12"

And tomorrow, don't forget the Opening of the Holiday in Miniature Exhibition at ArtisTree at 6:30. Small works perfect for holiday gifts at the gallery just north of Woodstock on route 12.

My Holiday Elf Job

2010-12-01T10:47:00.008-05:00

Every fall and winter evening I put on my Elf hat and make fine crafts in my "night studio" in front of the tv. Normally I cut kirigami mandalas (shown at my Itty Bitty Art Gallery in Pomfret or in my online Etsy shop HERE)

... but this year I had the urge to do some sewing as well. I created more Art to Wear: One of a kind Hats (at Something Old Something New in West Woodstock) . . .

and I've made three dozen ribbonwork hat & coat ornaments for my favorite vendors. They are on sale at Arjuna in Woodstock and the Chandler Gallery's Artisan Bazaar in Randolph, as well as my online Etsy shop HERE.

I post all my new work (nearly every day) on my art blog HERE, if you are interested.

My Elf days are numbered, however. After making a few more gifts for my family, I will be back in my studio painting.

After all, Barbara did ask me to sign in blood my promise to paint

This and that

2010-11-26T17:33:00.007-05:00

My studio keeps calling and I seem to be able to be there most days. The two tea cozies are finished and they are quite different from one another, but both required quite a bit of engineering in the creation.

I've also been working on a new book, this time using full tea bags for the cover and the full size opened tea bags for the pages. I need to figure out a good way to bind it all together, which is a little tricky with the full bag cover.

I've also gone back to working on the canvas tryptic. Two panels are now complete and I have begun the third. I'm not sure if they will hang next to one another (which would be a piece 12 feet long) or over one another with some space between the canvases. Certainly the latter is more practical, but it really depends upon how it all looks and the space available for hanging.

Stargazer Lily and Morning Glory

2010-11-22T11:43:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy and stressful several weeks looking for and finding our new house-to-be! We are excited to be moving in January to Woodstock where we will be close to friends and stores and I will be able to move my studio to our house. It has been hard to carve out time to make art and it will be very welcome to be settled in our new place in a couple of months....
Today is a wet, cold, gray November morning and so it is somehow even more pleasant than usual to work on floral prints. They bring back memories of summer and warmth and color.
This first print is black and white....

"Stargazer Lily and Morning Glory"

9"x12" - linoleum print

The hand colored print is finished as well....

"Stargazer Lily and Morning Glory"

9"x12" - hand colored linoleum print

I now have four completed prints for the calendar I would like to publish next year. Each one attaches to a month--and lily and morning glory are definitely some time in the summer!

Building Hat & Coat Ornaments on Cold Nights

2010-11-21T11:05:00.002-05:00

My hat & coat ornaments have proven to be a big success on the holiday market so on these cold cold evenings I've been lounging in my Night Studio, bundled into my soft blankie, sewing ribbon into beautiful ornaments while hatching plans for new illustration projects. Here are the ones I've created in the past few evenings. (The dark one must be the one I made while watching the very dark "Book of Eli" with Denzel Washington. I changed to "Narnia" after that.)

By the way, You can find my ornaments at Something Old Something New consignment shop on Route 4 West in Woodstock, at the Holiday Bazaar at the Chandler Gallery in Randolph, and also online at my Etsy shop: www.EmerlyeArts.Etsy.com

Cozy in Vermont

2010-11-18T18:29:00.006-05:00

The tank swim suit was easy to finish. I haven't figured out yet how to display it.....somehow it doesn't seem right to put a swimsuit on a hanger. Maybe a clothes line would be better.......

I'm having fun creating tea cozies at the moment. The tea tag one is just about finished. In this photo the top handle hasn't been attached, but I'm thinking of using a stack of round tea bags for this purpose.

The piece I'm working on now is made from full tea bags attached to a canvas backing. It may take a few attempts to get this one down, but it's an interesting experiment. My tea bag suppliers keep supplying and the ideas keep flowing!

Tank Chic

2010-11-08T15:57:00.005-05:00

During the past week I've been working on a tank swim suit. I sewed long lines of unopened but emptied tea bags together to form stripes, then ironed the stripes on to fusible fabric, normally used to created interfacings. I found the piece to be much more fragile that I thought it would be, but with a lot of care managed to get it together. I needed to sew tea bag trim around all the edges, giving it a lot more stability. (I've had to do this with a number of pieces and I hope that they will hold up well with this edging). Here's a photo taken before all the edging work was completed:

Carol has given me an idea for what may be the next piece. She suggested a tea cozy and right away I had a vision of what it might look like. How great to get so much support from friends and family for my work!

