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i am returning to the blog that I have been writing sporadically for the last few years. My lack of organization has left my studio spaces -- one for fabric storage which also contains my print/dyeing table, the other with my machines and cutting table -- chaotic. It has also left me creating little. These next few blog posts will document the conversion my the chaos to order. I do not have any before photos, but let me say that after i finished sewing place mats for my
December show, I had washed and ironed fabrics, unwashed fabrics, and washed but not ironed fabrics in several rooms. With the Holidays looking me in the face, I took the fabric and I literally threw the fabric onto the print table and any other empty space, and shut the door.
I enlisted the help of my brother-in-law's sister Michelle. While I sorted through some of the many containers, Michelle she cleared the floor had the fabrics folded and onto the shelves. Below is one of the four bookcases.
Next she tackled the many spools of thread which I had used -- they were on the tables next to the sewing machines, in baskets, boxes, etc. Result: thread corralled into various boxes.
Previously I had labeled my dyes and some of my fabric paints from Pro Chem and Dharma and put them into a new cabinet. However I have many others from Seta Color, Jacquard, Gill, Martha Stewart, etc which still need to find a new home. I also have a number of other mediums I use on fabric and these also need a new home. All of these will be finding a new home in the fabric/print table room.
Easter weekend I was very lucky to be in Massachusetts and able to go see the exhibit Under Color at the Kniznick Gallery in the Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis University which runs until May 22. it's an exhibit of Chuppahs, or Jewish wedding canopies, created by Jeanne Williamson during her artist in residence at Brandeis in mid March to mid April. They were made using her techniques using construction fence.The amount of work that she created in this short amount of time is beyond amazing.
The exhibit was very impressive, but I had some favorites, which are shown below.
More of Jeanne's Chuppahs work can be found here.
Today is the first day of a blog hop to celebrate the publication of my friend Lynn Krawczyk's book The first stop is Sue Blebleiweiss with a chance to win a copy of the book.
I am still waiting for
my copy, but knowing Lynn I am certain the the book will be chock full
of interesting ideas and easy to understand instructions. Sue's blog gives a wonderful summary of Lynn's approach to printing and creating fabric.
Today I am in the process of doing some low water immersion dyeing of silk scarves using some new colors I just received from Dharma Trading Co. I am excited to see how beautiful spring like colors come out. Will be posting photos of some of the scarves later this week.
Meet my new studio assistant.
He just turned 7 in January. After his previous owner died, he was taken in by New Beginnings Animal Rescue. His description said that he was good with children, o.ther cats, and dogs. Perfect, so off I went to visit him at their adoption day at a local pet store. Atticus went with me and while he had not interest in the cats -- the treats in the open boxes were much more interesting -- not one of them was too happy about Atticus. I decided that I would go to the shelter on Wednesday when they would be open. I met several other cats -- I wanted one at least 7 or so. I liked Fuji, a male Siamese, but he had never been around dogs nor had his sister. Actually, this boy was the only one who had dog experience. He wasn't super friendly but he did circle me, rubbing my legs all the way around. It was this behavior which prompted the rescue to name him Saturn. Unfortunately for him, that name just didn't resonate with me and so with the advice of my granddaughter I have renamed him Scout, keeping up with the theme already started with Atticus. He is declawed and that it good for Atticus because greyhounds have think skin and if they get cuts often need stitches. I have never had a cat without claws, it is not something I would ever do and it is interesting and sad to see him trying to sharpen his non-existent claws.
When I first brought him home, I confined him to two rooms, including the one with the litter box. When I went to look for him I couldn't find him, and the I realized like some cats before him he had jumped up to the half door to the basement. Don't know where he went, he finally came out, rolled in the catnip and then ate some food. Fortunately he stayed out of the basement overnight. Unlike his predecessors, he is not able to make the jump out of the basement.
This morning he ate and then over the door he went. He wanted no part of Atticus's excitment over food. I dropped Atticus off at daycare and when I came back, no cat to be found. I thought that he would be sitting on the steps meowing to come out, but no. I opened the door, called him, but no cat. He finally reappeared and has been wondering around getting the lay of the land. I am hoping that he will eventually realize that Atticus cannot get up the stairs and will use the second floor as a refuge instead of the basement.
Based on the photo below I would say that all will be okay. May take awhile, but I think that we will all be okay. As I write this he has come to visit and jumped up on my lap.
