The news came today about the Larson Gallery Show, and I didn't make it. I'm very sad to not be included in this great show, but such is life. I still am proud of my creation, and really think they're missing the bet in Yakima!
This is part of being an artist, and probably is universal to all of us. We have the vision, we create the piece, putting our hearts in to our work. And sometimes others don't see what we do, don't realize that wonderful art piece is worthy of prizes and oohs and aahs.
So what happens next? The "Of the Vine" jacket goes onto the rack to await the next show. Maybe I'll get accepted at the gallery I've applied to, maybe not, that would be a good starting jacket there. There is Artwalk in Edmonds in March, maybe the jacket will go with me there for the night. There's always a woman who will love this jacket, and have the self confidence to wear it and enjoy the fun of it. Time will tell, and nothing is lost. I'm disappointed in being turned down, and try hard not to take it too personally. Every juror has a different point of view, a different frame of reference. Evidently these jurors from Larson Gallery were blind.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
"Of the Vine" jacket update!
The jacket is done, the entry is sent, and now I wait to see if my idea that became a reality is accepted for the show.
The assembling of the leaves on the fabric began with great gusto. I finished one side only to realize I had very few leaves left for the rest of the vineyard, the ground would be bare! Decision time, and really no choice. So out comes the seam ripper, and take off all the leaves I'd so carefully attached by hand. I start by counting and stacking the leaves so I'll be sure to have enough for 2 sides this time, and then get the sewing machine ready. Once attaching these slippery things by hand is enough. Practicality rears it's wise head!
The look is different than the chubby version I started with, it's much more airy and almost fairy like. I like it. Next I stitch a few glass beads over the machine stitching that shows, that adds a little sparkle and is a good disguise for the machine work. ( One of my mottos is if you can't hide your mistakes, then make them a "design decision".) A few strings of round glass "grape" beads here and there and the jacket is almost done.
Next step is to create the triangle that holds the two straight sides together. This jacket I call the "Dragonfly Jacket" is based on an older Issey Miyake pattern, which is based on kimono. I use it a lot, it's very versatile and gives me lots of play space on the fabric. I use a piece of the original painted and dyed fabric, then add the wooden dangles for grapes. ( To dye wooden beads or buttons, sand a bit, then I soak them in a jar with liquid dye for a few days.) It's nice to have some dimension on that spot, it otherwise might get lost in the grape leaves!
The jacket is done, the entry is sent, and now I wait to see if my idea that became a reality is accepted for the show.
The assembling of the leaves on the fabric began with great gusto. I finished one side only to realize I had very few leaves left for the rest of the vineyard, the ground would be bare! Decision time, and really no choice. So out comes the seam ripper, and take off all the leaves I'd so carefully attached by hand. I start by counting and stacking the leaves so I'll be sure to have enough for 2 sides this time, and then get the sewing machine ready. Once attaching these slippery things by hand is enough. Practicality rears it's wise head!
The look is different than the chubby version I started with, it's much more airy and almost fairy like. I like it. Next I stitch a few glass beads over the machine stitching that shows, that adds a little sparkle and is a good disguise for the machine work. ( One of my mottos is if you can't hide your mistakes, then make them a "design decision".) A few strings of round glass "grape" beads here and there and the jacket is almost done.
I put this all together, then hem, hem, hem. The finished jacket really pleases me, and pretty much fulfills my dream piece. Chris takes the pictures, Toni adds the name, and Wayne pats my back and tells me I've done a good job. Now I wait. If "Of the Vine" is not accepted for this show, I still have a beautiful one of a kind creation that I'm proud of, and I've brought one dream to reality1
"Of the Vine" jacket update!
The jacket is done, the pictures are taken, and the application has been emailed. The work went well, the jacket in my dream is now in fact. The two versions are close, although practical design decisions were made along the way, as always happens. And I would have done the work differently, if I had to do it over. Which happily, I don't!
All the background fabric was done, then the leaf cutting began. I attached the leaves by hand, put one whole side together with great joy. Then I realized I had only a few leaves left to put on the other side of the jacket. Unless I wanted my vineyard to be half empty, do yards more dying, cutting and stitching, I had to remove all the leaves, strip the vines as it were, and start again. My enthusiasm got ahead of my materials. This stuff happens, and you just grit your teeth, grab the seam ripper and start all over.
Second time around, the leaves were not as thick, the stitching was done by machine, and I divided the leaves in stacks before I started attaching them. I covered the stitching with glass beads and other leaves as I layered my way down the collar area of the jacket. This turned out to be a better look, not such a chubby jacket, and the jacket body painting and dyeing shows, a good idea. Sometimes the second time around is better!
I added cords with round "grape" glass beads in a few places for fun, and then focused on the triangle piece that holds the jacket together in the back. This jacket design is based on an Issey Miyake pattern from several years ago, and I renamed it the Dragonfly Jacket, I use it a lot. For the triangle, I used a piece of the base fabric, then added some wooden beads I had dyed to give the illusion of grapes. ( To dye wooden beads and buttons, I leave them in a jar of liquid dye for a few days. Mostly it works.)
Sew all three pieces together, and hem and hem and it's done. I've left the leaves un-hemmed, or else I'd still be sewing. It will fray a bit, but not enough to take away from the look I wanted. Might even add to the soft flow of things. That's what I tell myself when the work becomes too impractical to be possible!
So now I wait. I've sent in my entry, done the work, with
the help of Chris doing the photography, Toni with the name, Wayne as always with his support. If I'm not accepted for this gallery show, I still have a beautiful one of a kind jacket that I'm very pleased with, my dream vineyard in reality.
