June is almost over! ( and still no rain!)

   Yes it's the end of June, I almost missed a post, yikes . And we have had no rain in recent memory it seems.The fires are flaming and the wilderness burns,WE NEED RAIN! I went to get my vacuum to clean up the ash and there was ash ON the vacuum, I had to clean the cleaning machine!!!!!
But my pond is flourishing and the lilies look happy. In the garden I have to wash the plants off constantly and I have been eating garden salad all month and corn is growing taller.

  May and June were teaching times
with a class at Village Wools, our local yarn shop, with three lovely ladies who requested a class.
Here they are in progress and finished. One student, April,(Top left)
 had some scheduling problems which were fixed by a class
 here at the studio. Here is her first circle attempt.
  There was much discussion recently about where does an artist look for validation? In Guilds, Master programs, the public , our peers? I have had a lot of problems with the so called BIG groups, such as HGA,( a venue I was closely involved with, on advisory board and initiator of their weaving pillar in their exhibit schedule( which no longer exists) was literally stolen during Convergence. Another group enlisted a weaver to teach at one of my galleries and this weaver had just delivered the "cease and desisted" document to my lawyer about a "blatant " ( Lawyer's words) copyright infringement. This same group copied me on a scathing email about my work after I inquired about getting someone from the group to review my Solo Show for their newsletter.
What do you do? The best thing is just to take what is useful to you and leave the rest.Look for professional behavior, act professionally and leave the rest. The hot wind continues to blow here in NM and I keep remembering pruning. The weak limbs fall, the strong persevere. I am lucky enough to have fantastic galleries who appreciate me and marvelous and loyal clients who collect my work.
   And I love my work, the product and especially the process.
Installing the Art is as much of the process as the creation of the tapestry. Here is my wonderful installer, my husband Devendra installing  the tapestry  " Reds, Blacks & Golds, Fractured Square Series" at the Zimmerman library on the UNM campus in Albuquerque.Below is all done ( took us 3 hours whew ! but it's done Yay!)
It was a very busy month and a half since my last post and June was my birthday month ( My Fibonacci Year as I turned 53 in 2011, ..........0,1,1,2,3,5    , any one else with a Fibonacci birthday? If you are my age you did, let me know in the comments box below)  I tried to give my self mini vacations on several afternoons to swim and lounge by the pool. Designed several pieces in the pool! So  was it work?.
But all that lounging has set me back some from getting ready for my next Solo Exhibit at UNM Hospital's

Jon Abrams Gallery July 22cd- September 9th with a reception on July 28th. Designing the card, getting it made, putting my mailing list together all steps in the process and done! YAY!Her are some "littles" for the show and next post I'll show some bigger ones.

And the pieces all need to be delivered on Monday the 18th!?!  Sooo it's Back to the Loom!
 

Finally!!! It's raining in NM and I'm posting a new blog entry!!!

   After more than 100 days with no rain it rained all night and still is though the sun is trying hard to come out. Nothing more dramatic than the light during an intermittent storm at these high elevations. Beautiful!
And I've finally figured out how to post ( with pictures )on this laptop so here goes.
   I have been inordinately busy and of course that led to some kind of bronchitis that I'm just getting over.

I finished weaving all the work for my solo exhibit in Taos NM at the Weaving Southwest gallery on Saturday, finishing,steaming and photography on Sunday and Monday,delivered it  on Tuesday and attended the opening on Saturday. When I got there I was a bit worried as the Gallery Owner, Theresa Loveless, ( Rachel Brown's Granddaughter) was the first gallery owner to take on the challenge of free hanging my tapestries , as I finish the back of all my work. As I walked in I was bowled away by the impact of it as well as the clever use of space she made. Each piece was hung on angle so that each could be viewed on it's own and all were staggered in space to give a beautiful flow.You almost felt as if you were walking past invisible walls, a lovely and natural maze like feeling. All the other artists represented by the gallery were on the wall, artfully arranged in color ways that lent a beautiful background to mine in the center of the room. Here is a link to a you tube video of a portion of the opening .   http://youtu.be/XWY0e_wPAK8      You really feel as if you are there, but no food and the food was wonderful!

(And the fellow

in the traditional long Indian shirt is my husband Devendra, who you will see more of in the next blog or two as we install the pieces that I sold through the NM Public Art Program.)

We had a really successful opening and sold the largest piece in the show! (The one closest to the food table, far right in picture on right).

And since the opening I have been trying to put a new warp on and get ready for my next show (FULL SPECTRUM) which begins July 22cd and will have an assortment of tapestries from my various series with an emphasis on my Feng Shui Series , especially the GREEN WOOD to augment health.
Also I was asked to teach another Beginning Tapestry Class at our local yarn shop, Village Wools so that has been taking my weekends and I have had another new student in the studio. So much work, so little time!
When I went to put on the new warp I saw there was just enough warp left to eke out 4 little 10" square pieces ( I'll try and get some pictures of these for the next post) so I hope to finish those today and get that pesky new warp on soooo BACK TO THE LOOM!

