Collage Mania

Virginia Spiegel has organized Fiberart For a Cause which calls artists to donate small collages, proceeds to the American Cancer Society.  

Here are 6 of my 10 donated collages.

Note link on right.

Crafts Show or Bust! part 1

While working on a variety of projects to sell at an upcoming crafts 

show, I observed the chaos of my efforts. Hmmm. Do folks have any idea of what goes on behind the scenes of a fine craft show? 

OK I thought - this is worth documenting! 

Starting right here in my studio. I'll take more pictures of the whole process as I get ready for the Paradise City show in Marlborough MA, March 20-22. 

I just hope it doesn't snow!

Book Give Away

I purchased several Fabric Art Gallery books when I was published and have 4 to give away. Please email me at wenreddy@yahoo.com and I will send you a book. 

All I ask is a check to reimburse shipping- not too bad for a book,eh?

Ok That's it- they are all gone! Wow

Blast to the Past

Sewing, free form quilts, by the rules quilts, folk quilts, free applique quilts ( later to be know as collage quilts), art quilts, painted fabric quilts, digital work. Ah, the progression of a fabric artist. Reading a online list, I have been forced to remember my roots. It has been a journey from 

piecing whatever I had on hand and machine quilting- in 1973 or 74- I just didn't  'know'  any better to digital printing and inventing my holographic fiber work.

My first books were the Noank Quilt Factory by Sharon McKain 1974, a nonconventional yet informative book, the Gutcheon books that I still have for some reason, to Yvonne Porcella and the grand dame of the wearable art movement, Virginia Avery. I was into antiques,  still am,  and those timeless treasures of antique quilts drove my interest.

This paralleled my partner's and my move 'back to the land' to  a farm in NH in 1979. He and I raised all sorts of animals, vegie gardened, put it all up, and heated with wood he cut. Mind you, this actually went on for 15 years or so, while I birthed my 3 children. Prior to that in 1975, when I was a Home Economic 's teacher, I taught sewing to the lucky boys and girls. We did NOT make aprons, oh no THAT! We designed our own patterns, sewn and quilted soft sculpture. WHO remembers that! We hung them from the ceiling and invited the principle for tea. He was bug eyed! Nice, the kids loved it!

Here are a couple early pieces, most are still on slides- what a ball it's been!

Pieces noted here are Molly modeling a vesting, 198?. Forest for the Trees- 1989?, Beyond Gender-1985?  , and Amethyst Summer, 1996.

Face Book Wonderings

Just joined face book. A labyrinth. It goes in many directions at once. But it is all about connections. And that is it's allure. I can identify with the circuitous thinking that is involved here. It is similar to the percolation of idea hopping I do with art making. We'll see how this works out. Does it bring me to people or does it just take up time. Is this the time that matters or that folks see I take the time?

When is art not craft?

When is art not craft? An interesting question with no clearly defined answer. Do we use artistic skills to create craft? Do we learn our craft so we can make art? One thing is clear- this issue is not black and white. Some would argue that if it has a function, it is craft. A beautifully made vase is craft but a beautifully made vase can also be art. 

For me, my work comes from my soul, from my heart to art. The patron who views my art is in the act of completing the art. Their perspective adds to the finish. What they see, what they feel is a very connected part of the communication that art strives to convey. That dialogue is the art.

Thermal Facts #2

As a follow up to my 12/10/08 post about thermal facts. I make my thermal fax silk screens using my nifty machine purchased from Welch Products.
I use duck tape around the screen as it is cheaper than the plastic frames you can buy. I use 2 or even 3 thickness on larger screens to keep them from buckling.
Secure 1/2 of the tape on one side, fold and continue.
Be sure to press firmly along the inner edge.
Pin, tape or spray your screen in position on your surface.
Lately, my daughter and I have been having fun screening motifs onto shirts and sweatshirts. I screen with a lighter color at first and continue using the screen with different colors, without worrying about the color too much. This often leads to nice spreads and delightful combinations.  I will either place a thin line on the duck tape 'well' or paint the paint right onto my squeegee. The squeegee can be anything- I have used old credit cards, dummies they send in the mail, paint spreaders found in your local Mart, to the real deal professional, ahem, squeegee. Squeegee the screen using somewhat fast even pressure, perhaps twice. Too much pressure or too slow a squeegee results in too much paint  though the screen, creating a bloated image. The surface you work on should be somewhat padded, like an ironing board. Be sure to wash your screen out before the paint dries in it. I usually throw it into a pan of water, and move on while it is soaking. The paint dissolves out like a dirty pan, then rinse and hang or blot to dry. Occasionally you'll need to scrub- do this gently with a soft brush.
I usually clean my squeegee's and other items used to direct the paint, onto a damp cloth. These have resulted in some unusual painted fabric. A good way to change your old stash. Have Fun!!

