Sue Reno Studio

Experiments in film photography- part 2

2024-09-21T11:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome to this installment of my experiments in film photography, using vintage cameras. Today I'm sharing highlights from a roll of 35mm Lomography LomoChrome Metropolis I shot during the summer months with a Minolta Maxxum 50.

The film has a very desaturated look, with muted colors. From my experience and from reading about it, I'd say it's best suited for urban/architectural subjects. I really like the way it captured this tunnel on the Montour Trail near Pittsburgh. I've photographed it before and love the chill tones of this version.

I also tried it on one of my other oft-photographed subjects, the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Susquehanna, as seen from the Wrightsville, PA side. It was a very bright and sunny day, and I think I overexposed it a bit as I would have liked to see more of the blue sky, but that's what experiments are for.

These are the best of my tries at capturing greenery. It's a vibe, for sure, but it's probably not my vibe going forward.

These last images are from tour of the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark, which I can highly recommend is you are a fan of rusting relics, fascinating historical lore, and the role of labor in industrial societies. Our tour guide was excellent!

It was a stunningly hot and sunny day, and again the blue sky is very faded, but I really love the colors and tones of the machinery. It's a vintage grunge look especially suited to the subject.

I would try this film again if I were planning on a urban/industrial shoot. "Metropolis" is right there in the name for a reason! It's great that the resurgence of film photography is making these specialty films readily available.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 92

2024-08-02T11:47:00.002-04:00

Welcome to installment 92 of experiments in wet cyanotype. Today's excitement comes from my discovery of a patch of tall blue lettuce, Lactuca biennis. It's a native wild plant here in Pennsylvania, and as the name suggests, it's a biennial. In its second year it sends up a 6-10 foot tall flower stalk, with leaves descending in size as they rise, topped of with a set of small blue flowers. It has a history of being used medicinally, and is just plain cool to observe. I started with a print on a long panel of cotton sateen, using the standard cyanotype chemicals with just a touch of Solarfast solar dye.

I made two smaller panels on some cotton I had with small woven dots in it. I will miss this fabric when it is used up.

Here are all the panels after exposure but before rinsing. They are always so dramatic at this stage.

Here are the finished panels.

I had good weather for printing, hot and sunny, and was able to capture a lot of the details in the toothed edges.

So pretty! I am pleased.

I've used these leaves once before, way back in 2005, for the eponymously named Tall Blue Lettuce. It was very popular back in the day. I'm grateful for the opportunity to revisit this imagery. I'm also grateful for the advanced in digital photography since then!

Tall Blue Lettuce

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Experiments in film soup - part 2

2024-07-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

It's time for more film soup goodness! This batch of photos is from a roll of Fuji film 200 in my Minolta Maxxum 50 camera, souped with lime juice, dried, and specially processed. (See my previous post for more details on how the process works.)

Again with this roll, the effects are subtle-to-mid, enhancing but not substantially changing the imagery. It's a happy space for me.

The Greer tunnel on the Montour trail is turning into a perennial favorite subject. The addition of the metal panels done during an extensive renovation just takes everything to the next level, in person and in photos.

St. Francis looks appropriately ethereal.

The effect on bare sycamores by a creek is a great enhancement of something that I wouldn't have thought needed enhancement.

A historic house, and a glimpse of a bridge through late winter trees-- it's just thrilling to me how this process adds another layer of interest and meaning.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 91

2024-07-02T09:21:00.000-04:00

Time for another round of wet cyanotype goodness! I started with a large panel of cotton sateen and some peony leaves.

Followed by a medium sized panel of cotton, with small woven details, and some fig leaves.

Next up, some mineral paper prints using Virginia creeper leaves.

And then some more peony leaves, also on mineral paper.

For all of these I used a splash of Solarfast mixed with the cyanotype chemicals.

Here they are after exposure but before rinsing.

I love the effect provided by the woven circle details in this cloth.

They are so pretty and interesting at this stage. Most of those brown and rusty tones will be lost in the rinse.

Here are the finished prints. I got just the right shade of peony pink on this one.

