SPECIAL EFFECTS

 

I am not a photographer and don't pretend to be but lately I have been playing with some simple software in an effort to determine how to transfer some special effects into art quilts.  The black and whites were done to look at dark and light without being distracted by color.  

The more I play the more I like the effects.  This is a new way of looking at fiber art for me and I am enjoying it.  Others have perfected this art but I am learning that the journey of exploration is where the fun is.  I am getting good ideas from all of this and hope to turn the above photo into an art quilt.  

PROMISES, PROMISES

I try so hard not to break promises and I cringe to myself every time I do.  Good intentions abound when a promise is given but sometimes things happen that makes keeping a promise impossible or at the very least, unlikely.  Take this blog for instance.  I promised myself that I would keep my readers updated where the studio redo was concerned.  Instead, I have been busy doing other things like helping my husband with the bedroom renovation.  (I promised him I would help).  It seems like breaking a promise to help someone else is how it always starts.

I also promised to keep up with my blog every day but that hasn't happened either.  Mostly because I do so many things in a day that the computer always takes a back seat. Perhaps trying to blog every day is not a goal I can keep for right now.  Perhaps what I really need to do is blog on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week and I have a chance to write more often I will.

In the meantime....I promise to work on keeping my promises!

A STUDIO REMAKE

Left side of studio where my long arm is. 

The spring like weather has gotten to Jay and I in  a big way.  If you look at the right side of the studio in this picture you can see the tv sitting on top of a long table.  I plan to remove the table and tv and build shelves from floor to ceiling.  This will help me to organize much more efficiently by getting things off the floor and onto shelves.  

In the meantime, Jay is going to be downstairs ripping out the paneling which is in the office and replacing it with tongue and groove pine.  It is going to be amazing when it is finished.  Then off it is to the great outdoors and the gardens.  How wonderful!!!!!.

STILL FISHING!!!!!

The weather is back to more seasonable temps and quite frankly, I am a bit happy about it.  It isn't that I don't like warm temperatures.  I do.  But what I really enjoy is the transition from one season to the next.  Spring, then summer, then fall, then winter.  It is hard on my body to go from winter to summer.  The lack of  seasonal transitions was by far the hardest thing for me to handle when I lived in the south.  Air-conditioning aside, it just didn't feel right for this northerner.

The cooler temps makes it easier to stay in the studio.  In the picture above  I am working on my fish quilt.  It is coming along quite nicely even though I am not sure if I like it yet.  It has been fun working on it though and that is what is most important to me.  I especially like the beaded fishing hook although I am not sure it fits. What do you think?  Should I keep it?

ARTISTS' BILL OF RIGHTS

I was a pinterest member until I read the article on "Pinterest verses ethics and the Law" which can be found here:  http://artists-bill-of-rights.org/news/campaign-news/pinterest-versus-ethics-and-the-law-%11-part-1/.  I know that it is a long link but I think that it is important for everyone who creates, appreciates and lives their art to maintain an ethical stance concerning the beauty that others create.  Since reading the article and going back to fully reading the legal terms of being a member of pinterest, I have decided to delete my account and have removed the pin from this blog.  I believe in the rights of others and try to be respectful and considerate.  I would want others to do the same for me.

THE FINAL RESULT

This is the final quilting that I did.  The top, bottom, and sides were done in a soft grey.  

MACHINE QUILTING

I really love this quilt.  Unfortunately, the person I was quilting this for had decided that she wanted the entire quilt machine quilted in lime green.  I love lime green but I wasn't sure about doing the entire quilt that way.  There were so many pieces that were just beautiful and I was afraid the quilting would distract from them.  It is always a balancing act.  So I decided to pencil in the design I thought might work and when I was finished I knew that the lime green would have to be limited.  But before I made the final decision, I took the quilt to my customer for her final thoughts.  She agreed that the lime green should be limited.