Threads

Selection of Exhibited Work

2012-02-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

"Passion" Silk Fusion on hand dyed cotton, mounted on hand dyed silk twill. Exhibited in "Common Threads" at Claypool Yoing Art Gallery, Morehead State University, June 2011.

"Within the Stone" Art Cloth 8' x 45" hand dyed silk/cotton blend. Exhibited at Fabrics 2010, Quilt Surface Design Symposium, Columbus, Ohio. One of a three fabric collection awarded Best of Show.

"Red She Said" Art Cloth 8' x 45" hand dyed silk/cotton blend. Part exhibited fabric collection at Fabrics 2010.

"Bluebells and Fiddleheads" Art Quilt. Exhibited in Bluegrass Biennial at Morehead State University 2010 and selected for exhibit for the Kentucky Guild 50th Anniversary Exhibit at Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in Louisville, KY August/September 2011.

Collage Mania

2009-03-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

"Nevermore" - Fiber Art Postcard - Screen printing on hand dyed cotton, fused, and machine quilted. Feburary 2009 was the 200th aniversary of Edgar Allen Poe's birth. In his memory members of the Quilt Art Group created Raven postcards. These 2 postcards of mine are being donated to Virginia A. Spiegel's Fiber Arts for a Cause - Collage Mania. The proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society. The postcards are 5" x 7" but are mounted to a finished size 8" x 10".

"Knock, Knock" - Fiber Art Postcard - Hand dyed cotton, fused, and machine quilted.

Winter Storm! January 25 -29, 2009

2009-01-29T11:49:00.000-08:00

Like much of the country we are experiencing the winter storm in northeastern Kentucky. Starting on Sunday evening with snow, followed by snow, sleet, rain, and freezing rain on Tuesday. Wednesday brought rain and freezing rain followed by more snow. Monday night into early Tuesday morning we were without power for about 3 hours. Tuesday night 17,000 customers in northeastern Kentucky were without power. Ice on the trees measured anywhere from 1/4" to 1/2" thick. Many trees and branches broke knocking out more power lines and closing many county roads. In our neighborhood a tree fell on power lines causing two poles to break. We were without power for 8 hours. Fortunately we have a wood burning stove to help keep us warm and heat water so we could make coffee in a French Press. The view above is taken from my front door towards the side of my front yard.

Another view out my front door. The street is solid ice. With rising temeratures, city crews were able to clear the street by late afternoon Wednesday.

On of my dogwood trees in my backyard covered with ice and snow.

Another view of the ice and snow on the trees at the very back of my yard.

This and That

2009-01-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

"Lost Memories" is a small journal size art quilt (8 1/2 x 11 1/2) which I created this fall for a Quilt Art challenge. It has been contributed for auction to benefit Altzimer's research. The quilt is created using vintage kimono fabric and fussy cut commerically printed cotton, machine quilted.

In December my the Thread Society Yahoo Group that I belong to hosted a Christmas card exchange. I made this card using my hand painted cotton sateen (Seta Colors - salt technique), painted misty fuse, applied gold trim, and mini, red bells. Next we have a wnter postcard exchange on what helps get though the dreary winter weather and a journal challenge on self portraits.

Designed for Ardorment:Silk and Sterling

2008-10-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to be one of the featured artists in "Designed for Adornment: Silk and Sterling" at the Kentucky Artisan Center located on I-75 in Berea, Kentucky (south of Lexington). The exhibit runs from September 27, 2008 to January 29, 2009. The opening reception is from 1:00 to 3:00pm, Saturday, November 8, 2008. Artists will be giving a short talk about their work at 1:30pm. I will also be demonstating shibori on silk at the Kentucky Artisan Center on Saturday November 15 from 10:30am to 3:30pm. The outfit picture above is hand dyed raw silk noil Nomad Jacket (pattern design by Lois Ericson). The jacet was dyed using the Low Water Imersion Dyeing technique. Hand dyed silk fusion was applied to the front and back flaps to create the design. The drandonfly buttons are vintage Czech glass.

Front detail.

Back detail.

Another view of the back. Additional wearable included the exhibit can be viewed in the previos post.

More Wearable Art

2008-10-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Silk Velvet Kimono Jacket and Poncho/Cape are included in the Ehibit: Designed for Adornmnet: Silk and Sterling at the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea, Kentucky from September 27, 2008 to January 29,2009. Hand Dyed Silk Velvet Kimono Jacket in blues, purples and greens.

