Roller Coaster

What a week...first it's up and then it's down. Oh! Wait for it....then a sideways corkscrew. Some hills were approached with closed eyes, some peeking ahead, others with hands in the air and wind in my hair. Now I am ready for some serious Zen...and perhaps some cotton candy.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

S-L-O-W

Well, I was just reading over my list and, admittedly, progress is slow. I am being indecisive what to enter in the juried show and actually did a sketch yesterday of a new piece that may be it (added it to list)

My latest piece, finished last night, will be for my Kingston Fibre Artists show that will hang locally in about a week. I will miss the opening as I will be at away. I only had one piece in last year because I was hanging my solo show in another city. This year I have been a good girl and have several pieces (once I complete the hanging devices that are on that gosh darn list)

I had a hiccup in my picking up of materials as a couple of items are elusive. How can a dollar store NOT have spare checkers? What kind of made-in-china item is not in the dollar store... and no checkers? The dreaded Walmart, home of the off-gassing neurotoxin, will be my next stop. I know I can't be the only one that has an immediate asthmatic reaction upon the parting of the doors and receiving of the cart from the (saddly, elderly) "greeter". The whole experience is disturbing, frankly. But for checkers, I'll do it.

Scarves to be completed for Tuesday are but a fantasy, at this point, and my studio is an explosion of locks, silk, wet/cold towels and odds and bits all over like some wild felting party gone awry. I am going to head down there now, crank my heater, and get it all clean and pretty to begin tomorrow...or if I get on a roll until the wee hours. Ta-ta for now...

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

A laundry List again...

How I can go from leisurely days at home to getting ready for the month to come....how does this happen? It's not like I don't know it is coming, but it is always here before I expect it. I know you all can relate.

1.) Getting art ready for a call for entry deadline Tuesday (and photographing it, filling out forms, etc.)

2.) Hanging devices sewn on my pieces for a show that hangs next Friday

3.) Making spring scarves for the Gallery in Toronto to take up when I go on Wednesday

4.) Hair appointment (a girl must look good, you know)

5.) making 4 stops to pick up some teaching materials

5.) Miscellaneous meetings, go to pet food store, soccer practices, dance class, meals to cook,

...you know the drill. Calgon, take me away!

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Sold

At the conclusion of it's tour around Europe, this piece will have a new home in the U.K.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

What's New

Hi All,

I have been having a wonderful "March Break" with my boys and have had a bit of time to play in the studio and am now also planning for "Pods" and "Bags with 3D elelments" the week after next. I made a bag from some "Lollipop Corriedale" from NEFS, named as such as it is displayed wound 'round a long stick like an enormous delish candy treat. It was so great to work with and the colours. Yum. Crazy shrinkage as I kept fulling it nice and tight. Close to 50% width. You can see the midway fulling...was thinking this is where many would stop fulling.

I also felted the art piece with 3D elements. It is difficult to see the dimensionality of the piece. It is much nicer in person. I usually consider how a piece will photograph before I lay it out, if you can believe (did not with this one- just jumped right in!). I L-o-v-e working in reds and oranges, but they are very difficult to photograph, thus I avoid such saturated colour. A piece that is difficult to shoot is of way less value to me. If I cannot convey the piece in the image, it is very difficult to enter it in shows and for publication.

The other thing I have done is make a hat for my son. He took on of my felted rings and inspired by wearing it on the tip of his finger upside down, like a finger hat, asked me to make him a hat. We sketched it and then he wanted eye holes...thus, we created the "durp" hat. Certainly not perfect as I raced through a bit and getting him to wear the soggy thing while I shaped it was short lived. But, he loves it and has not taken it off...it's a bit curious, but I am asking no questions. He is 13, after all :o)

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

In the Works...