Celebrate the Spring!( Warping F to B, African textiles, Healing Art update)

Just a quick post as i try frantically to get ready for a show. I figured with Spring here it feels more like New Year's and so I started a diet and exercise program using my I Phone , There's an App for that!!! And so 12 pounds in 2 weeks! Part of the exercise program is gardening, my oregano and strawberries are going great guns, peas, radishes and Asian greens are up!
I got behind in my posts to the various groups so here are some answers; I always warp front to back when i do Tapestry BUT when I worked in a Production Studio for Joyce Wilkerson We had many separate Back Sectional Beams that lived on a rack and we carried them to the loom as needed. These we warped on the racks using cone holders and tension boxes. We also had many sets of the 16 harnesses we needed for each fabric ( only had the one AVL loom) We threaded these as Dummy Warps and tied knots for the new beams. All that was too fast for me, hence the switch to Tapestry which has it's own issues of complexity.
There is a Marvelous book on African Fractiles that covers the Math of african Design , Ill link to that on the side. It gets one a little deeper than just the visuals.
I received many responses to my request for "Art and Healing Stories " and I will post a few here when I get done with this Solo Exhibit. ( got another one in July, I'm getting tired already)And I've had a new student as well, no wonder I'm exhausted!!! I would love more especially about any experiences with Art in a Public healing location having powerful effects or stories of your pieces in similar places uplifting people. Please use the comments box if you can.Speaking of which I received the GREAT NEWS that 2 of my entries for the New Mexico Public Art 1% for Arts Competition were purchased , ( they wanted all 3 but 1 had already sold) And one will be installed in the Emergency Room of St Vincents Hospital in Santa Fe. Hopefully I can collect some stories on this one and I will post installation pictures when that happens in 2 months or so. The other piece, ( a very large piece that was previously pictured on this blog last summer when it was on display at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History) will be installed in the Main Library at the University of New Mexico ABQ campus.
So  I should go back to work on the red fractured piece in progress but here are some peeks of some new pieces for the show, let me know what you think in the comment box below please.

And NOW Back to the LOOM!!!

SPRING!!

Yes, Spring is here, or almost. Spring is an elusive thing in the high desert South West. But these daffodils from my south facing bed do portend it is almost here! And no wind today!
Recent beginnings, like spring and my article in the Taos magazine about my work and upcoming Solo Show, and endings, the passing of a tapestry artist who had a great influence on my early career in tapestry and my recent flood and burglary, ( most of the adrenaline has left my system), reminds us to be grateful. The family is all well, the shower was nice and hot,the cat gave me a shoulder massage last night ...AND these pieces are almost finished.I was worried about making them work , and I was definitely needing SPRING!  They remind me a bit of the old Rainbow Sherbet I used to get as a child. Still juggling finishing one house with intent to move (?) and getting other house ready to rent, along with daily chores and weaving and taxes and the business end of things. Easy to feel overwhelmed but the practice of tapestry teaches "Baby steps" ,"slow and steady wins the race" and my favorite from my Dad,who in  a way started all this,

 ( see the taos magazine March 2011 issue soon to be on my website)  , "It's a cinch by the inch, it's only hard by the yard!" 
 I am firming up 2 workshops for beginning/intermediate Tapestry Techniques _"Using Your Floor Loom's Beater Bar
for Line by Line Weaving"  One  at Village Wools in Albuquerque   May 14 , 15,21,22,28&29  and the other right before the Taos Wool Festival  September 24th-28th.
Some essential books for tapestry to recommend this time as well as a few local writers books steeped in New mexico flavor especially for any of you going to Taos New Mexico, either in April for ATA activities or in May to see my Show.
And now BACK TO THE LOOM! if I want to finish these , and I do.

February is Almost Over and Tax Time Looms Closer

Yes, it's  a short month with just a week plus one day left. I wanted to thank everyone who contacted me with their warm wishes after my Studio Flood and Burglary. I do want to remind everyone that I would appreciate your posting to the comments part of this blog as well, thanks in advance. And feel free to ask questions or suggest things you would like me to concentrate on in these posts.

  I think things are looking up and a good sign of it this beautiful flowering Cyclamen that i bought last year and several times it threatened to die but it is back and thriving. My beckoning cat may have helped as it welcomes clients, students and apprentices at the door. 

Accompanying them is my Shrine for my 1960's era Kokeshi Doll from Japan. The shrine was made by my good friend, the well known sculptor and basket maker,  John Garrett who lives here in Albuquerque. She looks so happy ensconced in it.

