After Holiday Sloth

Well, Christmas and Boxing day have passed and we are still moving rather slowly. My mind, however, has been spinning with new ideas and my sketch book is never too far from reach. I did spend a couple of hours in the studio yesterday and have a few "pods" ready to go. I surfed Amazon yesterday and ordered some very cool books that should be full of inspiration. I got hung up trying to decide what work would be for what show and came to the conclusion that I just needed to work and those decisions can be made later. I also need to invest some serious time into planning for some teaching in the Spring, but I need to focus on Winter work for now. I will be sending work to Toronto OCC and Tom Thompson Gallery in Owen Sound in the next couple of weeks. I will start wetting down my work in the studio today and am putting it off as it is cold in there! Well, a cup of coffee in hand, I will venture forth...

Christmas stuff

I had a wonderful evening last night. Mark took the boys to a hockey game and I went to my dear friend, Suzanne's house. Frank the farmer joined us with a box of PEI oysters, Danby shucked and Nancy and baby Margaret kept us company. Good friends, good wine and wonderful conversation. I find people's lives so interesting and the journey we have all been on makes mine seem thankfully dull. I am thankful for how open my friends are as we have so much to learn from one another. Mark turns 50 today. So hard to believe. He's headed off to work, when I think he should be home enjoying his day. I should know by now that what he enjoys is being busy and he is doing what he wants to do today. He will be home early to join us and all the things we have planned...gifts and some of his favorite food!

Hi Everyone

Hello! I know it has been a while. I have been super busy, as we all are this time of year. I have entered another juried show at the Tom Thompson Gallery in Owen Sound. Have not heard yet about it or the DIWhy exhibit, but will hear this month. I am also working on a solo show for 2011. I will keep you posted. I have several scarves and a few other pieces at the Sandra Whitton Gallery in Kingston. I have sold 4 pieces already and hope more will go. Sandra's Gallery has been a successful venue for me. It really is a nice space.

I am ticked with a "certain" other gallery that is awful at communicating...no reply to my calls or emails. I am so out of there in the new year.

My fibre sales are high with all the keen crafters out there. I am so happy to see people making gifts for their children rather than buying a bunch of crap. I am headed out today to buy a few supplies I need to make some things this weekend for teacher gifts etc...Well, I need coffee.

Whew! I'm Back!

Hi All...I couldn't log on to my blog for a while for some bizarre reason. I have just submitted an entry for a OCC juried exhibit themed "DIwhy". I had a great idea and it all come together quickly. I am happy for that, as I have a lot on the go. I have an opening in Belleville Saturday with the KFA. I am looking forward to seeing how it has all come together. My large vessel from my website is there and being shown for the first time and I think it may go to Scotland in February depending on what I do in the meantime. I have been doing some needle felting for others and am feeling in the mood to create something fun. I have found some very inspiring illustrations on the internet as well as some dools in other mediums that are stunning. Their faces keep me awake at night. I also need to create some more scarves for the holiday season...What a day today...History was made in wonderful way. Interesting times lie ahead.

The no good, horrible, bad day!

Day started in a rush to head to Toronto to spend the day at the museum with the boys. About 2 hours into the drive the vehicle breaks down. Husband went with tow truck while I waited with 3 kids for 2 more hours waiting for a ride home...another 2 hours. Kids were not happy campers and either was I. I am grateful to brother in law for picking us up and was happy to be home! I am itching to get in the studio (as usual) and hope to do so the first part of the week!! Bye for now!

What's up...

Had a great day at Fibre friend, Tina Barnes' home. Worked a bit on a commission piece and felted a sample for Tina using some lovely dyed net organza and merino to show her the effect. It felted down 75%. Amazing! I also picked up my remaining pieces at Sandra Whitton's gallery and have cut up some silk ready to go in the dye pots for my upcoming workshop. I will give them the option of purchasing silk at the workshop or before. I hope to fire up the pots on Friday. I am itching to get in the studio but with big boys at camp it is special time with the little one. We visit a friend and my god daughter tomorrow and make some deliveries. I also pick up info for the Kingston Fibre Artists as I become the official chair in September. Bye for now.

Birthday

My son became a teenager yesterday and today is the last of the celebrations with family coming this afternoon. I can then focus on preparations for my next workshop and planning materials etc. I did not hear from Fibreworks yet, so fear I did not make it in. Not the end of the world, certainly, but it still bugs me when I don't make it in a show. Glad it doesn't happen often. Well, I must make a cake, tidy my house and focus on the day so tomorrow I can FELT!

In Progress

Latest News

Hello fibre folk,
My opening at Sandra Whitton Gallery went well. I sold two pieces from my "Womb Service" series, which I had deemed unlikely, at best. I am amazed how I can be true to myself creatively and things go my way. I also have 2 commissions on the go. One for a long time "patron" and the other for, well, another "patron"! I am blessed with having people that support my work with enthusiasm and even tell me I don't charge enough (how fabulous is that?!). I await response from Fibreworks, which I have entered. My piece was a challenge to photograph, so we shall see. I will post a photo here. It is not on my site yet as it is a bit "secret"! I had over 100 hits on my site the other day so try to keep some things under wraps a bit! Some teaching lies ahead so I will be preparing for that making samples etc. If you want to learn nuno scarves, I am your girl... well, I am now needed as "mom"...bye for now...Moi

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Workshop Fun

Had a fabulous workshop last weekend with 9 fabulous women! We covered all the nuts and bolts of felting and they were fearless!! They made lots of samples and a few pieces that I would certainly call "art". I think they all learned a lot and had a whole lot of fun in the process. All the funds will be spent tomorrow at the Orthodontist (sigh). It's so hard to get ahead! I am just thankful to be able to do what I love. Bye for now on this glorious summer day...

