Silver Maple Embroidery

It’s a hectic time of year, and my studio time is fractured.  I like having a hand embroidery project available so that when I have a few spare minutes I can busy my hands, clear my head, and feel like I've accomplished something non-seasonal.  This silver maple heliographic print is serving that purpose right now.  I printed it on a hemp/silk blend fabric that has a slight texture and a crisp feel to it.  It’s wonderful to work on.  I'm using three strands of DMC cotton embroidery thread.
  And since I’m old-school when it comes to embroidery, the back is (almost) as neat as the front.  There are no knots in the thread and all the ends are woven into the work. This will eventually get layered and quilted, and then no one will ever see the back again, but it brings me pleasure to work this way.

My work for “The 100” Fundraiser, in progress

Early this year I was honored to film for Quilting Arts TV series 1400, with Susan Brubaker Knapp as the host.  For one my segments, I demonstrated my method of combining needlefelting with other techniques to create a river landscape.  I’ve used this method on several of my latest works in The River series, including If I Woke at Dawn:
and In Dreams I Climbed the Cliffs:

I prepared a lot of “step-outs” for the shoot, showing the progression of steps needed to achieve the result.  Most of these I was able to recycle back into my stash or works in progress, but the final example, shown above, deserved a higher purpose. 

I will be adding more stitching, texture, and embellishment, and donating it to one lucky (randomly selected) bidder in Virginia Spiegel’s excellent fundraiser for the ACS, The 100.  Details on how it all works, and the list of the other 99 amazing contributing artists, can be found here.


Mark your calendars for February 4 for your chance to contribute to a good cause and own a unique work of fiber art.

Work in Progress – Ice Jam, Update 3

Work has progressed on the center panel of this piece.  I layered it with batting and lined the back, then began on the quilting.  I always get excited about the texture and detail that develops with all the stitching.  Fabric is such a responsive medium.  Look at how this has been transformed since the last update:
I enjoyed combining a lot of techniques in this piece—needlefelting, patchwork, surface design, quilting, couching and embellishment. .  When I teach about techniques, I always emphasize that “technique should be the servant of intent”.  This work is a good example of how the various ways of manipulating fibers and fabrics are not there just to showcase the methods, but to convey mood and meaning.

As always, thanks for following along.

The 100 – a Fiberart For a Cause Fundraiser

 

I am honored to be an invited artist for "The 100" to be held on Wednesday, February 4, 2015. The goal for this fiberart fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is to raise $10,000 in one day.

I wrote recently about my esteem for Virginia Spiegel, and how she is one of the few people for whom I will give an immediate and enthusiastic “Yes!” when asked to participate in an event.  I have proudly contributed to past fundraisers Virginia has held, and Fiberart For A Cause has already raised $240,000 through the generosity of fiber artists and patrons. With this event, we will bring the dollar amount up to cool quarter of a million dollars.

How? All the details are here: http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/FFACThe100Fundraiser.html

The setup is simple and brilliant.  100 artists are contributing work—and it’s an amazing line up!  The first 100 patrons to sign up and donate $100 when the event opens on February 4 will receive a randomly selected artwork. Knowing many of the artists, and knowing the generosity of fiber artists in general, it’s entirely possible that many of the artworks will exceed the $100 valuation.  I know the one I’m working on will—I’ll share some pictures soon.

So mark your calendars, and join us in this worthwhile cause.