Summer 2013

This is how we started, pulling out of driveway for the Summer of 2013 adventure.

First stop with friends near Oakland. Then we were off to SF to the deYoung Museum. The Berkeley years, an exhibit of Richard Diebenkorn.  I love his figurative work.  I love how the gestures of the arms and lilt of the body tell a story.  I bought, rather Tom bought the book.  So much for No More Books.

Then across the city for fish tacos.  (We are on the hunt for the best fish tacos. For the moment Colima's in Santa Ana holds the trophy).

  Dinner in Alameda darn near under a bridge with Karen, Eric and Pam

Then a day with cousin Karen, one of the people who has known me the longest

 A ukulele lesson on Monday eve.  All about finger picking the melody line.  I was lost, Tom enjoyed.

These were felted yarn pieces - yarn bombing with a twist .

Mendicino Art Center in Mendicino.  Lots of family history and good camping times tied to this area.

Driving through one of the redwood trees you can drive through.  We drove up the pacific coast and through the impressive redwoods.  It had been years.

We stopped at Ananse Village in Fort Bragg especially to visit with Rebecca.  I have loved her imported fair trade African batik fabrics for years.  I hung around her booth at quilt shows and we became friends.    I will dip a separate post on her and her foundations and the people whose lives are better.loved seeing her and the enormous store.  She had no black and white batiks, a quilter bought them all.  A 6000 LB container was due Friday.

Art Museum in Eureka, a former Carnegie Free Llibrary.  It had been headed towards distraction but was saved and it is marvelous.

Folk art by Romano Gabriel in Eureka.  He wanted a garden where one would not grow.  Spent much of his life filling his yard and home with flowers and people to enjoy, amazing.

California coast on way to Oregon.

Dinner with Brian at another new favorite spot.

Portland has amazing food.  The meat and potatoe folks might be a little too faint of heart, or however that saying goes.  

DAY 9 of this adventure.  Off to sort of near by Sauvie Island for berry and veggie picking.

This picture of Brian and Tom is my favorite.

Today we made Orange Ginger Marmelade.  We brought oranges from our tree at home. And we made blueberry/marionberry jam.  Pickles are in process, bread and butter and an old family recipe from tom's family for India pickles.  Will need to report back on these.

Along the way I have spent time with a quilter friend, Tom bought more Oregon Black Walnut wood, a dear young man and his son dropped by, had a pilates class.

In My Quilt World.  I have an interview article in In Stitches, an E, online magazine.  And I hear a quilt of mine is featured in Quilting Arts for an ad for In Stitches.  All is good.

Bergermont Station and more

Today Tom and I took a field trip to Bergermont Station and more.  It is a century old landmark, a train station.  It is now a collection of commercial art galleries, Santa Monica Museum of Art and a great paper store.  We saw art, some more pleasing than others and had lunch. 

These traffic cones are wonderful - ideas abound. 

While driving we passed a few that needed much love.

At Tom's suggestion we left Bergermont and headed to 2 of my favorite thrift store - both on Santa Monica Blvd. 

Not full size but big

For Sale -

These Giraffe were  for sale at the thrift store .  They were metal, I knocked and forgot to ask the price.  I did buy a metal lamp shade.  Bought the floor lamp that went with it - it was $ 10. with or without the shade. (I forgot to take a photo  - later )

Then a creative way home.

side of building on Pico Blvd.

We passed fun art on Pico Blvd.

what do you suppose they make here ?

 We did stop at Erin's home in Belmont Shore (part of Long Beach), walked her dogs, dropped of a birthday present and headed home.  It made a nice day.  Tom is retired and we often forget we can go and do - in the middle of the week. 

We saw ART, had lunch out to celebrate a birthday and go home safely -

workshop at the Hammer Museum

Yesterday - Tuesday April 23, the "girls who meet on Tuesday" had a field trip - we took a workshop at the Hammer Museum.  the Hammer is on Wilshire Blvd.  right next to UCLA.  Lots of energy.  We participated in an "embroidery drawing workshop exploring the idea of an 'ideal home.'"  Artist Anila Rubiku, is the artist in residence and we helped with her project.  Participants were multi-generational and multi cultural.  At times I felt we were at the UN,  I knew we had left suburbia and came out from behind the "orange curtain".  Between the workshop and a great lunch at the Hammer cafe and the drive home, we were gone all day.

 Karen and Susan working  = Susan chose to draw, punch and then start to stitch.  She discovered the more holes she punched the more stitches.  

 The house/embroidery I selected.  The thread was green but it doesn't show here.

 The back side of my stitching and the front side.  My house has a 50's with a baseball glove chair.

 the inside of a finished house

 the outside of a finished house

 The illuminated house - this one was larger than the ones we attempted. 

If I got the vision correctly - the houses will be placed on an illuminated plexi field, LED lights placed appropriately.  The village will glow.  I may have the concept wrong but the time spent with my friends - old and new - was great.  Artist Anila Rubiku = please visit her website at
anila_Rubiku

Studio 74, Fresno

I recently joined California Fiber Artists - a group of about 35 fiber artist in California who exhibit, that is the focus.  The first show of the year just opened.  I was not there for the opening reception but Tom and I will be dropping by this week  This gallery is in the arts district.  We are lucky that most cities have one. 

This is my piece in the show - it is 12" by 60".  The base is cotton with layers of silk organza and commercial japanese handmade papers.  I screen printed the line images of flowers and folage on the base fabric and on organza.  I ran the paper through my Epson color printer.  It is machine stitched and embellished.  It is like looking out a window, what you might see.

At the opening the artist attending gathered and spoke.  Notice my piece in right behind them - yeah.

The seasons gathered together

Probably 5 yrs. ago now, I was invited to participate in an ongoing art quilt exhibition - The Noble Seasons.  One a year,  I did all four.  Each quilt is approximately 34" long but width varies. They are, Spring Break, A Summer Parade, Gram-ma with an ax in Minnesota in the fall , On a winter's day.  they are currently hanging in my studio - just to see and inspire.
 

Minnie - a friend's mothers best friend                                                     Violet is 15 in this 1931 pic
The skirt is the best.

this photo found in estate sale photo album

                  Violets'Mother                                                      

                     

Almost April

 I cannot play catchup with the months in between so we will just go from here.

 

  Saturday Eve. we attended opening reception at the City of Brea Gallery's Made in California juried show.  This is the view, my art quilt - The Other Down Under - front and center in the window.  It is flanked by 2 black and white etchings of birds.  I must say it looks wonderful and I am thrilled.  It was a fun reception - thank you Brea.




My art quilt - Life Happens In The Space Between - was at the Oceanside Museum of Art November thru January in Fiber Interpretations.  We were paired with quilt in the larger Quilt National exhibition.  I remain thrilled to have been asked to participate.  The quilt is now home and ready for another adventure.

She Had Flowers In Her Hair And Expectations  - continues to travel. 

Wyoming continues

Moose at the end but first a few favorites - this was in Shoshoi, Wy. Loved the stuff.


The trees off the deck in the evening.


We went to the rehearsal of the Teton symphony rehearsal. Music was great and I played with new camera with 20x zoom.





You can almost read the music and might be the start of a quilt or collage.


Still in Teton Village, we didn't ride but many were waiting.


In the words of Portlandia, "put a bird on it". - somehow makes it art.


Drum roll, this morning a mama and baby appeared just beyond the deck. Neighbor has a salt lick, the main attraction. We enjoyed watching for a long time. Tom was almost late for golf.





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