In Progress

I am working on a wall piece and thought I would share a bit of the process. I have been looking through a book of work by Hundertwasser and he has used this interesting ladder/spine form, albeit, differently and I found immediate inspiration. I made one piece in bright yellow and blue...2 reasons...1.) Hundertwasser and 2.) I am waiting for a wool shipment and short on my usual colours. This was good for me as I was working with colour and also with wools that are slower to felt. For this piece, I wet felted a prefelt from a gorgeous blue c-1/pellsull and have laid it on a background of some of my favorite Finn wool.

I have a neat tool called a Felt-o-Matic. I have not used it often, but it was just the right tool to make a small sheet of prefelt to cut my circles for the design as I did not want to get my surface wet again during my layout. This is sold by Dianne Stoutt and comes in a couple of sizes. No affiliation, just a great tool.

Anyway, there are some resists in there, which I did not do with the first piece. This is how inspiration goes. Give yourself permission to explore what you see out there, something that speaks to you, let it evolve and make it your own. I am looking forward to wetting it out today and adding the additional design...I will show you when it is done!!
Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

BODY + OBJECT

I will be sending my pod head piece to Toronto to the Ontario Crafts Council Gallery for the above show (runs from Jan 5-31st) and as well as another piece, a scarf made with merino wool...and steel wool. Looks like an amazing show. I will not likely go for the opening as I have to go to Toronto later in the month for a Board meeting, but will certainly check out the show before my meeting.

I have spent the last few days with holiday preparations and, with the exception of a couple of appointments, hope to spend lots of time in the studio working on pieces for "Adaptations", my solo exhibition in March (OMG, how friggin' long have I been saying this?) I have 6 weeks to get my master list into the gallery and it is looking pretty measly right now. I know it will get done! Oh, I received my Exhibition Assistance Grant...cheque arrived yesterday. I took a leap of faith and ordered my invitaions already with the OAC logo. Brave, huh? Livin' on the edge, that's me.

I also must already begin to think about my spring/summer teaching. I will be at New England Felting Supply in April to teach Dimensional Landscapes and Finn wool bags. If you are interested, I would suggest contacting them soon. I know they will fill quickly once officially announced. I have been fighting, and losing to, an eye infection. I will get it checked out today in hope I can get rid of the distraction. To the studio!!


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In Situ...

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Photography still in progress

A very reluctant model...I will also be shooting outside in the woods with a taller "model" but it is really snowing out and the deadline for images for my publicity is tomorrow.
I really enjoy the photography part. I have the piece hung by string and it keeps spinning, so getting a clear shot is difficult. I suppose I should get it ready with the mount the I will use for the show and then it won't spin. I also need to sew a label inside so they know which is front and which is back, although it can pretty much go either way. I spent the entire day felting yesterday other than driving a child to a lesson, and we had dinner late. The headpiece dried overnight (did not take long because it was put through my handy centrifuge) resting on the cymbal stand for the drum set (hey, whatever works) Okay, coffee and then back to the studio to re- shoot!

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Breaking Through

For days I have paced about, having a "great" idea and sketching it to find that after an hour that the idea is not as good as my "new" idea. I am finally proceeding with a piece for the Ontario Crafts Council exhibit (my second invitational exhibit at the OCC-the first being the toured "Elemental Connections") I need to have an image to the gallery for Monday (nothing like down to the wire!)

After toying around with several ideas that I may explore in the future, I have found I have to be true to my pods. On one hand I wonder if I am being safe, but I know that I still have that intense excitement in me for these forms. It is never routine, never the same challenges and even though I have a sketch, the piece will evolve as I build up the layers of this 3D headpiece.

I have never made a wearable pod. I can even see the image. After my Harvest installation, I feel that idea of the image has been a greater part of the work than it has been in the past. I have many ideas about photographing this piece on my head in many environments. It may be more cost effective for now to hire (or bribe) a model and photograph this myself than to be the model and hire the photographer. Well, now I am just getting ahead of myself...I have 48 hours to finish the felt (and start it!), let it dry and shoot it! Time to turn the heater on in the studio, add a splash of coffee to some cream and sugar, and get to "work".

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Next!

