Summer Fun

Hi everyone!
Carol Sloan here.
I've been talking about natural dyeing and eco printing in my last few posts. I am still busy at my outdoor work table, experimenting with nature's bounty to see what kind of colors and textures I can get.
My husband and I have been staining fabric & paper with rust (some call it "rust dyeing") for several years now. I love that as well. I live in the northwestern corner of South Carolina (I'm not trying to confuse you I promise) where it is H.O.T. in the summer.
And H.U.M.I.D.
Both of these are excellent for rusting things.
Add a little vinegar to the heat and humidity and you will have a piece of rusted paper or fabric in a matter of hours.
Put all of that in a rice steamer and you get mucho grande rust in minutes!

Here is a cotton jersey scarf that I rusted.

It was the first one that I did that way so I didn't really keep track of the exact number of minutes that I left it in there. I'd set it on 30-40 minutes, check it, then add a few more minutes if I thought it needed it.
Repeat a couple of times and presto!
A beautiful scarf with wavy, sensuous lines of a deep rust color.

And no rust particles that you get with "regular" rusting.
My guess is that, since your fabric/environment stays wet (or moist), the  particles of rust do not dry on the surface the way that they do with rusting in a bag or under plastic.

I have rusted several more and am putting them together for funky, one of a kind scarves.
I can't wait to wear one and see what kind of questions I get. I make other types of artsy scarves and always get comments and questions when I wear them.
I have even sold a couple right off of my neck!

I am working on an artist book that uses rust, plant fodder and other ordinary materials that give extraordinary results.
I'll post some photos when I am finished with it (unless I decide to submit it for an article).
Follow my blog for more tales of mad scientist art experiments.

Your Elusive Creative Genius

Gloria Hansen here.

This is a favorite TED talk that I shared on my gloriahansen.com blog more than a few years back.  It's by Elizabeth Gilbert – author of a favorite book, Eat, Pray, Love, on nurturing creativity.

In my original post I talked about how Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

She talked about the success of her book and people now asking her “Aren’t you afraid that you’ll never live up to your prior success … that you’ll be a failure?”

She goes on to discuss how creativity was originally looked upon as an outside entity that visits one and graces it with a bolt of inspiration.  The Romans referred to creativity as genius.  Again, an outside force that would possess one with inspiration.  At one point things changed.  “We went from having a creative genius to being a creative genius.” And with that comes a lot of pressure, suffering, and despair.  She talked about the “painful reconciliation” people go through when success comes along and then wanes.

I periodically watch this video because it's a gem. It reminds me that rather than sitting in that painful place where I feel like I'll never be creative again, and playing in my mind all of those dark thoughts that can quickly sabotage good energy,  I just need to get busy and do the work.  Here's to showing up, doing the work, and finding your elusive creative genius.

Traveling Down Under - Inspiration Files

Travel is a most inspiring experience for artists. The memories and photos can provided fodder for years after a trip.

Last month I was fortunate to be invited by Cecile from Unique Stitching to teach at a paper craft and mixed media show in Brisbane and a big quilt and craft show in Sydney. First stop, Brisbane, a charming city with a lot of interesting street art.

The two abstract fern patterns above were metal work on concrete benches on the sidewalk.

The inside of the roof in the expo center in Brisbane had a beautiful pattern in the trusses, below.

After a few days in Brisbane we flew off to Sydney. The show was held in the expo center in Darling Harbor and we stayed in nearby Chinatown.

The wall along the walkway from Chinatown to Darling Harbor was sinuous and undulating.

There were mosaic sidewalk installations in the grassy areas in front of the expo center.

The expo center itself looked like a ship at berth. Sadly the building is being torn down later this year. I hope it will be replaced by something equally elegant and architecturally relevant to its location.

Darling Harbor is a revitalized seaport housing not only the expo center but many restaurants, cafes and shops. It is especially charming at night looking across the harbor at the city lights.

Chinatown had many fierce foo dragons including this massive guy and his twin.

The show was beautifully run, and had a varied, eclectic mix of vendors. Unlike most quilt shows in the states, this was a quilt and craft show so there were vendors selling supplies and finished goods in many, many craft disciplines other than quilting. This might contribute to the fearlessness that I noticed in Australian artists to mix their media and blur the lines across fields. 

The quilt exhibit was extremely inspiring. Not having the rigidity of the tradition of American quilting holding them back (no "quilt police" that I saw at all down under!) Australian quilters tend to experiment more than their American peers and worry less about how things "should" be done, or what's "correct". It was a really refreshing attitude reflected in the finished quilts and the students in classes. Another refreshing aspect of the quilt show was the music that was played all day every day - it really contributed to the energy of the show. There were mostly hits from the 70s and 60s, and each day the show opened with a dance party in the lobby with the vendors dancing (gangnam style, the macarena, even the electric slide) for the patrons waiting in line to get in. What a fun, happy, and original way to start the day!

