Most of us that work in the handmade/handcrafted art world feel the tsunami start building up around September and about now you realize the holiday thing is behind you. Now we know this is a career choice; it is exhilarating, fun, social and raises the cashola that takes you through the first and sometimes second quarter of the year. All good, all rewarding, all the biggest energy drain short of having a tribe of kids... try doing both craft shows and kids. Another conversation!!!

Most of the artists I've been chatting with are feeling good about the upcoming year... less sales but better sales. Sounds spazzed; I hear that too. The folks that are buying are investing.. not the small $50 item but more the $200-$400 item. Fewer bits and pieces and one bigger piece of art or craft. I'm seeing this in all the shops I have work committed to consign and sell. Ad this kind of work seems to be more rewarding... production small stuff is OK, but the bigger pieces are more of a creativity commitment usually.

As the year starts off with grants, proposals, collaborations and schedules, I'm excited about the series of workshops I'm getting to teach this spring.. mostly Mixed Media. And the Mural in March will be phenomenal. So maybe less time in the studio, more time in the public eye.. y'all know how i love the photograph!! o.O

Here we go! 2013 is going to be a big YEAR!

I've had my public-ish studio space in Fiber Company, where i share space with lots of yarns, looms, dust bunnies and five amazing women that love fabric and  yarns as much as I ever will. Where else could I possibly come in and say "OMG is that Black 106" and everyone knows what I am talking about? (FYI, black 106 is just the coolest of the cool Procion MX dyes. I hope I NEVER run out!)

So the month of September marks the 25th anniversary of Fiber Company. I've not been there the whole 25 but a pretty good chunk of it. I date it by Collin's age and he is not there yet. not far away, but not quite there.

I just updated the blog on Fiber Company's blog site.

I don't get to spend as much time there as I'd like but some weeks, like this week, I do get to hang out. Have a baby blanket to (hopefully) give to a grandma who has twin grandkids and needed an extra blanket. I have some experimental warps on that will be all painty and artsy and fun... a break from production, but then, well, it is on for the holiday production line. A few new scarves... I am loving the finer yarns and want to try some wooly ones with texture from structure, and some nice bast ones that are dyed for fun and brightness. And a new ruana wrap. I like wearing all of these things and I'm hoping others will too.

Hope y'all can come out to visit us for the celebration.
I'm thinking cake.

Well, this has certainly been the fastest five months I've ever been privvy to!
It has been a lovely spring and with all the driving I've been doing, the turning of trees into springtime blooms, then leaves has given me a whole new outlook on apricot oranges, terra cottas, soft greens and bright greens & yellows. So I've been dying to get that result. I think I came pretty close with this warp.

Now as I weave them off, I am pondering the beautiful skies in the evening, chatting with pals from the past under the same starry skies we had such romantic youthful evenings when we were teens. So the next warp will be blues, those indigos from sunset and touches of ultramarine-y blues. Yes, I said ultramarine-y. I have a real challenge making those blues from my dyes. But I'm up for it. I see the next few months as blasting with color. And running. lots of running.

Resolutions

The Holiday season was wild this year! Thanks to everyone for your support! Sorry if I didn't get back to everyone- I'm going through my list to see who is still interested in a special order. It is pretty much impossible for any special orders after October- shows start and really don't let up til, well, now..
This year I'm really looking forward to my day job.. The Arts Council has started to rock and roll with its' own momentum and I since this is where I live now, it is epically important to me that there are really fun things to do.. There were lots already and I'm seeing more just popping up everytime I meet new folks.

For my personal resolutions, I'm gonna keep on the exercise path- I'm just more productive when I'm moving around. And I am far from ready to be done!
And, I plan to enter three exhibits, meet some new galleries. And two outdoor exhibits. It's nice to get out.
And finish my home studio... I'd never trade my studio on Trade Street! but this great space needs to be yarned.
So here we go... Jan-March, the exhibit pieces get started, a new production line developed and the neverending application for grant projects. Hope to catch up with everyone soon... sorry for falling under the rock.

Mixed Media workshop

Hey Y'all! I'm scheduled to teach a mixed media class at Art Alliance of Greensboro, 200 N. Davie Street in Greensboro. I'm planning to have fun---  but a more detailed class description is:
Mixed Media
This mixed media course will explore varied approaches to painting,printmaking and collage, bookbinding and small-scale sculpture.Beginning with exercises to introduce fluid media into drawings, the class will incorporate drawing, collage, printmaking, stencils and printed imagery. Creative methods of bookbinding will include the side-bound book with found objects, altered pages and embellishment. Small scale sculpture will work with assemblages from wire, re-purposed objects, wood, hardware, software, beads, canvas, fibers and things from your kitchen drawer. Students are welcome to bring their stash of inspiring objects.
Usually after I meet the students and hear their expectations the actual projects are more defined; there are so many good choices. This class will be an intro to a few new techniques, combination for a composition and introduction to a few materials. Of course, this proves my daughter to be right, as always.... "don't throw that away. Mom will make something out of it". I'm sure she means that the nice way.....

Plans are to:
Look at collage with photos, images, tissue, paint, prints and drawing
Create an assemblage on canvas with paints, images, prints, fibers, beads and other found objects
Construct a side-bound book that contains altered pages, illustrative enclosures and found material elements.
Develop a figure from collective materials.

I've got a few prototypes to bring already, and am working on new ones. The class meets for two sessions. Check out the schedule and prices at www.artalliancegso.org and call Liz at 336.373.2725 to register.
Materials list:
for each student: (bring what you have, email with questions, I'll be bringing stashes of stuff too!)
one gallery wrap canvas 10x10 or close
acrylic paint
acrylic gel
brushes (for painting, detail, adding gels)
brayers
markers (sharpies, water base, calligraphy if needed)
wire
beads
photographs
papers (decorative, tissue, wrapping, drawing, gold leaf)
book board
linen thread
needles
fabric scraps
magazine images
sharpie markers
x-acto knife
glue (pva and regular paste)
scissors
any found material available!
basket reed- round and flat, grapevine, honeysuckle
any found hardware- hinges, washers, screws, etc
ink
printing blocks
printing ink
assorted wood blocks

Dye Crazy

I  finally set up an Etsy page. I was thinking that maybe small items might be interesting to shoppers there and I am just not able to do a lot of fall shows- I am looking forward to the West End ARTSFest in Winston-Salem with my pals Nicole and Olivia there too... it is a nice day show with a good variety of crafts and artists and they usually have music and a few other bits that make it a good day for everyone. And Blowing Rock in October. And I plan to participate in the Studio Tour at the Rockingham County Arts Council in November. I've  been working on inventory for all of these bits and pieces... and I'll have the info on my etsy page @Dye Crazy. Seemed appropriate....

marbled

Seaweed scarves are woven, knotted, washed, dried and pressed. Ready to go!

So when I am not in Fiber Co I dye, work on surface design. Today is marbling silk. I mordanted the scarves, set up a new marble bath-- the colors float pretty nicely in this warm-ish weather. I hope to have 8 ready to take to the studio tomorrow. All colorful, washed, dried. And I have lovely blue fingers! Yes, I have gloves. In the box.

I'm using some patterns I saw in the jasmine blossoms and grapevines. Really a treat to have so many plants for inspiration. I finished up a dozen- tried to get a good range in color. I didn't get to the greens, browns, golds and pinks yet. But the next set of scarves are mordanted and ready to go.

Just to keep with stating the obvious, I am no photographer!