On Paper

Working on paper with tea bags is a new experience. I'm doing some 3 dimensional work that actually has the tea bag extending from the paper rather than laying flat (as I've done in the past).

I've purchased a number of plexiglass box frames to hold the new w

ork and I'm quite curious to see how it will hang. Here are several pieces that are completed.

This piece is in the final stages....I'm not sure if it will hang vertically or horizontally but will be able to have a better idea when it is completed.

Little Cottage in the Woods

I haven't cut a large kirigami mandala for a while.  This one is a commissioned work for Christine in England.  She is moving and bought this as a present to herself for her new home.  She wanted something with birds, trees and flowers and a little cottage.  I hope she likes it.

The Art of Tea

Last Friday Chris and I hung my new show at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. When I first heard that I would be exhibiting in glass cases in the Main Rotunda, which won't accomodate large pieces, I wasn't sure how it would work. But as I organized the show I began to realize it would be an advantage to show the tea work in a protected environment and I managed to gather and create enough smaller pieces to fill the space.


The show highlights a number of different pieces, using flattened tea bags, filled bags, tea tags and strings and a variety of construction techniques. Here are a few of the pieces:


The show will be up until early November. I'm delighted to be exhibiting in a venue that will allow many people, including those who wouldn't enter a gallery, to be able to view the work!

Sidewalk Mural

On Saturday while the Woodstock Arts Festival on the green was going on, three Artwise Women, Barbara, Anne and Kathy,  took up chalk and created a flower and butterfly sidewalk mural in our assigned spot in front of the Woodstock Pharmacy.  The event was sponsored by the Change the World Kids.  Here are a few photos of the work we did that morning....

Barbara is working on her first block here.  Sidewalk art is a bit hard on the knees and the back so knee pads were the order of the day.

We checked out some books from the Norman Williams Library and used them as reference for our butterflies.

Anne's beautiful monarch butterfly.

And this is the butterfly that flew to the middle of the sidewalk....

An interested spectator, who asked if he could take a picture, came back after we finished and took this panoramic photo which he emailed to Barbara.  Though it's a bit hard to see, the caption reads:  "with love from Artwise Women"....

After the Storm

It has been a long week, this week.  When hurricane Irene came through this state she did lots of damage.  We were fortunate to come through unscathed.  But lots of time was spent taking care of people whose lives were turned upside down by the flooding of virtually every brook, stream and river.  So many roads and bridges washed out.  So many houses damaged and lost.  So many lives altered dramatically.  Every morning folks met at the elementary school here in Woodstock to volunteer in whatever way they could.  What a fine community of generous, involved and caring people we have in Vermont.  I am so grateful to be part of that community.

And, finally, despite the storm, my floral print calendar is complete--here is the final print intended for November....

"Rose and Holly"

9"x12" -  soft cut linoleum print

"Rose and Holly"

9"x12" - hand colored linoleum print

At the moment, all twelve prints are being scanned and turned into a proof calendar.  I'm excited to see what it looks like!  I still need to make some decisions about typeface, binding, etc. after I see it.  But I'm almost there.

And then the question becomes what to do next?

After Irene

It's been a while since I last posted. There was the fabulous trip to the big skies of Montana. Then some serious studio time before Hurricane Irene landed in Vermont earlier this week. Life is not quite back to normal, but it is moving in that direction.

Before I left to go out west I worked on a canvas piece with some wonderful envelop tea bags called Tea Sacs that the local Mon Vert cafe is saving for me. I don't feel like it's complete yet, but here's the first layer of work:


I've also been preparing for hanging my solo show "The Art of Tea" that will go up next week in the main rotundra of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. I made a smaller version to fit in the display cases of a favorite piece, "Fragilitea" (which I have titled "Fragilitea 2"). I really enjoy the process involved in this particular technique where it almost feels like I am painting with the tea paper.



"Come Round for Tea" is now complete. This is the third version, a permanent one.




Now I have to work on writing my artist statement and hanging details. It's quite exciting to anticipate a new show!

Staying Busy During Storm Irene

While the storm raged and later when there was no electricity, phone, or water I had to stay busy in order to stay calm.  Here is a sample of what I did by candlelight for the past three days:

This is one of the 12 ribbonwork pins I made. See the rest of them on my art blog HERE.