Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Equus at last

This month marks the end of my participation in a wonderful online challenge group, Viewpoints 9. It is with a heavy heart that I leave as the artists who are members are such talented and lovely folks. But I just reached a point where something had to be shifted off my lengthy task list to make room for the host of other things that require my time and attention.

The final challenge posed to the group was to make something from nature but to alter the colours entirely. I found a photo of a beautiful draft horse by Mararet Bednar online.

I had a field day playing with Neocolor water-soluble wax pastels on with an overlay of cheesecloth (of course) and did the stitching in variegated threads.

On the right is a detail shot so you can see the texture of the cheesecloth.

This week I am putting the finishing touches on a piece for the Radical Elements exhibition.  I was assigned Einsteinium from the Periodic Table of Elements.  Can you guess what approach I'm taking?  Next week I'll post some sneak peeks of parts of the piece, though the entire piece can't be revealed till the exhibition opens in Washington DC in 2014.

Here is the finished piece:
Equus - 24 x 18 inches


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Loving London

Today is our last full day in London. It has been a whirlwind. Yesterday we hit the Tate Modern, took a boat to Tate Britain, then to Saatchi Gallery and Victoria & Albert. Returned, exhausted, and sipped cider in the local pub. Just about to hit the road for a day that will include the National Gallery, the Portrait Gallery and Liberty's ... and many stops in between.

But I know you are curious about the art I've been looking at, so, without commentary, here is a "Wordless Wednesday" post a day early. Enjoy!
















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Location:London, UK

Thursday, August 8, 2013

In Jolly Olde!

Never a dull moment! I'm at the Birmingham Quilt Festival and having the time of my life. Meeting and catching up with all sorts of people - have had lovely chats (don't I sound a little more British already?) with Alicia Merrett, Sandra Meech, Lisa Walton and of course my travelling companion, Linda Beach. I taught cheesecloth sculpting the first two days, cheesecloth portraits today, and will teach Paintstiks on Saturday, followed by a lecture on Sunday afternoon. The students have been utterly delightful and from all parts - France, Ireland, Israel, and England, of course. On Sunday, I'll be off on the London leg of the journey.





But tomorrow ... my day off ... I will be able to view the quilts in the show and shop some of the vendor booths.

On my way back to the hotel last night, after class, I did a sneak preview of the show. Naturally, I wanted a peek at the SAQA exhibit "Metaphors on Ageing" as I have two pieces in it. I was delighted at how wonderful it looked, and pleased to have my pieces placed right at the entrances on both sides of the exhibition area. Eye candy follows, below.

Tomorrow I will report on the Charity Supper I'm attending tonight, where the keynote speaker is Mary Fisher. Do check back! (Is it just me or did you detect a slight British accent in that last bit?)

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