The fig leaves are slated for a current work in progress. I'm happy with the turmoil happening at the top.

These stayed lovely and delicate.

And these peony leaves are bold yet tranquil. I never tire of these experiments because they turn out different each and every time.

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Summer solstice 2024 pinhole images

2024-06-20T12:54:00.003-04:00

I am celebrating the summer solstice once again in my favorite fashion, by unveiling a new set of pinhole camera images.

I make the pinhole cameras, such as they are, using a beer can and some black and white photo paper, with a single pinhole to admit light.

I mounted these out in various locales around my place on the winter solstice in 2023, and have been letting them slowly expose until now.

Each stripe in the sky represents the path of the sun on a particular day.

Today I took them down and scanned the photos. I then inverted them to a negative image and did just a light bit of digital cleaning up and enhancing.

These may or may not be masterpieces, but they make me very happy and remind me that the visual world contains multitudes.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 90

2024-06-18T09:35:00.001-04:00

More wet cyanotype goodness, this time with an assortment of oak leaves on mineral paper.

I also made some prints using pokeweed leaves, Phytolacca americana, on mineral paper.

I printed a large panel on cotton sateen using oak leaves, black locust leaves, and some of the ubiquitous Japanese knotweed. All of these were quick opportunistic arrangements, using leaves readily at hand. I used cyanotype solution with just a glug of Solarfast solar dye.

Here are the prints after exposure but before rinsing.

I can already tell at this stage that they are going to be complex and wonderful.

Here are the finished prints.

The backgrounds on these are giving me astrophotography vibes.

That bit of yellow on the bottom right of this cotton panel is making me very happy.

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Experiments in film soup - part 1

2024-06-12T10:25:00.001-04:00

In my ongoing efforts to look at the world through an alternative lens, I've discovered film souping, and it's tremendous fun to play around with.

Basically, after shooting a roll of 35mm film, you "soup" it by soaking it for several hours in a solution of water and an additional substance, generally common household stuff. You then allow it to dry out, thoroughly, and get it developed. You can't just send it off to a regular developer, as it will contaminate their chemicals, you need someone who specializes in film soup. I used Film Lab 135 and am very happy with the service and with all the helpful info they post online.

This batch of photos is from a roll of Fuji film 200 in my Minolta Maxxum 50 camera. This is not a particularly sexy vintage camera; I bought it back when I needed to provide slides of my artquilts in order to enter quilt exhibitions. But it is reliable and easy to use so was a good baseline for me for this project.

I souped this roll in a cup of hot green tea overnight, then dried it over time on the mantle of my gas log fireplace.

As you might predict from my love of the wet cyanotype process and the way colors shift and alter in those prints, I am in awe and so in love with how these turned out. I think it's a function of the hot water combined with the slight alkalinity of the tea, and the randomness of where the solution penetrated into the roll. So, just as with wet cyan, it's a combination of deliberate action and serendipity.

There were some duds on the roll, of course, but I learned a lot about what types of subjects to focus on and what to expect. It's definitely worthy of future experimentation.

I think of my fiber work as my vocation, and this type of photography as an avocation, but that line is getting blurred.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 89

2024-06-08T13:22:00.001-04:00

Another summer, another deep dive into the never-ending adventure of wet cyanotype printing!

I'm not the least bit tired or bored of doing it, and I doubt I will ever be. For me it's just the right blend of mastering a technique but with an element of unpredictability.

For this batch I started with mineral paper and small leaves gathered around the garden. There's Chinese wild ginger, some ferns, and elm leaves.

I'm using Jacquard cyanotype chemicals, with just a soupcon of Solarfast solar dye.

The papers were covered with glass and left to bake and develop in the bright sun on a warm day.

Here they are after exposure but before rinsing. I love this stage, but it's ephemeral, so I like to record the images.

The way the chemicals really scurry around on the mineral paper is spectacular.

Also included is a large (22" x 44") cotton sateen panel of black locust leaves (I forgot to take the pre-exposure photo, I'm out practice.)

Here are the finished prints. Since I'm being all French and fancy today, my response to them is mainly "Oh la la"! I couldn't ask for anything more from them.

