Monday, September 21, 2009

Windows Throughout Old City

When I got back from vacation I'd been away from my studio for 10 weeks. It might seem like a long time but when I'm away from the studio that doesn't mean I'm not working. Coming up with all those projects for the kids keeps my creative mind running full speed and then finding ways to display it all is a creative endeavor also. When I'm with my sisters we're into one creative project after another. We bead together and scour every shop in Skaneatles, some of our best finds were in the church thrift store. Even if we're not buying we're discussing how something is made and what colors we would make it in. I saw some really nice nuno felted scarves and garments in the Artisan Gallery. The silk was really soft and hand dyed in beautiful colors.
Sue and I felted some rocks. I've seen them on Etsy and couldn't wait to try it. These are some we made.

I also made Sue a couple nuno felted bracelets to match some of her outfits for work.


When I got home I posted a few bracelets and purses to my Etsy shop before I got too busy in the studio. I want to post more soon but I have a very tight deadline on this project I jumped in on. I'm participating in Windows Throughout Old City, a window design exhibition and competition as part of Design Philadelphia! Well I've been talking about making one of my paintings into a 3 dimensional experience like an installation for some time now. I bought white organza to paint on and even did a small painting with fabric dyes before I left the studio. As soon as I signed up for this competition I started painting fabric, yards of it that will be felted. I made lots more felted rocks and constructed a small mock up and photographed it. Every night when I close my eyes I try to imagine how these painted fabrics and rocks will become an installation that surpasses mere window dressing. Well, I'm still working on many ideas and trying to bring them together into one brilliant idea. The waterfalls I visited this summer and white water rafting on the Moose River in the Adirondacks are my inspiration. I met with my business owner Jeanne of J. Karma Boutique on 3rd St, last Friday. I brought sketches, photos of my paintings, painted silk organza, felted rocks, papier mache rocks and hoped and prayed that she would love my idea. She did! Now here's the catch, I was preparing to design one window and she has 3 windows. So instead of doing one installation I'm doing 3 and the deadline is Oct. 2nd. That's 2 weeks away and includes photographs and a sketch of the final work. So much to do, so little time.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

The last week of our vacation we drove an hour and a half in spitting rain and ate our lunch in the car just to see Buttermilk Falls in Ithaca, NY. Luckily it wasn't a perfect day because we could enjoy the place without sharing it with a lot of people. It stopped raining long enough for us to walk up and for the girls to swim. What is it about rushing water? The sound alone was worth the car ride. It was a steep hike, a lot of stairs to traverse but the view kept improving as we went up. I'm back in the studio working on a big project, I'll post details soon. I can say my summer water adventures will be the inspiration for this new project and for more new paintings too. Water seems to be consuming my creative brain. I am a Scorpio after all.