Sketchbook, Quilts, Paintings and Everyday Matters

"Zydeco" Hand Painted Reduction Linocut

2010-09-24T13:57:00.001-07:00

These are reduction linocuts, painted with watercolor and gesso. There are 7 in this series.

"Dancer II" Hand Painted Linocuts

2010-09-24T13:49:00.001-07:00

These are reduction linocuts which I then painted with watercolor and gesso to achieved the desired effects. In reduction linocuts, the linoleum block gets cut away each time a new color of ink is used, so at the end of the process the linoleum block is destroyed. For this series, there are 10 prints. The image is 5" x 7".

"Breeze" I, II, and III

2010-09-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

These are collographs with pencil, watercolor, and gesso. The image is 8" x 10". In a collograph, a collage is created using textural elements and by cutting away layers of the base, in this case illustration board. Glue, gesso, gel medium, threads, and relief techniques were all used to create the basic plate. After sealing the plate with gel medium, I then inked the plate in various ways for each printing, using dampened Canson acid free 98 lb. paper for the print.

3 New Paintings

2010-08-23T11:02:00.001-07:00

From top to bottom: "Shifting Light", "Mississippi Sunset", "Mississippi Summer II" , all are acrylic on canvas, and all are 48" by 36".

Now Playing at the Mockingbird

2010-08-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

These paintings and more will be on view at the Mockingbird Cafe starting the second Saturday in August. I will be exhibiting with my dear friend, Kat Fitzpatrick, and other artists. To see Kat's beautiful encaustics, go here: www.katfitzpatrick.com

The Mockingbird Cafe is in Bay St. Louis, MS, and is full of small-town, old-fashioned charm, while at the same time celebrating and supporting local visual and musical artists. Come spend some time listening to music, visiting with the locals, and be sure to sample the yummy Mockingburger.

Swing Dancer

2010-07-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

Based on a series of sketches I have made of swing dancing, inspired by my son's love of jazz. This is a large mixed media painting, 48" x 60". Thread, muslin, gesso, matte medium, and ink, on primed, stretched canvas.

Mixing it up

2010-07-25T10:07:00.001-07:00

More experimental pieces, using thread, hand-dyed muslin, matte medium, ink, and gesso. These are small, 8 x 10 and 11 x 14.

Four more thread drawings

2010-07-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Continuing the thread drawing series, these are all 8" x 10" and mounted on stretched canvas using matte medium. I have added gesso to the one at the top, "Sleep". Don't think I will use it for any of the others, but am planning on making a large piece this weekend, 48" x 60" and may incorporate gesso on that one. We'll see. Hope you enjoy these little experiments, hopefully I'll be back next week to post a pic of the larger one, if it is successful.

Mississippi Summer (thread drawing)

2010-07-20T14:37:00.001-07:00

The last thread drawing of the day. Maybe. This one was a good bit larger, 18" x 24" and my back is killing me! I think I need a better chair at my sewing desk. Thanks for all the kind comments on the original thread drawing post.

Drawing with Thread

2010-07-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

These are small pieces, none over 10" in any direction. Machine embroidery on muslin, mounted on gesso board with matte medium. Green one has an overlay of silk organza, also attached with matte medium. I like the effect of the loose threads, a foil to the precise lines of the drawing.

Back to Quilting...

2010-07-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

Here are some quilts I have finished recently. The first one is based on the "Storylisteners" sketches here on my blog, from last year's Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. It is 48" x 48". I will be working on more quilted pieces based on the remaining sketches. The other one is "Blue Glasses", 50"x40", based on a drawing in one of my sketchbooks from the 80's.

The Listeners at the Storytelling Festival '09

2009-10-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Storytelling Festival '09 in Jonesborough, TN was wonderful as always. For the three days we were there, I could see how all the different stories touched hearts and tickled funny bones. I spent some time drawing the faces around me and have posted them here. I hope you enjoy them and are able to see the wonderment and pathos the masterful stories elicited.

