A Sketch-In in NC!

http://www.lyrickinard.com/publications.html

I gave a presentation at my local library last week - can I just say how much I love libraries?! I think most of my new directions in life have begun with large stacks of books checked out from the library. Most of my book was written there. I can make art with five kids at home and being interrupted every two minutes - but I can't write that way. This was just a little way to give something back to my favorite community place.

I love sharing my philosophy of ART with everyone. This is it. YOU are creative! YOU can learn to draw if you are willing to spend the time doing the work and if you are willing to give yourself permission not to be perfect. It takes us years to learn to read and write - why do we think that we should be able to draw the first time we pick up a pencil?

I enjoyed talking with so many people after the lecture. Especially Hannah! She was a delight to meet and mentioned that she follows the sketchbook challenge. She was a brave soul and brought her little one along - love that! She had something bright in her hand that drew my eye right away and (magpie that I am) I practically grabbed it out of her hand to examine this sweet little hand made sketchbook. Then she gave it to me. I still can't believe she gave it to me - I'm so honored. Pop over and take a peek at her pantry sketchbook  tutorial so you can make your own.

SO - the upshot is... we're going to start our own sketch-in and YOU are invited!!! No "talent" required. Just come and have fun and play. Bring a sketchbook and whatever you like to use in it. I'll lead a warm-up exercise at half past each hour but mostly we'll just play. Come when you can, leave when you must.

NC SKETCH-IN

Friday March 18th

10am- 2pm

Bring food to share for lunch if you'd like, kids are welcome

Lyric's studio in Cary, NC 102 Kilmorack DR.

RSVP lyric@pobox.com

Faces on Friday

 My four year old still doesn't want to hold still or stop making faces.

No surprise there - and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 Friends at the park

 Car mirror while waiting to pick up a kid

 At the symphony

From a book of James Christensen's work

This week has been mostly in my sketchbook rather than on the 3x5 cards.

Looking back - I'm learning that all my chins are too short. hmmmm.

For Your Inspiration: The Milwaukee Art Museum

The Milwaukee Art Museum is, I believe, one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen.

It sits ready to sail on the shore of lake Michigan. The temperatures in February were below zero and the water was frozen inside the breakwater and a deep blue beyond it.

The sky was an unbroken expanse of blue and the moon was still full at mid morning.

It was worth braving the cold to experience the almost imperceptible movement as the Burke Brise Soleil  folds its graceful wings over the museum's Quadracci Pavilion.

Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has built a number of light filled spaces and soaring structures that take you on a journey that lifts the soul and fascinates you with patterns of line and shadow and sky.

Experiencing a structure that lets you take part in the natural environment rather than isolating you from it can be something of a spiritual experience.

Creating beauty in the built world, a space for art and people and nature to live together is something worth striving for. I am truly grateful that there are people willing to work to create and make possible such environments. I think being in such a place lifts us toward our better selves.

The interior of the Quadracci Pavilion is as beautiful as the exterior. Here resides a fantastically playful work by Robert Therrien that perfectly fits and plays counterpoint to the grand scale of the space. Yes, look at the person, I'd barley have to tip my head to walk right under those chairs. I reeeeeally wanted to climb up onto one.

The sense of progression as one moves along the side galleries is rhythmic and orderly, yet the eye is continually drawn up and along. I feel the presence of soaring flying buttresses in a gothic cathedral but without the weight, the heavy (albeit sometimes sheltering effect) that I feel in many cathedrals. 

Here I feel lifted - as though I'm ready to fly with the birds, with my own graceful wings. To sail effortlessly through the blue.

It has me thinking - what work of art would I create for such a space? What work of art would you create?

In Stitches eMag blog tour

Gotta say - I LOVE technology! New things come along all the time that just make me giggle.

eMagazines along with tablets like the iPad are the wave of the future I think - although I'll always love a good paper book and magazine. But clickable links and video? Awesome!!!!!

Quilting Arts and Interweave have just come out with their second edition of

Read more about it the next few weeks from the authors!

There are a few giveaways along the way, including one here, so don't miss one!

Sunday (Feb 27): Pokey launches the tour!: http://www.quiltingdaily.com

Monday (Feb 28): Jane Davila: http://janedavila.blogspot.com

Tuesday: Lynn Krawczyk( March 1): http://www.fibraartysta.blogspot.com

Wednesday: Jackie Cardy(March 2): http://dogdaisychains.blogspot.com

Thursday: Deb Bates (March 3): http://stitchtress.wordpress.com

Friday: Deborah Boschert (March 4): http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com

Saturday: Michelle Allen (March 5): http://allendesigns.typepad.com

Sunday: Liz Kettle (March 6): http://textileevolution.com/?option=com_wordpress&Itemid=203

Monday: Lyric Kinard (March 7): http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com  

Tuesday (March 8): A surprise guest on Lindsey’s blog will be the final stop of this tour http://www.quiltingdaily.com

Teaching in Montana

If you happen to be near Hamilton Montana

Join us!

The Artist's Eye

A Design and Creativity Workshop

with Lyric Montgomery Kinard

Monday, March 14

10 - 4, Location TBA

$60, includes lunch

 Come enjoy a day of constructive and creative play as we explore and expand our understanding of the visual language.

 You'll learn

· How to overcome creative blocks

· Games designed to increase your creativity

· How to analyze your art with a clear eye

· Structure for a group critique session

 Supplies

· Quart sized zip-loc bag with fabric/paper/ 

fiber/colored magazine scraps to share.

Include some solids and neutrals.

· 8x10 or larger sketchbook

· Drawing implements of any kind

· Fabric and paper scissor

· Glue stick

 · Digital camera (optional)

 · One artwork for group evaluation

Register by calling 363-4064 or e-mail igc4@aol.com 

Art to Go

People look at my hand work and tell me they don't have the patience to do it themselves. I do handwork precisely because I do NOT have the fine quality of patience. I need to be doing something with my hands in order so sit through a practice or TV show.... although it's hard for me to remember the last time I had time to sit through an hour of TV. So much work to be done.

In the current issue of Quilting Arts Magazine I've written an article titled Art to Go that helps you gather together what you need to be mobile with your textile art. Excerpts are published on Interweave's Sew Daily blog here:

http://www.sewdaily.com/blogs/sewdaily/archive/2011/03/01/sew-and-go.aspx

For Your Inspiration: Duke Gardens

This is one reason I love living in North Carolina. Blossoms at the end of February.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

I'm also having fun playing with my new Camera Bag app for the iphone.

 I took a few minutes after lunch to sketch this scene albeit from a slightly different angle.

I'm sending warm wishes and the smell of cherry blossoms your way.