Book Celebration This Friday!

If you're in the area - I'd love to have you join me for a little party.

It was a long couple of years to produce this baby and I want to celebrate!

ART + QUILT: The Party

Friday November 20th

6-9pm

102 Kilmorack dr

Cary NC

Come browse the book, eat some nibbles, play some (art) games.

Bring a munchie to share if you feel like it.

I'll have stuff to doodle, fabric to fondle, art to see.

Mostly I'd like your company!

Wild Things

I didn't make art today - but I did grow a child that makes art. No, we haven't gone to see "Where The Wild Things Are" yet, but we do have the book. My kindergartner had been drawing obsessed for a few weeks now. I love it. We spent a while in the doctor's office learning things like where to put the eyes in a head or how to draw a hand. She learns it then goes off and does some wild and crazy stuff. As I said, I LOVE it!


I didn't make art today - but I did create. I've been fully absorbed in making pieces for a historical costume. And a few non-historical pieces as well. I think the family I grew up in fostered a love of dressing up. My parents were school teachers and we were all "mountain men" during the summers. We wore buckskin, camped in a tipi, and shot black powder, muzzle loading rifles all over the mountain west.

Just Do It

I can't remember if it was "The Artist's Way" or "The Creative Habit" that had a list of questions - helping me to figure out what part of artmaking I love and what part I have to just grind through.

I love designing, thinking, planning. I love playing around with materials and improvising abstract compositions. I love hand work. While I can machine quilt well - that's the part I don't really love so much. Which means that I have a number of pieces mostly done - just waiting to get through that process.

"November Is Art Every Day" month, still. I've had this little piece almost done for quite a while. So having the goal is going to force me to get a few things DONE! This little piece is 5" x 7". Hand dyed, screen printed, machine stitched.

Art Every Day - mostly

I didn't make any art yesterday or the day before. But I might have inspired a few people to make some of their own. I think that counts don't you? I had the pleasure of teaching Surface Design to a lovely group of women from the Piedmont Quilt Guild in Greensboro, NC.

Nanette layered some really great foil, screen prints, and a photo transfer then framed it with beads.

Debbie went to town - layering bubble wrap prints, carved stamps, stencil resists and screen prints.

L'Tanya has quite the eye for design and is a beading speed demon. She's almost got that black and white face cabochon caged - just needs to lasso the stacks and circle them in.

Carolyn made a freezer paper stencil and added some bling with her foil. I love the play on warm and cool (complementary) colors!

Jocelyn layered carved and commercial stamps, photo-transfer, and foil on her funky art quilt.

Christina, who is an art teacher herself and had already done some wonderful printing on fabric, added even more leafy screen prints, both with paint and foil, and carved a great stamp.

The class was "Surface Design Sampler Platter." You can learn everything we did (except for the beading) on my Quilting Arts Workshop DVD . (The button is over there on the right.) Unfortunately - I can't give you chocolate after lunch through the screen. Wish I could.

November is Art Every Day Month

Inspired by Jane Davila, who is in turn inspired by Leah at http://creativeeveryday.com/art-every-day-month, I've decided that no matter how small - I'm going to make art every day this month. I spend a LOT of time teaching and writing about making art.

Not nearly enough time DOING. I'm going to take my own advice and MAKE time.

Since I started late I've got two today. Done during hockey practice. Enjoy!