Travel Always Inspires

A recent trip to Asheville NC and the Biltmore Industries art community 

 provided some inspiration.  The message above says a lot. The link takes you to the site of

 Daniel Essig, a book artist I've admired for years. His studio in in one of the historical buildings. The history of the fabric, tailoring & wood carving that took place there in it's heyday is worth a read.

The car museum had wonderful specimens ripe for photos. 

 

 The Grove Park Inn was a masterpiece of Arts & Crafts architecture, furniture, rugs, & light fixtures.

We spent a day in Asheville in galleries, shops & eateries. In a gallery of  the now defunct Black Mountain College they had several pieces by Ruth Asawa.  I had recently learned of  her wire sculptures in an Improvised Life post & was enthralled with her work. To see them up close in person was a real treat!

I have been busy in my studio with more fabric vessels, being a vendor in a local art fair, & an attempt to stay engaged while recovering from a little foot surgery. Photos of the vessels and art fair comments to follow soon.

Contain Yourself

I am delighted to be one of the 22 vendors at the Merry Makers Marketplace at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Traverse City on November 17th & 18th.  I will also be one of three artists doing a talk next Tuesday for "Coffee @ 10" as part of the promotion for the event. 

I have been in creation mode to get many fabric boxes done in preparation. 

I  refer to them as Functional Self Art, with the prompt to "Contain Yourself" 

on my tags & cards for the fair. 

 

  

 The process has multiple phases. From the first layer of paint on the canvas, then three or more layers of texture & stencils, covering the sturdy Pelon with a fabric for the liner, to the pieces being sewn to create the final structure. I truly enjoy the entire endeavor as well as coming up with my own patterns for each size & shape of container. 

Stay tuned for how this goes. It's my market research for the containers I've been obsessed with. 

I'm a Bag Lady

I can't help myself. Paint on fabric that becomes little bags. It's my thing right now.

 

Background layer.

The thought process of what colors, imagery, & in what order is what sucks me in. 

Then the decision of when to stop has to be made. 

Titan Buff ovals were the final layer. 

 This card from a friend was my inspiration.

 

  This little book is so helpful in mixing acrylics to get the color I have in my head. 

Although this book is for watercolor, it points me in the right direction. This is a 2007 edition. 

The link above is for a more current & inclusive edition for oil & acrylic. 

Then this happened.

 A new set of decisions to be made. 

I could have stopped here but couldn't resist the spiral I added seen in the finished bag.