Finally Back to Work

So, after two months of migraines I am back to work.  Just finishing a new bracelet and I find that as I get near the end of one project I am always thinking of the next five or so I want to start and then I have to really push myself to finish the piece I am actually working on and not drop it to start on another project.  I can't tell you how many unfinished pieces I have--probably almost as many as I have finished sitting in my studio.  But I am committed to finishing things now, since I will be showing my work at Newton Open Studios this May.  Come and see all the art that Newton has to offer.

Long Time No Speak .... Again

I just cannot believe is is already the end of January and I have not blogged since September!  So here is my New Year's resolution --only a month late, but no matter-- I will blog more consistently.  I recently taught a class on stitching and embellishing fabric and I have been trying to explore some new jewelry designs as well.  My pictures are not great right now, as I need to get the pieces to the photographer, but I thought I would keep you all updated.

Entry

Day 28: Entry
The colors are off in the photograph but thought I would upload it all the same

I thought this piece was apropos given that it is the first day of school--and new schools at that--for both my children.  And now we all enter a new phase of our lives and have to say goodbye to the little years and hello to the older ones.  It's funny,  yesterday my sister and her friend were asking me, Are you freaking out how old your son is?  Are you going to cry when he goes to High School tomorrow?  And the funny thing was, I wasn't freaking out and didn't feel like crying until they asked me. After each question I would, say, "Well now I am!" So this morning, when I had to NOT put a note in Matt's lunch box,  because he is too old for that, I was sad!  But they left for school okay, and we all survived waking up a few hours earlier than our usual summertime rising. So, let's all embrace this entry and open as many doors as we can.

Long Time No Speak

I was working so hard on the other side of this pieces, when all of a sudden I turned it over and realized I could make so much more out of the underside.  The dancing lady was added in the negative space and I just love her.

Despite the reflection of the flash from my camera, I think this captures the essence of the piece -- and how perfect for the end of Summer, as its title is Green Vistas

I apologize for the lack of communication.  It has been three months and I feel like it has been a year.  The summer has flown--why do we always say "flown by"?  I mean, really, it could have sunk, run away, drowned, meandered (if it seemed slow), scuttled, swam, or  hopped.  In essence, the time has been spent--and sometimes it seems to have gone by quickly and sometimes dragged on like a horrible and persistent canker sore.  For the most part, I just feel that it has passed and as with all passings, you look back and think, I could have done more or I am glad I did that, or a little bit of both.  For now, I'll say--a little of both.  The good news is that I  have been published.  For all you beadaholics out there, go take a look at Beadwork Magazine--my piece is on page 56.  Very exciting.  And though I am sad to feel the air getting cooler and am nostalgic for lazy days with my children, the impending schedule of school and work seems almost refreshing and inspiring.  So much of summer is said to be inspiring--the warm weather, the beach, the colors--but in actuality, I got very little, new work completed this season.  Perhaps, summertime is my art hibernation time.  So I greet Autumn with a mixture of anticipation and wistfulness.

Birthday Bash

Braids of Time Necklace: $350

This weekend was my mother's 65th birthday and the whole family was in town to celebrate. My family and I were in charge of the ice cream for dessert.  You have to understand that ice cream is a serious business in out family.  Every year we hold a block/friends/family/school friends party in our backyard and serve make-your-own sundaes to over 100 people.  Now, there were only 14 people at my mother's, but the event was just as important because my parents have been known to drive three hours just to try out a new ice cream shop.  I really am not kidding here.  They read about the best-rated shops and every now and then take a weekend day to test them out.  Once we even went apple picking with them and the children at an orchard in the western part of MA just because it was near an ice cream shop they had read about.  In case you are curious, when we arrived at the store, they were out of almost every flavor because it was the end of the summer season.  That shop definitely did not make the top ten on our family list.  In addition, seeing as it was the end of summer, it was bee season and the place was over-run with hoards of bees attracted to the sugar of the ice cream melting in the trash cans, so all in all, the apple picking part was the best--except for the part when we thought we had walked through poison ivy.  