Hello, Sun in My Face!

Hello, Sun in my face.

Hello, you who made the morning

and spread it over the fields and 

into the faces of tulips

and the nodding morning glories

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and the crotchety-

best preacher that ever was,

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light-

good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

in happiness, in kindness.

Poem by Mary Oliver

 to help us celebrate the return of light, the new season, the hope we carry  in our hearts.

Portfolio Preview

Colors in the Round

One of my most favorite fabrics is silk organza. I dye, rinse and hang to dry. This helps to retain the crispness of the organza. Drying in the dryer creates lots of loose threads and softens the texture. I'm using up the last bit of my LIQUID fiber reactive dyes by Createx.

 They stopped making them a few years ago. I love not working with powers and will miss them. I use the silk for my fiber constructions and collage. I often add thermal fax silkscreens using my own photography.

Thermal Facts

   I use my photographs to create Photographic silkscreens using the Thermal Fax method. In Photoshop create a black and white image, cropping to suit. This can be done several ways. For this  picture, I increased magnification and used the eraser tool to get rid of the grayer areas. You can also just cut away any black areas you don't want in the final silkscreen after your print it. When you have your final image, use a toner copy machine and copy.

Follow the directions with Thermal Fax machine and tape the edges. Golden!

Colors on the Brain

As artists, color is SUPER  important! I once had a discussion with a musician comparing the 7 notes and 7 colors- each vibrating at a different frequency. I believe we actually resonate with certain colors. As I go through my life, I have color constant favorites and others pop up as time goes on. I suspect we are attracted to the color we need at the moment we need it.  There are even color tests and books about the subject. For instance, we can be green with envy, environmentally green, green as in a newbie, it can be hard to be green (Kermit), we all want green backs, etc. Color can also affect us adversely. Red walls in restaurants are designed to help us chow our food faster. 

The colors you use when you make art could be seen as a journalistic color map of your life. Go back and review your work and let me know what you think!

Detail from 1995 era 'Perception is Reality'

Painted Photographs

I often paint my printed fabric photographs. In order to do this, you must have ink jet ink that is water resistant and prepared ink jet fabrics. I have an Epson 2400, which has Ultra chrome inks. They are water resistant, fade resistant (200 years) and are archival.  I have placed my printed fabric in a glass of water to test, allowed them to dry and ironed. They were fine. 

I used to use Bubble Jet. I found it time consuming, frustrating to prepare and not water proof. For the work I sell, it has to be the best.

Google 'fabric to print', ink jet fabrics' or something similar, to

 find prepared fabrics that can be printed. You'll find lots of price points and fabrics. Always test before a major project!

Print much like paper. Go for it!!

Responses and Connections

Returning from exhibiting at the Paradise City arts show, I wondered how other artists do this for a living. Is it only about the money? Connections?
Basically, I’m happy meeting expenses. The objective of course is to earn some money for your art. But it’s also sharing inspirations and enthusiasms with people who are motivated to stop and view my work. This is a large leap from when I first started to show my work. Nervous and anxious for approval, I worried the work wouldn’t please anyone. As I began to exhibit, I realized my innovative approaches were exciting to people. They asked me how I thought of it, where did I take my photographs, what was I thinking about when I created it. Answering those questions became my story. They were natural and honest answers. I realized showing my work to folks, helped me to understand just what I did put into the work, the stories behind the work, for example; how the fabrics I painted responded to the photographs I used. What I discovered was, telling people about my art was how I ‘sell’ it. It’s not a salesperson’s approach of how to sell, but a visceral response to sharing my work. The motivation to exhibit becomes more than appealing to the current trends or a mere marketing effort. The emphasis is relevant to sharing my work and seeing the connections it makes with people. A window into how and what they see in my work.
The art becomes interactive, a communication.

