New print, "Bloom"

I thought this piece had gone to the "point of no return."  It's been sitting on my desk for some time now, waiting to be salvaged, cut up, or chucked entirely.  This week, I finally took one last stab at completing the work.  I have found that many times, this problem-solving stage yields some of my most creative works.  I think it's because I am willing to take more risks at this juncture in the creative process.  

In this particular piece, I decided to create a more dramatic contrast by adding an indigo wash to the bottom portion of the work.  The dark background, in turn, allowed me to layer some patterns on top in lighter tones. 

I am very pleased with how the piece turned out and am just as enthusiastic about how it looks as a print! The colors are vibrant and the small details are preserved.  I really love how it looks in a white mat and frame.  For more info on the print, go to my Etsy shop here.
 

Rocks on my mind

 

I am in love with Paul Horiuchi's collage, Rock Garden (1960).  The use of color (or lack of) and the placement of objects make this piece so striking.  I also have a thing for rocks as exhibited in prior posts here and here.  I think I took more photos of rocks in my travels this summer than of friends and family! 

rocks at Tahoe and Crater Lake

You can imagine my delight when I recently came across Margaret Oomen's crochet covered stones.

 

They are simply gorgeous (my favorites being in the second row).  You can try to snatch one in her Etsy shop if you're lucky.  If you're interested in making one of your own, there is a fabulous tutorial on The Purl Bee.  The instructions are relatively easy to follow as long as you know the basic crochet stitches. I just happened to have a round rock sitting on my desk, so I made this crochet cover for it. 

I love the idea of a hidden message on the underside.  The crochet cover framing the message actually reminds me of a hoodie around a face.  So, that got me thinking about making these little guys. 

 

I have a feeling there will be more rock people to come.  Already picked up three rocks this afternoon from the gravel road nearby. 

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Just posted is an interview featuring yours truly.  Check it out here.  Thanks Chrissy!

Following my favorite blogs

I started following blogs on a regular basis when I started my own blog about a year ago. Like many readers, I either used blogger or google reader to get the latest posts.  Then I discovered feedly, which lays out all my favorite blogs in an orderly and eye-catching fashion.

To read an article, you just click on the title, and a window opens with all the images and text in the post.  All the links are still active, and commenting on a blog is as easy as clicking on the title again.  I can browse titles of new posts in less than a minute, which is quite handy for catching the latest giveaways!

Pikaland, one of my favorite art blogs, is actually running a great giveaway right now.   Up for grabs is a spot in one of their online classes! This Fall, they are offering a few different courses for artists who are wanting to hone in on their style and develop their online presence.  A winner will be chosen this Wednesday, so head over here for more information.

New works, "Spirit" and "Feather Lake"

When I start a new piece, I rarely work from a sketch.  I lay down a watercolor wash first and work in the details as I go.  This was the case with my latest piece, Spirit, which I had been working on for the past few days.  

I usually use pen, ink, and marker for detail work.  I like using ink when I am wanting an opaque look, like the chevron design.  One kind of ink I use is shellac-based, so when it dries, it's like hard candy.  If you look at the right image below, you can see that the red ink is more reflective than the other colors. 

Unfortunately, the shellac-based ink doesn't show up as well on prints. I went back and forth on uploading this piece in my Etsy shop as an original or print.  I ultimately decided to sell the work as a limited-editon print with hand painted features.  So, after I make a print, I touch up some of the colors by hand. 

Also new to my shop is an original piece called Feather Lake.  I like how it shows the different elements I normally incorporate in a composition, but in a more simplified way.  I picture this scene at a lake in the quiet hours of the morning. 

Five lovely swaps

A couple of weeks ago, I ran a swap-a-thon on the blog.  In exchange for a handmade or found item, I was offering one of my art prints.  I ended up swapping with five readers, including one from England!  Here's a look at my new goodies.

