An Introduction

I'd like to introduce you to my fabulous painting instructor, Phyllis Shafer (www.phyllisshafer.com). I've learned everything I know about art from Phyllis. She is a fine artist, an incredible teacher and friend.

She has her 3rd solo show at the Stremmel Gallery (www.stremmelgallery.com) in Reno, Nevada this month. What's so interesting about Phyllis' shows is the fact that her work is almost sold out before the gallery even opens for the reception!

Her show features paintings of the Great Basin, as well, as other Nevada locations. The opening reception is Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.

A Great Opportunity

I've been given another great opportunity to show my work in the magazine Quilting Arts. I hope you will check it out.

New Website

My very good friend & web mistress, Loris Bogue, http://www.lorisboguedesigns.com/

has redesigned my website & it will be up and running shortly. I'm really excited about the change! It's exactly as I had envisioned it.

Commissions

A lot of time has gone by during my last entry.

During that time I completed a large commission piece for a wonderful lady in Delaware for her office. It was an interesting endeavor. We worked together to get the colors just right for with the light, painted surfaces and carpet. Not being able to visit the site, I simulated the proper light temperature and chose colors from my Dyeing Bible using her paint chips. Dyeing and over dyeing was required with many different formulas.

Here's some formula work with my Dyeing Bible and paint chips:

Then the fun began. I dyed over 20 yards of different silks: tussah, raw, twill, china, duponi. She commissioned a 7' x 5' apricot rose, so it took some time and a lot of fabric. It was great fun. And it was fun to get back to flowers after time off stitching the body embroideries.

Here's the final product that is happily hanging in her reception area:

The Space Between

I was given the opportunity to submit an entry for an exhibit entitled "The Space Between". My piece is related to my new found interest in x-rays, MRIs and other body imaging. I'm calling this piece, "Intervals".

You can also check out my interview being posted 5/20 at http://dinnerateightartists.blogspot.com/

Last of Exhibited Works

This image is the last of the exhibited works at the Foyer Gallery, Lake Tahoe Community College. The exhibit will continue through June 18th.

This piece was taken from an MRI. Values were determined then stitched onto hand-dyed silk, densely quilted with monofilament thread. The quilted and embroidered piece was then cut down and attached to a textile painted strip of linen/hemp canvas that was also heavily stitched.

Premature Babies

My friend and collaborator, Karen Rips (http://fiberartmusings.blogspot.com) loaned me some x-rays of premature babies. I was so struck by their tiny forms, struggling to get going in life.

I wanted to show these forms in stitchery and were the first embroideries where I used value to determine color.

And here they are individually: