Momma Trees

Momma Trees

Just for fun - thought I'd show you a work inspired by Laura Wasilowski.
It uses some of her wonderful hand dyed embroidery thread.


And Donna - you didn't leave a way for me to get in touch with you.
Send me an email because you WON Laura's Book!!!
(edited later - she did send it - hooray!)

Collages for ONE Fundraiser

I am so honored to have been invited to participate in Virginia Spiegel's

fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. She is someone who has most certainly made the world a better place and has made it easier for many people to serve in some small way as well.

One Cause - The Fight Against Cancer

One Wednesday - February 16, 2011

One Hundred Collages

FLY: DAUNTLESS

FLY: FEARLESS

FLY: VENTURE

These are three of the collages that I'm donating for the auction.

The other two can be seen here.

They are collaged sheet music and layered paint and screen printing.

Headlong has a little bit of organza thrown in as well.

Each will be mounted onto a 10" x 8" sheet of 140lb watercolor paper ready to frame.

Collages for ONE Fundraiser

I am so honored to have been invited to participate in Virginia Spiegel's

fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. She is someone who has most certainly made the world a better place and has made it easier for many people to serve in some small way as well.

FLY: BRAZEN

One Cause - The Fight Against Cancer

One Wednesday - February 16, 2011

One Hundred Collages

FLY: HEADLONG

These are two of the collages that I'm donating for the auction.

They are collaged sheet music and layered paint and screen printing.

Headlong has a little bit of organza thrown in as well.

Each will be mounted onto a 10" x 8" sheet of 140lb watercolor paper ready to frame.

Work In Progress

Further work on the Family Ties series.

Sisters: The Shape of Love

I'd like to introduce you to three of my favorite people in the whole, wide, entire, planet.
Maybe the galaxy.

I get to go spend time with them next week and I am beside myself with excitement.

I'm the oldest. Lisa came along a couple of years later. We shared a room our entire childhood. There were times we were best friends and other times we merely coexisted. Pretty much amicably. 

She got married soon after I did and never traveled much so our grown-up relationship depended on a few phone calls here and there. I've always admired her for her bravery, endurance, and her faith. Now she's making up for lost travel time - can't wait until she finally gets to come visit me.

She has the most beautiful voice. She's always been very talented. She could draw, back when I only secretly wished I could. Then again - she practiced and I didn't. Of course she learned to draw. She has always been beautiful. 

She has a smile a mile wide, lets her hairdresser do anything he feels like doing, and loves being just a little bit insane. I love her.

Amber is ten years younger than me. I don't think she was out of elementary school when I went away to college so I didn't really get to know her as a friend until much later when she got to come visit, then live with us for several months.

I've always seen her as someone who thinks and feels things very deeply, who seems to know what she wants and is willing to work to get there. And the things she wants are beautiful - making the world a better place.

She plays piano amazingly well, sings, dances, and just this week earned her masters of music education.

Lindsey was only 6 years old or so when I moved out. She's always been a little nuts - in a good way. Very silly, very confident, very outspoken. Fearless. I think it comes from having nine people doting on you from the time you were born. (Parents, Grandma, five sibs - yup - two brothers in the middle.)

I remember coming home for a visit after a couple of years living across the country (this is pre-e-mail) and being sent to pick her up at school. This gorgeous blond was sitting on her violin case on the curb. I didn't even recognize my own sister. I tried not to cry.

She plays violin, designs and creates beautiful jewelry, and still makes me laugh.

These women are people I admire, respect and love. They live much, much, too far away. Of course I was the first one that took off across the country - far from home. Now we are scattered from coast to coast. Nobody in my family lives closer than 7 hours from each other. 

We've had two "sisters" trips in our adult lives. We always sing. The three of them are involved in musical theater. I'm the hack among 'em but if I do say so - we sound pretty cool. Sometimes we sing goofy camp songs. Sometimes English madrigals. Last time we learned some early american folk songs. I'm bringing along some Andrews Sisters charts.

We always spend a day dressing up and playing with our cameras. This photo is the basis for one of my favorite pieces. Some time soon (which for me is any time in the next five years) I'm going to work up a very long series of artworks based on our relationships.

So you'll understand if I'm a bit distracted. Kind of like a puppy dog with two little tails to wag I'm so giddy with anticipation. I'll try to post some pictures. I am truly blessed to have these women in my life. We talk and skype all the time now but we only get to see each other every few years. It's not enough. 

Sisters: The Shape of Love

51" x 51"

2005 by Lyric Kinard

Psalm to By Beloved by Eunice Tietjens

can be read in its entirety here

Work in Progress

Some more stitching on my "Family Ties" series.

Gotta say, white on white is hard to photograph.

Had to do some photoshopping to up the exposures.

Any tips for white on white photography would be greatly appreciated.

Artist Spotlight part 3: Melanie Testa - up and coming

Our last week with Melanie Testa has arrived and I thought I'd give her the chance to let you know of a wonderful event she has coming up. If you can get to Hampton, VA - run, do not walk, to join her at Art and Soul.... in her own words:

Melly:

For me, teaching is about interacting with students, the exchange and interplay of knowledge to such an extent that I too learn and grow from the experience. The supremely awesome thing is that students have 'beginners mind', an attitude of openness and eagerness and a lack of preconceptions. Who wouldn't feel invigorated by this? In May, I will be teaching at an event called Art and Soul.  This retreat is held in Hampton Virginia, just as the weather begins to warm up and all the flowers are in bloom.

I will be teaching two classes, Inspired Journaling, every-single-day! on Sunday, May 23  which will cover visual journaling and we will explore using resists, paints and glues to create luscious pages in our journals. No need to 'worry' over your drawing skillz! I will help push and cajole those fear where they belong.

And a Soy Wax Batik class on Monday, May 24 . Soy wax, beside being very easy to use, is an ecologically safe alternative to paraffin. It is a magical medium that yields almost instantaneous results. To make it even easier on you, we will be using paint instead of my beloved dye which has proven to yield just as lovely results!

So if you have the time and are near this fabulous retreat, please come and join in on the fun! I would love to have you.

I'd love to thank Melanie for taking the time to say hello to you all. As in our first introduction, she is an amazing artist and a wonderful person. Don't forget to leave a comment - especially if you've had a class with Melanie in the past. What was your favorite thing about the class?

You can leave one comment on each of the four Artist Spotlight posts about Melanie. Late Tuesday night I'll randomly choose one winner from among comments on the four posts to receive this original collaborative work. Melanie sent a lovely sheer organza printed with ginkgo leaves for me to work with. I've layered it with a peachy piece of hand-dyed cotton, printed with another set of ginkgo leaves. I also layered a few more leaves on the surface with a hint of gold foil. The 5"x7" piece is machine and hand stitched with a spray of gold beads scattered across the surface.

Wednesday morning I'll announce the winner so please be sure to check back so that you can send me your contact information. 

If you can't get enough of gingko leaves head on over to Melanie's blog - where she has created a little work of art with the ginkgo fabric that I sent to her. Same deal there - comment on each of her four posts about me. I'd especially love it if you've had a class with me - tell them what you loved or learned.