Fringe

2010-11-03T18:35:00.004-04:00

I'm back from a wonderful trip to California and Chicago, just in time for some really cold weather. It was good to have the scarf pieces with me, as I had a lot of travel time in which to sew and knot the fringe on to the ends. It took close to ten hours to do it, on the plane and bus, in the airport, and relaxing overlooking the Pacific. So the scarf is finished, tea bag string fringe and all!

This week I have begun to make a tea bag swimsuit, maybe to celebrate the coming of winter. I'm playing with an entirely new technique, adhering the bags to fusible material with an iron (suggested at an Art-wise Women's group, my ever helpful friends!). It's a bit tedious, but seems to be working, so I'm hoping....

Hat Season

2010-10-31T09:56:00.005-04:00

Hats hats hats. I've been madly building hats for the holiday selling season. I used to create these one of a kind garments (hats, vests, jackets) a few years ago and sell them at the Norwich Farmer's Market but I took a hiatus for a couple of years due to illness. Now I'm making them again.

Art to Wear is another seasonal activity, like my kirigami papercuttings. In another month I will have enough for the season and I'll go back to painting and illustration.
Shown here is a sampler of what's new. These are for sale in my little "shop" on Route 4, West Woodstock, at Something Old Something New. Check them out!

Remembering Summer....

2010-10-25T17:47:00.000-04:00

Now that snow has fallen here on Vulture Mountain, this is a happy memory of summer. It was painted on a sunny July morning standing in a churchyard in Randolph.

"July Field, Randolph" oil 8"x10"

It is a small plein air painting that attempts to capture the feeling of that warm summer day. It is lovely to have such a view of nature available as the days are becoming gloomy and cold...

Making Ribbonwork Hat Ornaments

2010-10-22T10:31:00.003-04:00

Once a year I spend time building one of a kind art-to-wear. This year, instead of decorating my hats with the same material they are made from, I decided to create detachable ribbonwork hat ornaments. Here are some I've been working on:

I mostly make these in the evening...

After all, at the end of the day, I want to sit down in my "night studio," put my feet up and watch a movie while working on handwork of some kind. My portable setup, consisting of a basket and several trays of flower parts is a bit cramped but it works.

Now to sew some more hats.

Just in time for chilly days

2010-10-21T08:20:00.004-04:00

This past week a scarf of many hues has come together on my workbench. I've combined different types of tea bags in some new ways and have stayed with a light (plus red!) palette. I've used the sewing machine in combination with hand sewing.

The only part remaining will best the most tedious......sewing and tying hundreds of tea strings for the fringe. Since I'm heading out to the west coast to visit family I decided it would be a perfect airport/plane project. The end pieces, strings and needles are packed and ready to go.....I wonder if it will make the hours fly by!

Collaging Experiment II

2010-10-20T15:07:00.000-04:00

Here are the completed four flower paintings....

I watercolored some bright yellow and orange paper and cut it into geometric shapes to add my human intrusion into the little flower paintings. I intuited what I thought they needed to become complete.... It's difficult to see it in these photos but the yellow and orange pieces add a third dimensionality to the paintings since they warp nicely.

Experimental II

2010-10-19T18:07:00.002-04:00

This is the second series of four little watercolors. The inspiration comes from flowers I have been drawing recently in conjunction with making a series of soft cut linoleum prints.

I wanted to use simple brush strokes to carry the meaning and speak the reality of iris, sunflower, etc. without being too representational. So, quirky and humorous though they may be, I think they capture the feel of joy that flowers bring to me.

Tea Bag

2010-10-16T14:52:00.004-04:00

Creating the Tea Bag has been a very fun challenge. It took a while to figure out how to sew full tea bags without ripping them....then to assemble the two major parts and make the binding and handles. The buttons I had previously made for "Earl Grey's Vest" and didn't end up using were perfect for attaching the purse handles. Then I coated the entire bag with semi-gloss matt medium to both give the bag greater strength and to add some sheen to the surface.

My next project, which I am well into, is a scarf made of all different kinds of tea bags. I'm trying to create patterns within different stripes of the scarf.

Last night a new gallery called Artis Tree, which will feature local artists, had its inaugural show. I exhibited three tea bag pieces and a four piece work I completed last year called Furrows. It was a wonderful opening, with excellent and varied work, and it was so nice to know most of the artists and the crowd who showed up!

New Hats & Adornments

2010-10-13T10:58:00.006-04:00

Here's my first hat of the season. This one is #101011 and is sans ornament. I had forgotten how much preparation is involved with all of this. I definitely need to organize my sewing workshop better. So much junk to spread all over the place!

Below is the second one I've made this week, #101012. It is a similar color, but with a large flower made from ribbon. In a few days I will be bringing them to my new shop where Something Old Something New is in Woodstock on Route 4 west.

