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Martha Mood, fiber artist.

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

I was up in Monterey, Ca, this last weekend.  I visited the local library and found a book about a fiber artist I had never heard of. 

Her name is Martha Mood.   I actually don’t know that much about her since I spent more time looking over her amazing art than reading her bio.

She was a sculpter and a weaver.  But, she was best known for her fiber tapestries.

After looking them over in detail I believe that they are made up  with appliqued fabric and embroidery.  Her embroidery is painterly.  Her applique techniques appear to be needle turned and raw edge.  The over all impression of her work is loose and alive. 

I wasn’t able to find many images of her work.  But I did notice some of her work at different auction houses.  There is a book about her called, The Sublime Heritage of Martha Mood: The Story of Martha Mood, her Stitcheries, and the Tapestries Woven From Her Stitchery Designs (Volume I).  This book is out of print but you never know when a used copy will show up on Amazon.

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Posted in Artists, General Stuff | 4 Comments »

Holiday Hit List Craft Show

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

  As you know I did a craft show on Saturday and another on Sunday.  For the Sunday show I was a vendor at the San Diego North Park Craft Mafia - Holiday Hit List Craft Show. And guess what!  I forgot to take pictures!!!!!

This show was beautiful.  It was located inside the historic Masonic Hall.  A really cool old building.  The Ladies bathroom even had a lounge with a vanity.  The vendor area was highly decorated.  Besides the regular sort of Christmas decor one might see at this type of event they had men dressed as angels supported by wire hanging from the ceiling and a full size replica of the Nativity scene, which included a live donkey, camel and for some reason a tiger.  For the  finale of the show all the vendors and customers  joined hands and sang The Little Drummer Boy while a fake snow machine spit out chemical snow. I dare say not a person had a dry eye in the house,  but you’ll have to trust me on this since I forgot to take photo’s.  

When the doors opened there was a great flood of customers.  But the customers were not the only ones buying.  I think all the vendors made large strides toward finishing their Christmas shopping. I came away with jewelry (Artista Muerta),  soap (Meltdown Soaps) and a dog collar for Homer (Belle Pepper Couture).

I’m trying to get Homer a modelling contract with Belle Pepper Couture so I am submitting to them this ad -

Posted in Art, Art Prints, Artists, General Stuff, Musings | 3 Comments »

Doodle Stitching, The Motif Collection

Monday, November 15th, 2010

   

Doodle Stitching, The Motif Collection by Aimee Ray

You know what’s awesome?  Aimee Ray’s new book Doodle Stitching, the Motif Collection.   When I first started my blog I reviewed Aimee’s original book, Doodle Stitching.   What I love about this book is that her designs made you want to stitch.  Her new book continues this tradition by giving you all kinds of projects and embroidery designs that will inspire you to create.

   First of all, for you beginners, Doodle Stitching, the Motif Collection, starts by filling you in on tools, materials, pattern transfer methods and embroidery stitches.   This book also covers basic applique and hand sewing techniques.  All of this is to get you going on the projects. 

    Let me be honest, I do not make functional items, and I have trouble using a sewing machine.  In reading over all the projects in Doodle Stitching I could tell that even with my skills I would have no trouble creating all of the projects in this book (and I could probably do it with little to no cussing, too).    I particularly liked the projects where you embroider onto existing items, like the Sweet Baby Bodysuits, Farmer’s Market Tote Bag and the Hooped-Framed Embroidery Art.  Those are my kind of projects. 

   My absolute favorite project is the Soft Sculpture Trio.  The Soft Sculpture Trio is freakishly cute and has a detachable squirrel and bird.  I mean, OH my God, detachable squirrel and bird!    There is also a neat idea on making little tree leafs that I had never seen before, but frankly I can’t get over the detachable squirrel and bird.

  What do embroiders really want?  Artwork!  Doodle Stitching has 400 embroidery designs in this book.   They are grouped under headings like Baby, Farm Animals, and Woodland Animal.  Since Aimee is a great artist these designs are really good.  Her images are clean, simple and ever so cute.  In the back of the book is a CD with all of Aimee’s designs so that you can load them onto your computer and arrange them as you like.

I just know in the next few months I’m going to be adding some Doodle Stitching inspired stitchery to my Stitched by Hand Flickr group!

Thanks to Aimee you could have a chance to win her new book,  Doodle Stitching, the Motiff Collection!    Leave a  your name  in the comment section of this post by Nov. 23 at 12:00 am.  I will put everyones name into a hat and let my husband pull out a name of the winner.  The name will be posted on November 24th, 2010.  Good Luck!

