Home from Massachusetts

I arrived home yesterday afternoon to pick up the boys from school. I had an amazing and wonderful 4 days teaching at New England Felting Supply. Chris White (Uniquely Felt author) and her husband, Mike, hosted me and made it feel much more like a vacation than work, I can tell you! To not have to cook for 6 days and come home to wine and cheese was a real treat, but the conversations with Mike and Chris were the best. My students were so wonderful and worked very hard! The time flew by and I can now look forward to returning in August for Karoliina Arvilommi's visit, November to take a felting lab with Chris and in April next year to teach again....so wonderful to have these dates to look forward to! I will post the work of my students on my website in the next few days. It was exciting to teach my landscapes for the first time as I was ready to pass on my tricks. To see their work come to life is so rewarding and to have happy students leave with beautiful work they have created ...nothing better. My husband and parents tag teamed the boys and they did more than fine. Lunches were made, dishes were washed, projects worked on and pancake festival attended. I'm a lucky woman to have such support. I have busy months ahead and hope the efforts don't wear thin! This teaching thing is pretty sweet...

Easter

Well, I am trying to focus on today...be in the moment. but my mind is preparing to leave on Wednesday to teach 2 workshops in Mass. With the holiday weekend, much of my running around getting things ready for here at home must be done last minute. I have been in the studio which has been nice and made a bag yesterday that fulled down almost 50% as it was three thin layers of merino. Even the boys were surprised when they saw the finished product. I am thinking about felting today, but with family coming for lunch I should wait! I think I will slice the ham, get the salad ready and lay out a small pillow anyway! Have a great day...

Lost Sleep...felting dreams

I go through these crazy phases often when I have work laid out on my table. I find it hard to get to sleep and if I wake up at any point in the night, I can forget about getting back to sleep. My head is swimming with ideas and my tummy churning with concerns for upcoming teaching engagements. I woke up this morning (4 a.m.) and I was dreaming I was spinning with a drop spindle...something I have never done and didn't think I wanted to do. I got up and went through my calls for entry file and my teaching file and my exhibition file and assured myself that I can only be concerned about my next event and need to put the others out of my mind until my calendar tells me I need to think about them! I am now strictly making pillows and pods to prepare to teach them and have the added benefit of having them to sell on the studio tour, or wherever. I made one last night and today and I am getting the process I am going to teach nailed down. I have also booked a private lesson in Montreal in September with hopefully more. I love Montreal and will gladly break my fall/winter teaching break to see students there. Well, Kettle is boiling and I am going to set up another pillow to keep the ball rolling! Hope I have sweet dreams!

10 different directions!

Lots going on! I have made a submission to a juried exhibition in Korea that will then travel (This is a biggie and I'm not sure of my chances!) I have submitted my newest piece titled '"Adaptations", which I love...as I most of the time feel about the most recent piece. My Dad has made the hanging device (he turns 71 today...Happy Birthday, Dad!). He has actually made 3, so I have 2 more in my head ready to roll! I have sent my information to a fine contemporary craft gallery in Ottawa. I have sent proposals to the Union Gallery for a solo exhibition and have another I should write today and get out for a small gallery space in Ottawa that would be great for my work. I also have the local juried arts salon, which I always enter. Those things as well as planning for Mass. in a few weeks. I am really getting the itch to hit the road. I was looking at my pictures from Holland last night and want to go back so much! I loved being there. Well, Tuscany is next year and I just hope the dates do not conflict with a workshop I have booked with a guest artist coming here!

Great News-Award!

I was notified by the Tom Thompson Gallery today that I have received the Lincoln Croft Memorial Award at the "Convergence 2009" exhibition. I am so humbled and grateful for the honour and Acknowledgment. I don't know who Lincoln Croft was, but would like to find out. My piece Liberatio Captivus is what was recognized ("the sticks"). I am also hoping for good news on Masterworks East...tomorrow is the day! Long day today...more later. had to share.

What's up

Hello! Today after I made a 4x batch of chocolate chip cookies, I headed into the studio to finish a piece for the Kingston Fibre Artists exhibit which will hang on Friday. I am excited to see the show and what all my fabulous "peeps" have been up to. It's funny that we meet every month and conduct business and the occasional peek at one anothers work, but what I will see is a complete mystery. Those who have seen the work I plan to hang have just said "weird". I purposely don't share my new work ahead of time or I tend to second guess myself. Last time I had a really "weird" piece, it went on to win an award, so I keep reminding myself of that! I do have concerns however that the piece is a little too sculptural to hang on the wall and the keepers of the space will think it sticks out too much. We shall see! I can easily make an adaptation (that invloves breaking part of it...but what are you going to do!)
I will be hearing if I made it into "Masterworks East" the first part of the week, but I have a good feeling. I will attend an opening reception for the show in Ottawa on Saturday and a conference on Sunday. I am looking forward to it! I am meeting up with artist friends Carolyn and Jane. so I won't be solo! I'm suddenly feeling footloose and fancy free...I actually think I don't have work for an exhibit to do...I have one in September, but I think until then, I can just play in the studio and plan for my upcoming teaching. I better check my book before I get all excited! Well, time to watch Nature on PBS with the family...then felting dreams!

Grant!

I have been thrilled, overwhelmed, intimidated, filled with gratitude and, admittedly, at times, a little full of myself today ! I received a generous grant from the Ontario Arts Council. I had a letter and a cheque in the mail today. I was taken with how such a large check is not even signed by anyone, but rather rubber stamped. This will fund my felt education for the next two years. I have to space it out as I am already traveling so much to teach and for my own work, but they are fine with that. I am not a great book keeper, but I will make sure I track everything as they need! I am very excited and happy I can add this to my growing resume. I also received my artists fees from the Tom Thompson Gallery...today was a good day! Tomorrow I will need to plant my feet firmly on the ground, give myself a reality check and be back to being a regular artist trying to make it all work, but just for today, I will float! G-nite...