After the show closed, Cecile, the most gracious host on the planet, treated me to a day tour to the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney that started with a bus ride to a wildlife sanctuary - where, yes, I pet a koala. We  paused for lunch in a chic mountain town, stopped for a ride on the steepest railway in the world, and ended with a ferry ride down the river and past the Opera House (plus even more in between). It was a magical experience.

The flora is so interesting and has sparked all sorts of ideas for surface design.

Crazy steep railroad - slightly intimidating but so so cool. You ride down to the bottom in cars in a nearly reclined position and then return backwards.

An amazing Aboriginal sacred site called the Three Sisters. The landscape was truly breathtaking everywhere we went. At one point we walked down a steep path to an overlook to see the valley and imagine it when the first European settlers arrived and learn about the trees, the periodic bush fires, and the history. The entire day (the whole trip really) was so educational and enlightening.

I came back invigorated and inspired and ready to hit the studio. 

finding inspiration

Natalya here. I am currently in a bit of a slump. Nothing to worry about, just sort of stuck on how to begin a piece. I know where I want it to go, just having trouble starting. So I am procrastinating. One of the ways I like to procrastinate, besides organizing some pile (did that yesterday!), is by looking through my photos. I consider that inspiration in disguise.

Every now and then I find some forgotten gems, like these below from a visit to the Met this past spring. I went to see the Matisse exhibit and on the way out or in stumbled upon these wonderful textures that I just had to photograph.

Alquimia XIII, detail of a wall hanging by Olga De Amaral

Alquimia XIII, detail of a wall hanging by Olga De Amaral

Gorgeous wisps of thread drew me to this huge piece. I just adore the delicacy of it and the gentle yet vibrant color. And am fascinated by the materials: linen, rice paper, gesso, indigo red and gold leaf. What is "indigo red"? I'll have to investigate, and where on the piece is it?

Between Earth and Heaven, detail of a piece by El Anatsui

El Anansui's work has attracted me for years. To make trash look so gorgeous is a gift! I must not miss his exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum this summer.

Ceremonial wrapper from Indonesia, 19th or early 20th century (detail)

Indigo dye at its best, no? That delicate wisping of color....sigh...

Ceremonial wrapper from Indonesia, 19th or early 20th century (detail)

Same wrapper, just the other end of it with gold leaf doodles. If you look carefully at the reflection (this was behind glass) you can see the huge panels on the opposite wall and that'll give you a good idea of the size of this wrapper. What or whom did they wrap in this beauty?

Dartahal (1995) by Gedewon (Ethiopian 1939-2000)

Now these are doodles to impress! Ball point pen, lead pencil, graphite and ink on paper. Absolutely stunning detailed drawing... And what's wonderful to me about this, is that this is "talismanic art", meaning it's considered healing and is drawn for individual patients. A fascinating tradition of Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

So I have found these photos in my photo stash, now what? Well, just the act of looking at them and preparing this blog post has energized me. I feel inspired, I am itching to get my hands on some art materials and get to work! Off to the studio, I know what to do now!

Summer in the Southeastern USA

Carol here.

I live in the upper left hand corner of South Carolina (called "the Upstate" around here).
For years, decades really, we have been classified as an Agricultural Zone 7a-7b, depending on where you are in the state.
In 2012, the zoning map was re-evaluated and the zones in our state changed.
We now run from 7A to 9A (Charleston area only).
That would explain why I rarely wear a heavy coat in the winter as well as why I stay in the house (in the air conditioning) during the heat (and humidity) of the summer.

But one of the truly wonderful perks about living in this near tropical environment is the cornucopia of fragrant flowers.
If you step out into my backyard right now, you would be treated to the scents of gardenia, magnolias, lillies, petunias, roses as well as many other odoriferous delights.

When I go out to clip leaves, stems or flowers for natural dyeing (or eco printing), I am frequently distracted from the job at hand by the abundance of natural beauty right in my own yard.

Not to mention the blackberries that are ripening up right now.

Print from a blackberry stem.

I picked a few leaves from the bushes while I was checking out the progress of the berries.

We really have to be diligent about picking them or the birds will eat them all!

I'm gathering  a big pile of natural dyed fabrics to being a stitching project soon.

I'll be glad to get to that part of the fun since it's been a while since I've been able to make something.

And that's one of my very favorite things to do - making something.

What I'm Working On

Kristin here. My artistic career since starting a family has always been a side venture. In recent years it's taken on more and more import but there's always that balance to find between being present as a mother, diligent as a housewife (at least a little bit), and proactive as an artist. When we lived in Hawaii, I felt the desire to take my art more seriously, but never actually acted on it (the perils of knowing your time in one place is limited). Moving to Virginia with more independent kids and a husband who I knew wouldn't be gone for 12 months at a time, I made a pledge to myself to engage in the local arts community -- even if only temporarily.

