EWESPECIAL

Sunday, July 14, 2013

"Woven Together: Firestorm"

The last two years have brutal years for wildfires! By early August 2012, over 42,000 wildfires had been recorded in the US database and 6,000,000 acres had been turned to char. Many of these fires consumed a record number of homes, claimed lives and displaced people from their homes.

How does anyone cope with these disasters? For artists, there is an outlet in their work and a chance to use their medium to design and create pieces that express this emotional turmoil they feel. Business Arts Center in Manitou Springs, Colorado offered artists from around the country and world an opportunity to show their emotion through a juried exhibit which runs through August 2, 2013.
Curators for this exhibit were Holly Parker Dearborn and Patrick Bohnen.

Recently, we had a chance to view this exhibit and here I share some photos.

Juror for this exhibit was Jeanne Steiner, Arts and Crafts Program Director at Colorado College. This was one of her pieces entitled "Smoke"

Maryse Levenson is the featured artist. Maryse is a weaver, dyer and Kumihimo braid artist.

Close-up of "Out of the Fire" by Maryse

One of the wearables "Falling Ashes" by Anne Evans

"Hot Spot" by Cathy Coatney

"Signs of the Times" by Patricia Dunston

"Night of Anguish" by Carolyn Wostenberg

"Fire in the Forest, Fire in the City" by Jan Seltman

"Peaks" (front) "Elements" by Janet Birch

"Spark Blaze Afterglow" by Urban Jupena

"After the Dark Comes the Light" by Sharon Crary

"Fire Echo" by Sharon Crary

I've included these photos to show the wide range of textiles in this exhibit. There are large and small tapestries, weavings, baskets, wearables

This show expresses bare emotions for the artists as well as the attendees. Take the time to visit this exhibit and let it surround you with rare feelings but at the same time it gives you comfort.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Kimono! Kimono! Kimono!

GREETINGS! What a way to enter an exhibit! The first thing you see as you enter the gallery space is this lovely impressive kimono.........................................

Kimono: Textiles and Traditions from Japan
This special presentation is at TACtile Arts Center in Denver.

The opening reception included not only wine along with savory and sweet treats but a mini fashion show. There will be other exciting happenings during the showing of this exhibit--check the webpage.

The room was filled with delightful costumes from Japan--some used for formal occasions while others were for every day wear.

Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial.), and secured by a sash called an obi which is tied at the back, as shown in the following photo.

This fabric looks to be either weft or warp ikat. Kimonos can be worn by men, women and children.

This garment had a lovely painted scene around the bottom of the silk fabric.

More awesomeness!

Looking closely--one can see where tiny threads have been tied to give this Shibori technique

Love this touch of shibori on the Obi.

More shibori technique

If you love Japanese textiles as I do, this is a must visit! I'm hoping to attend one of the special events planned during this exhibit. Maybe I'll see you there too!

July 7th, 1-3pm - Tea Ceremony demonstration

July 12th & 13th, 6pm - Fashion show, Kimono: A Thing to Wear

July 20th - Kimonos in Your Wardrobe workshop

July 21st, 1-3pm - Oshi-e workshop

August 3rd, 1-3pm - Furoshiki: A Very Practical Cloth workshop

Friday, July 5, 2013

Justa Stitchin'

First off, we must shout praises for friend Judy's completion of this lovely "Red Ridge Beauty"! Actually, it's Blue Ridge Beauty from Bonnie Hunter but Judy loves RED so this one is definitely a beauty!

I really like the way she brought in the stripe fabric for the border as well as the binding--way to go Judy!!

We are a stitchin' on a couple of shawls--this one is designed by Tetiana Otruta and called Leaf Evolution

I'm using this lovely yarn that I had in my stash, but lo, knowing I would not have enough to finish I bought another skein from Noble Knits. They have free--yes, free--shipping within the US! Okay, so I now plenty of yarn to finish this shawl over the summer.

So what did I do? I wound the skein from Noble Knits and promptly left it on the ball winder!! Can you believe??!! well, I can................

We are almost to the end of the second skein and will wait till end of summer to finish--you see, the third skein on the ball winder is at my Texas home and we are in Colorado for the summer. I could solve this problem and purchase another skein from Noble Knits.............but, alas, I would have an extra skein on hand--bummer!

The other shawl I'm stitchin' is from designers Cristi H. Brockway and Rosi Garmendia--The Soapy Turtles and it is called "There Be Dragonflies". The first yarn is handspun, hand dyed from the studio of Dicentra Designs

Oh bother (as Winnie the Pooh would say) I ran out of handspun yarn--what to do? what to do? dig in the stash and here's what I found.....

This mohair yarn is from Brooks Farm and is perfect! And in the meantime, you'll never guess what I did............................

I began a new shawl! Yes, I know--what do I need with another shawl? Good question! Guess I just love working with these charts and seeing the pattern progress. I love using Goodreader app from Apple on my I Pad. Stitchin' on............................

Finished! Here is a view of the added mohair yarn to the handspun. I got lazy and didn't continue with beads through the mohair section--besides, figured they wouldn't show up anyway.

This was interesting knit--although I didn't knit all the repeats as suggested on the pattern. I'm sure I would have definitely run out of yarn! I do like the border lace.