 It occurred to me that my Glass Collections was in a post way far back so here is a picture of two different pieces,they are placed here to distract from the air conditioner and it's also where the studs were. 

I also forgot to post a picture of my Warping Board and the warping procedure. I have stationed it underneath my Ribbon and Awards Board which is a great shot in the arm when you are slogging through the warping which , although it has a wonderful rythm can be somewhat daunting and the feeling of potentiality can be a bit depressing . This way I can remember my past accomplishments which helps me imagine a bright future

 I have now become an official collector of Mirrix Looms. I cannot say enough good things about them and so I have recommended them at the link on the left. Just push BUY and they are yours!! I started with a 12" which is so portable and easy to make a shed , WOW such a graduation  from my little navaho- esque  deal that I had to needle weave on .

And now I have just purchased a 32" Mirrix.Here it is sitting on my 6 foot Shannock that I still have to rewarp. (Students! Call me to schedule your class to light a fire under me to get this Warped!) It is perfect for a new study group I have formed that involves Shaped Tapestry Studies and a Group Collaborative Project.  Any one in the area who is interested and contact me and join , the more the merrier.  A pleasant group where no snide comments are allowed, mutual respect for all levels of experience and a desire to learn. We meet one Sunday afternoon a month and drink tea and weave, great fun!

And this Mirrix is wide enough for the Shaped Tapestry , AND a small demonstration type strip on the side .Perfect, Beautiful and highly recommended!!

 I actually finished these pieces right after the photo, well the same day anyway as I had only 5" to go. I am so enamored of this size, ( 20" square)  and the fact that they took 6 days to weave that I am doing 2 more, and maybe 2 more after that. 

The weather here in New Mexico is once again grey skies and wind, LOTS OF WIND!, and i think my color influences and choices right now are in the other extreme. They are definitely Brighter than usual and with that comes the , " Gee I hope I can pull this off" feeling which actually makes the whole thing a lot more fun.

  Be sure to check out my new RECOMMENDED READING  as they have a definite " Get Down To Business" Theme , what with Tax Time rapidly approaching. There is a great Legal Guide for Artists, and a wonderful book by ArtBiz Coach Alyson B Stanfield and a few fabulous others.

  On that note, with the majority of my taxes done, ITS BACK TO THE LOOM!

Its the Middle! ( Almost) and it's 2/11/2011!

Thought I'd try a mid month post instead of the clumping together I have been doing with the beginning and the end.
They say bad things come in threes so I hope I am done with all bad things. it started last summer with a copyright infringement problem which is solved with a cease and desisted statement by those involved in selling a way too close "Copy " of one of my designs.
Then came the artic cold here in new Mexico with a burst water pipe in my STUDIO!!!! High levels of adrenaline got yarn and tapestries to safety. My cosy floor rugs became giant sponges and now I'm chilling out on my cold concrete floors. Then 2 days later a break in at my residence. Computers gone! 20 year art jewelry collection 1/2 gone, something must have spooked them. Back door destroyed! YIKES!
Cats and Art are all OK as are we all but with shaken nerves.This was all last week.

But now I'm back to work and behind schedule , getting ready for May and
July Solo Shows . So of course I ran out of warp after these 2 little pieces
 ( 8"x20") were completed .













 I double damascus edged them , braide and looped and put on the poles,
steamed them, photographed them and took them off to the gallery ( Mariposa Gallery) check it out when you are in Albuquerque, it's right here in Nob Hill.These sell rather well , these 2 are $300.00 each.
And here is my Dummy Warp, ready for me to pull the knots through the reed , cut them off on the breast beam side and retie my new chained warp. And no mistakes in measuring!
The winding on went perfectly and I am tied on and ready to start weaving tomorrow. I always let the new warp as well as the new tie on rest a while and I will weave two small pieces to test it out.
be sure to check out the newest recommended reading. They are mostly from my favorite little book series, the Wooden Books. Small size packed with information. Kind of like a TARDIS in Dr who. Enjoy and it's Back to the Loom ( tomorrow)

Happy February!

Yes , it's February, the month that's hard to spell.
Just a quick posting with pictures of my 2 commissioned pieces finished on time! And the clients are thrilled!
Keep checking this blog and my website as I implement a lot of changes for the New Year! Happy Metal Rabbit! It sounds a bit like Japanese Anime.



This first piece was an adaptation of a smaller piece that the client gifted to someone else and then missed it! We both agree that it is even more powerful as a bigger piece, this one is 50"x 24" and retails for $2,500.00. Commissions are always welcome.

This second piece was designed with the client who wanted an assortment of spirals , as in my Universal Language Series Pieces ( see the website)

and the colors of the ROOT TWO SPIRAL ( again see website)

And now after too many meetings and not enough weaving it's back to the loom!