I applied for and was accepted into the local art co-op and signed up for a solo show in their main gallery. Lucky me, I am scheduled for September! The opening is in just over two months. Yikes. But I'm ready(ish) with twelve aprons and five quilts and another textile to choose from. I've made lists and marked the calendar with dates by which I need things.

Right now I'm focused on dealing with some ideas I've been contemplating. I put the pedal to the metal on a medallion quilt that was bouncing around in my head and I'm really loving how it's looking. I'm so glad I had the chance to get a good start on it earlier in the month at the retreat even before I knew I'd be having a show so soon. I keep picking up a stalled quilt that I've been working on for over 10 years and finally decided that I'm not clear enough on it's vision to warrant stressing over finishing it for the show. I have a couple of half baked ideas in my sketchbook, but I don't think that they are necessary to fill the gallery, and I'm far more excited about starting the next series rather than dragging out this one unnecessarily.

I made a scale model of the gallery a few days ago and populated it with scale printouts of my work. It's like playing with a doll house! I ordered two mannequins to display work on but one arrived moldy, so back it goes to be replaced (glad I ordered early and have time to replace it). Next up is taking a look at my mailing list (terribly outdated) and writing a press release for some military-related venues that the normal publicity at the art center probably won't reach. Then I print postcards, and new business cards while I'm at it. I'll need a statement or something as part of my signage in the gallery (and I'll have to design and order the signage). And I can't forget to make sure each piece is signed and labeled consistently and ready to hang/install. I've got to get the builder guy at the art center to find or make me three pedestals for the mannequins too.

There's lots to do in the next eight weeks. But nothing is difficult or unexpected. I have been dreaming of this show for years as I've been creating The Army Wife series. I am incredibly excited and I can't wait to show my story to our community here.

Cliff Jumping and Leaps of Faith

Cotttonwood Center for the Arts

Liz Kettle here today...I have never been one for taking big risks. All those quotes that say leap off the cliff and your wings will appear or you will build them on the way down have never motivated me. Why would any sane person jump of the cliff? When faced with a big goal I take a breath and look down the side of the cliff for the first step.  One step at a time and before you know it I am at the bottom. Maybe it took me a little longer than those who jumped but it is less stressful that’s for sure!

I have been thinking about a studio outside of my home for quite a few years. I never found anything that was right. Most studios are set up for painters and are much too small for a mixed media textile artist. We have way too much good stuff to fit comfortably in most studio spaces. I started talking about sharing a studio space with my friend and fellow textile artist Cass Mullane. But, still nothing we found was right.

You know, how sometimes you just need to be totally ready for something and it shows up? Well, that is exactly what happened to Cass and me. We were at Cottonwood Center for the Arts at the same time dropping off some art for an exhibit when we stopped to chat with the new director of the arts center Jon Khoury . He mentioned that there was one studio spot that had just become available and would we be interested in seeing it.

 

The moment we walked into the space we both got one of those intuitive hits, an overwhelming desire to leap off the cliff and say yes to the space. Of course neither of us said much in that moment, we didn’t want to seem too eager or pressure the other one to commit to something this big without considered thought...neither of us are cliff jumpers. We left the art center and grabbed a cup of coffee to discuss the possibility. We listed the pros and cons…only we couldn’t come up with much on the con side of the paper. We both knew that this was what we had been waiting for. We just couldn't wipe the grins off our faces.

The view from the entry door

The studio is perfect. Big enough for two people to work comfortably in, great light, great access on the first floor, room to teach classes, room to display our art and at an affordable price. Did I mention the studio is in a thriving art center with over 70 artists in residence? It was a leap of faith rather than a cliff jump to sign the lease. Faith in my work, my abilities and my future as an artist.

We haven’t even been in the space a month but we both know this is going to change our art and the way we work. I found it too distracting to be at home. I had plenty of space but there were so many distractions when the work got hard. It was too easy to say, I will just fill the dishwasher or check e-mail or I just remembered that I need to weed the garden.  Before you knew it a week had gone by and I hadn’t gotten to that next step. I sometimes just want to avoid the work when I am stuck rather than push through. Which is really silly because eventually you just have to push through!

My work space and a peek down the hall to the main lobby

 There is plenty of space for teaching classes and I think my work my begin to get larger because I have space around me rather than too much stuff in too little space. I won't bring all my studio supplies to the new space. I have only brought the 'good stuff'. You know all the hand dyes, vintage fabrics, fabrics I have created with surface design...the expensive ribbons and paints. I know I will have to bring things back and forth but that is ok. I must say that putting the key in the lock each morning and walking into that beautiful space makes my heart sing.

The thing I hadn't imagined I would like is the public popping in to see our artwork and chat about our processes. They are all intrigued with our mixed media textile art. It is so rewarding to hear their comments and get feedback daily. We have a once a month art walk on the last friday of each month so if you are in the Colorado Springs area be sure to visit. We are working on our schedule so one of us will be at the studio each day. Our Grand Opening will be Sat July 6 from 10-2 if you are local or visiting it will be a blast.