Detail of Silk Velvet Kimono Jacket.

Hand Dyed Silk Velvet Poncho/Cape. Lined with hand dyed silk twill and embelished with vinage Jet Czech buttons in graduated sizes. This view shows the buttons worn at the shoulder.

Silk Velvet Poncho/Cape with buttons in the back. It may also be worn with the buttons in the front or unbuttoned and worn as a stoll.

I Love Beads!

2008-08-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

When I'm not busy working dyes, paints, and fabric, I love to create one-of-a-kind freeform beaded bracelets. I start making bead soup by dumping a various beads in a pile until I get the colors and shapes I love. Then I start with a peyote stich base and create as I go. What could be more fun! This bracelet features copper metallic glass beads and a copper toggle clasp.

I love red!

Blues are great!

Finished!

2008-07-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Portals VII. Dyed silks and cottons, vintage kimono fabric, and commercially printed cottons. 25"x30".

Dirty, Smelly, Noisy

2008-06-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Western Avenue Studios Artist Association of Lowell, MA proposed an exhibit titled "Dirty, Smelly, Noisy" because the zoning board denied a special permit for a Lofts project that would provide 48 living/work spaces for artists in the G-Mill of the Western Avenue Studios Complex. The Zoning Board members felt the area was too "dirty, smelly, and noisy" and artist's wouldn't want to live there. The 160 artists who work in the 121 studios located in the Main building and A-Mill of the complex disagree! Hence they decided to launch an exhibit opened to any artist wishing to make a statement about inspirations found in industrial areas. In response I created this piece of Art Cloth using rust dyeing wheels that I dug out of my garden 20+ years ago. They were apparently part of a pulley system for a well. For many years I had them displayed on a wall on my patio with vines and flowers growing around them. When we built a deck, they came down. I've been wanting to try rust dyeing and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! The exhibit runs from June 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008 in common area of the Western Studios Complex in Lowell, MA.
"Wheels"- Detail. Dyed, over dyed, rust dyed, block and screen printed, foiled with copper foil on raw silk noil. The finished piece is 45" x 72".

"Wheels" - Detail.
"Wheels" Detail.

Work in Progress and Good News!

2008-04-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

Currently I'm working on a new piece in my art quilt series: Portals. The components are on my design wall where I have arranged them and rearranged them and now I'm ready to finish the quilt!

Good News! "Fertily Cloth II" has been juried into the "Bluegrass Biennial" exhibit at Morehead State University in Morehead, Ky. The exhibit is opened to Kenticky artists and will be on exhibit June 7, 2008 to August 1, 2008 at the Claypool-Young Art Gallery. The opening reception will be Saturday, June 7, 2008 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. "Fertily Cloth II", 45" x 96", dyed, block and screen printed silk and cotton blend fabric.

Detail of "Fertility Cloth II".

More Spring!

2008-04-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

Viginia Bluebells blooming in my garden!

Fiddleheads coming up from my ferns!

Currently I'm working on this small art quilt inspired by the Virginia bluebells and the fiddleheads of the ferns. The fabrics are various dyed and printed silks that I created. Now to finish free motion quilting the piece!

Spring!

2008-04-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived! Our dogwoods and azaleas are in bloom!

This is the same view last year during the season we call "Dogwood Winter" here in Kentucky. So far our weather this year is sunny and in the 70's and 80's. But you never know what might happen!

Another view of my front yard during last years "Dogwood Winter".

Elements:Water

2008-03-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

The finished piece "Elements:Water" 45"x 96". Dyed, over dyed, screen and block printed.

Details #1 of "Element:Water".

Detail #2 of "Elements:Water".

"Elements: Water" - Art Cloth in Progress

2008-03-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

The latest series of Art Cloths that I'm working on is "Elements". These pictures are details of "Elements: Water". The finished piece is 45"x96". The fabric is silk twill which has been scrunched and dyed three times with Procion MX dyes - Royal blue, Mixing Blue, and Tourquoise. The background color in these pictures is not as deep as the actual fabric. When I photograph the finished piece, I hope Ill have a more acurate picture of the colors. These were photographed with fabric layed out on my print table as the work was in progress. The fist detail shows layer 12. All the images have been sceen printed with fabric paints.

This detail shows layer 14 - the addition of three spiral forms.

Detail of layer 16.

The final detail is layer 21. Block printed shell forms and sceened small spirals have been added.