Do you see where I am going here?  We have these great plans and look to arrange a wonderful event and then things change somewhat slightly and we all have to balance ourselves to deal with it.  So, the first thing, was I woke up with a migraine and spent all day trying to hide it from my mother, refused to take my migraine medicine because that would make me want to nap, and subsequently felt overwhelmed by all the conversations going on around me, as my migraines tend to be sensitive to sound.  I faked Mom out until near the end of the day, but at least I tried. Next, we happen to live close to my parents--a mile or two away, so we thought, "Hey, why not ride our bikes to their house to greet the rest of the fam!"  (remember I have a migraine so the balancing thing was a little precarious!) Good idea in theory, but we still had to get the ice cream for dessert for the b-day BBQ, so an hour or so after I arrived, I rode home again to pick up the car, which is new, and which, by the way, does not fit three bikes in its trunk, so as you are all probably anticipating, we needed my brother to load the three extra bikes into his car at the end of the day and caravan home, because by that time our sugar low was setting in and no one was in the mood to bike home except for my husband, but he couldn't because by that time I really couldn't drive due to my head!  And all through this day, we are all running in and out of the house, doing one errand or another--speaking of which, my favorite ice cream shop gave me a bit of attitude when I picked up the three quarts and two pints of ice cream, one quart of hot fudge, and one pint each of marshmallow and blueberry topping, which was disappointing on an emotional level because I love this place, but maybe he was having a bad day.  Anyway ....


Despite all the chaos, our mother turned to us at the dinner table and said it was the best birthday because she had all her loved ones near her.  And I wanted to give her a toast but couldn't get everyone in the room at the same time, so just went ahead with it anyway over a bowl of wet, mushy, deliciously mixed up ice-cream sundae.  And all this just goes to show that trying and connecting and being with the people you love is way more important than being organized.


Oh, did I forget to mention that I worked the afternoon as the family bartender and managed to spill a container of simple sugar syrup all over the kitchen floor?

Fly, Dream 2 Coming Along

Fly, Dream 2: Still working on it, and am experimenting with line and texture

Does anyone else hate doing french knots? I mean, I love the way they look and the texture you can get by sewing them, but, man, does it take forever to fill up a space--which is exactly what I am trying to do here. I used to work with a embroidery stand, and I think it was easier that way, so I  might start using one again, because as of now using the embroidery hoops is just not working for me.  The other thing is I keep using thread that is too short, so I get into this rhythm and WHAM! it's time to add new thread because the needle keeps falling off the old thread as you are pulling the knot through.  I am done complaining, but realize that this entry is basically an observation that sometime the process is not as much fun as the outcome--which is okay--not everything is going to be fun, but french knots are always the stitch that remind me that sometimes we do work for the outcome and not just for the process.  A completely non-yoga-like point of view, but one that does crop up now and again.  So, for all you artists out there that are struggling with a design, using a technique you abhor, but need for its outcome, or are just plain bored with the piece you are working on, I give you kudos and applause, because the life of an artist doesn't often come with positive regular feedback and/or raises for doing a good job!

Back and trying to be more regular with the posts

Days 27 and 81: Collage of paint, fabric, paper, and pastels on clayboard

So I started this post and almost headed it "Back and trying to be more regular"--which would really not have been a good thing, though my 11-year-old would have loved the defecation connotations.  But honestly, it's time to get back to work on a regular basis and this blog is just one part of it.  I just finished up a two-day show in our town and had some good sales.  Has anyone noticed that once you sell something the bug has bitten you and all you want to do is sell more?  So though it went well, I keep hoping someone will call me and ask for more pieces. Right now, I am working on a few commissions and a few more wall pieces as well.  In addition, I am looking to take a few chances with my work as the above piece illustrates.  Be well everyone!