Inspirations, Learning, Teaching

This is what late winter looked like this week in Argyle. On Monday, Terry Grant blogged about following the creek that runs thru her yard and finding surprises. Her images were lovely and inspired me to walk around my own place. It was a good experience; "seeing with new eyes". The camera frame offers interesting lessons in design and some new ideas for art.

I do hope I never stop learning new things. Ashley held my hand this morning thru Mosiac in flickr. That was fun once I got over the fear of trying some thing new. While I was playing I also found "Warholizing". I did a "Warhol" of our great nephew, Mitchell, from his first birthday in July. I'll share it with his folks and get some new pics of him and his brother when we see them this weekend. I can see lots of design possibilites in that, especially Grandchild projects. Oh, I'm going to be a dangerous Grammy with a camera.

It feels good too that my samples are finally coming together for Monday's workshops. I guess it was the allergies earlier in the week but I just felt so frustrated about that and the Galveston quilt. What I have isn't perfect but I'm letting go of that concept more every day.

The photos in the little accordian book and the safety pins are ink jet transfers. I did some of the Galveston images with Lesley Riley's TAP (not shown) and am pleased with how they are working. The red fabric with dots is some I had overdyed and then yesterday I "Deborahized" it with Luminere and Golden Acrylics. D is a master at sequin waste stencil among other talents.

I just can't imagine teaching without inspiration and learning.

Off the charge the camera batteries before I forget.

One Bright Day

When Ashley was a little girl she had a book called "One Bright Day" which we just about memorized. It could have been written about today. It's beautiful out and I've had trouble keeping focused on the work I have to do - samples for Monday's workshop on fabric books for elementary art teachers.

These are not the samples. On the left are some of the small quilts I've been doing with my dyed silks & fabrics created with the embellisher. Don't the colors say spring? On the right is my leaf for International Fiber Art Collaborative.

I'm noticing an inclination toward nostalgia as the days hint of changing seasons. A current quiltart list discussion on early inspirations takes me back to 1975. That's when I made my first quilt of Karl's old jeans and assorted calicos. It was an ABC quilt for Ashley who was to be born that Nov. My inspiration was Jean Ray Laury's book but the drawings were my own. I'm also remembering mentors, projects, and experiences of that time as I'm thinking ahead to a quilt for grandchild #1, due this August. I might just go back to some of those old fabrics and ideas.

Now back to those samples.....

Waiting

Lu and I spent the morning communicating via phone and fax to do our submission to Tactile Architecture. She is a great writer and took on the task of putting all the required details together. I am very grateful as my brain is compromized by seasonal allergies. Everything is on it's way and now we wait until March to hear the verdict. The process of working with a friend with complementary talents has been exciting and invigorating. We hope to get started on another piece soon.

There is a feeling of anticipation as we wait for spring. Today started grey & dreary before clearing a bit by midafternoon. We haven't had a bad winter so I'm not complaining too much. I can take cold but don't like dreary being very effected by light. I do need to remember that last year we got our biggest snow in March so this time of year is a lesson in patience. I only spent a bit of time outside today and got my smiles from Valentine & Hobbs, our exemplerary resident grass munchers. Here they are on Sunday with a treat of strawberry tops.

Sunday afternoon Ashley and I dyed yarn at the Winter Fiber Fest. I'd never used Jacquard Acid dyes before. The colors were bright and bold with hardly any washout. Here's Ashley's in process and mine below after rinsing yesterday and drying in the wind. We both want to give it another try.