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".

Solo Exhibition in September

In September I will have a solo exhibition of new work at Montana Art and Framing in Missoula, Montana. The show is called “Stitch: Lines of Communication”. I currently have 12 new pieces and hope to make one or two more small pieces for the show. I am really happy with the work and I think it will be a beautiful show. Here a few of the pieces you will see----come see them in person it is much better!!

It takes a lot of time and thought to come up with my titles.  I almost always do this after the piece is finished. Sometimes they seem a little bit sappy to me and I'm not one to be philosophical or deep, but I want them to be meaningful.  Let me know if you have any thoughts about my titles.

This one has somewhat of an ethnic feeling to it but I also think it has an intensity to it and feels rather warm. The title is “Heated Conversation”. The piece includes hand stitching, stone and ceramic beads, and some fabric remnants given to me by friends.  

This piece is called “Release”. My 9-year old was lying on the couch enjoying one of the last days of his summer vacation. I showed him this piece and asked him if this is what he felt like on the last day of school last spring when he was getting out for the summer. His face lit up and clearly he identified with the feeling incorporated into this piece. Success! From the brick and mortar to the freedom of summer, or to the freedom of going out into the world after graduation. Maybe a major change in your life frees you up to venture forth on new adventures. Whether a positive (new job with more money) or a negative (divorce) change, there are new things to explore and experience. Fly, be free! (Maybe that should have been the title!)

 

This piece is called “Searching for Center”. This refers to the hand embroidery in the circles with the off center orientation, but also to the lifelong struggle to stay centered in our life, art, etc... The base for this piece is a very heavy, coarse textured utility fabric given to me by a friend . I think the beading is integral to the composition and helps to balance the piece. 

   

My show will open on Friday, September 7 with a reception from 5pm-9pm, and will continue through the month of September. Montana Art and Framing is at 709 Ronan Street in Missoula. Phone number is 406-541-7100. Please do stop and see my new work!!

The Inspiring View Out My Front Door

  

 A few nights ago there was forest fire smoke in the atmosphere and a thunder storm moving through, but the sun was shining through at the horizon of the mountains.  I just had to go out and take some pictures at the risk of getting hit by lightning.  I was limited in my angles because it was raining so I had to stay on my front covered deck.  The colors changed as the sun set and the storm moved.  

This is the view out my front door.  Actually I can see much more of a panorama than this, but I can't get it all in my camera.  I'm thankful for it every day.   It is one of the things that inspires me to create my art and share the beauty I see with others.

Find your inspiration. 

More Reminiscing...

I was going through some of my quilt images and found these two pieces which I sold to the same person.  She and her husband loved both of them and I hope are still enjoying them wherever they are.  They moved south shortly after buying the second piece.

The first one never had a title except for "Challenge 2008" because it was made for the 2008 Sapphire Quilt Show challenge.  We were given the florally fabric with the black background and a dull light green tone-on-tone fabric with vines on it which were both very difficult to coordinate with other fabrics.  It took me months to come up with this collection---but it was worth it!  This piece won the challenge and was purchased before the show was over.   I will always regret that the price it sold for was an error and they got it for a song.  And I never even got to bond with it as I finished it just before the show!  At least I have pictures!  I am glad that it went to someone who really enjoys and appreciates it---and bought another piece shortly thereafter!

 

I like the suspended quilted triangles at the bottom.  I will have to do this again sometime as it was quite effective and added a lot of interest to the piece. 

 The second piece is called "Out of My Window" and began with a de-colorized image printed on two different types of silk.  The picture is of some cottonwood trees and snags (dead trees) in my backyard along Three Mile Creek.  This is the scene I see out my sewing room window, or I should say, used to see.  The tall snag fell down a couple of years ago---as I was looking out the window!  That was truly something to watch.  Kind of slow motion and then a dull thud.  Not even a loud crash or boom or anything.  And it wasn't even windy.  Just rotting cottonwood.  Luckily it was far from the house and caused only slight damage to our fence.   Love the black, white and red color scheme.

I have been busy working on pieces for my upcoming solo show at Montana Art and Framing in Missoula, Montana.  I have 8 new pieces and hope to complete several more.  I am pretty happy with what I have so far and hope that the gallery owner will be too.  I haven't made my final decision, but I think the show will be called "Stitch:  Lines of Communication".  With all the quilting and the hand embroidery on these pieces the lines are pretty integral to the work.  Now to write up a publicity statement about the show and what my title means.   Back to work!

Quilt Show Challenge

I recently participated in the Sapphire Quilt Show challenge and showed my piece at the show this month. This is the quilt group in my small rural town of Stevensville, Montana.  I didn't win any prizes, but I liked the way my piece turned out.  (I did get 2nd place on one of my entries in the main show).

We were given two fabrics to work with and could make anything (maximum 100" perimeter), it didn't have to be a quilt, although mine was..  There were two viewer's choice prizes given and one went to a stuffed horse "of many colors" and the other to a cat wall hanging.  Cute won over whatever you would call my piece (although I can appreciate cute, I don't usually do cute).  I chose to disguise the challenge fabrics rather than showcase them.  The multi-color fabric is covered with sewing tools and notions.  I cut out some of the buttons and used them to embellish my quilt.  The flat piping inside the binding is made from the green swirly challenge fabric.

The color is not as accurate in this image, but you can see some of my stitching.