this past month

I realized its been over a month since my last post so I wanted to catch you up a bit…..

Well, first I should explain that the main reason I havent been posting is because my computer is completely full.  It is full of photographs that I am too scared to move over to the external hard drive that I got specifically for this purpose.  And I hate posting without photographs so I am in this catch-22 situation that I need help getting out of.  Chris and I moved some of the photos over to the external a while ago but I almost had a panic attack when I tried to pull them back on my iBook and it wasnt working as smoothly as I thought it would (or should).  He is the computer genius in the relationship and I am scared to do anything without consulting him out of fear that I will permanently ruin everything.  And I also hate that I cant go back through all of my photos on iPhoto because most of them are on the external.  GAH!  Advice anyone?  I would truly appreciate it.

Ok so the past month has been pretty cool and I promise that I will follow up with photos when I get this situation worked out.

1.  I went to Miami with one of my best friends in Savannah, Andrea, to visit her mom on Key Biscayne which included a trip to the Fairchild Gardens, Jaguar (the best ceviche restaurant ever),  and Ikea (cheap frames for my show, yay!)

2.  I registered to vote!!!!!  This is a big deal for me because I am so not into politics and I really dont want to be selected for jury duty, but this upcoming election is huge and I am determined to participate in this historical event (and if it doesnt go my way I will be allowed to bitch and moan all I want).  Go OBAMA!!!!  (Big Chris, arent you proud of me?!)

3.  Ummmm….. what else….

4.  I have ADD/ADHD.  This may or may not be a surprise, but I do.  And I have realized that it is too overwhelming to deal with on my own despite my best efforts, so now I am getting help from my doctor and my school.  I think it is hard to admit that you need help sometimes, so I want to be up front and honest about my struggles in hopes that it will inspire someone else to seek help with their own.  When I started this blog I was determined not to censor myself and to just be me and I found myself hiding from certain things.  I want to be able to share my experiences without restraint, so hopefully you will accept my flaws.

5.  Savannah has a new farmers market and I am one of the Chairs of the Art Committee!  This is extremely exciting for more reasons than I can share right now but if you are in the Savannah area come check it out on Wed, 6 Aug (and wish me a belated happy birthday-5 Aug!) from 4-7pm at the end of East Broughton Street.  Starting in September it will be a weekly event!  We will have fantastic artists showing their earth friendly wears in addition to fantastic organic produce, local restaurants and businesses, so come out and show your support!

6.  My work is in the Pieced Work show at the Grand Bohemian Gallery in Savannah!

So those are just a few things that are going on in my life right now (besides my current obsession with So You Think You Can Dance!).  I’m going on vacation later this week to the Outer Banks, NC with my fam, which will be a super crazy fun time!  Chris and I will get this photo situation worked out so that I can post more frequently.  I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!!

in the making

Hey! Its been a while… again! I have been super busy lately though. The quarter ended last week, my mom was in town, and Ive been working on a secret project that Im not quite ready to share yet (but soon!). The heat and pollen level in Savannah are just about unbearable right now too which makes me sleeepy.

But I really need to get back to making. I have been missing it so much lately. I always feel like I lose a sense of who I am when I am not actively creating. And when I finally make some stuff, then I’ll have something to blog about!

For now I’ll share some photos of the work of Toshiko Takaezu. She was one of the first to move studio ceramics beyond the traditional association with utilitarian craft production and into the realm of sculpture. I love her graceful forms and rustic glazes. I took these photos at the High Museum in Atlanta a few weeks ago (and got scolded by a very disgruntled security guard!).

on the horizon

Some big things could start happening here soon.   Lets hope!

atlanta

has beautiful old windows.

I went on a 2 day trip with my Professional Practices class the other week so we could visit galleries, museums and get info about grants. We got some great resources so I wanted to share them.

We went to The Contemporary and met with Alana Wolf who gave us great information about getting our work out in the world. The art center offers some great resources for members that might be worth taking a look. Their blog is great too.

The Foundation Center is an amazing resource for grants and grant writing. You can access a lot of info through the website but some of it requires a subscription.