Life is Good

School for the kids is winding down and I am looking forward to long, lazy summer days. I am so lucky to be doing what I love. As all artists out there know, it is so hard to be your own P.R. person, webmaster, and accountant and still be in the right head-space to create, let alone find the time in the studio. I have many ideas floating and am mulling over the most sensible way to execute them. I have an idea that I think may be a bit ambitious in scale so may modify it and downsize. It will be for my 'Womb Service" series and I need it soon for a show at Kingston Ontario's Sandra Whitton Gallery. Sandra is a lovely, cheery, talented fine jewelry maker that has a great gallery space and I will be showing with 5 (?) other fibre artists there. My Autumn is wide open which feels a bit odd, but perhaps will concentrate in providing work for the 2 galleries that represent me and also a couple of commissions with fall deadlines (oh, yeah, those!) This feeling of time on my side and long lazy days is suddenly fleeting. Life is still good... full of the love of family and good friends. What more can we ask for? enjoy this moment...

Long TIme No Post!

Gosh, it has been a while! After my long string of exhibits, I am now working on new work that I am very excited about. A new series titled "Womb Service" (only 2 in the "series" thus far) for a gallery in July and also more odd vessels and things! I am seeking local sources for a new body of work that I intend to be the "100 mile craft". It is not without challenges, but I have my wheels spinning. A contemporary juried show ahead as well as teaching the end of the month an "explorations" workshop and a nuno workshop in September here in Odessa, Ontario. Just a note that I do travel and teach . I have a daily rate/travel/accommodation arrangement that if you have a group is quite affordable! Bye for now!

Art Success

Well, I had a success with a great studio tour. I sold the Podospora vessel shown above and another piece and perhaps a third. Spring is always pretty good for me. It's like a full year of work pays off in a couple of months. We shall see what else comes about in the next few months. I will also be working on things for my favorite gallery...they are good to me and the sentiment is returned. After my latest gallery debacle I appreciate the good ones. I have some workshops scheduled. One is a felting explorations course and the other Nuno scarves. Check my website if you want more info. Bye for now...baking cookies even though I want to be in the studio, but kids won out this morning.

Saturday- working day

Did a needle work show today for my Education business, Acorn's Journey. Sold some wool and lots of Chris White's book. Met some interesting women and have a long list for workshop requests. I will arrange some soon...the need is obviously there and I am skeptical of all these "instructors" who are popping up teaching felting which is really fuzzy wool half-attached to a piece of silk. Do I sound snooty? Sorry (not really)...how very un-Canadian of me! I anticipate setting up dates for a needle felted figure workshop soon and a nuno scarf workshop in the Fall. I love to teach...don't love time away from my boys...balance is the key, I suppose...time to read to the little one...

Finally a "normal" day

Monday

My silk and wool came out of the dye pot and will be added to my stash. The wool that I did a little shibori on and shape set did not turn out exactly the way I had planned but still will be used for something. I now know what I need to do! Today one child was sick so we spent the day together...no felting today but lots of ideas mulling about and in my sketch book. I have a studio tour the weekend after next so need to round up my odds and ends to see what I will hang. I have a felted figure on ebay right now that is doing well so this is a good thing! I have a love/hate thing with ebay. It is a great way for me to generate some money but I feel a bit cheesy. I will try etsy next. I have an account but just haven't listed anything there yet. Soon. Okay, kids have emptied the dishwasher and their lunch packs and are playing basketball before they have there daily one hour of screen time. My meal plan says "meatloaf" so, meatloaf it is...

Sunny Day

It's a beautiful day today. One child is making stop motion animation on the computer with the digital camera, one is napping on the sofa (sick) and the other is going back and forth between basketball and making clay sculptures. I am sitting and tying up some felt for shibori. I need to figure out what else to throw into the pot. I haven't done any dying since the fall so I have to read some stuff. I know it is not rocket science but, ya' know! I have a Canadian juried show in mind for this piece. Had a gallery situation that was resolved after way too much drama that was handled in a much too complicated manner with way too many people involved. I voiced the situation on the felt list and had a few less-than-friendly comments that really added insult to injury that day. Days like that and I just wonder why the heck I try so hard. It is resolved but I worry about lingering bad feelings. Anyway, water under the bridge for me...today I am going to enjoy this gorgeous sunny day.

Back from Massachusetts

I am home from Massachusetts and have caught my breath after a busy 2 weeks. The washing machine is repaired and being stranded at home waiting for them to fix it was a blessing. After a bit of spring cleaning I can now look ahead to some time in the studio. I have a gallery meeting tomorrow (I was just called-don't know about what yet) and am volunteering at the boys school in the afternoon in my 10 year olds class. I had such a fabulous visit with Chris White. Honestly, she is an angel on earth, that woman. Her store is fabulous and if you need felting supplies you just must check out her place or go on line to her New England Felting Supply. I came home with some plant dyed organic finn, some churro locks and some C-1 blend to play with . Chris and I also conducted a little washing machine experiment that left us laughing so hard I could not breath...needless to say it will not be shared! I saw on a link that Chris is a felting "Sorceress". This is a fitting title as she treats felting like alchemy...love it. My students made wonderful things and I hope they continue as there was some real talent there. Fabulous job, women. I hope they keep in touch. I did check out my current show and I am not as displeased as I thought I would be with where and how my pieces were hung. I have also had some wonderful feedback and a sale so it can't be all bad. Well, time to read stories.