If I were an Ewok

Hello All!
I have been busy making art and enjoying this fabulous summer. This weekend I head to Montreal to teach a wonderful group of fun creative women and will update you soon! In the meantime you can read a recent article on a site you may find interesting. I hope you will all follow them as there is some pretty useful and interesting content!

 http://www.textileartist.org/andrea-graham-interview-feltmaking-a-spiritual-experience/


Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Laundry List

My wheels are spinning and I keep waiting to hit the ground rolling:

- Images of new work for a Magazine article...can't get the lighting right so redo.
- Sample for workshop in the Fall in Italy (woot) create and shoot
- Box up work for exhibition in Italy (again...woot) to measure and weigh
- Write exhibition grant application- deadline soon!
- On-going work for upcoming exhibitions..in big spaces!
- Work for my commercial gallery in Toronto
- Complete final piece for a commission
- quarterly tax filing

...and other important stuff.  I cannot share images of my new work quite yet and I do not think you will be thrilled with images of paper work.As you can tell from recent posts, I am feeling a tad stretched. With 3 teenagers and the end of the school year and one graduating, there is a lot on my plate. I find I will work for a bit and leave the studio to get something I need or check email and get side tracked with other matters. Tomorrow is a new day. Fresh start.



Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

No Place like Home

When I speak of "Home", in this case, I am speaking of being true to my artistic self. I have been stepping out of my comfort zone a bit (yes, a good thing) and have been making new work. Some are process pieces and will continue to be worked and played with...and likely never seen. But they are the ground work for what will be seen. I am a confident person and a confident artist and have for many years now had ideas, I execute them and move on to the next, so this feels very foreign to be out of my usual process. When I toss in all the events revolving around home and family and I have been out-of-sorts.

Last weekend I had a trip "home" and made a small series of sculptures that is so true to my work, yet is new and exciting for me. Yay! I will share with you...eventually. I am creating work that will be revealed in a publication that deserves to have the initial "reveal". So, while the work is not a big secret, I will be sharing less images of new art until the appropriate time! I am also making decisions about my other functional work and will likely discontinue making anything wearable or, at the very least, focus only on my fine art for a long while.I will keep you posted...




Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Updates!

Hi All...
I will begin with this image...to find out where they are going you will have to read to the end...

Oh, my! Things have been wonderfully adventurous. I have been a traveling fool and now that I am  at home I continue to feel the wanderlust. Where next? Where next?!

After Rochester, I managed to cobble some information together for a writer I was meeting in Montreal, visited one of my galleries and taught for 2 days for a F A B group of women that I now consider friends. Such a great time...can't believe I get paid to have so much fun.

Our workshop space...My hosts do costumes for TV and movies (how COOL!)

Working

I love the urban graffiti vibe out the window.

Dinner with my friend Celine (I drank all her wine)

more work ;o)

While in Montreal I received the news that 3 of my sculptures have been acquired for the Claridge corporate art collection. This is an important collection and I am, of course, thrilled.
Now home, I have the next couple of months laid out making work. I made some more sculptures for Montreal...they can be purchased here: The Canadian Guild of Craft where the sculptures for the a fore mentioned collection were purchased. I will also have a solo show there in September 2015

So, if you find yourself in beautiful Montreal, you may see this in "person".
On another note...(Wah? More news?!) I will also be completing a commission of some sculptures from my new series. I will post images as they evolve. I will keep you posted. You know I will.

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

What's New

The last couple of weeks have flown by. I had a fabulous weekend with my favorite feltmaker, Chris White, in my favorite venue, New England Felting Supply. My students made some amazing pods and we had lots of fun with a big group of 12. Always so much fun.

 quick scarf commission I fit in between things for a dear friend far away.

This past week I was in Rochester, NY with a private group followed by being hosted by the very professional Weaver's Guild of Rochester for a lecture and a 2.5 day vessels workshop. I had 15 (yes, 15!) students that were mostly either very new to felting or just flat out new. I had one with lots of experience, Marie, who was also my very generous host. I really had an amazing time and I just fell in love with Rochester. It helps that it is Spring and absolutely everything was in full bloom, unlike at home. It was raining petals everywhere...just amazing. I had been before for the opening of Fiber Art International and really love the vibe of the city...lots of old houses and giant trees.

I was treated to an 8 course Ukrainian dinner with some interesting folks, an intimate potluck with great conversation, and so many more little treasured moments. I have friends that tell me I should demand a hotel, and I know of other artists that do. Yes, you often do not know what to expect and it means for long days being social, but staying with a student host can really be the highlight of a teaching gig. This one was great all 24 hours of the day and, hey, I am a pretty social person!
 

Dinner under the fruit trees at Deb's

Deb's piece in progress.

The "Unlandscape" using the same technique. Perfect.

Now...on to workshop #2...

My lovely host, Maries door...Welcome!

While walking the doggie...lovely Rochester!

The vessel collection by my fearless students from the Weaver's guild of Rochester. Thanks, Ladies. You were so great!

Now that I am home, I have a statement to write... for a writer... for an upcoming feature in a major fiber publication (I'll keep you posted). This will feature all new work that will be kept somewhat under wraps until publication. I will give you snippits of my process, however.  I must plan and pack to teach in Montreal this weekend for a private group and try to make a couple of small pieces in between. too bad I need to sleep (and I do love my sleep!).

Well, I guess I better get a move on. I'll keep you posted!

Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Big White Pod

Before I went out of town this weekend, I laid out the wool for one side of this new pod. Sunday night and all day Monday it was completed.

This is actually this completed piece and the resist it began on. It was about 4 feet wide and 7 feet long

mid way through, it was shibori stitched

Wetting out again to finish the felting...

It is drying and needs to be stuffed and hung somewhere very tall to take images! I will keep you posted. It was nice to get a significant piece completed and I hope to work on another before meetings next week and weekend travel. Back in the groove ;o)
Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com

Percolate

I find myself sitting at the computer wondering why I have this sudden wave of exhaustion! No, I don't need more coffee (I really don't). I have spent the last few days looking at my next month packed with teaching and trying to envision the days between teaching in the studio. Trying to make a plan. I was down there a few moments ago to plan out some ART and have so, so many things I need and want to work on that I totally lost focus before I began anything and had to come back upstairs to do some research. My head is just too full! My head will not stop...no wonder I am tired!

I need a extra hard drive that I can download some of what is taking up valuable space. I sit at the computer to write things I need to write and more inquiries and request come in. All very good stuff, just lots to take on. Switching gears to "creating" is not going to happen...today, at least.

I am away this weekend visiting a friend and to take in the ballet with my youngest son and hope that a change of environment will allow me to de-bug, power down and reboot. I'll keep you posted!



Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com