Dreams and Effort plus Perseverance

I have been sending images to a couple of my favorite magazines for awhile. Don't even know exacting how long. One of my absolute favorites is the lovely slightly weightier pages of Surface Design Journal. This is where I go to see how other artists push fiber arts into ART.
This is where I go to feel justified at my efforts to do ART. This is one of the magazines that create the juice of inspiration. And I have just been published in their Exposure section. A Great BIG juicy surprise, a pure delight!
(see picture of collaged article and piece in row on right)

How Do YOU Work?

I've been asked that allot lately, and now it's the posed question on one of my yahoo groups. I have several different ways of approaching a project, depending on the end result. Meaning, I have several different ways of getting my work finished.
Holographic images are created from inspiring photographs I take. I guess I have become 'known' for these. The finished pieces are hard to photograph as they depend highly on the viewer's movement for the full effect. I published the technique in Quilting Arts summer 07 and they have a DVD on this process also.
Silk Organza is my fabric of choice. I love to dye, paint, silkscreen- you name it. It works best in my transparent works and in my new 'layered' collages. They are a brand spankin' new idea and am very excited about them. Very nontraditional though.
I also layer the organza in applied collages and sewn works. I use their transparent quality to create layers, free and fixed. I continue to explore what I can do with this amazing stuff.
I paint fabric, usually in the summer, for use during the year. I get into a fabric creation mode and just play. Wonderful and fun. This is used for all my works as well as art quilting etc. During the rest of the year, I will yank out the paints to refresh my sense of play, much like sorbet during extended formal meals. ahem. The fabric is used in all of my work, focus, borders, whole pieces, anything! ( I do have a workshop series based on my techniques)
In sum, I get inspired by an idea and then figure out the best way to approach it. What technique will best portray my vision. When I don't have the time, I jot the idea down, with drawings and construction ideas, in my artist's journal. That happens more frequently than I wish. However, I have a wonderful artist journal! ( someone actually wanted to buy it!!!) I highly recommend it's use. Even better than buying one, create your own. Take a book making course- it's really not that hard. It gives it heart.

Email and Removal Requests

shepard-fairey-barack-obama
I get tons of email a day. I check'um out first, delete what I don't want or don't have time for, then read the rest. My spam folder fills faster than crumbs in a toaster, but I pursue that as well because sometimes good stuff leaks in there. Then DELETE. What mighty power I hold in the tip of a finger. Kinda like when you turn the channel on TV. The power of choice in the moment. So Zen.
Often, when I have a tid bit of news, good video etc to share, I can compose my zesty little note and insert lots of categories in the address bar. With one button press, I can send to lots of people, who then have the choice to delete or read as the spirit moves them. Again Choice. That's democratic.
Sometimes, I get a request to 'remove them from my list'. Not often, but sometimes. I feel bad I've inconvenienced them but remove them and let them know its done. Sorry to take up your time, no hard feelings. That's it. But once in awhile a not so nice note appears too. These people have a problem with my sending to them and let me know. Well, I'm sorry- they have the opportunity to delete before reading and I have the freedom to send. Lets leave it at that.

Buisness Cards- a must

Gotta have'um. Give them to everyone. Like small little magic carpets, they fly away to far off corners of peoples homes. You can get the cutest little ones from Moo.com. They make great hang tags- but then, I just made hangs tags on my computer- personalized for each piece of art I've done and the scarves and other smaller works. Soooo- I just ordered some 'real' business cards from Overnightprints.com. I've done this before. I don't want to order too may 'cause my art changes as fast as I can change my mind. Inspiration strikes and wham-o, I'm off. I do have a product that seems to be the one folks like- so perhaps I'll get the cards with photos of these. That is to say one of these, for unlike moo cards, you must settle on one image. Darn! Hmmm. Done. Files uploaded. You can change files to pdf in pdfonline.com- you'll need to do this unless you're really handy in Photo shop. Fairly simple and they give you instructions. I LOVE the Internet! Then get yourself a pay pal account. Easy too. You can pay for just about anything this way and you don't need to enter your credit card as often. Now to await their arrival- hopefully in time for the Holiday shows!!

