New Painting

Well I've finished up one more piece for my group show at theVisual Art Exchange. I think I've got a decent little set for the show of approximately 4-5 pieces. I'm a little nervous but excited as well. I just hope to get a positive response. This one is called "Multiplying." I'm very pleased with it, the colors and layers. So we'll see.

Flea Market Finds

Well I went to the annual Hospice Flea Market this weekend. It's a gigantic flea market selling everything you can imagine. It takes place in this old factory building that has no air conditioning and is hot hot hot!! I could only stand about two hours there but I found some great stuff! Here's some highlights of my finds!

A great little set of needlepoint work of the seasons. I can only assume there was a fourth season somewhere in the boxes and boxes of framed art. I like the winter one the best.

This absolutely adorable cross stitch of rabbits taking a shower in the rain water from a flower.

A small cross stitch of the classic bathroom phrase; "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat" This immediately was hung up in my bathroom.

An awesome little milk glass sugar dish with a great design. This will be put to use!

A cute little crewel piece of a girl with flowers.

All this little bits and bobs of lace and trim and eyelet.

This fabric which has a small pattern of horse jumping girls. Very cute and I can't wait to use it for something. I also scored a ton of muslin for cheap and a pretty pink. I was very disappointed with the fabric section this year. They have always had four to five rows of fabric and this year there was two! I didn't find hardly anything good like I usually do.

One of the best things I found was this set of paintings featuring a bull fighter.

They are hand painted and are dated 1959! I just had to have them.

They immediately went up over my couch.
Finally, this set of crewel pieces depicting famous scenes of Revolutionary America. They are from a stamped set dated 1972 from Paragon No. 0906. Someone worked very hard and long on these. They are quite remarkable and I am going to try to frame them soon.

The classic march

Paul Revere

Betsy Ross

Washington and his troops in the winter at Valley Forge
I paid only a dollar each for these! I couldn't believe it. It seems that whomever priced the needlework did not think they were worth much. All of the other pieces I purchased were either a quarter or fifty cents.

Well those are the highlights. I scored some pretty good stuff this year. Now I just have to wait until next year!

All About Anatomy

Well I've been a bit busy lately and haven't had a lot of free time. I'm steadily working on pieces for my art show in July at the Visual Art Exchange. I can't believe it's so soon! Yikes. I'm also in the middle of moving across town to a larger apartment and can't wait to have more space for things. Colby and I have been cramped up in this one bedroom for too long. So we'll have a second room for my art area and I really hope to be more productive. I also just finished up a small piece for a swap on flickr. The Phat Quarter group did an ATC swap based on the theme "anatomy." At first I was going to go very literal with it and started searching through my old copy of Gray's Anatomy. There were definitely some great images, but then I thought about doing some animal's anatomy. I looked at everything from pigs to otters to snakes and then settled on a bird, mainly just because I love birds. So here's the final piece--about 5"X7", not quite standard ATC size but I really struggle with small pieces. I very pleased with it!


A bit of a close-up of the anatomy bits.


I really like this image too.


My wonderful partner sent this to me. It's called "Love Your Vagina." Super tiny stitches that amaze me and she just finished it off so well. Can't wait to hang it in my new place.

More tea towels!

Well I've finished up another round of embroidered tea towels swap! I received the most amazing towels from my partner and I was really pleased with what I made for her so here goes!
I sorta went with a very broad 50's theme--first up is an owl cookie jar. I am in love with pattern--it is an Aunt Martha's. I used variegated thread for the vines.

I really like the colors I chose.

Next up an atomic design--very 50's! I tried to match the colors with the colors of the stripes on the towels.

I used metallic thread for the larger starburst design.

I do not have a picture of the third towel I made--it seems my camera ate but it was a 50's era housewife cooking on the stove. Oh well. You can see it here where my partner posted it if you're curious.

She made me........a super cute gnome and his mushroom home. Just cute beyond words really.

I mean really.........look at him!

Then an awesome vintage pattern of Chicken n Rice that I've been wanting to do myself but she did it so wonderfully that now I don't need to (but there are others in the set--Ham n Eggs and others that I have to do to have the full set.

I love the colors she used!

She also made me a third towel with awesome kawaii sushi. She found the image online and the artist let he use her design! but I can't post it here for copyright issues but let's just say---its amazing. You can see it here.

That's it--another swap down and I've added some wonderful pieces to my embroidery collection.

First This, Now That

I finished a painting last night. I'm calling it "First This, Now That." I am very pleased with it! Sometimes it takes me a while to "warm up" to a new piece but I'm pretty excited about this one. So, here it is.

A bit of a close up.

Detail of embroidery

Detail of embroidery

We'll see if others like it as much as me. I entered it into the "Unfettered" show at Visual Art Exchange. I had a piece accepted last year so maybe I'll be as fortunate this year. So I feel like I'm moving in the right direction and feel really great about it.

Progress

I finally got myself painting. I've begun several canvases with the initial layer of color I like to put down. I usually push the color back some with white after and add other layers to build up the piece. I like the look of layers and the fact that there just might be something hidden underneath. Secrets are fun.


So is discovering what the secret is....

Hmmmmm.......I'll have to think about that.

Great news!

I am so excited! I got a show at the Visual Art Exchange! I have been waiting to hear for weeks now and I am not a good waiter. I go through all these ups and downs of--they didn't like my stuff, they think my stuff's gross, maybe they'll like it, of course they'll pick me---the whole gamut. So now I'm waiting to hear what month I'll get. It really made me feel like I am moving in the right direction with my art and that people's responses to my pieces are positive. So now I just need to get cracking and paint more and be more productive. I can't wait until I move into my new apartment in a couple of months so I can have more space! Right now Colby and I cramped into a one bedroom and it is SO not working for us. It really makes me not want to bother painting because I feel so cramped. So, some great news to end the week.
Other than that, I'm working on some tea towels for another swap. I'm looking forward to adding to my embroidery collection and I have yet another great partner Lauren. So I'm excited about that. Of course Easter is Sunday and I'm going to dye eggs this weekend to prepare for the egg hunt and spend some time with my family. Also another bout at roller derby Saturday night with my mom and sister. A busy weekend but some quality family time. Also, next week I'll be a bit busy. I'm going to see a couple of bands play. Monday night will be Of Montreal and I cannot wait! They are wackadoodle. Then Tuesday my friend Chris said I have to go see StereoTotal. From what I've heard online it seems like it will be a great show. Then Superchunk plays Wednesday night but I haven't decided on that on yet. I love living in Carrboro and having Cat's Cradle right down the street. They really have a great line-up for the summer.
Later.