They bring to mind all sorts of imaginary locales and situations.

The black locust leaves came out so crisp, and the background is swoon-worthy. It joins the queue of prints to be stitched and made into quilts.

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Everything old is new again

2024-04-10T17:52:00.001-04:00

Experiments in film photography - part 1

I love making imagery, especially when it has the power to skew and alter the perception of reality. It's one of the reasons I enjoy working with cyanotype and wet cyanotype-- I can produce images that have a basis in actual objects, like leaves, but are altered by the process enough to invoke further study and contemplation.

So it seems inevitable that I am jumping on the trend of experimenting with film photography. Although to be accurate, for me this is not so much trend jumping as it is a blast from the past that is enabled by the current easier accessibility of film and developing services. Over time I've used all kinds of cameras, from Brownies, to 126s, to the last iteration of film cameras before digital tech (which I used to take slides of my work for show entries). And I've got a variety of digital cameras I rely on for documenting my work and travel adventures. But 35mm film cameras hold a particular appeal.

Part of it is just the physicality of the cameras themselves, their pleasing heft in one's hand, loading and unloading the spool of film, the satisfying click of the shutter and the even more satisfying film advance lever. And I love the warm tones of the photographs; this batch is from a Canon AE-1 loaded with Kodak Gold 400.

I am also rediscovering the joy of the internal debate over whether something is worthy of being photographed. This is not an inexpensive hobby, so I need to think carefully and focus well. I also have to accept that at this stage of the game, there will be some duds in each roll, a change to learn and improve.

I have no fixed agenda for these images, for now it is just exciting, and seems somehow important to experiment with. I'm up to three vintage cameras, with accessories, all loaded with different types of film, so there will be more of this forthcoming.

I invite you to take a moment to view and enjoy these images, and I thank you as always for your time and support.

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Artquilts for U.S Department of State Art in Embassies Program

2024-03-21T17:38:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! Two of my artquilts have just been picked up and are on their way to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as part of the Art in Embassies Program. They were chosen, with the assistance of a curator, by incoming Ambassador Ann Marie Yastishock. I am grateful to the Ambassador for her selection of my work. I hope they bring her and her guests much pleasure as they hang on the walls of the Embassy.

Selected were On the Verge:

On the Verge

Materials: artist-painted and commercial silk and cotton fabric

Techniques: wet process cyanotype/solar dye, patchwork, stitching

Size: 54”h x 49”w

and The Organic Landscape:

The Organic Landscape

Materials: artist-painted and commercial cotton and silk fabrics

Techniques: cyanotype prints, Seminole style piecework, machine stitching

Size: 78"h x 32"w

Thanks to the SAQA Global Exhibit Seasonal Palette, The Organic Landscape has already toured many venues in the US, as well as in Taiwan and Brazil. I am thrilled to add another county to its exhibit history.

I was part of the Art in Embassies program once before, with the Organic Garden in Vientiane, Laos. It gives me a particular kind of patriotic pride to be able to make a contribution by loaning my artwork to this excellent program with a great history.

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In Dreams I Found Utopia included in Susquehanna Inspired

2024-03-18T14:51:00.000-04:00

I am delighted to announce that In Dreams I Found Utopia has been selected by curator and artist Rob Evans for inclusion in "Susquehanna Inspired: 3 Centuries of Artistic Interpretation. The exhibit will be at the Kerlin Gallery at Creative York, York, PA, from April 4 - May 18, 2024.

In Dreams I Found Utopia

"The Susquehanna River is one of the great rivers of the United States and one of the earliest to be explored. Curated by York County artist, Rob Evans, and partnering with the Lancaster Conservancy, Creative York will feature artwork, spanning 3 centuries, about the Susquehanna River and the surrounding land in Lancaster and York counties.

An opening reception will be held at Creative York on Thursday, April 4 from 6 to 8pm."

In Dreams I Found Utopia, detail 1

In Dreams I Found Utopia, detail 2

The Susquehanna has been a major focus of my artwork, and my outdoor life, for decades. The Lancaster County Conservancy continues to do a remarkable job of preserving wild and forested lands and clean waterways in the river basin and surrounding areas.