A Few Art Quilts

2008-03-02T04:07:00.000-08:00

"No More Granny Panties" 17"x22" was a Journal Quilt I created for the International Quilt Festival which is held annually in Houston, Texas. The background fabric is hand dyed and discharged using deconstructed screen printing. The panties were created with hand dyed and vintage fabrics.

"Portals II" is part of a continuing series exploring triangulal shapes. The fabrics used include vintage kimono fabric, hand dyed silks and cottons, and commercial cottons. The art quilt is fused and machine quilted.

Detail of "Portals II".

"Villages I" 17"x 22" (collection of Zoe Ann Brewer, Ann Davis Gallery) is created using hand dyed cottons and silks, and vintage kimono fabrics. The art quilt is fused and machine quilted.

Demonstrating Surface Design

2008-02-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, February 16, 2008, I demonstrated Low Water Imersion Dyeing and Surface Design at the 22nd Annual Artist Retreat at Greenbo Lake State Park located in Greenup, Ky. The event draws artists from Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia and features a judged exhibition in 2D and 3D works and numerous demonstrations. Approximately 150 artists and guests attended my demonstration. The Art Cloth that I'm displaying is titled "The Dance of Life" and is raw silk noil that has been dyed and over dyed 3 times and bolck and screen printed. The finished size is 45" x 96".

This piece is "Urban Renewal" and is black cotton sateen that has been discharged, over dyed, sceen, and block printed. This work was inspired by an old, brick building in Lexington, Ky. Paint was peeling off the bricks and vines were climbing up the walls - reclaiming the building!

Here I'm demonsating Low Water Imersion Dyeing.

Following the LWI Dyeing demo, I demonstrated screen and block printing.

More Views of Solo Exhibit at Richmond, KY, September/ October 2007

2008-02-10T05:23:00.001-08:00

"The Dance of Life - Fertility Cloth I" 45"x 96". Silk /cotton sateen, dyed, block, and screen printed.

Detail of "Purple Leaves" 45"x72". Dyed, discharged, block, and screen printed silk broadcloth.

"Red Sky:Morning". Hand dyed cotton and cheesecloth. Hand painted Misty Fuse. Fused and machine quilted.

Detail of "Urban Renewal". Black cotton sateen, discharged, dyed, block, and screen printed.

Solo Exhibit - Gallery on Main - Richmond, KY - September/ October 2007

2008-02-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Art Cloth displayed on the wall entitled "He Loves Me" 45"x72" is hand dyed raw silk noil with layers of screen and block printing. Also pictured are a arashi shibori dyed silk chiffon kimono jacket, a scarf and a dyed silk velvet cape.
"Seascape:Dawn" is a textile collage of hand painted and dyed cottons.
"Dragon Fly Dance" 45"x72" is hand dyed, screen and block printed silk twill.
"The Dance of Life: Cycles" 45"x 96" is hand dyed, screen and block printed raw silk noil.
"Urban Renewal" 45"x72" is discharged, over dyed, screen and block printed black cotton sateen.

More Studio Views!

2008-01-27T04:15:00.000-08:00

Hallway at the Pendleton Art Center outside my studio.

View of the left side of my studio. My printing press can be seen on the left, covered by the felts that cover the printing plate when images are put through the press. Hanging on the back wall are several pieces of art cloth.

The front wall of my studio set up with a display for First Friday and Second Look Saturday. The table is used for designing art quilts, fusing fabrics, creating silk fusion, and beading when I'm working in my studio.

This the back wall of studio on the right side set up for First Friday and Second Look Saturday.

Welcome to my studio!

2008-01-21T14:06:00.001-08:00

My public studio is located in the Pendleton Art Center on Winchester Avenue in Ashland, Kentucky in the downtown arts district. "Open Studio" is held on "First Friday" each month from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm and "Second Look Saturday" from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Other hours, by appointment. I use this studio for designing, beading, and creating silk fusion. I, also, teach classes here in surface design, printmaking, and bead weaving. At my home, I maintain a wet and a dry studio where I dye fabric, create art cloth, and finish my art quilts.

Resolutions

2008-01-14T08:13:00.001-08:00

"Portals I"
As one of my New Year's resolutions, I promised myself that I would would create a blog! And now only 14 days into the new year (great procasinator that I am), I'm finally starting one. My sister has been complaining for several years that her court home is all white but she just didn't know what colors she should choose for it. So for Christmas this year, I sent her one of my art quilts to brighten her life! The quilt is created with hand dyed cottons and silks and vintage kimono fabric.

January 14, 2008