MAY IS ALMOST OVER AND PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE!

Yes, May is almost over but much has been accomplished. I think I just might have enough pieces for my July show to look like a show of

new work. Here are the two pieces that were in progress in the last post. The large one is entitled "JEWEL" and is 42"x40" and will be priced at $3,800.00. The other is 14"x 40"and is entitled "AQUEOUS". They are from my new series " Fractured Squares" and for me they represent a bit of that scattered and fractured feeling you get when you are pulled in every direction at once and how to bring all the pieces back together harmoniously, juggling making art, marketing art,and teaching art while the everyday chores get done when you can and the needs of the family get done when they are needed and then don't forget a little R&R ( what's that?) But luckily I love what I do , and my family ( most of the time) and even the mundane chores remind us to breathe. The winds have died down and the heat is on so the pool beckons at the end of the day.

The orchids were my gift to the studio after I finished the April orders and they've been blooming beautifully all month. The Mum was given to me by my son, I guess because I'm his Mum.

These are two shots of the new piece in progress right now, another "Fractured Square , this time a larger panorama to fit in the space above a headboard in the bedroom. You can see all the ends I still need to sew in soooo Back to the loom I go!

IT'S ALL GOOD or WHY I'M MAhttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aaQuBwuqFQc/S-hM4KckCJI/AAAAAAAAAI4/0FcQeiJUj_U/s320/new+red+skinnies.jKING FRIENDS WITH THE WIND

IT'S ALL GOOD, that's the lesson I'm learning as I try to make friends with the wind here in Albuquerque which is gusting as I write to 35mph. As long as it's going to blow I might as well get something out of it. I watched the too heavily laden fruit trees get hit last week by the 65 mph gusts last week and now the remaining fruit is bigger and happier looking. ( Can fruit look happy? or is it merely my anticipation of their deliciousness, apricots, plums and pluots, my faves) So pruning is the lesson and balance, and beauty and truth.

After reading what I may have mistakenly taken as a disparaging diatribe against my favorite subject and inspiration and tool in much of my tapestry work, Mathematics, which sent me into a bit of despair since much of what I do with math as my subject is to undo the ingrained math phobia I see all around, Lo and behold Amazon delivered my newest Math treasure, a book by Malcom Stewart called the STARCUT DIAGRAM, filled with luscious pictures and interesting insights and new inspirations. He brings the mystery and magic to the forefront and invites all to have fun with it, something I hope my tapestries in the UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE SERIES does as well (see my website and go to galleries button) and I know I have fun with it. So pruning out my despair and adding new magic and inspiration and information tome and my readers, ...check this book out, it's FUN.

More pruning was necessary when a tapestry study group I was in decided to study what is decidedly non tapestry techniques. This is a hot button issue with me as I have labored long and hard to educate my clients and the general public on just what tapestry is and what it is not. These were tapestry people!Since we meet so infrequently ( only once every 2 months) a e mail discussion was begun and met with strange results, facetiousness, lack of participation, attempts to shut the discussion down, all very strange to someone who is used to doing almost all my professional communications by e mail, press releases, entries,other group discussions etc. Why so calcitrant? But then the wind spoke of pruning and all was understood. Those windstorms are not always pleasant but they are useful. Wouldn't a group of truly support people with the same goals and who liked to have fun be more fun? After the wind knocks things over you build again.

A quote from one of my all time favorite authors is apropos here "Always do right. This will

gratify some people and astonish the rest" - Mark Twain And another , "Be who you are and say what you feel 'cause people who mind don't matter, and people who matter don't mind" _Dr Seuss

Now to the work , here are the "SKINNIES " completed, they are 43"x 9.5" and have been delivered to the Tapestry Gallery in Madrid and are available for $650 each. The red have already been special ordered for a 9 foot long version, some proportion work to come !

Speaking of fun , Here is a picture of two of my "Play

" pieces from the "FRACTURED SQUARE " series both in progress though the smaller panoramic turquoise piece is finished but not yet steamed or photographed.

I'll post finished pictures later.

The wind today is keeping me from swimming which is my summer ritual but

I'll get more work done on this fractured squares piece which is all about movement and balance, SO it's all good.

I'm leaving this week to pick up my daughter from college for her summer here, so no work for a few days, but a vacation, my only one til October (when I will be teaching a 5 day workshop, Beginning / intermediate Tapestry at the TAOS WOOL FESTIVAL. Go to their site to register if you are interested.) and my lovely daughter will be home , SO it's all good and so is going back to the LOOM!

Pleasant interruptions ( and some not so)and some success

Spring is still here with showers and chilly weather even though summer tried to make an appearance a couple of times. I was pleasantly interrupted by my best apprentice, my grand daughter's visit. She learned how to use the equipment very fast and was a great help.

Below is the "PURPLE WIND of the NORTH EAST/ WEALTH" that is now sold as well as the finished "GREEN WOOD of the EAST / HEALTH" commission !

So clearly I've not been too set back.

The next set back was a ripping front apron on the loom.

Luckily I have a fantastic upholsterer a few blocks away and in 15 minutes he had mended the original canvas apron from AVL with a leather patch and its holding well.

The green Feng Shui was well received by the client and is happily ensconced in a beautiful and restful bedroom with mountain views and a foreground of pinon trees.

