Can O’ Worms Sandwich

July 30, 2008

Had the idea for this drawing as I watched a bird eating his lunch the other day, and then when Illustration Friday posted that this week’s theme was “canned,” I thought Perfect!

Lately work has been a series of unpleasant little messes — mostly small stuff I admit, but it seems to add up, and then I find myself crabby when I don’t want to be. I used to subscribe to the Spoon Full of Sugar/Sound of Music philosophy, but to deal with some of the gnarly things that have been happening lately, I’ve developed the Sandwich Technique. I try to do some drawing or art first thing in the morning and also end up the day with something else good. This sandwiches the nasty tasting stuff into the middle of the day, but each day starts and ends on the right note.

I also try to remember this bit of PamZen: Be not angry at the worm. It will only make you feel bad, and besides, the worm probably has it worse than you.

Filed Under drawings, illustration friday | 11 Comments

We’re talking Really Big Hair

July 28, 2008

Another drawing for my new series, Wish You Were Hair. I don’t know why, but I’ve always had a fascination with monuments of the world — written about them in my term papers, constructed clay monuments in ceramics, traveled to see them in person.

Now these world monuments are starting to appear in my quilts. They have mysteriously collided with my interest in hair stylists and the results have crash-landed in my studio. I’ve been doodling ideas throughout the summer and am trying to preserve the spontaneity of the original sketches as I convert them to fabric.

Filed Under drawings | 11 Comments

Working on a series

July 26, 2008

Australian quilt top is done, but instead of quilting right away, I’m moving on to designing the next one. I’m trying to keep my momentum up to finish a series. Some artists may think only of one piece at a time. But maybe because I’m married to a sculptor — I have in my mind an installation view of a series of work, and each piece will be part of the overall concept.

Notes and sketches from the Creamery Arts Center. It’s kind of an odd gallery space, irregular and broken spaces. I’m working back and forth, between sketches in my notebooks, drawings on the computer, and the actual fabric constructions on the wall.

Filed Under drawings, process, quilts | 6 Comments

I Like to Draw Ears

July 16, 2008

Okay, I have to admit it — I like to draw ears. They are always weird if you look closely, and always different. Was it Monk or Sherlock Holmes who could recognize murder suspects by their distinctive ears alone? But I also have to admit — this ear doesn’t cut it. It will have to be redrawn and recut. I don’t know why it’s wrong, maybe it’s just kind of boring. Also haven’t figured out the proper mouth for this character.

On a happier note, yay, Project Runway is back! Tonight was the first episode of the season, and it looks like a great line-up of new designers/characters.

Filed Under Inspiration, drawings, process, quilts | 10 Comments

A visit from Spike and Warren on their book interview tour

July 15, 2008

Over the weekend author Spike Gillespie and her boyfriend “Warren” the photographer visited our studio to do an interview and photos for Spike’s new book Quilting Art that will be published next year.

It was kind of a whirlwind weekend tour of our life around here, starting with fabulous fireworks behind one of Russ’s sculptures The Kinetic Man on Friday, spending Saturday at the studio looking at quilts and sculptures, then ending up at the lake for swimming, water skiing, and a mad dash through a torrential downpour to get back to shelter. With lots of yummy food and snacks interspersed throughout!

Overall it was a great weekend and a lot of fun to get to know them both, and I was happy to hear Warren say, “Quilting Changed my Life!”

Above is Spike, surrounded by one of Russ’s interactive neon sculptures at the studio after our interview — one of the only photos I remembered to take. I guess when there’s another photographer around, I’m timid about pulling out my own camera!

Filed Under media, photography, studio | Leave a Comment

Trying to Get to Blank

July 8, 2008

Finally had to admit that to start a new series of work, I had to get rid of all the old stuff on the walls. So that meant taking down all the old PaMdora quilts that were pinned up on this wall for display for the last group tour.

But it also meant putting away all the little cutouts that I like to leave hanging around. As you can see, I still have trouble giving up everything. How can I give up my precious banana peel, a pink-polka-dot cat, and fuzzy pink mittens? Not to mention the headless dress form wearing vintage ribbons and the PaMdora screen print… Each one pains me to put away, but I don’t know why.

That’s better. Nothing like a totally blank and boring wall to motivate you to start some new art.

Finally after ditzing around all day trying to recover my water-stained (only on the bottom edges) pin boards, I get started trying to block in color and fabrics for a new series.

I like to look at the colors and abstract shapes to decide if I have a good design. I think these compositions look sort of static and that worries me, but the idea here is that I’m going to make a series of small quilts to hang around a central concept for an upcoming show in September, so the design of each one will be simple.

Filed Under process, quilts, studio | 7 Comments

No, I haven’t taken up smoking…

July 7, 2008

…but I’ve been collecting retro melamine ashtrays that make great brush/water holders for painting. And they come in great colors (I have bigger yellow and green ones at my studio.)

This is a small one, which is good for travel, especially on a boat where your brushes might roll overboard. The watercolor pencils roll also, but at least they float when they hit the water, so you have time to dive in and retrieve them.

Also for travel, I like using old watercolor tins to carry small brushes. They work better than anything new I can find, and add a nice flavor to the process.

Filed Under journeys, painting, process | 9 Comments

Can O’ Worms Sandwich

We’re talking Really Big Hair

Working on a series

I Like to Draw Ears

A visit from Spike and Warren on their book interview tour

Trying to Get to Blank

No, I haven’t taken up smoking…

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