Archive for the ‘clay artist’ Category

This is a piece that sold on Ebay a number of months ago. As I recall it was a silk, and it reminded me of clouds. I do need to pull the photo out and try doing some manipulating with it. There are some intriguing lines in this piece.

As for marketing, probably not going to happen this week, except for putting some of the digital quilt designs up on Cafe Press. We had a great marketing group meeting last week, and I thought I’d include some of the work from our group of artists.

Brenda is a really wonderful weaver. She is working on what she calls saddle rugs, but I don’t have any pics. Her scarves are so soft, and they use some antique lace patterns as the design.

Yvonna continues to explore texture and form with her clay. She just comes up with the most amazing shapes.

School is back – great first day with the kids. I am trying to eke out time each day to at least sew, and save whatever marketing I can do for the weekends. I do want to explore Tara Reed’s site on art licensing…looks very interesting!

More of my friend Yvonna’s clay artistry. I’m sending her comments I receive from you, so let’s encourage her to get her blog up and writing about her pieces!!

Today’s thoughts are on my first attempts at dyeing fabric. I hope to post the photos when they are dry and ironed.I used Ann Johnston’s Color by Accident to get me started (this is something I have wanted to do for the last three summers – finally!). Things I have learned:

* If hubby helps you, make sure you don’t get dye on him.

* Regardless of how neat you think you are, you really aren’t. I now have red stones in the back yard and colored hands.

* That paper towel you use to wipe up dye? It will still stain your hands….

* Don’t try doing this in your inside studio, unless it REALLY is a “wet” studio.

* Make sure you have an environmentally friendly place to dispose of watered dyes. Check ahead of time!

* Take notes – like why the blue and yellow made brown instead of green. Turns out when they’re dry, I got my green….

* Deep and narrow, not wide and shallow – containers…..

* July in Tucson not the most optimal time to dye outside – do it VERY early morning.

* Make sure when you use your funnel and go from a larger container to a smaller one that you pour SLOWLY….

All that said, I turned out some pretty cool stuff. My yardstick for judging is “Would I buy this commercially if I saw it in a store?” I think I would. So here goes….

This is my favorite – reminds me of a garden….

So there really is a hidden purpose to all this – I want to marble on these, much like Marjorie Beavis – she dyes first, then marbles. I am trying to get some marbled “salmon” for a new piece for next year’s Fish Follies Show. We’ll see how it goes next marbling session.

The work in progress this week is my friend Yvonna, who has rediscovered her artistic side – and wow! Her clay work is absolutely amazing!! I first saw some of her work when we were still teaching together. She brought a salad to our school potluck in this gorgeous bowl that she had made. I tend to find pottery somewhat boring, but this bowl was truly amazing! She has been taking pottery classes at Parks and Rec for the last couple of years and just now bought her own kiln.

She started focusing in on texture in the clay – lots of natural textures: pine cones, cactus spines, leaves…and now she’s using old laces. I am having severe pot envy…..

I know one other clay artist, my digital partner Suzan, and her bowls are perfect, wonderful glazing and shapes – a wonderful serenity to her work. Yvonna is at the other end of the spectrum – her work shouts “Look at me!” I’m trying to get her to start writing her blog – Talking Clay – but we’ll have to push her….she just doesn’t think her work is that good. Au contraire!

So here’s some eye candy for the day – enjoy her work!