In The Smoke and Reminiscing About Spring!

Here in western Montana we have been living with air filled with smoke from forest fires for a number of weeks now and it is getting quite old.  None of these fires is anywhere near threatening where I live, but our beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains are clouded and gray and the oppressive feeling really wears on you. We have had a very dry summer and will likely have this nasty smoke until the weather changes and we get some significant moisture.  

In the meantime, I was looking at some of the images I have taken this year and found these lovely pictures of our apple tree from this spring.  We planted this small tree a number of years ago and this was the first spring that we had an abundance of blossoms and the promise of fruit.  Alas, a chilling frost hit at prime blossom time and even covering our trees with sheets could not prevent the blossoms from dying.  It is now fall and I mourn the apples that could have been, but am grateful for my digital camera that allowed me to capture a lovely moment in time....

 

Now that fall is in the air, I look forward to seeing these blossoms again next spring!  Maybe they will inspire some artwork in the cold, dark days of winter.

More From My Current Show...

As I have already mentioned in previous posts, I am currently showing my work in a solo show at Montana Art and Framing in Missoula, Montana.  I thought I would share a few more of the pieces in that show, although you really won't be able to enjoy them in images as much as you would if you saw the show in person.  Fiber art is so textural and the details don't always show well in images. These are wholecloth pieces that use quilting stitches to portray different feelings or "themes" for each piece.    Each one is 11"w x 18"h.

The first piece is "Stitch Study:  Nature" and has vines and leaves stitched into it.  These pieces were all cut from the same batik fabric.

The next piece is "Stitch Study:  Science" and has a rather cosmic feeling to the stitching.  Images are reminiscent of lightning, planets, primordial ooze, and the sun.

The 3rd piece is called "Stitch Study: Traditional" and has traditional quilted feathers on it.

The last piece is called "Stitch Study:  Individuality".  

The pieces are priced individually, but I think they would hang nicely in a grouping of all four, or even three as a triptych.

If you have ever had your own exhibition, you might have felt the same way that I do now.  I've been working so hard on finishing all the pieces for this show and bringing it all together, and now I'm not quite sure what to do with myself.  I took a few days of a break, but then I was inspired and just finished quite a bit of beading a new piece.  I guess I'm ready to dive back into it, but now there is no deadline and I can work purely on inspiration.

I also feel a kind of melancholy about the show since I was a bit disappointed in the small crowd at the opening and only one sale so far (the smallest, most inexpensive piece!).  I feel great about the work and the display in general, but after all the effort I put into it I was hoping for a bit more confirmation of my efforts.  I think it is natural to have a sort of melancholy after an opening.  It is the big "hurrah" and then nothing.  I do wish I could be a fly on the wall to hear what people are saying and how they are responding to my work.  That is what is fun about openings is that you do get some good feedback.

Well, there are two more weeks of the show so there is a chance something else will sell and many more people will see it.  It has been a rewarding experience no matter what.  Thank you, Don at Montana Art and Framing for the opportunity!   And now I have some pieces that I could enter in some other shows and hang at my other galleries.  It's all good!

Show Opening

Last night I had my gallery show opening at Montana Art and Framing in Missoula, Montana.  I was very happy with the quality of the patrons who came to see my work (thank you all very much!), but somewhat disappointed with the number of them.  It was a busy Friday evening in Missoula with much going on in town and this gallery is a little bit off the beaten track.  As well, it is some distance from the Bitterroot valley where most of my friends and acquaintances reside.  Very few wish to venture into the city on a Friday night, but I am very hopeful that when they do make it into Missoula they will stop by and visit the gallery.

I did sell one piece and have an image here of it in progress and finished.  It is called "Filigree" and was the last piece I made with the intention of doing something small that might sell---and sell it did!  Nice to see that red dot up there on the wall.  Hopefully something else will sell before the month is over.

This next image is of the second to last piece I made for the show---also intending to create something small that might sell.  Unfortunately (or not?!) this piece became a little larger than I intended so will likely not be snapped up so quickly.  It turned out rather well I thought and I really like the cream colored area near the bottom.  The piece was inspired by the floral blue fabric which I bought one day and made into this piece over the next few days after that.  It is called "Garden Blues".