Banff-Day 6 (18)

Almost a full week now among the mountains and really barely time to view them. We have also had a fair amount of cloud and a bit of snow. I have discovered that even when the sun is shinning I can't get a great picture. I think I may have to climb something higher to take the view in. The Center is surrounded by these mountains and I understand each has a name which I have yet to find what they are.

Banff-Day 3 (15)

Today was a work day. So was yesterday. It has taken me 2 days to get over the lack of sleep and jet lag and realize that the computer clock was 3 hours a head of the time I was trying to adapt to. Yesterday (Saturday) I did get some time to stretch my legs and wonder around the grounds to take in the sites. I had plan on walking to town to day but messy weather kept most of us in the studio all day working on our many projects.

I was experimenting with French knots but after doing a small sample I decided it wasn't what I wanted.

Hard at work

Ingrid and Donna

Gloria and Wendy

I'll have to try and get better pictures, at least a few similes.

Banff- day 1 (13)

Arrived in Banff this morning around 1 am and by the time I got to bed I had been up for over 24 hours. I got to the point I was so tired I couldn't fall asleep. But I did manage to get a few hours before meeting up with everyone at breakfast and starting the day. All I can say about today is it was over whelming ....so much to take in.

The mountains are spectacular and there is a view of them from ever window and open door.

One of the views from the rooms' balcony.

Directly in front of my room
Leighton Studio #8 were we work most of the time.

Down town Banff - Ingrid, Donna, and Lesley on the search for the Sushi Bar. My first time eating ell and it tasted like trout with out the bones.

Distraction

The last 2 weeks have been busy with cleaning up the studio and doing a number of prepacked for the trip to Banff . Tonight is the final packing session and I think I will be able to zip the suit cases closed in the morning. .
Five Articulation members are all ready settled in since the 1st and spent the first week in the dye studio. Check out Donna and Lesley's blogs to get the latest updates. I will be trying to blog regularly so do stay tune.
I can easily get distracted somedays and this Squirrel with a pumpkin was very entertaining for a few minutes.

Illusion 1

It always feels good to finish a piece and like what was created. Illusion1 is part of the Urban Texture series that will be shown in in Edmonton at the McMullen Gallery and than later in Winnipeg at the Mennonite Museum in September. Illusion 1 is the only piece going to Edmonton. The inspiration for it was a photo I had taken in Winnipeg of the Canadian Wheat Board Building and I manipulated it in Paint Shop. The technique I used to make it is called whole cloth quilting and it was dyed, stitched and painted. I don't care for bindings so if I can get away with it I like the pillow slip method to finish the quilt. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This time it did work nicely and the piece hangs straight.

Of course I had to play with the finished photo in the Kaleidoscope Kreator program and have come with up with some new inspiration that I may be able to use in another project( some day).

new toy- Kaleidoscope Kreator 3

I really don't have the time to be playing but after seeing the KK3 on the Quilting Arts TV program I thought what the heck gota have it! Yes it is fun and a great time waster. I'm not in to cute crafty stuff so at first I thought maybe I wasted $50. But after playing with photos of my own work I can see where this program will be a very good designer tool. I think work using photos of people and animals are a bit creepy. When it comes to landscape and flowers one really has to work the design but using samples of needle work I did get some very inspiring pieces that I could take further.

tree bark

Unknown flower

Hot air balloon

free style ribbon embroidery

more embroidery

Fashion -1908

I continue to work on the pieces for the "Urban Texture" Exhibit but in between drying dyed fibers and short breaks I work on the next Exhibit that Articulation has set up for next year and that is "Women Rock." Our inspiration is from Banff and the Rockies. I will be in residency at the Leighton Studio at the Banff Art Center in March for 3 weeks to work on my research and some of the pieces. As I prepare the work I'm am looking at a number of different angles to pull from and one is the fashion of the early 1900s. I have been reading a bit about Mary Schaffer (http://www.peakfinder.com/) a woman explorer of the area and I can not image trekking threw the Rockies in what the women of that era wore.
I have a small collection of old needle art magaizines and just happen to have one displying patterns for Blouses. Not sure where this is going yet but thought I would share some of the patterns.