Start off a new year / home/ work

Hi All……It is 2025. How on earth did we get here? Oh, I know. One day at a time.

The good news is that I am still working as a fiber artist. And loving it…. every minute! When I was a kid, I always knew I wanted to be an artist. It took me awhile to get here…. but now I am.

Here is brief run down of my days:

I Made it one of my goals for 2024 to end having my work at art festivals (you know, having my display in a 10’ x 10’ tent, standing there for 2 3 days waiting for customers. Many people stopped I to say hi and compliment me on the work. Sales were good some times and not so good others. I met some wonderful artists during the 14 years of doing this. Some I call friends. Even though it was exhausting, I have no regrets.

The second goal I put into place was to actively find gallery exhibits to enter and submit my quilts. This turned out to be an exhilarating experience. Acceptance into these shows gives me a sense that I belong. I’ve even been winning awards to add to my collection. Win-Win.

December found me dodging the holidays a bit by preparing for 2 gallery shows. One gallery show in which I am presenting and curating, speaks to the diversity of fiber arts. “Trifurcation” is a 3 woman show on the LeMoyne College Campus: Wilson Gallery. There are 15 works of fiber art. Everything from a small curio cabinet filled with patchwork tiles….. to Silk embroidered panels. The other is called “Lost Faculties: The Cazenovia Diaspora”. We, former professors from Cazenovia College are presenting our work in a variety of mediums to highlight not only our college closing, but to speak to the epidemic of small private colleges closing across the country. Both shows run through February into March.

Commissions are keeping me in the studio as well. I love working with the clothing of my clients’ loved ones that have passed on. There is a sense of communication with them that comes from holding and using their clothing. The recent one is for a woman whose husband was a scientist/teacher. His spirit is here with me as I design and construct the wall hanging. (I’ll post an image when it is completed)

ON top of all that… I am moving. So packing is occupying a lot of my time as I dismantle my life here and get ready to reconstruct it in my new home. (Not far away…. Thankfully) The studio is the last to be packed and the first to be unpacked.

AAANNNDDD My college teaching job begins in a week and a half. I’ll be teaching 2 Color and Concept Development classes this spring to mostly freshmen. Love the work…. love the students. another Win-Win

Geomorphology 2024

Hungry

Hungry

I have always loved working with fabric. I grew up watching my mom and aunts sew clothing, quilts and curtains. I learned right alongside them making clothes before I was a teenager. Once I became a mother, I added quilting to the clothes I made for my children. 

Still…… 

There are times in my artist life, that sends me searching for something new…. an experimental stage. A yearning to try something new, to explore a technique that shows a different way to work. I don’t want to leave fabric, but instead reach for something more. I had a professor tell me once that an artist gets hungry with a strong desire to move into a different  space.

So….

Here I am. Trying hand stitching on a small intimate portrait. Working with canvas with all sorts of texture and trying out double needles and a couching foot for my sewing machine.  I have acquired raw wool and a felting machine and am learning what wonders that can produce. I’m printing leaves on linen and canvas then thread painting to embellish them. What joy!

Here’s the rub……..

What happens when a fairly established artist moves into different types of expression, there are doubts that the new work will be accepted. It sets my mind to wondering if it’s even worth the effort of trying something new if no one will have interest in it. I know I am sounding like an alarmist here. It won’t prevent me from this exploration. Nor will it stop my hunger. Another professor said that an artist is someone who says…. I wonder what will happen if I do ______ (fill in the blank)….. Then they do it.

Yes……. 

I am doing it. I’m moving around the studio from station to station learning and creating. Watch for some new techniques and different fabric choices. You will see more hand stitching as mark making along with more multimedia pieces as I include printing and painting into the mix. The good news is that the hunger far outweighs the doubts. 

Job Well Done

All we ever hear these days is “how are you coping with the pandemic?”

Seriously, in all areas of my life the conversation ends up in the realm of wearing masks, getting vaccinated, going out, staying home, and on and on and on. Can there be any wonder that I among many I suppose, are weary of these interactions. we long for the days where we can talk about life beyond this time and space.

I for one, have a refuge, and on many days retreat to the space I call my studio. It is in the basement of my home and offers me a place of intense creativity. I get all the lights up bright, turn on the music, settle into my projects and go. I don’t have to wear a mask, I am free from too many interactions with others and can cut fabric…. sew fabric….. iron fabric and make art.

The one major interruption I had this year was a fall in April which resulted in a major fracture to my right (and yes dominant) wrist. I will not pretend that it set my life upside-down for a few months. Imagine a fabric artist that loves being a fabric artist that could not even brush her teeth with her left hand. I thought my life as a creative artist was over. Many encouraged me to find other ways to feed that part of me, but I only got depressed thinking I was going to have to stop doing what I love. Others shared similar stories and managed to get the use of their arms, hands, wrists back after time. I tried to choose the latter. Some days it worked….. some days not so much.

I cancelled workshop, postponed commissions and withdrew from the art festivals That I had lined up. Slowly I did regain mobility (Just like I was told) and started back to work in the studio. About 4 months after the injury I was spending 3/4 time at my work, and by summers end I was able to resume the projects I had set aside.

I had several clients waiting for work and came in a few months behind schedule on their work. Perhaps the break (Pun intended) did indeed give me the breathing room needed to consider options for different techniques, color choices and design. Who knows what would have happened as a result of business as usual. I only know that in the end, I found the ability to withstand this seemingly disastrous event and make it through the hard parts that we call life.

It's the end of another year

How does the time move so quickly? I joke, that I am still looking for June of 2017. And here we are closing in on January 2020. I actually like this date. Easy to remember and easy to write. Let’s see just how well I do remember it next week.

I started and finished 2019 with a big commission. I was hired to create 6 wall quilts for a man that is married to my friend. His first wife had passed away and he wanted wall art made from her clothes to give as gifts to family and friends.He gave me a bit of guidance, but only with written comments regarding the relationship they each shared with her. Thankfully the client allowed me creative freedom with only a few requests. It would take me several months to dismantle the clothing and finalize design ideas. I never met this woman, but came to know her from the clothing. Once started, the ideas would flow. Other projects and a few short vacations were fit in-between this commission. and I am happy to report that they were received with glee , tears and much appreciation. I’ll do this again if asked. Here are two of the five completed to date.

Pocket Treasures 39” x 38”

Star Shine 40” 42”

Time in the Mountains

Amid a busy fall schedule I am fortunate to go into the beautiful Autumn colors of the Lake George region and spend a few days with close friends. These women and I have traveled to this location for over 25 years and plan the date months in advance. We hike, eat, laugh, play silly games, catch up, view family photos and have intimate conversations with each other. How I relish this weekend.

My time here is to reinvigorate my mind, body and spirit. The lake, spectacular foliage and friendship are the balm needed to engage with my art and my students in a meaningful way.

It’s funny how engaging in a creative life fills me with the very thing that I need to continue; at the same time getting away from it gives me the same. I need both. I will return to my work with renewed energy and purpose………. and most of all gratitude.