The Listeners at the Storytelling Festival '09

2009-10-06T09:06:00.001-07:00

The Listeners at the Storytelling Festival '09

2009-10-06T09:03:00.001-07:00

The Listeners at the Storytelling Festival '09

2009-10-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Listeners at the Storytelling Festival '09

2009-10-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

The Listeners at the Storytelling Festival '09

2009-10-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Drawings from the Week of 9/11/01

2009-09-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

These are the drawings I made during the week following the disastrous events on 9/11/01. I've never shown them before but felt like sharing them today in remembrance of all those who lost their lives and/or were witnesses to the destruction and terror.

#15 A Tree

2009-06-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

Stone Mountain, GA in the middle of a heatwave. My daughter can sniff out Starbuck's like no one else, and she found one at a resort hotel on the mountain. We went in and I had my usual Venti Lowfat Iced Chai and cooled off enough to draw this tree that was right outside the window. Ahhhh.

#86 and #182

2009-06-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

A truck and a road sign somewhere in Alabama on I-20.

#60 Cars

2009-06-24T14:10:00.001-07:00

Drawing while riding in the car with my husband and two sons, listening to Blues Traveler and reminiscing about the great weekend we had in Atlanta and Augusta.

#35 A Bicycle

2009-06-24T14:07:00.001-07:00

My husband kindly tried to stay behind this car long enough for me to get the details I needed. We were on our way home from AtlantaFest, a 3-day Christian music festival. It is hard to draw as we are hurtling 75 mph down the road but I persisted.

#58, # 118, & #134

2009-06-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Someone familiar (my friend Sandra) from an unusual angle, her hair, and her hat. We were sitting at AtlantaFest listening to music, and I was sitting behind Sandra, drawing. Her daughter is a vocalist (amazingly beautiful voice) for our kids' band, LifeJam. It was a fantastic three days on top of Stone Mountain.

#40 and #228 Funny Folds

2009-06-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Again, at AtlantaFest. This guy was not going to miss the speakers or the music, but used a t-shirt on top of his head to block the rays. It made me giggle. I really enjoyed drawing this young man as he sat so still listening to the inspirational messages.

#217 & #178 A Red Umbrella

2009-06-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

This red umbrella was actually hooked up to someone's chair at the AtlantaFest. It was being used to block the sun in the extreme heat on top of Stone Mountain in Georgia. There was nothing to do but sit and listen and draw, a group of us sat in the shade of one of those portable shelters and tried not to melt from the heat. We were visiting the AtlantaFest because our kids are in a band called LifeJam that qualified for the Talent Search. A great time was had by all!

#29 Something Architectural

2009-06-12T13:21:00.001-07:00

This is the building where my boys have taken guitar lessons for the last five years. I have spent many quiet hours sitting outside this building, reading, working the crossword, or listening to music. This was the first time I've ever drawn it.

#10 My Hand

2009-06-12T13:16:00.001-07:00

Here is my hand, holding down the sketchbook so I could draw it with my other hand. I have some new watercolor paints from Russia, so this was my first paint sketch with my new paints. I mixed them with gouache for the skin tones.

#227 (Tote Bag) and #1 (Shoes)

2009-06-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is the tote bag I made for myself this summer. It is large enough for whatever summer throws at me, plus I can carry my sketchbook around in it. The shoes are super-comfy Skechers and I wear them often.

Another Simple Woman's Post

2009-06-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

For Today (or tonight)...

Outside my window...stars and humidity

I am thinking...how the simplest things are sometimes complicated, and vice versa.

From the learning rooms...very quiet, it's summer and the kids are tired from band practice...school is at a minimum
I am thankful for... my family
From the kitchen...the unwashed evidence of a wonderful, tropical meal of Mahi-Mahi Burgers with pineapple salsa and avocado.
I am wearing... blue jeans, white top with lace on sleeves and neck
I am reading...World Made by Hand
I am hoping...that there will be a good outcome for the two journalists in North Korea
I am creating...art
I am praying...for faith
Around the house... books, guitars, dogs, art supplies, grocery bags, phones off of their chargers
One of my favorite things...sitting in the living room with my husband, winding down after a long day
A few plans for the rest of the week...finish Spanish II, Exodus and Astronomy Exam

#52 Who's a Good Boy?