We went to a few galleries and the work of William Dennisuk really resonated with me visually. He is interested in the “imaginative potential of the public space.” He also has his site specific proposals posted on his website that might be good to reference if you wanted to propose an installation or write a grant.

Ive been working on some new ideas and this is the inspiration imagery. What do you see? Im entering work in a juried printmaking show (which also has a print exchange so I’ll get 20 prints from other artists!) and this is the source for my print. I will photograph what Ive done so far and come back soon to post pics. Its nice to finally be working on something with my hands again! I still havent finished the quilt Ive been working on for the gallery because Sawyer ate my THIRD leather thimble and I have to go get another one! Maybe I’ll switch to the metal kind, I cant seem to learn my lesson and put it out of his reach.

simple paper storage solution

I am a paper junkie. I love it and tend to buy too much and not know what to do with it. Before, I had large sheets rolled up in a basket. I couldnt see what I had and I’d buy something similar and it was getting kind of frustrating. Ive seen versions of this kind of system before so I came up with a super simple and cheap solution.

All you need are some eye hooks and dowel rods and youre set! I used s-hooks on the top rod to hang scissors and stuff. It looks really pretty to have all the paper displayed on the wall, and now I can see what I have and get inspired!

made in france

Float, 6.5 x 4.5″

Teather, 6.5 x 4.5″

Engage/Disengage (Sold)

Pulse

These are some of the pieces I did in Lacoste. Im so excited that Engage/Disengage sold at the show in France!  A sweet couple from Germany bought it and then I saw them again the next day at the market.  Im starting to get my portfolio together and I have big plans to create a website/online portfolio and redesign the blog! With the way Ive been procrastinating lately it seems like it may never happen, but it’ll get there.

Chris and I have been reorganizing the house and donating our stuff to Union Mission. Ive been working on my studio and its starting to look pretty good. I’ll be back soon with pics of my paper storage solution!

vernissage

Finally, here are some photos of my installation, I Stay Around the Positive Ones so I dont get Taken Under. I collected used tea bags from my peers in Lacoste, sewed them on raw silk, then created three dimensional vessels from the fabric. My gallery space had a beautiful stone wall and I knew I wanted to do something with it. The vessels hang or sit on the irregular wall with string connecting some together. In this installation, I created community and connections while representing the individual through metaphor.

sagrada familia, barcelona

Things seem to be happening slowly slowly here lately. I was in Barcelona towards the end of February and these are some shots of La Sagrada Familia cathedral designed by Gaudi. It is still in construction so it was interesting to see how things are coming together.

The chapel was blocked off so I lifted my camera over the barriers so I could see what was back there.

I loved that most of the stained glass windows were unfinished so the interior was filled with light.

picking back up

Well hello darlings! I have been away from the blog for way too long. Thanks for sticking around! Ive been back in the states for a month now and I have finally been able to recuperate and process my trip. I still have so many photos to go through so I’ll upload in stages so as not to overwhelm you too. I left off after our trip to Paris I believe, but first, why didnt I buy this whole suitcase full of buttons at the antiques market in Paris!?

Shortly after we got back we drove over to Rousillon, a town near Lacoste, where they process (or used to process) the ochre pigment from the earth. The hillsides are covered in beautiful earthy golds and reds.

So here I am in Rousillon.

And all of us.

The stained shirts of the workers from years ago.

We got to experiment with some pigment in the workshop and I bought a wooden box with 12 little jars of gorgeous pigments.

Rousillon was beautiful but I still have to show you photos of Barcelona and Vernissage, our gallery opening, from the end of the quarter! So much to catch you up on! I hope you all have been well!

small progress

Machine stitching on vellum. All of the vessels are connected with jump stitches (loose threads that connect the stitching). I like the sketched quality of these and that you can see the jump stitches from the back as well.

Machine stitching on vellum.

Machine stitching on vellum.

Watercolor, tea and machine stitching. These vessels are also connected with jump stitches.

In progress. Tea and machine stitching with jump stitches connecting each vessel. I am going to go back into this one with watercolor and see how the loose threads affect it.

4 small postcards. Earth pigment, tea and machine stitching.

You might remember this one from the last post. I took out the read threads and appliquéd a tea bag over the tea stain.