Want to know more about Aimee Ray, aka Merwing, and her book?  Check out these links:

Aimee’s Web site-  http://www.dreamfollow.com/

Aimess’s books – http://www.dreamfollow.com/book.html

Aimee’s Blog – http://littledeartracks.blogspot.com/

Etsy store – www.littledear.etsy.com

Artfire Store – http://www.artfire.com/users/littledear

Fickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/merwing/

Posted in Artists, Books, Embroidery, Fun Stuff, General Stuff | 139 Comments »

You’re such a card.

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Go-Go Paperarts

 I was visiting San Diego today and I stopped by a fantastic little shop called, The Grove.   I was looking though their yarn, books, crafts and fabrics when I came upon on a lady working in a little nook up to her eyeballs in papery goodness.

Go-Go Paperarts

 Her name is Jo Madden and she is Go-Go Paper Arts, located in The Grove.   I don’t work with paper myself but I can see how there can be a addition similar to a fabric addiction.  Jo had all kinds of fun stuff that she uses to create her cards.

Go-Go Paper Arts creator, Jo Madden

I was drawn to her cards featuring little birds.  Her birds weren’t cranky, but I’ll forgive her.

Go-Go Paper Arts

 She had quite a few dog cards which I almost bought, but then I spotted some birthday gift cards and I snatch ALL of them up.

Go-Go Paper Arts

 See that pink bag (kind of in the middle & a little to the left).  Jo has been making bags but she is having a fight with the pink paper.  It’s not cooperating.  I believe the paper is evil.  I hope Jo wins.

Go-Go Paper Arts

 If you are in San Diego try to stop by The Grove and visit the lady in the back having a knock-down drag-out fight with some very evil pink paper.

Jo Madden: http://xoxojoma.vpweb.com/

The Grove 3010 Juniper Street, San Diego, CA / (619) 284-7684

Posted in Artists, General Stuff, Making Art, Musings, travel | 3 Comments »

Now, open your Quilting Arts Magazine to page 32.

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Work Quilt #2 by Victoria Gertenbach, aka Silly Boodilly

     I was innocently thumbing through my current Quilting Arts Magazine, June/July 2010, issue 45,  when I came across a article written by a person named Victoria Gertenbach.  This Victoria was clearly trying to pass herself off as my web friend Silly Boodilly.  After a moment of confusion and deep thought it dawned on me that Victoria and Silly where the same people.  I never remember a persons real name.  I mean, who’s Mama would name their kid Silly Boodilly?  Not a very good Mama, that’s who.  Web names and the names of people’s pets is what I remember.  Real names never.

  So please, if you haven’t already, go get the newest Quilting Arts Magazine and check out VICTORIA’S article, Stitching from the Soul / Laying the past & present.  She tells of her inspirations and goes into detail regarding her quilting technique.

Oh, I almost forgot, I was looking through the contributors of Quilting Arts Magazine and I found the name of another friend of mine, Jane LaFazio.  She is a San Diego based quilt artist, and teacher.  She also beat me at getting into the Quilt Visions show.   I might forgive her for this since she is the one that got me started in teaching quilting and embroidery.

I love name dropping.

Posted in Art, Artists, Embroidery, General Stuff, Making Art, Musings, Quilting | 2 Comments »

A BE MINE… painting and some answers.

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

  Valentine Girl, another painting for my BE Mine… show at Galleri Urbane in Marfa, TX

Now, questions that need to be answered:

1. Referring to my Transfer Eze post:   Wow! I’ve been looking for something like this. My biggest challenge is finding ways to transfer embroidery designs. Can you recommend any other products or techniques? Thanks for sharing such valuable information!

Here are the most common ways to transfer embroidery designs onto fabric - 

Transfer Paper – You can get this item at any fabric store and Sublime Stitching.

Iron on Transfer Pencil  -these can be found at most fabric stores, like Joanns. 

Light Table  -  Well, actually, using a window as your light table.  If you are using the window method, you will find that taping the design to the back of the fabric or to the window helpful as the design will not slip easily while you trace it onto the fabric. To trace, use a light pencil, chalk, air or water-soluble pen, or even a fine tip permanent marker in the shade of thread you will be using. (This info is from Victorian Embroidery and Craft)

2. Just curious. When you are buying fabric, for not a particular project, how much do you buy? A yard? Fat quarter? 2 yards?

