This summer I've been back at designing my wearables made from men's T-shirts. A few have been totally covered in hand drawn embellishments, others include tie dye or bleach discharge. My new inexpensive Brother serger has been indispensable in the sewing process and the local Artists and Craftsman store in Harlem has been very helpful in the trial of different mediums for surface design. My sewing studio is in shambles and the AC disconnected so I have taken parts of the process to the deck outside. How wonderful it is to create outdoors!
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iIt seems in the summer I am inspired to pick up some sort of small hand work project that details me from time at the sewing machine. This summer the muse is hand embroidery and beading. Love learning new stitches and picking out floss colors from the local craft store. I'm even going to teach a free work shop at the historic Morris-Jumel mansion. Working outside is always soothing and inspiring especially in the morning before the city is in full effect. The only chatter going on now is from our booming bird population!
I just wanted to post about digging through the riches you already have. Since I am a collector by nature I love going to art supply and craft stores for bargains and inspiration. Usually that leads to me spending some unbudgeted amount on wonderful but unnecessary items. Yesterday a trip to the craft store for 1 clearance item set me back $100.00 . Got some great stuff that gave me clear direction for my next doll making project. This morning in order to get to my paper art closet I had to move stacks of things blocking the way. As I went through the pile of zip lock bags and storage containers what do I find but a bunch of great things for the same project. I knew I had these things but didn't realize the same inspiration that wells up in me at the store occurrs when rifling through my very own stash! Must embrace the idea of always DEEP shopping at home first.
Recently I took a class with artist Omi Gray in Nuno felting which is a wet felting technique. Soapy water and agitation bind fibers of wool roving, silk and more together to create all sorts of wonderful art and wearable items. I've explored wet felting in the past and did not think it was for me since it can be labor intensive and messy. Omi's class in the Nuno technique got my creative juices flowing and afterwards I ran home and dug out all my previously purchased felting paraphernalia. Worked on a few art pieces and a few wearable items for my up coming shows and I must say I'm happy with the results. Artists Sherry Shine asked if I thought this would be a new direction for my work. Hmmmmm, it just might be.
Finally finished my blooming nine patch quilt top. Took a class from The City Quilter in August and elected to do the big project instead of the small one. Put a good amont of work in but by the end of the three sessions I was only half finished.
Since August I put in a little work every now and again and I made some progress. This morning I challenged myself to get the last rennaining stitches in and completed the class project. Now becomes the creative work since this will be the background of a mermaid piece. With other projects and deadlines looming I will have to put the next steps of this one on the back burner. In any case I am still proud of this milestone. How blessed I was to be a part of Passing On The Story: Liberating Legacy Through Textile. The evenings panel discussion opened the National Black Theater's 47th season where I participated with Professor Nkiru Nzegwu of SUNY Binghamton University in celebrating the art of Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye. The discussion was lead by Harlem Needle Arts founder Michelle Bishop who posed thought provoking questions about telling cultural stories told through textile arts.
Where two of my closest art buddies are frugal I am a spend thrift. If it looks interesting and I can beg, borrow or steal the $$$ (from myself of course) it is usually mine. There are not as many needs in my creative stash of things as there are likes and what ifs. This way of thinking and doing I justify by categorizing it as courageous instead of wasteful. To myself honest I must follow my friend Sherrys example. Any time she buys a book or invests in a workshop she chalenges herself to create something marketable or find a way to apply the new information to her work. That makes a lot of sense in the business of art. So now I'm starting mini projects inspired by my creative summer reads. Instead of "read" my scenario is more like this: open the book, scan the pages, start doing what I think I see, hmmmm- errrr- oops!, go back and read the book. I'm not recommending this, just sharing. I'm mentally planing out how these mini projects could develope into greater finished artwork and also trying to create a routine that will afford me time to play in each project daily. The last two early mornings have been spent on my deck hand piecing part of a passacaglia design from Willyne Hammerstein's book "Millefiori Quilts". I haven't hand pieced since I first started quilting. Let the adventure begin! Wow. It's August Already. Where does the time go? I've been enjoying a lovely summer in the city and the thought of it ending is not welcomed. One of my main guilty pleasures is taking a moment on the deck to look up into the trees and the sky. It's a great place to do some reading and most comfortable before and after the sun takes a walk overhead. This morning I had a chance to look through my recent quilt book acquisition: The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilts by Sherri Lynn Wood. Indulged myself buying the book on Amazon yesterday and having it delivered same day. Life's little pleasures! |
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