2009-06-01T06:12:00.001-07:00

This is our beloved dog, Apollo. He is so named because my husband and I grew up during the Space Race and my dad worked on the Apollo launch missions. He is a really good dog, a lab/St. Bernard mix so is constantly trying to rescue us from danger. Here I have captured him taking a much needed rest. He's such a great dog that we really don't mind if he takes the best chair in the house from time to time. :)

#90 Something with Wings...for my daughter

2009-06-01T06:09:00.001-07:00

This little dragonfly was sitting on the porch table yesterday. I drew it for my daughter and sent her the image over email, because she loves dragonflies. Several times they have just come to her and sat on her shoulder. One of her friends said it is because she is magic. Anyway, here is Lizzie's dragonfly drawing.

#122 Shady porch

2009-06-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

This is a drawing of my front porch, light and shade are exaggerated for the sake of the drawing. I struggled with this one and still not sure if I like it, but there are elements that I do like.

#224 Draw a Jug or a Pitcher

2009-05-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

This pitcher was given to me a few years ago by my good friend, Dolores.

#76 Draw Some Flowers

2009-05-27T07:57:00.001-07:00

I drew this hibiscus on a very sunny but windy day.

#96 Draw Something Sweet

2009-05-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is my sweet little Grandson, Jackson. I don't know anything sweeter, except perhaps his baby brother. I caught a few minutes of sketching while he was being read to by his mom.

#44 Draw an Animal

2009-05-27T07:50:00.001-07:00

Out at my friend Maggie's house the other day, I sketched one of her horses very quickly as it did not want to stand in one place for very long . I went back in with paint later. Maggie lives on a huge piece of property and has many horses and dogs. Her kids were celebrating birthdays and we were there enjoying a waterslide, hamburgers, and crawfish. Mmmm good.

#54 Someone I Love

2009-05-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

This is my youngest, Will. It was rare to see him sitting still so I pulled out the sketchbook and drew him. Will is the youngest of five, and will soon be 16. I still think of him as the baby of the family. The drawing surprised me, it made me see how much he has really grown up.

Modern Still Life (#137)

2009-05-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

As I waited to leave one morning I sat down to draw what was sitting on the kitchen table. This is the result...

Something hot, and breakfast (#142 & #162)

2009-05-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

This is a pot of grits sitting next to the frying pan. Can you tell we live in the South?

Cooking (#179, #75, #159, & # 147)

2009-05-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

In this drawing is an onion, a wooden cutting board, my favorite cooking tool (Cuisinart food processor), and some of the ingredients for one of our favorite recipes.

Crawfish Etoufee over Polenta

Saute' chopped onions and celery in olive oil.

Add 2 lbs. crawfish tails and a little minced garlic.

Add a splash of vermouth.

Add 2 cans diced tomatoes.

Simmer on med heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Server over broiled round slices of polenta.

Yum.

Bread and knives (#218 & #84)

2009-05-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

I drew the brown bread and knives at Outback last week when I went out to dinner with my husband.

Tomatoes, 1st cherry tomato, and chicken bones

2009-05-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

Food Sketches

2009-05-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

Food and I go way back. So I thought, why not spend some time really looking at it? See some beauty in it instead of always stressing about it. What to eat, what not to eat, when to shop for food, how much money to spend on food, what to fix for dinner, who likes broccoli, who hates salmon, run out for eggs and orange juice, etc. etc. etc.

A new approach to food.

handmade journal/organizer

2009-04-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

I've been working quite a few days on this handmade journal. Each page has an organza pocket for holding papers, bills, checkbooks, ipods, cell phones or whatever. A few pages have a spill proof design for smaller or more valuable items, like buttons or coins. I liked the idea of making an artist's book, but then I wanted to be able to use it for everyday life, not just sitting on a shelf somewhere. Hopefully it will help me to stay more organized!

The pages are made from a piece of peltex (or timtex...can't remember the name of it) covered with batting and a piece of silk on which one of my sketchbook pages is printed. Then I quilted each page. On the backs of the quilted pages was plain cotton fabric, which I then covered with gesso and embellished with pencil and fine tip pen by writing random thoughts about the image. Also I used watercolor on top of the gesso. Then when each page was dry I attached organza for the pockets.