In Dreams I Found Utopia, detail 3

Rob Evans will be featuring some works from the astonishing collection Drawing on the Susquehanna, " This exhibit ... examines the influence of the Susquehanna River as an artistic muse and commercial driver for prominent American artists who, over several centuries, explored the river’s shores and utilized its imagery as part of a greater initiative to promote the American landscape. These artists worked in a diverse range of media often experimenting with some of the newest technologies of the day including wood, copper and steel engravings; hand colored lithographs and chromolithographs; etchings; transfer decorated china; and paintings and drawings."

In Dreams I Found Utopia, detail 4

Truly, I am honored to have my artquilt included as one of the examples of contemporary Susquehanna themed art.

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New Work - Greenhouse Effect

2024-02-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

Greenhouse Effect

I am delighted to share my latest work, Greenhouse Effect. It combines large wet process cyanotype prints of leaves gathered in my local woods with elaborate patchwork borders.

Greenhouse Effect, detail 1

It measures 62"h x 48"w

Greenhouse Effect, detail 2

It's very heavily stitched to add lots of detail and texture.

Greenhouse Effect, detail 3

I am equally delighted, and honored, to share that Greenhouse Effect has been selected for the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh's upcoming Exhibit at the Erie Art Museum. It will be on display from April 4 through January 19, 2025, with an opening reception on the 4th.

Greenhouse Effect, detail 4

This is another of my artquilts where the imagery can go only so far to capture the interplay of all the elements. I hope some of you can visit the Erie Art Museum at some point during this long run to see my work and the work of the other talented Guild Artists.

Greenhouse Effect, detail 5

My statement for this artwork:

Alarmed by global climate change and frequent dramatic
weather events, I’ve been working on a series of weather-related quilts. The
greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in the Earth's atmosphere
trap the Sun's heat. This makes Earth much warmer and contributes to extreme
weather, wildfires, droughts, and agricultural disruptions. For this quilt I
made prints of leaves from species native to my micro-environment in
Pennsylvania, as many are showing stress related to these changes.

For decades I’ve been experimenting with cyanotype
printing on fabric as a surface design technique. These prints have become the
basis of my artistic practice.

Combined with the print imagery, I use traditional quilt
making techniques to assemble a patchwork of fabrics. The work is then layered
and heavily stitched.

Materials: artist painted and commercial cotton, silk,
wool fabrics

Techniques: wet process cyanotype and solar dye prints,
monoprints, patchwork, stitching

Greenhouse Effect, detail 6

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2023 Winter Solstice Pinhole Camera Pics

2023-12-21T15:41:00.001-05:00

Happy Solstice! From here on in it gets better, with a few minutes more light each day.

Here's the best of this season's winter solstice pinhole camera pictures. The tech behind these could not be any simpler. A piece of Foma black and white photographic paper is rolled up, inserted, and sealed inside a clean beer can. A single pinhole is poked in the can to admit light, the whole works is attached to a hopeful vantage point, and then I wait. These cans were put out on the summer solstice, so each swooping line on the horizon represents a single day's journey of the sun across the horizon.

It's best to aim it towards the south, but it's also fun to experiment. This one above was off the the side, on top of a garden trellis, so you can see some of the sun paths but also a nice assortment of trees.

I do the above view every year, it's looking out from the front of my suburban home near Pittsburgh, PA, USA. This year a shrub grew up and partially obscured the view for a while in the summer; you can see a few branches and a leaf.

I do these because they are fun, and because when everything is instant it's nice to have something to wait for. I hope you enjoy them!

Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 88

2023-12-04T10:46:00.001-05:00

I did one last round of wet cyan prints, using fresh leaves before the first frost hit. Up first is a print on cotton fabric using sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis, and eastern redbud leaves, Cercis canadensis. The redbud is a sport variety, Rising Sun, I had my eye on all summer at my favorite nursery, and when it went on sale in the fall I brought it home. The leaves emerge orangey-red, then turn chartreuse, which sounds sort of gimmicky but looks really lovely.