1.  Recycled felt circle garland by Katie.  Adorns the girls' space perfectly.  Now they're ready to throw a tea party!
2.  Handspun yarn (merino wool and tencel) by flyhoof.  Absolutely beautiful. I love the mix of colors, and it's so soft. 
3. Handmade dish towels by Annmarie.  Not only did Annmarie sew the towels, but she made her own stamps to use in the design.  Love it!
4.  Handmade gift card holder by Charissa.  Brilliant idea!  And it's so cute, I don't know if I want to gift it to someone. 
5.  Vintage Austrian napkin holders from Richelle.  Couldn't resist these in Richelle's Etsy shop.  The designs are so sweet, and they look great on my red dining room table.

Thanks again to everyone who participated!  I had such a blast with the swap-a-thon, I'm actually thinking of making it a biannual event.  I've penciled in early February for the next one!

Artists I like: Gunta Stölzl

Outside of quilting, I don't have much experience in the fiber arts, but I secretly fantasize about owning my own loom and knitting machine one day.  I even periodically check craigslist ads just to see if there's a "meant to be" sale (shh, don't tell my husband).

And then the logical side of my brain eventually kicks in, and I realize that I don't have the space or time to learn another art form.  So I wait, and I continue to drool over amazing wall hangings like these.

 
What is it about textiles on the wall that make me so weak in the knees?  Kathrin from Annekata first introduced me to the works of Bauhaus artist Gunta Stölzl, and my heart skipped a beat!  How could I have not known about Stölzl's art after years of art history courses?  I questioned the academic integrity of my alma mater for a moment while I was in utter awe of Stölzl's works.  

Everything about Stölzl's wall hangings excites me- the colorful palettes, the dynamic pattern displays, and the various woven textures.  It's hard to believe that the works shown here were created in the 1920s.  They still look so contemporary in design.

Stölzl's wall hangings span over six decades.  I love these two pieces completed in the later years of her career. In the second piece, the movement of lines is so much more organic.  And the colors pop against a neutral background, creating a sense of dimension. 

Stölzl's beautiful wall hangings and fabrics are catalogued here.  Also included are Stölzl's design studies.  Here are a couple of my favorites.  The one on the right looks like it could be a quilted piece.  I can see different block patterns, like the flying geese and the nine patch block. 

New work, "Midnight"

The scenic mountain ranges in Oregon never cease to amaze me.  Earlier this week, my husband took our girls backpacking in the wilderness near Mt. Jefferson.   I had some business in Bend to tend to, so I dropped them off here.

I spent the next two days with a dear friend of mine, and we had an art and projects retreat.   On the second day, I started this painting, "Midnight."  While I was working, a huge thunderstorm rolled in.  It dumped rain for the next few hours, and I couldn't help but worry about my family.

Fortunately, everyone was okay and stayed dry in the tent.  On the drive home, I enjoyed listening to all of their stories.  My husband described the beautiful lake, and the girls shared their adventures.

Yesterday, I decided to finish my painting "Midnight,"  and it took most of the day.  It was a lot of stop and go (i.e. blank stares and repainting).  The dark color palette kinda threw me off a little, but I am actually very happy with it now. 

I titled the work "Midnight" because this is what I envision the lake to have looked like at night.  A print of the painting can be found in my Etsy shop here. 

Simple solution to taking better product shots

My friend recently opened up an Etsy shop and wanted to know how to take decent photos of her journals.  She has a SLR digital camera, but her pictures were turning out dark.  This is a common problem that many encounter when taking product shots indoors.  The solution to brighter photos is relatively simple, and quite affordable!  Here's the advice I gave my friend:

1.  Take pictures by the brightest window.  This can change depending on the time of day.  Set your product within a few feet from the window and at a height that maximizes the light.  You don't want direct sunlight, however, coming in through the window. 

2.  To soften shadows and reflect the light coming through the window, use a tri-fold foam board (about $5 in a general store).

3.  For a white background, place a white poster board (non shiny side up) under the product.

4.  You'll most likely need to stand on a step stool or chair to take a product shot from overhead.

5.  With your camera on automatic, snap a picture and assess the light in the photograph.  You will need to adjust the shutter speed setting in manual mode if the white background looks blue or gray.  (The blue in your photographs can also be due to your white balance setting.)  

6.  After uploading your photographs, you may have to do some tweaking of photographs with a photo-editing program.  At the least, check the levels and make sure that the right arrow meets the right edge of the curve.