The jacket is done, the pictures are taken, and the application has been emailed. The work went well, the jacket in my dream is now in fact. The two versions are close, although practical design decisions were made along the way, as always happens. And I would have done the work differently, if I had to do it over. Which happily, I don't!
All the background fabric was done, then the leaf cutting began. I attached the leaves by hand, put one whole side together with great joy. Then I realized I had only a few leaves left to put on the other side of the jacket. Unless I wanted my vineyard to be half empty, do yards more dying, cutting and stitching, I had to remove all the leaves, strip the vines as it were, and start again. My enthusiasm got ahead of my materials. This stuff happens, and you just grit your teeth, grab the seam ripper and start all over.
Second time around, the leaves were not as thick, the stitching was done by machine, and I divided the leaves in stacks before I started attaching them. I covered the stitching with glass beads and other leaves as I layered my way down the collar area of the jacket. This turned out to be a better look, not such a chubby jacket, and the jacket body painting and dyeing shows, a good idea. Sometimes the second time around is better!
I added cords with round "grape" glass beads in a few places for fun, and then focused on the triangle piece that holds the jacket together in the back. This jacket design is based on an Issey Miyake pattern from several years ago, and I renamed it the Dragonfly Jacket, I use it a lot. For the triangle, I used a piece of the base fabric, then added some wooden beads I had dyed to give the illusion of grapes. ( To dye wooden beads and buttons, I leave them in a jar of liquid dye for a few days. Mostly it works.)
Sew all three pieces together, and hem and hem and it's done. I've left the leaves un-hemmed, or else I'd still be sewing. It will fray a bit, but not enough to take away from the look I wanted. Might even add to the soft flow of things. That's what I tell myself when the work becomes too impractical to be possible!
So now I wait. I've sent in my entry, done the work, with
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Dreaming the Vinyard
Hello again, friends. It's been a long spell without blogging, but the New Year begins now!
Here are photos of a dream: It starts with an invitation to jury for the Larson Gallery's show, The Wine Country Home. Entries due by January 25th, clothing included with textiles, jewelry, tableware, tools, fixtures and furniture. I didn't think too much about what I might do, at least not consciously, but woke up one morning a week or so later with the whole idea firmly planted in my mind. How nice. I wish all my plans came this way, ready made! I knew the garment, a "dragonfly" jacket; the colors, purples and greens; the material, silk organdy; and the order of the work.
Step one was to dye the materials, both the silk for the body of the jacket, and the organdy for the leaf shapes.
Step two, paint the yardage. Painting little leaves individually would be a pain, and way to slow for this impatient artist. So yardage it is, with stamps and stencils of grapes, leaves, an old woodblock of what might be a winery ( or maybe a castle, but close enough!) , grape like images stamped with bubble wrap. I love Lumiere metallic paint, and bronze seems to be the right addition to the vines.
On to Step three, cutting out all the leaf shapes. What a pain! First off, to draw the leaves. No pencil line shows up on the painted organdy, and only two marking pens, it would be too dark to use black. Finally I settle for green, if it does show, it won't hurt the design. Make a pattern, draw, and cut. Yuckiest part of the whole deal!( And this was my idea!)
Step four, another time taker but necessary, to stitch a vein in each cut out leaf. This gives some dimension to the jacket, just what I wanted.
Now for a "try on". Leaves of green and purples are pinned to the jacket body, starting at the bottom and overlapping them. Success! It looks like this will work!
I'll keep you posted on the progress. Still to come is stitching down the leaves, what to use to stitch, should I let the threads hang and show, should I add "grapes", cords, beads? Should I make it fuller at the shoulder, like a "fur" coat collar? Attach at the side or hang free? What to use for the triangle piece in the back? I have some ideas, and plans , and may just dream on it tonight, hope for more answers. Or just plunge in and begin, that usually works for me, with adjustments along the way.
Here are photos of a dream: It starts with an invitation to jury for the Larson Gallery's show, The Wine Country Home. Entries due by January 25th, clothing included with textiles, jewelry, tableware, tools, fixtures and furniture. I didn't think too much about what I might do, at least not consciously, but woke up one morning a week or so later with the whole idea firmly planted in my mind. How nice. I wish all my plans came this way, ready made! I knew the garment, a "dragonfly" jacket; the colors, purples and greens; the material, silk organdy; and the order of the work.
Step one was to dye the materials, both the silk for the body of the jacket, and the organdy for the leaf shapes.
Step two, paint the yardage. Painting little leaves individually would be a pain, and way to slow for this impatient artist. So yardage it is, with stamps and stencils of grapes, leaves, an old woodblock of what might be a winery ( or maybe a castle, but close enough!) , grape like images stamped with bubble wrap. I love Lumiere metallic paint, and bronze seems to be the right addition to the vines.
On to Step three, cutting out all the leaf shapes. What a pain! First off, to draw the leaves. No pencil line shows up on the painted organdy, and only two marking pens, it would be too dark to use black. Finally I settle for green, if it does show, it won't hurt the design. Make a pattern, draw, and cut. Yuckiest part of the whole deal!( And this was my idea!)
Step four, another time taker but necessary, to stitch a vein in each cut out leaf. This gives some dimension to the jacket, just what I wanted.
Now for a "try on". Leaves of green and purples are pinned to the jacket body, starting at the bottom and overlapping them. Success! It looks like this will work!
I'll keep you posted on the progress. Still to come is stitching down the leaves, what to use to stitch, should I let the threads hang and show, should I add "grapes", cords, beads? Should I make it fuller at the shoulder, like a "fur" coat collar? Attach at the side or hang free? What to use for the triangle piece in the back? I have some ideas, and plans , and may just dream on it tonight, hope for more answers. Or just plunge in and begin, that usually works for me, with adjustments along the way.
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