Below shows how much a piece changes through the steaming process, especially the fringe as you can see. I use an old Jiffy Steamer that has a lovely metal head that has a lot of weight which I really like.I steam the back and measure carefully, shrinking bubbles and straightening lines ( the purple above needs another steaming but the camera exaggerates a bit). You can do a lot with this finishing technique but you must be careful not to make things worse.

These are 4 of what I call "SKINNIES" that are 45"x9" that I wove all at the same time. Both have the Fibonacci Series as their design basis. Pictures show the piece of plastic that protects the piece from abrading when I rub up against it as I stand and weave. Also shown is my antique sock darner that I got at the thrift store for $.50 that I use to push the needle through the warp channel and the pliers I then use to pull the needle through( my little fingers can only take so much).

I'll Post the finished pictures next time as well as what's on the loom now. I am finally

finished with commissions and can now concentrate on the two shows I have coming up. One is at my local County Commissioners Office/ Gallery from June 1st- July 14th with a reception June 4th.

The other is at the Tapestry Gallery in Madrid ,New Mexico , Firehouse Lane from June 1st - August 31st with a reception right before the HGA Convergence Convention on Saturday July 17th 1 pm -4:30

So back to the loom I go!

IT IS APRIL ALREADY?

It's April already and the rush is on. Taxes and Paperwork and Visiting Relatives and Deadlines!

Here are the pictures of the finished Feng Shui Series piece " Ochre Earth of the Southwest, Relationship Success"(right). It is 41"x 40"and I'll deliver it on Tuesday. Hope the client likes it.

To the left is a detail of the center and you can see the series of lines in the middle which is a trigram from the I Ching , Book of Changes and represents the Earth.

I managed to get a ways into the next one , a green Feng Shui piece called " Green Wood of the East, Health Augmentation" and I'll post the finished piece in the next blog so stay tuned.

Above you can see the differing sizes of the "mountains" or "bubbles " I use for the different widths of greens in the piece. I constantly adjust these as I go by making sure each warp is staying straight and not wiggling left and right along the length of the work.

On the news front I've been ask to put a show together in the gallery/office space of my local County Commissioner. That will be June 4th, reception 5-7pm through July 14th ( right before Convergence so if you are here early you could check it out) and it will be on the 10th floor of our Albuquerque/ Bernallillo County City/ County Building that connects right to the Convention Center. And also a show for my gallery in Madrid, The Tapestry Gallery that will have a Saturday opening right before Convergence begins .So back to the loom

I go.

Happy Spring!

Yes, it's spring springing up! I can't help but think, "Should'nt I be cleaning?" But luckily there is too much work to do. What with commissions ( one out of 3 done, yay!) and keeping galleries stocked and shows to come ( I'm having a solo show that will open right before Convergence, details will follow in next blog) I am chained to the loom.

Here is a spring picture, and it snowed soon after this . There are now so many gracing my studio, so bright and cheery.

Just finished these 3 for a gallery and when I called they were happy as I had just sold 2 others. Sell 2 , make 3 , perhaps I will be able to up my inventory.

Here they are finished and in making and also the 1st commission in progress (above), finished pics in the next blog.

And now its back to the loom .

IF ITS NOT ONE THING IT'S ANOTHER

Yes , it's always something that slows us down. Last week it was illness. It began in my chest and I had disastrous visions of bronchitis but then it became a head cold which laid me flat for a few days. But I was able to work on a piece I hope to finish in time for the " Eye Dazzlers" entry due date. I did make a lot of progress so we'll see.

As promised here are a few photos of the benefit Valentine Show for our local Arts Organization "Creative Albuquerque" I made 5 little tapestries and 2 mixed media pieces and they all sold!

Here are the 5 "Valentine Tapestries" in the gallery and their silent auction sheets below. On the mixed media wall my piece is on the right in the photo, a framed collage from the "Nipponiphelia Series".

Unbelievably I also finished one of my large Feng Shui Series pieces "Blue Water of the North, Career Success"

They sell for $ 2,400.00 retail and this one is 41"x40".

Here are some in progress pictures as well as done.

And of course, since it's always something I have to get back to getting ready for an installation tomorrow of one of my tapestries in the Municipal Building in the Village of Magdalena ( a two hour drive from here).

I'll try and take some photos of the installation and the final look and have it up next week? But then it's Taxes to get ready ( my daughter's college financial aide papers need filling out). Yes, as Roseanna Danna's Nana

said even at the beginning of this post, there is also the 3 new 21"x 13" new designs I started that need to get to the gallery. I'll try and post the progress of these as well .

Yikes ,what's next?

Valentines!

The valentines are finished and up at the gallery. The reception will be on the closing date , January 29th which is also the silent auction which is always exciting with people trying to out bid each other.

Here are a few pictures of them in various stages of being done , and some of the finished product before cut off and after. I always think of them as being related to each other, as little families as they were created together on my full width warp. They turned out to be 13" long by 8 ' width. ( I use the golden mean rectangle for my formats sizes)

I will post some pictures from the closing reception when it happens.

And after much Holiday distraction I've begun another large piece and will include pictures of it's progress in the next post as well . Adios for now and back to the loom I go.