New York City 05

I grew up 15 minutes outside the city, the BIG apple that is. I left to 'return to the garden' and have been there ever since. Recently I've taken day trips back in to see NOHO Gallery and Alex Grey's Chapel of the Sacred Mirrors (wonderful!) I'm kinda sorta related viva marriage (my husband's brother's wife's sister's husband) Would LOVE to find a gallery there, any suggestions??

Fall Shows

Brookvale Park- Monclair NJ- October 18&19 www.rosesquared.com

NH Open Doors- Studio #336 -Salmon Fall Mill November 8&9- Rollinsford, NH www.millartists.com

(note will be unable to do Open Studios this year so this is the only time my studio will be open)

Paradise City Fine Craft Shows- Marlborough MA November 21-23 www.paradisecityarts.com

Button Factory Open Studios Portsmouth, NH
December 6&7 www.buttonfactorystudios.com

Quilt National

I have been entering this show for more than 20 years- I need to 

look up the exact count. I make 'virgin' work for this show. I have enterd my holographic work, but I think it is hard for a juror to understand what they are seeing as there is just 

nothing 

out there like it. So this year I went back to flat work. First, I did a couple painted works, but digital is my passion at the moment, so the painted pieces didn't seem jazzed enough. Here are some pic's of the entered pieces.

Quilting Arts DVD

Yikes I'm on You Tube- click on the Quilting Art DVD picture (scroll part way down, on the right) to bring it up.

art, meaning and families

What do female artists do? Does anyone ever question thier sense of purpose. As Women, are we supposed to put everyone before our creative urges and wants. We are told we must fit these wild and crazy inspirations between family gatherings and the needs of our partners. If we don't turn a huge profit, we are told we are playing, that what we do doesn't count. How do we fit our real selves into these pictures without feeling guilty and selfish= because someone told we were?

What makes us real?

"I was his mother and his wife and now I want the luxury of my own life"

Ani DiFranco

best response ( Thank YOU)

Expressing yourself thorough your art is who you are. You really have no choice but to keep doing it. The Alternative is to crawl into a fetal position and die; Period. End of Discussion. As one who has been married FOREVER, I have found that the agreements we made to share our lives together need re-negotiation. The old paradigms we lived by because the kids were small or money was needed to educate them etc no longer exist. Men have trouble with that, especially those who are successful. At this stage of the game our relationships need to be mutually nuturing.. whether it be a marriage, friendship or parent/grown child. I don't know where your fulcrum rests but you need to feel you are in a good place to sustain both yourself (your art) and a joyful relationship.

2 quotes

"Nobody deserves your tears, but whoever deserves them will not make you cry." Gabiel Marques

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr Seuss

Graditude

Belonging to the League of New Hampshire Crafts since 1993 has been an exciting growing experience. I am challenged to keep my work top notch while I strive to grow my edges. The past two years I have done a 10x10 booth at the Sunappe fair grounds for 10 days. While it is a long time, I get to meet people and talk about my work. Beautiful! I continue to expand by applying to more shows. I have just applied to one in NJ and  will be at the Paradise City show in Marlborough MA. I do continue to send my work to galleries and enter exhibits. It is so wonderful to have these opportunities to share my creations. Thank you all!

What goes in...

My piece in the previous blog received Viewer's Choice Award at the Whistler Museum, Lowell MA at a recent exhibit. What a wonderful honor! It has been a very full summer with many learning experiences. In the face of trying circumstances, one can either give up or fortify oneself. This is what this honor has helped me do. I am sharing a few photographs of the construction process of Winter   Tree. Starting with one of my  photographs,  printed on especially 

treated cloth

 and sewn.