Art Doll ~Nor'e

Nor'e a Xmas gift created between 2 Noreasterns Storms. He is of the simplest style with antique metal beads for joints . His body is made from recycled velvet and "gloves" and trim from a washed angora sweater.

The vest is a mixture of wool and silk and once felted was cut and shaped on him wet.

Waiting for the finished hat ( hair is knitted eyelash yarn from the dollar store) The face is needlesculpt and painted with acrylic

The perfect hat!

Walking tall at about 18"

Sitting Pretty


Thinking about getting away ?

Updating-

Not sure were the time has gone and really so much has been happening. Maybe at the school winter break I'll get caught up....

Going back to classes has been so different and so much work! Some of it is refresher and some of it is new. Back to basics of drawing and this time I understand what the instructor is talking about. A lot of 2D design is a refresher but the exercises are fun. I used my own photos which I thought worked very well together and this exercise was about liked items with an abstract.Not a new technique for me but using the gouache paint is. That product is the challenge for this semester. Gouache is also used in Surface design and I am still practising the technique of using the paint on designs

In the 3D class my first project was to make a soft sculpture.I decided to go with what I know, synthetic organza, it does manipulate so easily. The piece is finished but have decided to tweak it a bit before displaying so I'll just post a few close ups.

Rainforest "Deep within"

"Deep with in" didn't make it to the trip out west .I had debated to do soft or hard edges and in the end decided to go with a hard edge which means I now must look for the perfect frame.
This piece was inspired from one of the walks that I did through the BC Rainforest a few summers ago. The sun light flicker among the trees but the shadows that were not touch were so dark it was a wonder that anything grew there. I am still working on this series with a few other pieces near completion, but my life as a full time Fiber Artist is going to be put on hold for the next 9 months. As of this coming Tuesday I will be a full time student at the New Brunswick Collage of Craft & Design. Very exciting! I will be in the Advance Studies for Visual Arts diploma program. This will give me a change to polish some of my skills to take the Fiber Arts further.

Victoria College of Art 'Narrative Articulations' Fine Art Textile Exhib...

This is the group I have been exhibiting with for the last 6 years .I have a few pieces at this exhibt, the dolls are from the 2006 Links project and the the other 2 are from the 2007 Meta Incognita exhibit. My exhibiting days are being put on hold for the next year as next Tuesday I will start classes at the New Brunswick Collage of Craft & Design as a full time student. Advance Studies in Visual Art for Textiles.

Fiber Artist –Mom

I am often asked how did I get evolved with fiber art. In the past I would tell the story about while recovering from an accident I was introduced to cross stitch and that lead to a whole new interest. But over the last few weeks I have realised that I have been experimenting with a threaded needle and manipulating fibers for as long as I can remember. My Mother told me that she use to thread a needle and I would sew buttons on everything, not sure why but it may have been something that kept me entertained and in one spot for a period of time. Mom also taught me how to sew by hand and to use a machine. I had a basic idea on how to use a pattern and make simple items well before I entered Junior High. Needless to say I was very bored in the Home Ec classes making an apron.

I know an aunt of Moms had taught her to knit and that was her passion. There was always something on needles, socks, mittens, and sweaters. I am sure she lost count on how many of the Icelandic sweaters that were done in the round she made in the 80’s. She could knit one up in a day or 2. She could start a pair of socks on Christmas Eve and have them wrapped and under the tree for the morning.

Mom knitting with Me at 2 or 3 and my Aunt in the back ground

I’m not sure when she started to sew. I know she loved clothes but being a child of the Depression years probably started to sew out of necessity. She was very practical; she made her wedding dress in pink so it could be worn again. She always said to my sisters and I, “if you don’t want to see yourself coming then make it”. She must be the reason I prefer one of kind in just about everything .

Mom & Dad May 1st 1948

Moms priority was her children and very rarely did she interfere but was always supportive. She was my second biggest fan (husband is first) when I entered the art world, always interested and always encouraging on my next project.

Mom died on the 30^th of July 2010 just 18 days from her 85^th birthday. She had been ill for a short period of time but we were not expecting her to die. Knowing how she felt about what I do is part of the process of moving forward. So each day is taken one at a time and I continue to work and experiment with a variety of fibers. Some days are better than others.

Last pair of socks she knitted for me this spring. I didn’t tell her that that were put in the dryer but I can still stretch them to fit.

Creative Expression

Besides playing with a kaleidoscope program I do try and work in some sort of creative expression daily. I most often work in a sketch book or on a variety of papers that are later glued or stitched in to the sketch book. There are so many products to be used but I look at what I will be able to tranfer or use in to some sort of art quilt with stitch .Shown are enamel paint on paper and painted Tyvek.

K-scopes with Peonies

Of course I had to play with the shapes,light and colours

Peonies -2

What can I say? These peonies were just beautiful and no touch up needed.

Peonies

The month of June has come and gone and so have the Peonies. But I was able to take a few photos of some of the flowers from one of the garden beds. They were so much prettier in a vase and seem to last longer then those I left on the plant.

Standing Relation

My blog's main purpose is to be about fiber manipulation of all types but not much has been posted about it lately .Not that I haven't worked on, any just no time to post. I have been working on a series all winter and slowly it is coming together. The series is called Standing Relations and is based on a study I did of the BC rain forest a few years ago with the group I exhibit with Articulation.

Everything seemed so large on the forest floor . This first one is a fern and still a lot to do yet . It has been dyed first and now I am stitching all over. After the machine work is done I will embellish it more with paint and maybe a bit of hand stitch .


And this one was inspired by old trees that still have life with in. The fore ground is near completion and is layers of fibers. The back ground will be heavily stitched with more fibers and paint.

There are still a few more in the series but in different stages of completion I'll share those on another day .

Special Day

To day was special ~ Had lunch with the love of my life at our favorite place, Tyes & Tails then a tour at whats becoming another favorite place, Cornhill Nursery . Bought a plum tree and took lots of pictures.

Looking over the valley from Whyte Mountain Road - Beautiful !!!!

Stitch Lines

Last November I painted a small child's chair for a fund raiser. It really was fun to do and another place to put "stitch lines". Next week I'll be running a work shop here at the studio just for that purpose to have fun with finding original design in stitch lines.

Kscopes Pattern -1

Besides being a little silly with the Kscopes the program also does pattern. Some pattern turns out better then others

More Green Kscopes -3

What can I can say??? better than watching TV .....