Article/images
Cover of issue (not my work, FYI)

I sent one of the kids up the long driveway in the snow to the mailbox this afternoon and I opened my new issue of FeltMatters with excitement. I first noted one of my pieces on the back cover and then leafed through to find my article (above). This issue (the magazine of the International Feltmakers Association) is a good one with lots of exciting diverse things happening internationally. I have a copy for you, Tracy! (the photographer)

After driving all over the place this morning and once everyone decided they really wanted to be at home, I was able to head into the studio and I am well on my way to start the piece for my next exhibition (Body + Object). I have been true to my pod-loving self and will be making a piece of head wear (I can't in good consciousness call it a "hat") I am still "percolating", have made a template, but ideas are still evolving! the anticipation is building.

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Percolating

Hey, we actually had one of these when I was growing up. My mom had a galley kitchen in our little house in Alberta Canada with lime green cupboards and a little window at the end that looked out onto the patio and the cherry bush.

I have spent the day working and have not touched wool. I am pacing about, taking notes, making sketches, doing google searches. I even took a trip out to my husbands shop for shot gun shells. I am percolating ideas for this "Body + Object" show that I have 6 days to start and finish work for. I have a back up idea, but would like to really have a solid piece that makes a statement. Not sure what I want to say...maybe I want to say too much. When we think of what we wear and what it communicates (or conceals). I am in about 10 directions. This is the hard part...


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Felted scarf suggestion!

I had mentioned how much I loved the green scarf I made (and sent to the Ontario Crafts Council Guild Shop). This is made from a length of hand-dyed silk pongee (wonderful lustre!) that I bought from New England Felting Supply They really know how long we need to start for a nuno scarf and their colours are amazing! While it certainly cost more, you really do have part of the "art" done. You will need to email them and ask what colour ways they have in stock. I have recently seen "kits" that are sold with a length of silk that is too short if you properly felt and full and want a nice length, but these silks from NEFS are super long and ready to go. Just lay on the wool and felt. Make sure you full it to a.) get the wonderful texture and b.) to complete the felting process!! I have lots of white pongee in my silk bin and keep thinking I should run a couple of dye pots. I have some Acorn's Journey orders to fill, some deadlines for things for exhibitions coming up (I better look at my planner!) before I can think about playtime with the dye pots!

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Before and After...

These are the scarves finished! I will post a couple of other detail images as you can't really appreciate them at this distance. The green one on the right is so pretty with a hand-dyed silk pongee. I think it was a piece that I bought at New England Felting supply as the ones I did had more yellow (a flavine yellow that bleeds like there is no tomorrow-whatever that means- so I am reluctant to felt into it). I sent 9 scarves and wraps to the Ontario Crafts Council guild shop moments (can you feel the excitement?) ago along with 40 photo cards. The wraps were awesome. I have to make one for myself!

Next pieces I need to work on are pieces for "Body + Object" at the Ontario Crafts Council gallery. I am thinking urban, spiky, inhospitable. Something that deters touch for the body (although we all know people will want to touch it) Umm, okay, as I am lost in my artsy wanderings...my youngest is out in the snow rolling a giant snowball wearing shorts. Anyway, back to art...I have to play with that idea..a contrast between texture and form...cashmere spikes? touch me/don't touch me. I think I am on to something.

I also received a call from Carolyn Butts if Bon Eco design about the felt she wants me to make for her high end automans. She is entering a design show in N.Y. and I now have a deadline...I will let her know Monday...Oh, I love my job (really!)

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Only a few thousand rolls to go...

It has been a very sad week and more to come with a funeral on Saturday for my very, very dear Mother-in-Law. One of the sweetest ladies ever. Needless to say, the focus has been family and fitting in felting instead of sleep was not a good plan. I must admit to staying up very late one night to finish some scarves that had been wet out and were sitting under plastic. I was worried they would get moldy after hours of layout...not good.

I must get a collection of scarves out to one of my galleries and once these four are felted, fulled and labeled, they will head out with the others hopefully to be snapped up by holiday shoppers! I also have a few shibori neck wraps from last year that I will send as well. I also will make up some cards to send along. FYI...these scarves start at about 106 inches ('cause I know you will ask!)


Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com