Since my quilts are smallish I tend to buy fabric half yards.  But, if I am head over heals in love with a fabric I will buy 1 to 2 yards.  Other reasons to buy more than half a yard of fabric is hard to find colors, hard to find patterns and great fabric to back a quilt with. 

I have trouble finding a good orange fabric, so if I find one I like I’ll buy a yard or two.  Same with brown.  I am always looking for a good chocolate brown.  The color is not the only thing that is important.  I am very picky about the type of pattern on the fabric .  Everyone has their own needs when it comes to size, design and rhythm of pattern on their fabrics.

When I find a nice feeling cotton fabric that would make a great backing for my quilts, and it’s cheap,  I’ll buy several yards. 

Posted in Artists, General Stuff, Musings, Quilting | 1 Comment »

Creating an Art Quilt

Monday, December 14th, 2009

 How does one go about creating a art quilt?  I won’t get into the details about discovering your creative voice, love of fiber, personal symbolism  and bizzare fabric fetishes for now.   I just want to give you a idea of what goes through my mind.

  First I had the creative urge.  Then I fell in love with Jude Hills’s quilt, Hearts in the Wind. This quilt got me thinking about what I wanted my next quilt to be.  Hearts have meaning for me.  They don’t represent love for me, but emotions.  

There is something very primal yet delicate about Jude’s work.  Her work feels personal.  What might be considered flaws for some quilters (tears, holes, loose threads, illregular shapes) are what give Jude’s work soul.

So when I started to create my quilt there where certain elements I wanted to keep in mind.  I wanted to use the symbol of a heart.  I wanted my quilt to scream handmade.  And I wanted the stitches to provide texture and a kind of humanity.

  Then I saw The Silly Bodilly’s Work Quilt.  I just melted for the playful use of colors and shapes.  I personally have trouble dealing with such a large compositions, so I decided to stick with a simple composition.  Like the Hearts in the Wind quilt, this quilt has great texture provided by the quilting.  Bodilly’s quilting is a bit more formal yet she is able to keep the humanity in her stitches.

The color’s Bodilly used are strong and natural.  They convey a strengh that isn’t forced. 

From Bodilly’s quilt I learned that I wanted a quilt that was strong and solid.  I also wanted abstract shapes.  And, like with Jude’s quilt, quilting stitches that add a zesty texture.

   This is my Quilt.  Quite simple.  Not finished yet.  It has a heart.  It is hand quilted with texture in mind.  It has a couple abstract elements.  I believe the colors give a feeling of strength, even though the yellow applique has a softness about it.  It looks very handmade.  It’s small, about 30″ x 30″ since I find that I don’t enjoy doing large quilts.  The fabric is soft to the touch.  There is a small bit of embroidery (clck on quilt images to see the details better).

Sometime soon I will go into the actual steps of how my designs evolve into the finished design.  Just so you know, it took four false starts to get to this design.

Also, did you notice that I was able to use the word zesty in this blog?  I believe that I have never, ever used this word in any of my writing.

Jude Hill’s Blog:  http://www.spiritcloth.typepad.com/

The Silly Bodilly’s Blog:  http://thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com/

Posted in Art, Artists, Embroidery, General Stuff, Quilting | 18 Comments »

I found some more great art!

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Usually when I do a search on Etsy to see what’s new I search  under Art.  This time I took a big step out of my comfort zone and searched under Sculpture.

I like things that look like toys.   Cornflower Presses folk-artsy ( or, as I like to say, Fartsy)  miniture buildings are fun.  Fun is important,  very important.

Check out Cornflower Presses Store:  www.CornflowerPress.etsy.com

 

How can something so plain seem to have so much personality?  Art Mind has a bunch of great creatures and other items too.  My favorites are the scupltures that look angry or peeved.

Art Mind is Here! www.ArtMind.etsy.com

 

Gee, I wonder if you can tell why I like Jason Tennants work?  Humm….  Animals with personality, I love it.

Fly by Jason Tennant’s store at:  www.jasontennant.etsy.com

 

Fairytale alert!!!  You can’t resist it, don’t even try!  Andy’s Rascals are quite a collection of precocious characters, which remind me of Where the Wild Things Are, and The Lost Boys (not the vampires, but Peter Pan).

Take a walk on the wild side at Andy’s Rascals:  www.AndysRascals.etsy.com

 

Can you believe the guy with the popcorn in his mouth!  Reclaim 2 Frame creates art with humor.  This makes everything right in the world.

Reclaim your lilfe with Reclaim 2 Fame:  www.reclaim2fame.etsy.com

 

Posted in Art, Artists, General Stuff | 1 Comment »

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