Finally I stitched it together using a french bookbinding technique, and attached a fabric spine just to neaten it up a bit. Edges are satin stitched. I hope you enjoy looking at it and get some ideas to make your own organizing journal!

#6

2009-04-07T12:13:00.001-07:00

Odyssey #5

2009-04-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

Cut it up again, painted, machine appliqued onto a new piece of canvas, also painted...I think this one is done now.

The Odyssey continues...

2009-04-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here are more quilt/paintings that I have been making in the last few days.

Odyssey

2009-04-04T15:15:00.001-07:00

"Odyssey" is the result of cutting up an older painting that was going nowhere, and now it's taking me on a different kind of journey. Not a painted quilt...a quilted painting!

2009-04-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here is the quilted, painted, cut-up, appliqued quilt. Can you see the dancer?

Hawaiian Springtime finished!

2009-03-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

Finally finished Hawaiian Springtime, it is 28 1/2" x 28 1/2", embellished with Shiva Paintsticks.

Hawaiian Springtime

2009-03-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

This work in progress is called "Hawaiian Springtime". Sort of a traditional hawaiian style art quilt, made with stripped and pieced leftover fabrics. If you look closely you can see dancing ladies. It is approx. 23" x 23". I hope to quilt it later on today. Depends on how the weekend goes!

Welcome Spring!

2009-03-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

I have no real plan for this yet, but it makes me happy because it looks like Spring. The azaleas are in bloom down here, and pretty soon the wisteria will make its appearance. Then in April, all the roses will be in bloom. I love it! Tune in later to see what becomes of this scrap quilt top...

Le Cirque quilt completed!

2009-03-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

This quilt is 84"x 96" and there is a narrow orange binding. The photo is poor quality because it was dark in the room, my sons were holding it up to the ceiling on wobbly footstools, and I snapped it quickly to give them some relief. I will try to take a better photo at another time, and maybe a few close-ups of areas that are hard to see.

2009-03-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

I am about halfway through quilting the blocks of my quilt. So far so good, going pretty slow and small areas at a time.

Anniversary Quilt progress...

2009-02-19T07:14:00.001-08:00

Ok my squares are sewn together and now I am adding bits and pieces to unify the quilt. It only took 42 squares, not 81!!! Each block is 12".

Anniversary Quilt continued...

2009-02-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

Here are more squares for Le Cirque Anniversary quilt. So far I have about half the squares done for my 81 square quilt.

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-02-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

I made these little quilted bird coasters for my mom's birthday today. The bird I carved from a foam block, then inked it with fabric dye, stamped the fabric and then cut, sewed, and quilted.

They are nice and flat so no tipping wine glasses or crooked sodas.

Another square for the Anniversary quilt

2009-02-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

Anniversary Quilt

2009-02-13T08:38:00.001-08:00

This is a new project, an Anniversary quilt for my husband. It needs to be finished by July 9th, or it will have to be changed to a Birthday quilt! We both love Cirque du Soleil, so the quilt squares will all be appliqued with various images inspired by Le Cirque. I am drawing these images from my memory and imagination onto the back of the fusible material, so each one will be different. I have a long way to go as this is going to be a big quilt.

9 Pages completed

2009-02-13T08:37:00.001-08:00

more random projects from the last year:

2009-01-30T12:08:00.001-08:00

Random projects from the past year:

2009-01-30T11:51:00.001-08:00

What I'm working on now

2009-01-30T11:42:00.001-08:00

I love deconstructing quilts and then putting them back together. For this one, as usual I started with drawings from my sketchbooks. I drew them onto muslin and quilted following the pencil lines. For one quilt I free-motion quilted all around the image, then went back into it with paint sticks. For another quilt I left the lines of the drawing very simply quilted. I then cut up the two quilts, one in 2" strips, one in 3" strips, then proceeded to re-construct one quilt. This is the result so far. I will still go back and put backing and more batting, and do some more quilting, most likely just around the stripes.