The sensitive fern was the focus of a large quilt I did back in 2007, which I titled Mystery Fern. This was pre-google image search, when I had to rely on what was in my head or in my field guides, and at first I couldn't do a positive ID, hence the "mystery". It remains one of my all-time favorites, for its imagery and it's cool, woodsy vibe.

Mystery Fern

Along with the big fabric print, I did four variations of redbud leaves on mineral paper.

All of these prints are primarily cyanotype chemicals, with just a smidge of Solarfast solar dye in yellow.

Here they all are after exposure, but before rinsing.

There's lots of good swirly stuff happening on the mineral paper.

And here are the rinsed and finished prints.

That's probably the last printmaking session for the year, although I do have bunch of pressed leaves, so I might get inspired on a cold and snowy day.

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Experiments in wet caynotype - part 87

2023-11-03T09:54:00.001-04:00

Time to share some wet cyan/solarfast goodness from earlier in the fall, when we had a bit of warm weather. First up is a trio of spikenard leaves on cotton.

Next is a branch from a hawthorn tree. It's a medium sized tree at the edge of our property; I don't think I ever noticed it before. Perhaps this is the first time in my tenure that it's fruited this heavily, or perhaps this year I noticed it just before the birds.

Then, on to fig leaves! I planted figs for the first time this year, and this late in the season felt empowered to harvest a few leaves for printmaking. First is a set of three on cotton, then a solitare on mineral paper.

Next a trio of nasturtium leaves on mineral paper.

And finally, some more spikenard.

Here they all are after exposure but before rinsing. I always observe at this time of year that I can get good prints on a warm sunny day, but they lack the extreme patterning and color morphing of a hot and humid summer day.

Those greenish tones in the unexposed areas always rinse out.

For such a simple leaf shape, the nasturtiums are printing up surprisingly complex.

Here are the finished prints. Again, the ones on fabric have a mellow, uncomplicated autumnal vibe.

I'm quite happy with the mineral paper prints. There's lots of circular patterning going on in the background.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 86

2023-10-09T10:32:00.000-04:00

More of this summer's adventures in wet cyanotype with a big batch of prints on mineral paper.

Mineral paper is made from calcium carbonate, with an added binder. The surface is very slick, and it absorbs water slowly, which makes it ideal for my purposes - the cyanotype chemicals move about freely at the beginning of the exposure, making for some very cool effects.

This set starts with 3 calla leaves, then 3 different fern fronds.

I consider callas and ferns some of the staples of my perennial shade gardens, both for their reliability and for their printmaking potential. I never tire of them in either capacity.

If memory serves, I added a few drops of Solarfast chemicals into the cyanotype mix.

Above are the panels before exposure: below is after a long exposure in the strong September sun.

I let them dry and cure overnight before rinsing them out. Unlike fabric, it only takes a light touch to process them.

Often they are so beautiful at this stage that I can hardly bear it.

Here are the finished prints.

There's a strong focal point in each, and a whole lot going on in the background.

Just like wet cyan on fabric, there's a lot about the process that is beyond control, but I am learning how to manage parts of it. These prints just keep getting better and better.

As always, thanks for reading! A reminder that this blog is packed full of all kinds of good info, so have some fun exploring the tabs in the top header. Also an admin note-- I have left the dumpster fire that was once twitter, and am now posting on Threads. Pick your platform to find and follow my content:

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Art Quilts: Breaking Rules, Honoring Tradition - acceptances

2023-09-27T10:39:00.001-04:00

Under the Pink Moon

I am thrilled and honored to share that two of my art quilts, Under the Pink Moon and Under the Thunder Moon, have been selected by juror Shelly White to be included in Art Quilts: Breaking Rules, Honoring Tradition, at the Vision Gallery in Chandler, AZ. The exhibit will run from November 18, 2023 - January 12, 2024.

Under the Pink Moon - detail

Both quilts are part of an emerging series where I examine folkloric names for the full moon throughout the year. Under the Pink Moon represents April, when the full moon shines down on the tender emerging foliage and flowers of spring. The center panels are direct solar dye prints of garlic mustard, Virginia creeper, and dock leaves, all very prevalent in the woodlands of Pennsylvania. The vintage hexagon blocks, pieced from feedsack cottons, are bordered with vivid silks.

