Saturday, November 3, 2012

Silver Lake College Fiber Art Exhibit, Manitowoc, WI

 Colleen Ansbaugh photographs nature as a source of inspiration for creating her art cloths.


The first step in her process is a simple pencil sketch of the general shape.  The image is translated onto the cloth through hand dyeing or adding color with paint, often adding more surface design with silk screening, beading and stitching.  The colors of nature are reflected in the cloth often bold and bright with brush marks adding a painterly effect.
Course thread is hand stitched adding texture and visual interest.  It is an ongoing process where one piece leads to the next on her exploration of color and shape.
Also exhibiting are Ramona Gillaume, of Denmark, WI; and Anne Phillip, of Stevens Point, WI. Each woman’s individual body of work is linked to that of the other through a common love and exploration of fiber as a medium. The artist’s methods and creative manipulations of that material range from traditional to non-traditional mixed media. The exhibit, which brings together these three distinct artistic visions, will be in held in the Silver Lake College Hallway Gallery, located in the Fine Arts Department (accessed through the East Entrance), from October 15 through November 16, 2012. The exhibit is open to the public at no charge from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. https://www.sl.edu/about-silver-lake/news/all-news/
 
Colleen is a friend and fellow member of Studio Art Quilters Association.  www.saqa.com
 

The Sky if Falling, or is it just Nuts?



The nuts are falling from the trees, knocking me on the head, telling me its time to dye, its time to dye! I've done absolutely no regular dyeing and no rust dyeing this summer. I ordered silk scarves several weeks ago so I was prepared.  I gathered up some acorns, some pine needles, some leaves.   

 We had that really nice day in October where the temps reached 70+ degrees.  That was the day to dye.

I did some bundle dyeing like I did last year with Shelley Ryan, The Wisconsin Gardener at The Flying Pig Gallery and Garden in Algoma.   I used the nuts I gathered, some black walnuts, some black walnut soup (water + walnuts), assorted dry teas, turmeric, vinegars and some wire to wrap them up.  Placed them in zip lock bags and now I need to wait about a month and see what develops.  Hopefully something beautiful...

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Farm to Plate at the Trout Museum


Field #4
Tomorrow night is the Reception for "Farm to Plate" at the Trout Museum in downtown Appleton from 6-9, free admission and open to the public.    I wish I could go but I've got a previous engagement.  Tomorrow night is also Cruize the Avenue with collector cars in mass quantities.  This Saturday is Octoberfest in downtown Appleton too.  Should be a great weekend downtown.

This exhibit, "Farm to Plate" is up until October 28 if you don't get to see it this weekend. 
 

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

What I did on my Summer Vacation

This has been a relaxing summer for me, spending several full weeks at our cabin.  Early in the season I painted the livingroom, but since then haven't done any house-type work up here. 
 
I've been doing lots of sewing on the screen porch, the best of both worlds.  I can watch the birds, an occasional deer and too many of those dastardly squirrels in our bird feeders while sewing away. 
 
Its been fun watching Clyde, our golden doodle go from refusing to go into the lake to swimming and playing in the water.   Just a few more weeks to enjoy the summer like weather.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Summertime

I haven't posted since the end of May, summer time is flying by.  Things have been happening in my creative life even so.  Fiber Artists Coalition had an exhibit at Mosquito Hill in New London, WI.  Then there was the South Shore Art Center exhbit in Cohasset, MA and currently the Bloomingdale Park District Museum in Bloomingdale, IL. 
 
I was recently juried into the PortalWisconsin.org website available to all Wisconsin artists.  You may want to check it out, there is a ton of artwork in all mediums to peruse
 
As a professional artist member of SAQA, one of my artworks on the SAQA website was selected by curator and fellow SAQA and Fiber Artists Coalition member, Linda Witt-Henke for the August Virtual Galley titled 'Out On a Limb' that will be up now and throughout the month of August on the SAQA.com website.  There is some beautful work in this exhibit, I am very honored to be included. 
 
Hope your summer slows a bit in these 'dog days of summer' we should be experiencing right now.  Ahhh, summertime, and the livin is easy...in my dreams...
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Three of a Kind


 
Three of a Kind
Studio Art Quilters Association (SAQA) of which I am a member has a benefit auction each year where members donate a 12 x 12 inch piece of art and these are auctioned off in September.  This is my contribution for 2012, I've done this for the past 4 years now.  'Three of a Kind' was pieced using silk, hand dyed, damask, and a variety of other fabrics.  I love the colors though they are brighter in person. 

If you are a quilter who makes wall hangings I had a revelation when I was making the hanging sleeve.  If I can explain this, I first make two sleeves so that you can put a hanger on the slat that goes through the sleeves in the center if you want.   I sewed the top of the sleeve at the same time I attached the facing to the quilt.  Before I did that, I sewed the sleeves together 3/4 of an inch from this seam to help prevent the slat from showing at the top of the quilt.  Then the sleeve was hand sewn at the bottom.  That is probably clear as mud, if you don't get it, let me know and I will better explain. 
Closeup of back side.

All of these donations need a label on the back so I thought I'd do something a little different, so I cut out a leaf shaped piece of fabric that had Wonder Under fused to it.  Kind of cute, I thought.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Clyde, our new golden doodle.



Clyde 'before'


This is Clyde "after" he's been to a three hour beauty appointment
Clyde is our new golden doodle puppy, he's 3 1/2 months old.  We are in the process of housetraining and kennel training.  Our first night wasn't horrible and he's getting the hang of the kennel.  His first day with us was really excellent, I think because he was so 'pooped' from his long car ride and 3 hour beauty appointment.  The night went pretty well, he didn't get up until 3am to go out and then went back to sleep for a couple hours. 

Today we had several potty accidents in the house, but we went for two walks around the block and he's taken a couple of good naps.  Whoever said this was like having a new baby  absolutely right!  Wish us luck.

 

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Door County Retreat - The Best Of

Spending time with youngest daughter who is now a modern quilter with a great color sense.

Being with my friends laughing our heads off, note the pointy head ornaments?  These are heavenly head massage implements.  Ahhhhh!  Thanks Jacqi.

Tablemate Rhonda asked us all to dress/create a clothespin to represent ourselves (to be used as Christmas tree ornaments) so she could be surrounded by her friends at Christmas.   This one is by Ellen Dior Polenske, not quite the finished product, AGAIN the Overachiever! 

Some of my favorite projects:  A Cuties tangering zipper pouch made from a Cuties label, Cheetohs bag turned into a reusable zipper pouch, another velco snack bag,

A Spools free bird pattern I found through Pinterest,


Scrap quilt I made for husband from flannel scraps and lined with hand dyed IKEA black and white fabric with writing of numbers on it. 


Marty the Martian baby quilt and Put n Take blocks ( courtesy of Amy at a previous retreat) turned into a small quilt, freshly washed and out of the dryer. 


What a great long weekend spent with friends and women who share the same interest in beautiful fabrics and making 'stuff'.  Good food, good laughs, good people!   Thank you Jacqi, from Keep Me In Stitches and Amy, The Fabricologist for organizing these events!