2D Felt - The Leap to Mixed Media

Woolly Lilies

I've been experimenting some more with 2 dimensional felt over the summer. I wanted to try more abstract shapes and images as well as surface techniques. In "Woolly Lilies" I used resists to lift the flowers and leaves off the surface as well as adding silk and mohair on the surface. I liked the result but was once again faced with the challenge of how to mount it. As I've talked about in other 2 dimensional felt posts I've tried a number of different approaches with more or less success. 

Detail - Woolly Lilies

In this one I decided to create a painted canvas that incorporated mixed media and ended up using wool, silk, thread, acrylic paint, rice paper as well as different glosses and gels to create a rich surface texture. And ... suddenly I realized that I should be thinking about a unified mixed media piece rather than something to support the felt. After adding wool into the paint (a very tricky process - it either looks great or like something hauled out of a bathtub drain) I added the diagonal stitches across both surfaces. Together, they tie the canvas and felt into a single integrated piece. I can't wait to try some more but with school ramping up, it will be a while - darn.

Art criticism - for the birds!

Relaxing in the shade and hauling out water colours is one of my favourite vacation activities after a hot morning at the beach. Fred and Franny Farkle, the resident mynah birds, took particular interest in pieces that I hung to dry. Apparently everyone is an art critic!

Bragg Creek Days Painters Show

What a beautiful day at a beautiful venue! Suncatcher's Gallery graciously hosted the Bragg Creek Painters for a show and sale during Bragg Creek Days. The rain held off, the music from the community centre was wonderful, and the company was great.

The only challenge was smelling the perogies from the food truck across the road - I eventually gave in and had Brie and Basil perogies no less - the ultimate upscale comfort food! Thanks to all who came out, to all the painters who participated, and particularly to Elizabeth for welcoming us to her lovely gallery in the woods.

A Horse of a Different Colour

 A great big thank you to Spruce Meadows for a creative fund raising idea to support groups impacted by last year's flood. The Bragg Creek Community Association was one of the successful candidates to receive a horse to paint. You can see all the completed horses currently on auction at Spruce Meadows Horses Leg Up. They are all amazing! I was out of town until the day before the deadline, but was able to do a little bit at the end (literally). This was definitely a first for me. I got to paint trees on a horse's butt! Kudos to the local artists who very ably created a beautiful beast who reflects the four seasons in Bragg Creek. Watch for these creatures around Calgary - check out Spruce Meadow's web sight for details of the project.

Calyx Sale was Wonderful Yet Again

The Calyx Sale was wonderful as always.  These are some of my stone and felt pieces at the sale.  So much wonderful art by so many different artists - my objective every year is to sell more than I buy.

Spring 2014 Calyx Show

The Spring Calyx Show is quickly approaching! I will be there on Sunday, April 27th with 2D felt, 3D needle felt Creektures, paintings, and stone pictographs. This is always a fun show with amazing art work. Hope to see you there.

Needle Felt Trolls - A Happy Ending

Twila has been trolling the internet looking for Cedric, her Troll soul mate, who went missing during last year's flood. She tracked him down through the August post and learned that he has relocated to the Olds area. She hopes to be reunited soon. She is excited about his new business venture of operating a Troll Bridge, but is bit concerned about his profligate ways being unchecked in her absence.

Fibre Fortnight Reception

There was some very interesting student art at the Fibre Fortnight Show at ACAD. This picture of my "Creative Thought" installation confirms that I am in my head too much these days. The panel discussion by graduates working as professional artists provided helpful insights into different avenues that local artists take to make a living in today's society.

Spring is in the Air

Spring must be getting close??? !!! It was the other day when the new batch of creektures were out enjoying the weather and taking part in a photo shoot.

Lorenzo the river troll had to dry off in the sun after taking a dip in a puddle.

But today is another story and I need to head out with my snow shovel yet again.

More Fun with Wet Felt

I'm still having way too much fun with wet felting. I made this piece based on a quick sketch from a figure drawing class. I wanted to experiment with using felt to create an image that would typically be drawn. I would like to have made it in the drawing studio directly from a live model, but the obstacles seemed insurmountable - hopefully I'll get another opportunity in the future. The felt image definitely needed something to activate it, so I experimented with stitching lines. This idea came from the work of Gerard Fromanger, a French artist whose work I happened to see in a magazine a few years ago. It was one of those images that had such a profound impact on me that I can still visualize it in my mind.

I've been experimenting with different surfacing techniques. The Whimsical Bird has a wing that lifts off the surface (achieved by using a resist). The bird feathers and the Whimsical Lion main and tail are made from mohair which does not felt well and consequently lifts off the surface.

 All three pieces are float mounted on fabric stretched on canvas stretchers.

Debbie's House

I recently finished a drawing for a dear friend of mine. She has a lovely home in the woods and wanted something to remind her of this place that holds a special place in her heart. I have dabbled at drawing but this is my first attempt at something like this. Thank you Debbie for entrusting your memories with me.

Upcoming ACAD Fibre Miniature Show and Fibre Fortnight

Lots of art stuff coming up including the ACAD Fibre Miniature Show. This challenged me to make a mini landscape and a mini-mouse to support the Fibre Arts program at ACAD. Funny how it works that small stuff can be more difficult to manage than working on a comfortable scale. Crazily enough the little mice are just too endearing so I now have a mini rodent infestation developing in my studio.

Travels

Apologies for the time since my last update - winter got to be too much so we decided to take a long driving trip to warmer climates including Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

Then we headed across to Sonoma to connect with a friend whom I haven't seen since High School. It is amazing how much time has passed, but how much we still have in common. We took a lovely wine tour which has inspired me to try another felt landscape when I get the chance. Then we headed up the beautiful coastline, eventually arriving in Victoria to another cold spell. All in all the trip went very well and I came away with feeling blessed to live on such a diverse and beautiful continent.

We certainly lucked out with the weather for driving except the last leg home from Victoria which was snowy, wet, and ugly, never mind the stops for avalanche control (especially the part where we were stopped in a line-up for over an hour beside a sign saying that stopping was prohibited because of avalanche hazard). I did manage to get some felting done while on the trip including the squirrel buddy to the left. Notice that I left his ears off until I got home so that he did not have to listen to me whining about the road conditions.

A Break from School

Ahhhh  - it is nice to be taking a break from school although I miss it. I'm starting to work on projects that I did not have time to think about while going to school. Last summer I happened across a fun fiber show and sale in Victoria called Fibrations. I picked up all sorts of interesting fibers including some uncombed fleece dyed in rainbow colours. It has been calling out to me from my studio and I have been anticipating experimenting. It works really well as funky looking fur and hair so have been busy making some new creatures.