Author Archives: Sheba

The Pulse: Go-to blog and websites

Continuing with Seth’s previous pulse questions here is my go-to blog and go-to website

I have a ton of feeds on my google reader right now, so picking just one blog is tough. One of the things I do like to do is check out the favorite blogs of other people… often I end up on a trail of interesting blogs and get lost for hours in exploring. One that I found recently that is great for this time wasting activity is Quilting Bloggers.

Websites I always go to is easier. Flickr is at the top of my list, to see pictures from family and friends as well as participate in photo and art communities and challenges.

The Pulse: ONE ARTIST THAT INSPIRES ME IS…

Continuing with Seth’s Questions from the Pulse: ONE ARTIST THAT INSPIRES ME IS…

Currently I think I would have to say that Jen Worden inspires me the most right now for several reasons.

1) She hosts challenges. over the past several years she has hosted different challenges in different places and I always give them a try. They help keep me going to my studio and making stuff!

two) She also is a triathlete, something that I am aspiring to myself.

III) She makes the coolest stuff that is way different from mine and is part of a design team. (I am not really sure what a design team is… but it sounds cool)

Questions…Questions…

Seth from the Altered Page has gathered some of my favorite online artists and asked them some questions about their art and their process, figuratively taking The Pulse of the online arts community. So far he has done this twice, each time posing different questions to different artists. Today I noticed that he was preparing for another round of the game. I quickly emailed him and asked to play along. I was tickled when he invited me to play and said, “I have been to your blog many times and love the work you do — so much variety in so many media.” 

While he prepares for the August edition of The Pulse, and I gather my thoughts on the current round of questions, he is sharing a walk though memory lane by reviewing past answers. I thought it would be fun to consider some of these questions for myself as well. I have been searching for a little bit of direction and inspiration these days, so why not? (click on the question if you want to see what other artists, like my friends Bridgette Guerzon Mills,  Jen Worden and Teesha Moore had to say on the subjects.)

IF I COULD TAKE A CLASS FROM ONE ARTIST FROM ANYTIME IN HISTORY, INCLUDING TODAY, IT WOULD BE… One of the great things about being a teacher is that I have to do professional development all the time. I am literally required to take classes. Although most of these have to be educationally related, I purposefully include art classes as well. So over the years I have taken many fun classes from people like Michael DeMeng, and attended lectures by the likes of Nick Bantock. I think that if I could reach back in time Dali would be a top choice. He is so insane! and he also did artwork in a variety of mediums including film and photography (two of my favorites!) I would also like to learn really wonderful swirls and patterns from Klimt. Of living artists I really want to experience working with Anahata Katkin and Traci Bautista.

desk making paper for tags

5 THINGS ON MY STUDIO TABLE RIGHT NOW INCLUDE… Besides being a BIG mess that needs cleaning once again, my collage table hasn’t seen much use lately, which is why it needs cleaning. It currently has, among other things, some new scissors, three mugs full of special edge scissors, an old map to cover the surface and protect it from paint stains…which then will be used as a background of something eventually, some special golden acrylic texture bases that I should use or give to my friend Amy who would actually use them and my Artfest 2008 button.

If a dog was the teacher

Charger with a hat

If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.

Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout…run right back and make friends.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Challenge #15

This is a work in progress of a WATER mandala for Stretch Yourself Challenge #15 for July 2008. The challenge is to create works of art the represent the five elements; earth, wind/air, fire, water and Aether/the void. Since the five elements are a spiritual guide, I felt that representing them in mandala style was fitting.

So far this piece is comprised of recycled party and prom dresses, a silk kimono, carpet samples and a plain white sheet. All of the dress fabric is some kind of recycled scrap that I received from my late Aunt Minnie. I still have some sequined dress that I am trying to work in and I need way more blue. Going with swirls and curls to get a wave/water type feeling. I am also trying to really incorporate texture with the unusual combination and layering of the fabrics. I believe this might become a tote bag to take to the pool for my swim sessions.

I will share more when it is finished. And the other elements as they are created this month. Still working on techniques from my Fiber arts book too.

Summer Reading

Open Book, originally uploaded by smellyknee.

I spend a good part of any day reading books. I read books while eating, while sitting in the sun in my garden and even while watching TV. Summer is my favorite time to really get out and read. I love my local library! So lately, I have been reading a lot and thought you might like to know what!

Recently I picked up a bunch of art quilting books to get me more inspired to MAKE ART! Turns out I accidentally grabbed two from the same author. I was enjoying her quilts and thought, “wow, these two artists really have similar styles.” then I looked at the authors, duh! Same one 6 years apart. Ruth B. McDowell I have been pouring over her “Art & inspirations” and “Fabric journey : an inside look at the quilts of Ruth B. McDowell“ I am now very interested in seeing some of her piecing pattern books. She has a very complex way of piece quilting that looks amazing!