Lots of wool. Lots of logistics. I am using my sketch as inspiration, but remind myself that, at some point, the sketch must be put aside so that I can focus on the materials... what they are becoming in three dimension. I am going to take my time with the layout and add more once I wet out. FYI, don't ask questions about this layout 'cause I am not telling ;o). Our water softener just broke, so I am reluctant to begin any wet out until it is replaced. I can add some softener, but really don't feel like adding additional variables if I don't have to. I will say I am using a few different wools including beautiful shades of natural grey Pelsull from NEFS (New England felting supply)

I have a couple of show committments coming up and a local juried show that I, in spite of seroiusly hating the venue, always enter. I am about to have a week off with the kids, so have grandeous ambitions of checking off a long list of things to do. While I fear I am kidding myself, I am going to give it a go and give myself permission to just do my best, enjoy being home with my boys and letting the rest go.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Big Salad

Oh, I was being so good. Big cup of water with organic lemon slices, a big salad with an egg and toasted sesame dressing. 'Twas delish but moments later did not feel so great. Not sure what component it was but spent the rest of the day on the sofa rather than in the studio. The good news-managed to tidy the studio pre-salad, so it as all ready for me to get to work today, and I shall! I will keep you posted!

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

What-I-bought-at-NEFS

Kind of like, What-I-did-on-summer-vacation

Ginny commented on my last post wondering what I brought home from New England Felting supply while I was there. This is what I bought!

- full roll of uncarbonized prefelt (white)

-2 yards black prefelt

-some loose weave fabric bundles

-irish linen fibres (great little pack only $1.95)

-short fibre merino (strata collection) awesome for jewelry making- 15 colours for $24 :o)

-hand dyed corriedale (I bought to make a bag)

-Assorted merino tops in some brights for some spring nuno scarves

-some other sparkly stuff

-small bamboo cutting board to roll multiple ropes

-a big button for a hat my son wants me to make him

Oh, Fun!

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Home from Massachusetts

The wonderful mess!

Water + Wool Gallery

Ahhh, I am home. Just had a wonderful, fun weekend visit at New England Felting supply and with dear friend, Chris White. (do you have her book Uniquely Felt? If not, I highly recommend it)

The drive home (after a late night with 3 hours of sleep) was a bit dicey through New York with nasty weather. Then the GPS thought I would like to see the country side. While I appreciated the sentiment, I just wanted the road to magically be at my door. I had overdosed on Starbucks and my hands felt permanently molded to the steering wheel after the white knuckle journey. All worth it!

The gallery space, Water +Wool has installed a couple of my pieces and they looks so great (thanks, Linda!). Today I have some things to ship out, including my teapot to the Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery. I brought home some fabulous stuff and really look forward to beginning some new pieces! Stay tuned!

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

180 Degrees

It never fails. Trust in the process. Giving myself permission to take some time to just make "stuff" while I wait for devine inspiration from somewhere inside me. Eventually all the things I have been observing, thinking, hearing, bubble up to the surface and spill out onto my sketch pad into something that will hopefully evolve into some good art...whatever that may be. My next body of work. It has to be good to me, I suppose...that is all that is really important. If I am feeling it and believe in it..if I can maintain a clear but simple vision, it will be translated (another leap of faith we artists take). I have gone from slothly and questioning to seeing my next couple of years take shape. These cycles, if I were to be bother to track them, are likely very predictable. So would the impending doubt sure to follow, the frustrations in the studio, the pull of my "real"life when I am in it and the pull of my "art" life when I am not.

I look forward to visiting a feltmaking friend as I am headed into this transition. I'm not a "sign from above" kind of person. I think we create our own magic and so much occurs on a subconscious level and I think this 180 into a creative phase is happening at just the time it needs to. It has been a good week. I received a letter from Lark books and will have a piece in an upcoming book and also received a generous grant from the Ontario Arts Council...my third. I am teaching "pods" in the spring with the awareness (and anxiety) that I need to evolve and so, imagine that, I now am...


Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

What's New

Still needs strap (corriedale, fYI)

back

layout

back of bag I laid out while making scarves

Front (big flap)

felting (note the knit on the surface? It is from Jeannette Sendler of Scotland amde on her knitting machine)

Well, since Saturday, I have made 4 scarves and (almost) 2 bags. I have a meeting downtown today that I am trying to decide if I can attend. I am headed to Mass. to visit my dear friends soon. I have orders to fill, correspondence to catch up with...one of those days with a full plate. I could complain, but would not dare. How lucky I am that I get to decide what my day looks like :o)

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com