Color Gradation Tapestry Class in Santa Fe!

In case you missed the announcement, I am teaching Color Gradation Techniques for Tapestry May 4, 5, and 7 in my studio in Santa Fe and I still have a two open slots. The new studio is shaping up and I am excited to actually teach students in a place where I have all my supplies, books, and equipment accessible. So come and join us for a really fun class.

Here is the post with more information about the class. CLICK HERE.
We'll learn to turn a mess like this




Into something like this!
...but perhaps not in 3 days.

Santa Fe Creative Tourism post about the class is HERE.



Fiber Art Now, Spring 2013

I was happy have a very small contribution to the Spring 2013 issue of Fiber Art Now. The question was, "How does your environment impact your artistic process?"
I happened to be driving through Pueblo, CO this weekend which has a Barnes & Noble right off the freeway. I knew that Fiber Art Now was carried on the B&N newsstand and pulled over to get an extra copy. I started scanning the crafting magazines for it--you know, the spot where you find 25 knitting magazines, Handwoven, and the magazines with photos of beautiful studios and/or scrapbooks. And I didn't see it and I jumped right to the conclusion that this particular B&N didn't carry it, and then I thought, well maybe they sold out! And then I looked a little farther to my right. And there it was with the art magazines. Right where it should be.

Taos Fiber Marketplace, a brief recap

I did demonstrate at Taos Fiber Marketplace on Saturday at the Taos Convention Center. It was not a lovely day and Taos was not flooded with crowds of people enjoying the sunshine. In fact, at one point it was snowing. But I did meet many amazing people, most of whom were vendors or artists, and I enjoyed my time there. And I was pleased to have a couple potential students and people interested in my work come and search me out specifically.

Here are a few photos from the weekend. And of course I did a lot more talking than weaving, so little progress was made on the Mirrix.
 
I bought some more tools from Jim Hokett of Hokett Would Work. He makes amazing weaving tools in his workshop in Magdalena, NM. I have not used a boat shuttle for years, but he had some very tiny ones made for using that little bit of warp you want to fill at the end of your project. I never have that problem with tapestry, but I do have trouble with the warp-as-weft sections I use in my headers especially on the Mirrix. The bobbins I have the warp wound on are difficult to get through the narrow Mirrix warp. One of Jim's shuttles was perfect! And it is gorgeous.







This is Bettye Sullivan and the rugs she and her husband Alex make.
I was rather unreasonably excited about this idea. This is Margaret Sunday's flower hammer being held up by magnets. Look at all the tools you can keep track of with an idea like this. I'll be looking for those magnets. Thanks Margaret!

Bengt Erikson tapestries at Collected Works

Bengt Erikson has a show of his tapestries at Collected Works in Santa Fe. The show will be up through May. There are seven tapestries hanging.

My favorite pieces are the School House and Old Church--Finland. I love the simple lines and intriguing forms.
School House, Bengt Erikson, 57 x 47 inches, wool/cotton/linen/stainless steel
Here is a detail of the bottom section of School House. I loved how this shifting 2-warp pattern created texture but blended together from farther away.

There was a similar textural effect on the left side mid-green portion of Old Church--Finland though this time I believe it was pick and pick.
Old Church--Finland, Bengt Erikson, 50 x 45 inches, woolcotton



Detail, Old Church--Finland




15 Ambrose Street, Bengt Erikson, 50 x 47 inches, wool/cotton; Spring--Tacoma, Bengt Erikson, 46 x 38 inches, wool/linen


I enjoyed seeing Bengt's work and I recommend a stop to see it. Also look at his beautiful website at www.eriksontapestries.com. Look for Mim's Favorite hanging near the coffee bar. I didn't get a good photo of this piece, but it is a vibrant blue with trees suggested in orange-brown trunks and green tops. I was really inspired by the simplicity and beauty of Bengt's designs. I will have to return to see them again before they come down.

And if you're a local Santa Fean and you've never been to Collected Works, now is the time. It is a great independent bookstore and they even have a coffee shop.

Taos Fiber Marketplace, this Saturday!

 I will be at Taos Fiber Marketplace this Saturday from 9 am to about 4:30 pm demonstrating tapestry. (I reserve the right to leave to either go to the bathroom or get some lunch in case that is when you're looking for me!)

My new postcards arrive tomorrow.
My loom is warped and a demo piece underway.
Unfortunately the car is still filthy and the dog has to go to the kennel. But other than that, we're good to travel!

If you're in Taos this Saturday, April 20th, stop by the convention center and look me up! The website for Taos Fiber Marketplace is HERE.









If not, maybe you should come by Taos Fiber Marketplace this weekend... that is Taos, New Mexico by the way. Taos Convention Center. Check this website for details: http://www.taosfibermarketplace.com/

Hey, You're Okay.

Thursday is a good day. I get to work in the studio. There is much to be done.
Warping is underway (Harrisville done Tuesday, Mirrix done today).
New ideas are scattered on the design table.
I passed my fire inspection today and will have my business license momentarily.
There are boxes of stuff scattered about for me to constantly trip on. But some of the furniture has arrived and I am somewhat naively assuming that having a place to unpack the boxes into will decrease the tripping hazards.

Emily was in Denver this week and she was kind enough to stop at IKEA and pick up some of the furniture I needed for the studio (and "kind" doesn't actually begin to describe it. She managed to get an 80 pound box of wood that was 5.5 feet long into her Toyota Camry--no small feat). IKEA is one of those places you go into and before you know it, a whole day has disappeared. This is why I didn't go along. I'd still be there in one of those little mock-bedrooms wondering if I could make my bedroom create the same feeling in me and knowing that I can't do it. It was so much easier to send her with a shopping list. She has more self-control.
So we spent some of today putting that furniture together.

The IKEA guys... make sure you have a friend to help you!




At some point I had to go to the hardware store for a rubber mallet because my hands hurt too much from trying to get the parts to go together and the regular hammer chipped the white finish.



And finally I was able to unpack some yarn and figure out whether I have all the colors I need for my workshop in May (see details HERE). I have to dye a few more colors before May 4, but I think I can handle it.
And the challenge of starting an enterprise that has to succeed for several reasons can be really scary.

Fortunately I ran across this TED talk the other night while surfing Netflix.
This is Ze Frank talking about people and care and his Chillout song. I put the song on my iPhone and have been listening to it a lot. You can hear it HERE. Just push the little black triangle on the top of the page. He wrote the song for a woman who emailed him asking for help with her anxiety. He got people to sing along to his track while wearing headphones, record themselves, and then used those tracks to put the song together.
Hey.
You're Okay.
You'll be fine.
Just Breathe.

It helps.