Mixed Media Class

I've been teaching a couple of classes at ArtisTree in Woodstock this term.  In mixed media class we played around with templates and quotations, creating designs similar to the two examples I put together below, creating a "path" for the words.  The first is a quote from Alexander Calder....

"I Paint with Shapes"

9" x 12" - mixed media

The second example utilizes the same materials:  soft pencil on gessoed paper using shape templates and  masking tape and a variety of shading and line to create good contrast between dark and light.... 

"Art Consists in Drawing the Line Somewhere"

8 1/2" x 11" - mixed media

It's fun playing with new and familiar materials, using them in different ways....

Tea Warp and Weft

Sydney's skies have been opening wide to lots of downpours recently, so it's been good studio time. I've been connecting tea bags for quite a while by gluing them together end to end until I had enough to begin weaving this new piece. Pinning the individual pieces to the wall seemed to be the only way to work on it and once I figured out how to do it the piece has moved along quickly. Here it is before I began to add stitching and knotting and the edging:

I should be able to show the completed work in the next posting.

A Summer Day

I just spent the afternoon working on finishing a plein aire painting from last summer, using the reference photo I took back then.  The great benefit to this is that, despite the fact that the field outside my studio window is white with snow,  I feel like I was out in that summer field for a couple of hours.  A kind of mini vacation on a January day in Vermont....

"Twin Trees"

9" x 12" - oil on canvas panel

I have two other unfinished plein aire landscapes and this was such a fun afternoon I predict they will be completed soon!

Back to work.....

It’s been a long time since I last posted. I closed up my studio, celebrated an early Christmas with family, flew to Syndey, and finally got settled here. My studio here desperately needed a good cleaning and that led to a major reorganization. So at last I am comfortably working away with the sun shining outside, the windows wide open to the warmth and breezes (the only problem being flying tea bags).

Time to experiment, work with some new ideas, but for now at least, still the tea theme. I’ve been putting materials together with some new thoughts......

I’ve also experimented with using text. Here I made some stamps of T E A and printed them on the tea bags, then assembled. I’m not sure where this will go.

Another try.....working on paper with grids.

I’m quickly working through the materials I brought so will have to do some local sourcing. There are plenty of tea drinkers here, but not so many friends.

"Images of Irene"

This month, I am participating in an exhibit "Images of Irene" which opens tomorrow at ArtisTree Community Arts Center and Gallery in Woodstock, VT on route 12 just north of downtown.  I hope if you are in the area on January 6th between 6 and 8 pm, you'll plan to attend the Opening Reception.

This exhibit reflects the work of six community members who participated in a photography class lead by Carla Kimball entitled "Telling Our Stories Through New Eyes".  Over the course of seven sessions at ArtisTree, students wove together photography, poetry and stories to chronicle each individual’s experience of Tropical Storm Irene. The exhibit presents both their visual and poetic narratives of the storm.  Through images and poems, the galleries will reflect the personal and universal expressions of Irene and its effect on ourselves, our communities and our land as well as examples derived from the new way of seeing the world through class exercises. 

Photographs will be for sale by donation and proceeds will be donated to the Sustainable Woodstock Flood Relief Fund. The exhibition will be available for viewing Tuesday through Saturday, January 7-21st from 11am-2pm or by appointment. For more information about Sustainable Woodstock’s Flood Relief Fund visit www.sustainablewoodstock.org.  

I hope that if you can't make it to the Opening on the 6th, you'll be able to visit the exhibit during Gallery hours through January 21st.

Kirigami Valentines

I've been cutting Kirigami Valentines in preparation for February decorations.   Here are five I cut last night (a two and a half movie adventure.)  They all have a floral motif.  One more session and I will have all my Valentines done for this holiday. Look for them in my Etsy Kirigami shop and at Arjuna in Woodstock, VT soon.