Busy as always . . .

Yes…I know, it’s been awhile.  With my fiber arts, exhibit work, workshops, Operation Kid Comfort, and let’s not forget the family, there’s just not enough hours in the day.  Perhaps it is time to enlist one of my many grandchildren to take on the reporting for me.  Well, on to the news . . .

Hollyhocks III

Hollyhocks III a commission piece that now hangs in the Admitting Waiting Room of the new UNC Cancer hospital in Chapel Hill, NC.   I got to see it hanging while at the hospital for my five year – AND LAST – checkup, and found ii in a spot where it will lighten the mood of many.  It is such an honor to be part of this great institution that has saved so many lives, my own included.

The base for the flower is photo-transfer from photos I took in the Ring family garden in Braintree, Massachusetts a few years back.  I added a bit of paint, and then heavily thread painted the blossom.  The background is a mottled orange commercial fabric that I bleached out a grid on using chicken wire for the ‘stamp’.  And then (of course), I embellished with beads, lots of beads, and some yarn.

Rabbit Moon is based on a Mayan hieroglyph that tells the story of the rabbit on the moon.  I grew up with the man on the moon and his cheese, Mayans see a rabbit.

Rabbit Moon

The background is commercial fabric that I rusted (see my earlier post).  I then traced, stitched and painted the hieroglyph, and fused the pots. It is finished off with machine quilting and again, lots of beads.

Red Woods, is not complete yet, but it is small enough to scan, so I thought I’d share my progress.  I’ll spend the next few evenings adding some white and red beads.  The black border is irregular.  I’m not sure I’ll leave it that way, or square it off.  When its done, I’ll post the finished product.

Red Woods in progress

Trash to Treasure . . .

"Untitled" is 17" x 10"

Here’s a couple of pieces that use recycled wrappers. I’ve read quite a bit about using ©Tyvek in fiber art. I’ve been experimenting for some time with it. I love the results of this light weight version that are thrown away every day as wrappers.

Untitled is painted wrappers, that are layered. I then printed directly on the sheet with my ink jet printed. After stitching over the printed lines, I got out my trusty heat gun and had at it. I like how layers of color interm

ix. The feel of the finished piece is almost like a leather.
What do you think?

The second piece using wrappers, Overseas, was sold through the Fiber Art for a Cause. In fact, all three of the little quilts I donated were sold! Virginia Speigel and her gang raised a total of $190,000 over seven years with this project. What an impact they have made!

The painted, fused, stitched and distressed wrappers make up the fabric’ of the sea. Don’t be shy about leaving your comments. I’d love to hear from you. Can you guess where the wrappers came from?