Harvest Colours

It still isn't fall here!! September 25th and the leaves are just turning. We are waiting for the frost and enjoying fresh tomatoes off the vine... unheard of this time of year. 

Here are some pictures of my garden... you can see all the green! Volunteer sunflowers are still blooming like mad. Some plants like the Delphinium have been tricked into thinking it is spring again... despite being cut down, they are starting to grow up and up!

Despite the lack of frost, the leaves on the poplar trees are still turning yellow to gold. There is a mellow orange in the foliage below the trees as well. I am inspired by all the colour and have started a batt to match the mood of Autumn. Enjoy!

Autumn Comes...

It is becoming that time of year where nature's thoughts are turning to fall. The frost has not come, but the nights are cool enough that leaves are starting to turn colour and the rose hips are getting the translucency they always do when the cold comes.

Autumn is a good time of year with the temperatures during the day being "just right" and the outdoors calling for walks amongst the falling leaves. I always try to get outside as much as I can before the snow comes. Then it will be time to buckle down and work hard inside in my studio.

This year I am working on felted wool pieces all with the rose hip theme. Summer interrupted the work flow, but Autumn will bring it back. The direct connection with nature draws creativity out and I cannot stop the yearning to make things. Nor should I.

Here is a piece from the studio. Enjoy!

Is it Summer?

It has been raining a lot this week and though it is June the humid weather is definitely feeling April-ish. Tomorrow is the first day of Summer. In celebration I have posted a few favourite views of my garden... photos that were taken this afternoon.

On a CMYK colour wheel, green and fuchsia are complimentary colours... these garden shots emphasize how the green makes the fuchsia seem at its brightest and vice-versa. Hope someone finds some creative inspiration from these splashes of colour!

 

New Zealand Bound

Well, I'm not going to New Zealand, unfortunately, but one of my pieces is on its way as part of a group exhibition from the Fibre Art Network. The exhibition is called Canadian Content. Our exhibition will be part of a large quilt show called the Remarkable Symposium 2011 in Queenstown, New Zealand from April 18th to 23rd, 2011. Pretty exciting!

My piece is called "Wild Rose Hip" and it measures 18" wide by 26" long. It is predominantly needle-felted wool and has been machine quilted.

Pot of Gold

Today I am felting some wool for a new project... a piece that will hopefully travel to New Zealand in an exhibition collaboration by the Fibre Art Network. A great opportunity to have a portfolio piece travel afar.

When I am in my studio, things get a little piled up. I'm pretty sure if you ever found the end of the rainbow... this is what you would see.

The colours are so fun all piled up and it is too hard to make myself put everything away!

A Little Sunshine

It is plus 4 degrees celcius today! Time to get outside...

I am always inspired artistically by these lovely rose haws and their delicate forms. I'm sure something good will come of this picture.

Rosie... dubbed Snowsie today... had a wonderful romp! She had to be dug out a couple of times. Her heart is as big as a lion, but she is only about a foot tall.



Beginning

Today I submit my final proposal for my MFA exhibition plans. Today, I submit a document that states I will create 50 pieces... all 20" x 20" square to be presented at the end of May 2012. Today, I wonder what on earth I am thinking that I can accomplish this gargantuan task :-)

So here I go on a new beginning...

Ripples of Creativity

Two weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop taught by Margie Davidson at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB. The workshop was two days long.

The first day we learned about manipulating cotton in folds and gathers and then dyeing the cloth in vats of dye. This method of dyeing is called Shibori. The second day we used natural indigo in our vats.

It was a wonderful learning experience and a great opportunity to network with some members of the Fibre Art Network who were attending the workshop, as well as make some new friends.

Here are some of my results from the workshops.

The one below is my favourite.

Rainbow Zoodles of Art

Here are the same giraffes as posted below... with spots :-)

Zoodles of Art

This weekend I am working on a project for the annual Quilting Arts calendar contest. This is an annual ritual where I submit work and get rejected :-) Toughens the soul and keeps me determined.

This year's theme is pets. Over my lifetime... a brief 45 years... my family and I have had... several cats, including three at the moment, several dogs, including one cute little Cavalier at the moment, two white rats I rescued from a science experiment in school in grade six, two zebra finches, a white mouse I found outside in grade five (and to my mother's horror, the mouse had babies the next day...), three horses, and the list goes on. HOWEVER, I never got to have a giraffe!

So this is the pet I hope to have one day... when I live in Africa and they can wander free near my home.

This piece is about 14" across and will get trimmed down when I am done felting the wool. I will post more as the piece progresses. Especially since tomorrow starts "Creative Every Day" month!