I also re-found a book that I looked at over a year ago,”Collaborative quilting” Authors Morgan and Marston have worked together on many quilts, but I love this book for the ideas on “liberated” versions of traditional quilting blocks.

Since I am interested in teaching about fiber arts in my classes next year, I picked up a book about Faith Ringgold, “Dancing at the Louvre : Faith Ringgold’s French collection and other story quilts” Her quilting style is very unique and definitely about story telling. Something I would like to include more of in my own work.

365 day 2: Art Lives Here Doll

My final fabric books (this time around) are two on textures. My favorite part about using fabric is the physical and visual textures that you can create. But my quilts have been so flat lately I wanted some tips on adding more.  “Stitched textile collage : innovative designs for textured surfaces“ by Toumi and “Fantasy fabrics” by McCaffery both offer a number of ideas. I was not very impressed with Fantasy Fabrics actually. This book was all about capturing different materials behind sheer organza and tulle. Something I did on a doll in a class at ArtFiberFest. I did like the technique, but I don’t think there needs to be a book exclusively written to the idea. And although the style of images in Stitched Textile Collage were not for me, I did like the techniques and textures.

In addition to the fiber art books I am also reading some fiction. I tend to read either Young Adult fiction (so I can recommend things to my students and stay in touch with them) I am really into the Fantasy/sci-fi series about some kid travellers my MacHale. I just finished The rivers of Zadaa. I look forward to finishing the series.

Now with all these books that I am mostly reading simultaneously… I need some BOOKMARKS! In my Google Reader today I found the coolest How-to for a picture bookmark. SO I guess I am set to find the perfect photo to accompany my daily reading.

 

Walk on This?

Floor Cloth

My final day of ArtFest 2008 was Judy Wise’s floor cloth class. It was not a first choice (I wanted the waxy layers one).  I was pretty envious of what I saw coming out of some of the classes that had been my top choices. Plus the room was tiny and therefore SO crowded that it was just uncomfortable. Here we were painting large canvases and the table space we each had was barely the size of our canvas. We had to watch out for paints and elbows, while storing most of our supplies on the floor. I held my paint palette in my hand most of the time, which was tiring, something I am not used to at all. Despite what could have been a horribly bad day… I got into the right head space, adapted for my needs in order to enjoy the time to paint. Of course I injected collage elements… it is impossible for paper to stay OUT of my work.

Judy went over some hints about prepping your canvas to be a floor cloth. She gave out a lovely color pamphlet and showed us a bunch of her canvases. Then we got right to work. I know I was tired and overstimulated at this point in the retreat, but I don’t feel that I really learned anything new in this class.  I only spent a few hours on this before it felt finished, and I was FINISHED. I cleaned up early and went back to nap. Since I haven’t painted in this size before, I was actually impressed with my final project. This piece started my ideas for my current series about journeys.

I won’t be walking on this! I do have a bunch of unstretched canvas that might someday become a floor cloth. For now this one will be named “Girl Traveller“

Who’s Your Dada?

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My first class at Artfest 2008 was Opie and Linda Obrien for Who’s your Dada Dolls. We all received the same head and block for a body, but it is amazing the different things that came out of that class. I find that incredibly fascinating, the different ways to solve the same problem that can come from a group of very creative people. (Here are some examples from show and tell night) I was also amazed at how little Jen brought with her… I had tons of stuff! but her work was amazing none-the-less. I kept offering her some of my junk… but apparently she likes a challenge.

Opie and Linda are a hoot and I learned some VERY cool things about apoxie sculpt. A material that I had never heard of let alone tried. On my first piece, I really only used the apoxie as an attachment substance. It worked well to connect a plastic comet to the doll head and the heavy wooden wings to the wooden block body. The material takes paint easily and blends in to the sculpture, in addition to being a super way to attach awkward pieces. I would love to explore it more, perhaps. I really want to move beyond mixed media and sculpture in general to focus more on fabric. I do love sculpture so who knows what I will do! I wish I had learned more about wire and sculpture attachments but Opie and Linda had too much desire to do things for their students.

SM100I brought some wings that have been in one of my mixed media drawers for awhile. These went on my body right away. But then I was stuck on how top heavy my piece was turning out. While I pondered this problem, I walked the room to see what other people were creating. Then I worked on some more sculpting material on a second piece, also with wings. I am not much of a clay sculptor, but I was so impressed and inspired with what some other classmates were designing, I had to try something a little more textured and design oriented. This little bug was the results.

 

 

 Luckily on the walk back from lunch I found a couple of sticks that looked like they were legs with high heels. Turns out they were the perfect finish to balance out my first piece. I love these two dolls together, so I have named them “Little Boy Bird and Bitsy Bug“ 

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