Friday, May 31, 2013

4th Annual Artist Retreat - Marks

I love the marks on the cup below. It sits on a table with several other textured clay pieces.


The smallest of the grouping, yet the one that draws me in each visit. There's a joy, a freedom to these marks as they dance and sing their way around the vessel that is contagious.


On a table nearby sits the vase of Debra Steidel who, like Pam and I, is a former member of Fiberworks at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA. In fact, Fiberworks is where Pam and I met.

Looking at these favored vessels and their marks set me on a search for other favored markings.

Pam's work on copper.

Detail of Pam's hand-stitching.

New rust on cotton.

Basting stitches.

Rust on paper towel...much nicer than what printed on the cotton.

Ink on paper - Pam's.

Ink on print table caused by hole in padding.

Remnants of story written by Pam.

Nature's marks. Been a lot of this during the week.

Pam and I machine stitching even more marks.


400th blog post give away reminder - If you'd like to help celebrate my 400th blog post and fancy a chance to win the rust tea book I've been working on this week, you've until 7 pm US Central Time tonight to leave a comment here. Pam will do the honors of selecting the winner. Stay tuned!

8 comments:

  1. Nice examples. Nature is a master mark maker.

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    Replies
    1. Mother Nature is rather good, isn't she? Pam has some of the largest leafed (leaved?) hostas that I've seen in her yard. There are more photos of those to come...perhaps as a Roy G Biv green follow up. Enjoy!

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  2. Nice work. Good to see you both yesterday. I wish Skype was more reliable. I want to see more of the small sample you showed of Pam's Kantha stitched piece. Could you send me a pic? xo
    C

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    Replies
    1. Great seing you too. To see Pam's full piece, check out

      http://www.pamsullivan.com/portfolio/tides.php

      It's a much better photo of the full piece than I can take.

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  3. Your retreat looks wonderful! And your posts are great, especially like the mark making, takes me back to my first drawing classes when I was introduced to mark making, what a discovery, something we know intuitively but once we have a name for it and start paying attention to it, it becomes fascinating and offers so much potential!

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    Replies
    1. The retreat was indeed wonderful, but then it always is. Anca Gray referred to it last year as a haven and a heaven, I believe. Time at Pam's house is always just that.

      As for the marks, you're right. Once the name was given (and Dorothy Caldwell's mark making workshop taken), I've been paying much more attention to them...wherever they may be.

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  4. Oh my, the hole in the padding, the rust on the paper towel, nature's marks, and the remnants of story - what treasures thees are. You will hold these and other memories close as you travel home to begin again from new beginnings. Travel safe.

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    Replies
    1. The hole in the padding and the remnants of Pam's story are my favorites. Hopefully, the padding marks will simply continue to grow and blossom, as it reminds me of the petals of a flower. Should ask her to send it along when she replaces the padding. Too good to throw away. Enjoy!

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