A DOZEN SHADES OF GREY

On May 15, the Uncommon Threads Art Quilt group that I belong to, had the opening of our exhibit entitled “A Dozen Shades of Grey – The Art of Aging.” This occurred at the Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin MO and will stay up until July 6. Following is the cover of a small book that was put together showing all the pieces in the show. It can be purchased for $10 and if you are interested just email me.

LIFE LINE

This is my Life Line – BUCKET LIST

ACT YOUR AGE

STILL STANDING

And you’ve seen this before – THIRTEEN MOONS

Four Yellow Blocks

Since I was tagged on Facebook by Susan Leslie Lumsden to show some of my work every day for five days, it’s made me work. Good show Susan. Caroline S. Daley is the tag for today. Her work is such fun.

Yesterday I showed an old piece. Today I’ll show what I’m currently working on – a yellow quilt which will be a gift for someone who likes yellow. Here are the first four blocks, untrimmed. There will be a total of 16. Yes, it’s certainly YELLOW.  The squares that are off center in each block are from a vintage butterfly fabric. Each butterfly in the fabric is about 8″ square. Much too large so I’ve cut 6″ square out of it getting pieces of butterflies. Looking at them I think they are almost flower like. I’m not overly fond of yellow but I think it’s going to work. I keep trying to tone it down and I can see that one lighter yellow strip it too big so I’ll trim it down. This is a Quilt As You Go project and will have a narrow sashing of a darker, gray-ish color.

Art Challenge Day Two “The Gift”

I’ve been challenged on FaceBook by Susan Leslie Lumsden to show a piece of my work every day for five days. This is day two and I decided to post it on my blog as this is an old favorite that I want to share.  Titled: “The Gift.” When it was made there were advertisements every Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s day for this mixmaster which stated: “Don’t give her just one gift, give her five,” meaning it was a multi-task mixer. Remembering a Christmas when I was newly married, and I didn’t like to cook and didn’t do it well, I received nothing but KITCHEN gifts. What a disappointment. This art piece enshrines the damned thing with a party aporn made of hankies, a shiny metallic halo, and a velvet red roof. Along the bottom are images of a circa 1950’s housewife with her “beloved” mixmaster. Before I forget it, I challenge Ellen Eiford White.

CRYSTAL BRIDGES

We’ve just returned from Crystal Bridges Museum of America Art in Bentonville, Arkansas where we saw the current exhibit “State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now.” It runs to January 19, 2015 and if you are anywhere near northwest Arkansas I urge to see it. Not only is it a fantastic display of current American art showing everything from fiber to film, but the admission is FREE! The following two pics are of the museum.

And being a fiber artist myself, I was particularly drawn to the fiber in the exhibit

 

Jeila Gueramian –  Collected vintage crochet and knitted objects

Gina Phillips – Pieced, painted “quilted” fiber

Adam Eckstrom & Lauren Was – collage of lottery tickets

Miki Baird – cut photo images

Four women studying cut paper with individual typed letters. I forgot to write the artist’s name.

four-new-chairs

There are four new chairs residing around the dinning table

Here you can see more detail

And here’s the back:

Don’t they make you feel good? The chairs were bought at a flea market kind of store, I stripped them, then painted them red but they needed more. I met Ann Marie Rausch and when I saw her fanciful furniture I knew her painting was the answer. You can see more of her work here.

In the background of the top picture you see a basket. That was made by Chris Schwartz, a local artist who lives on the other side of the lake. Beads in the center and beaded handles. The pot on the left was made by Sheldon Carey who taught at University of Kansas back in the ’60s. I’ve managed to keep it intact for all these years. Yay for Art. I live in a happy house.