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.