Materials: artist-painted and commercial cotton and silk fabric, vintage patchwork hexagons

Techniques: wet process solar dye botanical prints, piecing, stitching

Size: 49”h x 34”w

Under the Thunder Moon

Under the Thunder Moon represents July, in reference to this month’s frequent thunderstorms. These wet cyanotype prints capture the effect of moonlight on some of the perennial stars in my garden borders.

Materials: artist-painted and commercial cotton, silk, and wool fabrics

Techniques: wet process cyanotype prints on cotton, patchwork, stitching

Size: 39"h x 23"w

Under the Thunder Moon - detail

As always, thanks for reading! A reminder that this blog is packed full of all kinds of good info, so have some fun exploring the tabs in the top header. Also an admin note-- I have left the dumpster fire that was once twitter, and am now posting on Threads. Pick your platform to find and follow my content:

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 85

2023-09-23T14:47:00.000-04:00

I always like to acknowledge the equinoxes (and the solstices) in some way; this time around I chose to make some wet cyanotype prints, using the power of the waning solar rays.

First up are leaves on noil, or raw, silk. It's a heavy, textured fabric, with enough sericin left in it that it's hard to wet. I had previously treated this fabric and left it to dry slowly, so for these prints I sprayed it down with water before laying down the leaves. Above are fig leaves, and below is spikenard.

Spikenard is new to me. It needs to be transplanted young, and given time for its taproot to establish. This is its third year and it has exploded in size. I have a tendency to crowd things in the garden, and these are making me wish I had given them a bit more room, but at least this way I feel no pangs when I trim off some sprigs for printmaking.

Next up are three fig leaves. This is my first year growing figs, I've always been a bit intimidated by them, living on the cusp of where they can overwinter, but I've got some new varieties and I'm giving it a try, with one in the ground and one in a pot I'll store in the garage. As you can see, the leaves are fading, so again no guilt in harvesting a few.

These are on mineral paper, which is tremendous fun to experiment with.

The day was sunny and warm, but very autumnal, lacking the intensity of a summer day. Making wet cyanotypes in the off-season is always a bit of a gamble, but of course it's not a high stakes game.

Here are the prints after exposure, but before rinsing. The yellow bits are grains of washing soda, which alters the pH and produces funky effects.

I love the cool colors in the center of the mineral paper prints, but they are there because the heat was not intense enough to wick the chemicals out from under the leaves. It will change a good bit in the rinse out.

I tossed a bit of washing soda on this one as well, because why not.

Here are today's finished prints. The silk noil gives the prints a subdued, almost watercolor effect.

These are going to look lovely once I add stitching for definition.

How funky are these mineral paper prints? Lots of cosmic orb action happening here.

I like the way the leaves appear to be encased in an embryonic sac.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 84

2023-09-12T10:34:00.000-04:00

I took advantage of beautiful summery weather here in Pennsylvania to make some more wet cyanotype prints. First up is a large panel of elm leaves, using cyanotype chemicals mixed with Solarfast solar dye chemicals. Above is a large panel of elm leaves on cotton sheeting; below is the print after exposure but before rinse-out.

Here's a medium sized panel of a single elm twig, again on cotton, after exposure and before rinse-out.

Here's two prints, after exposure, on mineral paper. It reacts very differently than fabric and I'm continued to be fascinated by it.

Here's the finished big elm leaves panel. Hot sunny days help the chemical move around during exposure in all sorts of interesting and largely unpredictable ways, and I'm very pleased with how this one turned out.

The finished single twig panel. There's a bit of a double exposure effect on the edges of the leaves, where they dried and shrank during the process.

The mineral prints are wild! They appear to be floating in a sea of anarchy.

