Still playing...

I have sent the other hats off to Toronto, but could not help continuing to play. This hat is made from pure pelsull wool with c-1/pelsull detail (the red). I made a nice tight sturdy felt for sculpting- from New England Felting Supply.

As I mentioned...I am in "limbo" percolating the next "thing". Crazy creative process. Feeling blocked, but on the cusp. I know enough now that I just have to wait it out, keep my hands in the wool, connect with wonderful people (Thanks for the talk today, my dear friend) and what I feel passionate about. The rest will come when it is ready and not a moment sooner. This week I was asked to sit on an artists panel at a conference, obtained a possibly-probably agent (how's that for wishy washy), fine tuning materials budget for my Artist and Educator in Residence at Queen's University, and am considering where I will be traveling in the spring. I also started 2 pieces for the Agnes Etherington Arts Centre rental program that are Crap (note: capital "C") and will be recycled. Sometimes casualties are part of the process. Just the way it is. No worries.

Visit my site http://www.andrea-graham.com/

Limbo

Limbo:

a.) status where a person or project is held up, and nothing can be done until another action happens

b.) A dance that originated on the island of Trinidad in which the dancer leans backward and dances under a horizontal pole without touching it

c.) A poem written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

d.)The speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the hell of the damned?

Lets see...I always had difficulty with poetry, despite my valiant efforts. I have lost significant flexibility since my gymnastic days, and, frankly, I am a pretty consistant believer of evolution theory.

Yes, you guessed it...a.)I am feeling "held up", in limbo, between a rock and a hardplace (really more like a down pillow and a warm puppy as what I am "between" are both good things)

I am in a holding pattern getting ready for a super workshop on Sunday while I am looking, with great anticipation, ahead to getting back to my wool and my projects. Bring on the Caribbean drums ...(and the warm puppies)

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

More stuff...

Tuesday's hat...little skull cap with silk

Wednesdays hat...inspired by the Mushroom hat in Uniquely Felt (a must-have book)

...check out the friggin' resist! I did end up trimming the brim, but sheesh!

New black hat on the go...it's going to be pretty! Can't wait to get to work on it...

Detail- silk fibres and merino nepps

Well, made another hat and will finish the black one today. That is 5 hats in 4 days, for those counting. This a.m. I grocery shopped, searched for my dog who habitually runs away (and found him, thankfully after tears, followed by the "Do-you-know how-worried-I-was?" lecture), and have eaten a very unheathy breakfast...Dr. Pepper and corn chips. It was one of those impulsive hungry at the grocery store purchases. After a bout of insomnia, I figure I would further inflict inbalance on my ageing and protesting body. In any case...enjoy the pictures...check out the huge resist for yesterday's hat. Time to make some coffee and get to that black hat. Have an awesome, creative day and hug your dog. It has to be better behaved than mine.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Next....

My goal this week: 5 hats- 5 days.

Not sure where the day went...never made it out of my P.J.'s. A fact I totally ignored as I delivered a forgotten school lunch, a wool order and picked up a child at the dentist. Oh my, how I let myself slide when I am focused on creating! In any case, the above it the result from today (note: hoodie and unmade-up eye)

It was made on a much shorter template and was folded down (and fulled, and steamed) in a spiral rather than concentric circles. It feels very nice on...soft, lightweight. Totally not my colours, but then again, it is not for me! It will go the OCC box and await it's yet-to-be-made hat friends for the journey to Toronto. Another on the go for tomorrow...

Visit my site http://www.andrea-graham.com/

Update!!

Hat..on head

Hat...on block!

Hat...beside the (big)resist!

The hat was made from some hand-dyed corriedale/Romney that I bought from one of my students in Saskatchewan. It is quite fine and perfect for this hat. The dots are prefelt from New England Felting Supply. Their "adjustable drape" prefelt is perfect for quick designs. I was not feeling very inspired and it got me going!

One of the scarves I delivered to the OCC guild shop. I call it the "Larvae Scarf", but was dissuaded in actually calling it that (go figure? Does not everyone need/want a larve scarf?!)

Me (looking tired and wrinkly) and Julia Rossi at the train station....

How is it possible that my student from Argentina was here a week ago? A week ago? Really? Julia Rossi and I had a wonderful visit and lots of felting and sharing resources. I hope she can take what she has learned and have fun with it at home with all her students! The day after Julia left, I went to Toronto to drop work off at the OCC Guild Shop, see an exhibit at the Textile Museum and attend a board meeting.

Okay, (confession time) I try to like Toronto. I really want to like Toronto. I like to think I am just a city girl and that I can just walk down the street dodging cyclists and people sleeping in doorways like it is old hat. I like to think I am dressed like a hip Torontonian and that I am capable of navigating the city streets and that I know where the hell I am. Alas, it is not so. I spent a fortune to park in garages that reek of urine (beats getting towed again- *cough* we won't speak of that), feared for my life on a couple of occasions, made a poor footwear choice, and I felt more like country-mouse than "hip".

In any case, I made it home alive and in record time and have been taking care of more business stuff than art stuff. Today, I went into the studio not sure what I was going to do other than stare at some fibres hoping inspiration might strike. First thing I grabbed off my shelf was Chad Alice Hagen's hat book (gosh, I love Chad!). "Yes", I said to myself, "a hat...a hat it will be". I can work in 3d, have fun with some sculpting and kick start the hats I have promised to take to ....oh, yeah...Toronto *sigh*

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Student next week...

...from Argentina.

Well, if I am to expect my student to be representative of the images I view when searching 'Argentina' in Google images, I could be in for an interesting couple of days. Lots of shiny, tight bodies in thong bikinis (They are close to Brazil, I suppose), sweaty soccer players (once again, shiny), and bodies of water (more shimmery than shiny). In any case, I am looking forward to a visit from feltmaker, Julia Rossi, and wonder what she will want to do with her 2 days here. We will no doubt share some good wine and have a evening in the studio as she will camp on my sofa. I will practice my "Hola!" and dig up some shiny fibre to make her feel at home.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Standard Garden bugs

No, certainly not high art, but a whole lot of fun while I am trying to get some creative juices flowing. I started one of these while in the van on a road trip (Note: I was not driving). Until I can have a larger block of time in the studio, this has been my way of keeping in the wool! They are pretty cute and I think I might have a couple more in me. I have some concepts percolating and some other things going on to consider and this is great filler.

I have a bag to complete (it's coming, Cindy!), a few pieces to create for the purpose of entering into the Agnes Etherington Rental library. Whether they end up there or elsewhere remains to be seen, but the sketches I made are truly calling to me. I also need to make a healthy stack of scarves for my galleries and samples for my fall classes very soon. Nice to have a plan but still enough space in between to allow for some creative time, long lunches and conversations with artist friends and creative energy.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com