2010-10-09T20:39:00.005-04:00

Last week I finished the vest, which I've titled "Earl Grey's Vest." I made buttons out of the tea bag material, but they seemed to detract from the patterns in the piece itself, so the vest is buttonless.

I also began a new tryptic. I stretched 3 canvases, each 8" by 48". Rather loooooong. I completed the first piece, so 2 remain. It will be interesting to see how these pieces will work together. I imagine that they will hang on top of each other, but it might be possible to create a skinny piece that is 12 feet long......

I also have been working on a tea "bag" or handbag. This has really been fun....I decided to leave the tea bags as they are (not emptying them), so the piece has weight and a lot of texture with the tea inside. I'll post photos next time......

Being Experimental....

2010-10-04T13:02:00.007-04:00

I've been enjoying making some small watercolors with a calligraphic feel to them. Poking around in the library, I came upon a book of sketches and studies by Robert Motherwell and I realized that his Abstract Expressionist work has an spontaneous, calligraphic feel to it. Then, I looked at several books on Asian art and experimental watercolor and thought about my experience teaching a bit of Chinese brush painting to my Painting One students years ago. This all led me to create the four 5"x7" watercolors below. I used a mixture of indigo and ultramarine blues and a soft, wide, flat brush to paint them.

These remind me also of the storyboards I used to put together when working on computer graphics for Colony Video. I decided that it would be fun to add some collage images to the paintings. So, I painted some deep red paper and cut it into shapes that I attached to the paper with acrylic medium. The shapes are not flat but rather curved and make for an interesting low relief.

I am not sure what the story is that they are telling and I am not sure where these are going but I do have more on my drawing board at the studio....

New Images

2010-09-29T12:32:00.003-04:00

It's been a long dry spell....

Perhaps that's beginning to change.

I pulled out my wonderful box of oil pastels and tried to capture some of the color around me.

Almost Complete

2010-09-27T17:57:00.004-04:00

The vest is almost finished! Today I started sewing the binding around the arms and front edges.....hopefully it will give it the strength it needs. Then the challenge will be creating some kind of buttons and voila!......completed at last.

Using the sewing machine wasn't easy, but I think was what was needed. Here's the vest before the final stage!

A Plein Air Day

2010-09-25T18:13:00.001-04:00

This week, Sandy and I went to Braintree Hill in Randolph to paint plein air one lovely, sunny morning. At the top of the hill is an old church and graveyard. I got so taken up with taking photographs of the cemetery nearby, I ran out of time to paint. So, instead, I sketched.

Here are a couple of drawings from our time outdoors in the fresh air...

This is a marker drawing of an ancient tree that caught my eye. I loved the way the trunk split into two separate sections and how full the tree was despite its age. It looked like an apple tree to me but it had no apples so maybe it's some other kind. Sitting on a stone fence was not the most comfortable place to rest!

And this pencil sketch is the view looking back up the road to the crest of the hill. To the right was a corn field and the sun was warm and friendly as I sat on the bumper of the car....

Tea Vest or Vest-tea

2010-09-16T18:14:00.006-04:00

This past week I've been working on making a vest out of square and rectangular tea bags (the kind that come without a tag). Since it is a garment (even through it surely won't be worn!) it seems appropriate to use a sewing machine to stitch together the bags. A new challenge.....but overall the assembly is going okay and I've finished the back and one front piece. I have no idea how this will come out when it is completed, but hopefully it won't be too strange!

Galvanized Gardening

2010-09-07T18:33:00.005-04:00

Sculpture Fest 2010 had its opening on Saturday. It was a joyous event, with hundreds of visitors of all ages checking out some fantastic sculptures in the Davenport's meadow, woods, and hillsides.

It was really exciting to be a part of it after having come as an observer for so many years. My piece, "Galvanized Gardening", is installed in a lovely spot, under the shelter of some old apple trees. It seems to fit well with the theme this year, which is "Water." I enjoyed the process of working 3D so much that I'll have to continue at some point.

I highly recommend the show, which will be open through October, to everyone!

Completion

2010-09-02T10:10:00.006-04:00

It was very satisfying to stitch the final piece into the quilt this week. I can't quite believe it's finished after working with it for so many weeks, but it is complete and somehow it feels "right". I believe that part of its appeal for me is in the imperfections, the pieces that aren't quite aligned correctly. As I was sewing it I often had to decide whether to "fix" what didn't seem right or to allow it to exist......I guess the piece is a metaphor for that balancing process in my life of striving for perfection and letting go into acceptance.

So on to another experiment in this series of seemingly unending experimentation. I have set up my sewing machine in the studio and cleared out a corner to begin some new work. This time it is machine sewing a garment, probably a vest (since it is simple and straightforward and would really "showcase" the tea bags.) More to follow.