Around the World Blog Hop

1. What am I working on? Well – after finishing up filming three new DVD workshops last month, I’ve sort of just been trying to catch up with my kids. And trying to remember how to breathe. And maybe sew something just for the fun of it. It feels like I never have time to do that any more so I am making time for it now.

 

But there is always something up on the design wall. I had pulled out several screen printed bits that were either left-overs or tests from other projects and also one in-process piece that was waiting for some hand dyed cloth. They all got the dyed cloth and are currently being ignored while I play around making a pirate vest for hubby’s Halloween costume. Nope. Didn’t get to it before Halloween, but I had pulled out the cloth and pattern and decided to work on it a bit now. He and I just wear the same costume every year – but it steadily gets a little better.

 

I’m also working out the final details of the Once in a Blue Moon Retreat that the wonderfully talented Susan Brubaker Knapp and I will be putting on the first week of next October. If you want more information please sign up for my newsletter where I will announce whatever amazing ideas we come up with!

 

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? That’s always a tricky question. I always kind of think pretty much everything has been done before. I’m sure there is someone out there that does work very similar to mine. I don’t worry about it and just do what interests me the most at the moment. Currently – that is screen printing cloth. Layers of imagery begin with white cloth, dyed, discharged, and printed. Lots of fun creating goes on in the process. Hunting through my photos, digitally editing them, sketching, making screens to print with, choosing scale and color – all fun stuff!

 

3. Why do I write/create what I do? Because the creative process keeps me alive and sane. I love to create order from chaos and beauty from a pile of nothingness. (At least I do in my studio – don’t look at my housekeeping!!!) Because it’s fun!

 

 

4. How does my creative process work? Well – it’s pretty haphazard if I don’t have a deadline coming up. If I do – I’m all about lists and getting the next thing done. Art has to fit into the spaces between my life as a mother and wife. I choose it that way. Those things are more important to me than anything else. But if I don’t have a deadline I am completely scattered. Whatever interests me and is in front of me at the moment gets done… or not. A few of those pieces on the design wall have been either up there or tucked away for a very long time. Years. I like to explore different imagery or styles which means often I’m jumping from one thing to the next. Through time, however, I keep coming back to some images that really interest me. This turns into de-facto series work… just stretched over a longer period of time than other artists work in. the XOX imagery has been something that keeps popping up. Usually as a playful and improvisational creation right after a serious and thoughtful and painstakingly detailed artwork.

 

 

 

Next week please continue the hop and check out these two blogs:

 

Deborah Boschert is an art quilter that I love to follow. Her work has a delicacy and layered depth to it’s imagery that I find soooo appealing. That – and we both have kids in marching band right now. I always find it fun to peek in and know at least one other person in the world is probably going as crazy as I am.

 

Roxane Lessa is one of my local quilt buddies – I have always really loved her large scale landscape and botanical pieces. She also teaches and coaches art quilters. (And I love her hair cut!)