As always, thanks for reading! A reminder that this blog is packed full of all kinds of good info, have some fun exploring the tabs in the top header. Also an admin note-- I have left the dumpster fire that was once twitter, and am now posting on Threads. Pick your platform to find and follow my content:

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 83

2023-08-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

It's time for another installment of experiments in wet cyanotype! After all these years, the thrill of creating these never fades. This time around I am working with some crisp cotton sheeting that has small woven circular details. I love how the weave is adding another layer of visual interest.

First up is a large panel with burr oak leaves, a new species for me to work with, and a medium sized print of elderberry leaves. I used my standard mix of cyanotype chemicals with just a bit of Jacquard Solarfast colors. Here they are just before exposure.

It was a warm sunny day, ideal for wet cyan, and I let them expose for about six hours.

Here are the panels after exposure but before rinse out. I love the subtle greens that show up under the leaves; these unexposed colors always rinse out so it's fun to capture them digitally.

Here is the finished burr oak panel. I'm very happy with it and already have a plan to include it into an art quilt.

And here's the elderberry leaves panel. The colors are beautifully subtle. This one's going into the stash for later use.

As always, thanks for reading! A reminder that this blog is packed full of all kinds of good info, have some fun exploring the tabs in the top header. Also an admin note-- I have left the dumpster fire that was once twitter, and am now posting on Threads. Pick your platform to find and follow my content:

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Textiles Unleashed Acceptances

2023-04-02T11:30:00.000-04:00

In Dreams I Slept in a Cabin

I am thrilled to announce that two of my large scale quilts, In Dreams I Slept in a Cabin and In Dreams I Went Fishing, have been accepted into the SAQA-PA exhibit Textiles Unleashed.

In Dreams I Slept in a Cabin, detail

Textiles Unleashed will be at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Loretto, PA, from April 28, 2023 through July 15, 2023.

In Dreams I Went Fishing

There will be a reception, with artist gallery talks, on Saturday, April 29.

In Dreams I Went Fishing, detail

Both quilts are from my ongoing series The River.

In Dreams I Slept in a Cabin: I lived near the mighty Susquehanna River most of my life and it is the inspiration for much of my artwork. This piece stems from a dream where I lived a simple life in a cabin near the river, lulled to sleep each night by the sound of it flowing, and awakening to its fresh beauty each morning.

Wool and silk fibers, silk and cotton fabric, cyanotypes, monoprints, needlefelting, patchwork, stitching. Size: 55"h x 94"w

In Dreams I Went Fishing: Inspired by a move to Pittsburgh, I’ve begun exploring the landscapes of the three rivers. Imagery in this quilt reflects my thoughts on the past use of the resources of the rivers by indigenous peoples, changes wrought by industrialization, and post-industrialization restoration efforts.

Materials: wool, silk, and mylar fibers; artist-painted and commercial cotton, silk, and wool fabric; embroidery thread, glass seed beads.

Technique: wet process cyanotype/solar dye, needlefelting with hand embroidery and beadwork, hand stitched patchwork, stitching. Size: 49”h x 77”w

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Heat Index on Tour

2023-03-19T10:21:00.000-04:00

Heat Index

A quick and exciting update about Heat Index, currently on tour as part of the SAQA Global Exhibit "Light the World". It will be on display at the following venues this spring and summer:

SAQA Global Exhibit, Light the World, AQS Quilt Week, Branson, MO, March 22 - 25, 2023
SAQA Global Exhibit, Light the World, AQS Quilt Week, Paducah, KY, April 26 - 29, 2023
SAQA Global Exhibit, Light the World, Brigham City Museum of Art & History, Brigham City, Utah, June 1 - September 30, 2023
The exhibit theme: Light is our primary tool for perceiving and understanding the world around us. Without light there is no vision. Light allows us to appreciate the world through shape and form and evokes emotions. Common qualities of light are intensity, quality, color, direction, distribution, texture and movement. Artists were encouraged to explore how light creates and transforms their art.

Heat Index, detail

I made these prints in August, when a combination of record high temperatures and humidity had me checking each day for the predicted heat index, an indicator of how unbearable outdoor activity would be. They were an experiment in combining wet process cyanotype with solar dye printing, and have a bit of an apocalyptic edge to their beauty. The patchwork of silks adds to the shimmer and intensity.

