In between

In between - that's what I feel like I am at the moment...in between. What? Here and there? A rock and hard place, perhaps? 

No. No. All is well here. It's just how the universe has me feeling what with winter still holding on while spring tries to muscle her way in. We've projects around the house to start, but, well...starting can be so darned difficult at times. Getting that momentum going, you know?

So, I've been locking myself in the studio once the urchins leave for school. And that is good.

 Sections of the next piece have been being sewn together and are waiting for more.

The past few days have been a frenzy of attempting to sew a pinafore apron out of my rusty cottons a la Christine Mauersberger's pattern that she was kind enough to share (Many thanks Christine!).

It fits, but needs tweaking - pockets are called for and it's a bit too long...or is it? The straps in back are a tad off somehow... I promise more photos soon.

Time in between has been spent applying to exhibitions and waiting for notification of acceptance or rejection.  I'm happy to say that

Mapping the Mermaid's Dreams © 2013 will be part of the Juried Member Show 2013 at the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, April 13 - May 12, Ridgefield, CT and

my collages The Scent of Tea Wafted Through the House, The Memory of Tea and The Making of Tea (all ©2012) will be part of Less is More: Small Works in a Great Space (A Mitchell Gallery National Juried Exhibition) , May 29 - June 19, 2013, at The Mitchell Gallery, St. John's College, Annapolis, MD.

Having my work accepted into exhibitions is a new occurrence for me. While I was juried into some of the best art shows along the east coast with my weavings, rarely were they accepted into exhibitions. Curated into by a curator who was familiar with them, yes, but juried into...no. So if you've been hearing the odd Woohoo! that can't quite be placed or get the feeling that someone is doing a serious happy dance (or 2 or 3) in the studio, that's likely been me.

All in all, this feeling of in-between-ness that has settled in has been quite productive for me. Of course, it could be a side effect of the allergy medicines that the allergist prescribed. This time last year, skull splitting headaches were a daily occurrence for me. Let's see...in-between-ness vs skull splitting headaches...not really a contest, is it?

Art math

Tea bags + cotton + organza + 

rusting + mono printing + stitching +

a bit of storytelling + a few what ifs =

 My Morning Tea Series © 2012 

12 collages

So far...

The gift of tea...

 ...bags, that is.

These beauties arrived last week. A gift from Pam. The note included stated that she thought they were needed here sooner rather than later. [She's coming to visit at the end of October. Woohoo!]

I did a little dance, sent a whispered thank you floating on the breeze in Pam's direction, oohed and aahed over the lovely rusting and carried them to the studio to photograph. Pam's creative energy must have been lingering on the bags for soon an idea had me getting the sewing machine out.

 With 3 tea bags layered

 for body and depth of color,

 I happily stitched lines across the rusty circles.

Once 4 sets had been stitched and photographed, 

 I set about adding them 

  to the 4 collages

already in progress.

3 are now complete. The 4th is being stubborn and needs a bit of considering. 

 

Monday

How enjoyable it was to spend Monday

in the studio

collaging

and stitching.

Philadelphia - Barbara Lee Smith

The last FiberPhiladelphia exhibition I viewed was A Sense of Place, curated by Bruce Hoffman. Yesterday's post contained work that sparked an emotional response in me so I thought to share them with you. The work that had me riveted in place was that of Barbara Lee Smith.

After strolling through the two large rooms that housed the rest of the exhibit, I stepped into a smaller room and found myself in a different place.

 Barbara Lee Smith, Marshland/Twilight, 2010

painted, collaged and stitched textile

Marshland/Twilight detail

I was in a place where the breeze rustling the leaves of marsh plants could be heard as could the tinkling of water caressing the shore.

 Barbara Lee Smith, The River, 2010

painted, collaged and stitched textile

The River detail

A place where shore birds called to each other as they played on the air currents.

 Barbara Lee Smith, Whitecaps, 2011

painted, collaged and stitched textile

 Whitecaps detail

A place where spray from the whitecaps turned everything just a bit damp as it was crashed and churned in the tide and was carried along on the wind to land on your skin. A place where the air smelled of salt and freshness...purity at its best.

 Barbara Lee Smith, You Are Here, 2010-11

painted, collaged and stitched textile

  You Are Here detail 1

 You Are Here detail 2

You Are Here detail 3

I was there. I stood in the middle of the room and drank it all in. Not a soul approached while I stood there listening to the birds calling, feeling the breeze on my face and in my hair, tasting the spray on my lips, hearing the rustle of the leaves and the movement of the water, being at peace. Yes. I was there.