Wet cyanotype/solar dye prints on cotton, silk fabrics, stitching.

Size: 54"h x 51"w

As always, I am very grateful SAQA, which has allowed me to exhibit my works in a wide and impressive variety of venues.

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Under the Pink Moon included in Soft Associations Exhibit

2023-01-21T10:01:00.001-05:00

I am thrilled to announce that my newest art quilt, Under the Pink Moon, will be part of the invitational exhibit Soft Associations.

Fiber artists Meredith Grimsley and Paula Swett have curated this special fiber art exhibition. Artists in this show explore the meaning of soft associations: defined as the moment of awe in our relationship with nature - the moments that take our breath away. Soft Associations will be on display in the Olewine Gallery of the Ned Smith Center for Art and Culture in Millersburg, PA, from February 28th to May 20th. A free reception and gallery talk with drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be held on April 22nd from 2-5pm.

Particpating artists include Beth Carney, Cathy Stechschulte, Linda Colsh, Rachel Dorr, Sue Reno, Betty Busby, Andrea Finch, Merrill Cormeau, Elena Stokes, Petra Fallaux, Daphne Taylor, Libby Cerullo, Sarah Dugger, Meredith Grimsley, Paula Swett, Arle Sklar-Weinsten and Elizabeth Bennett. To learn more about the artists, click HERE

I am honored to be invited to exhibit with this roster of exceptional artists.

Under the Pink Moon

I had a solo show in the Olewine gallery in the fall of 2017, and can testify that it's a fabulous space to display art, located in a beautiful nature preserve. I am tickled that my quilt about April's full moon will be on display in the month of April.

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New Work - Under the Pink Moon

2023-01-12T10:31:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to share my newest work, Under the Pink Moon.

Under the Pink Moon

The second in an emerging new series about the folkloric names ascribed to full moons throughout the year. Under the Pink Moon represents April, when the full moon shines down on the tender emerging foliage and flowers of spring. The center panels are direct solar dye prints of garlic mustard, Virginia creeper, and dock leaves, all very prevalent in the woodlands of Pennsylvania.

Under the Pink Moon, detail 1

The vintage hexagon blocks, pieced from feedsack cottons, are bordered with vivid silks. I had a tremendous amount of fun designing and stitching this one together. I love vintage blocks-- these had been neatly, if not entirely accurately, handstitched, and as I worked I thought of the anonymous woman who had made them, and wondered what her hopes and dreams and plans had been.

Under the Pink Moon, detail 2

I realized when I finished that this is an extremely rare quilt for me; there are no cyanotype blues in it! They would have distracted from the glorious extreme pinkness.

Under the Pink Moon, detail 3

The size is 49" high by 34"wide.

This quilt will be included in an invitational exhibit this spring--more on that in the next blog post.

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Beyond the Blue exhibit at BRCC

2023-01-09T10:59:00.002-05:00

I am excited to announce that my exhibit Beyond the Blue: Contemporary Narrative Quilts is now open in the Fine Arts Center Gallery at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia. The exhibit runs from January 3 - February 23, 2023.

I will be there for an artist talk on February 2nd at 11:30, with a reception to follow at 12:30. In the event of inclement weather the lecture will be moved to Zoom.

UPDATE 2/1/2023: The talk has been moved to Zoom, reception will follow in the gallery. Please see FB or Instagram for updates and details.

This opportunity came about because the Gallery Director saw the exhibit at the Virginia Quilt Museum and initiated a request to have it travel to the BRCC. It's been a pleasure working with both institutions in making this happen so seamlessly.

These pictures are from the installation and I am delighted with the clean aesthetic of the gallery space. They were able to include 9 of the 10 quilts from the original exhibit (no room for my huge In Dreams I Slept in a Cabin), so if you missed it last fall, here's your chance to see it!

Quilts included are: Sanctuary, In Dreams I Saw the Rift, Tropical Depression, In Dreams I Went Fishing, In Dreams I Found Utopia, Under the Thunder Moon, Fever Dream, On the Verge, and Partly Cloudy.

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