artwhispers

TIF April

                                                                            

I think the best thing about the challenges I've joined is the thinking, then the making. Todays post shows my piece for Aprils TIF. Again one can do the colors offered, or the subject, which this month is change. Mine fits into both categories, kinda. I'm a firm believer that change is a good thing, propels us forward, even if we don't like the change itself. I can't help thinking about all the changes that have already happened this year. Here are three:

My mom has disowned me because I was instrumental in getting her into a nursing home and having her declared incompetent. Her partner of many years had been requesting her to move for several years but then would sabotage any attempts and make negative comments about the siblings. Numerous trips to the Midwest made with no resolution but increased anxiety for all involved. My change is the fact I did the best I could and am at peace with my part in this situation and realizing how it has affected me. I am the oldest sibling and the one who probably reached out the most. She has never been an easy person to be around and chose to live with someone for 15 years that was much like her. If they weren't being negative about one sibling then they picked on someone else. I gave myself permission to be at peace with my participation and not reacting or doing what I think is expected, instead of what I want to do. I am aware of the ramifications of dementia but believe the words spoken by her were truly her feelings. At this point I am taking myself out of the equation, not visiting as planned, and trying to feel the lightness of not being surrounded by crazy making. I can say I'm feeling more hopeful, motivated, inspired, and less anxious. Amen. She is by the way safe and being taken care of, visited by one sister and her "partner".

Another change, my photo studio is now almost ready for the etching press and all the other printmaking supplies to be moved in. One more coat of paint on the new floor and good to go. My head is spinning with ideas for printing. Sadly, I've turned down many requests to do studio portraits since the first of the year but will not miss crawling on the ground after little munchkins. Not having the press in the house means I will use some oil based inks and not have to worry about fumes in the house.

The third change is dealing with Polaroid discontinuing production of there film. Still sorry about that, but am learning new techniques to use Fugi film and have met some wonderful people because of it.

My piece has many layers. Fabric, paper were collaged onto acrylic felt then sewn randomly. I covered areas with Elmers glue then torched it until several places burned through and the glue turned a nice gold.  It will bubble up then dry flat, looking like popped bubblegum. I then added more collaged paper and tree bark, a polaroid image transfer on silk, and placed on fabric with batting and stitched together with random beads. It had to be done randomly because the glue becomes very hard and cannot penetrate it with a small beading needle.  The back was covered and binding applied to hold it together and frame the piece. The words on the closeup view say "time is given wings"

Tif March

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Here is my March Challenge for Tif. An embellished crow from recyled materials, mostly from the Goodwill. At $1.39 a pound its not hard to find art supplies! Although I did use some of the colors, it was mostly what I had on hand. The Embellisher is addicting at best.

Easter

Hope everyone has had a nice holiday. This is Big Al, enjoying the sun on the deck. Now I have to go clean the camera lens after he licked it.

Not blogging but making, will take photos this week.

Choices part 2

Two posts in one day! The Polaroid Manipulation class at Art and Soul Virginia has been cancelled. I was told that the students all were in favor of closing the class knowing the circumstances. What a relief: to have it settled, to know they understand. However, I will still  do transfers and possibly offer classes once I know the ins and outs of using the Fuji film.

Choices

Boy, did I have a surprise yesterday. A former student alerted me that Polaroid was shutting down it's film production and factories. They are not going out of business, just changing their focus and will be doing more digital. This hit me hard. I've been a long time user of the peel-apart-film and the already extinct Time Zero film. My dilemma revolves around teaching Polaroid Transfers. I'm scheduled to teach this May but am concerned about students being upset and rightly so that a newly learned craft will most likely not be possible in the near future. Fuji does make a film that transfers and was told it needs to be done in the dark, not easy at an art retreat that doesn't have a darkroom. I'm trying to weigh in all the factors. How would you feel if you were a student? I absolutely love doing Polaroid Manipulations and will continue to do so but I do have a darkroom. Today I hope to get more information, find out how to use the Fuji film, if it can be used in the machines I now use, etc. Keep your fingers crossed.

Doll for a cause

These are the 3 2inch squares I made for the Pink Artists contributing to: www.girl-gone-thread-wild.blogspot.com The fabric based squares will be made into a doll, sent to Art Doll Quarterly and then finally auctioned off to benefit  the Susan G Komen for the cure. It is such a satisfying feeling to be taking part in a benefit and look forward to seeing the end product. It's not too late to still join. My squares were done from recycled fabrics on the embellisher with hand stitching. Those small squares are addicting, needed to only make one.

Cone bra

This is the image I'm thinking of using for the February challenge (www.sharonb.wordpress.com/take-further-challenge ). Not sure I'll incorporate the colors but have just started thinking about images of what I remember in my past. Makes for a great conversation and DH and I had a fine time remembering some of the icons from the 50's that are no longer. It cracked me up that this was listed as a cone bra. Thankfully this is out of vogue now.I may use this image with printmaking or some hand quilting. Am also considering Tinkerbell and some others. I signed up for this because I wanted a challenge and I like that it does make me stop and think and plan within a time schedule. I tend to just "do" and let what happens, happen.

Challenge Jan 08 finished (finally)

Just finished my piece for the challenge and looking forward to the next one. I ended up sewing most of it by machine which I just got a few days ago and then hand beading it. The colors aren't quite in the scheme but close. The portrait was from an original photo of my daughter, made into a line drawing through Photoshop, then printed on silk. There is another patterned fabric beneath the portrait leaving a trace of pinkish lines. I haven't sewn by machine for quite awhile so this in itself was a challenge, but a pleasant one. The sequins, beads and funky applique were done by hand. I chose the fabric with the swirls and circles, because it made me think of one of my daughters best attributes-her perseverance no matter what and finishing what she starts.

Challenge

I have decided to base my image for the Challenge based on this encaustic image I did of my daughter. The original image was taken on the beach while in Africa. She was a Peace Corp volunteer and I was fortunate to visit her for almost 3 months. I'm doing  an art quilt and in the suggested colors as well as honoring her as someone I truly admire.  That time changed my life in many ways. Would love to go back there. I was in the middle of a photo course and would like to revisit with better cameras and more skills. I took many pictures with a Holga camera and lost some great shots when the back of the camera fell off, especially  a large sheep draped over the back of the shepard up in the mountains of Lesotho. All my Holgas wear rubber bands or velcro now. The planning stage for the project has been very thought provoking, about the subject and techniques I want to use. So will sew a quilt and embellish with beads or embroidery, hoping to find everything in my stash.   

Challenge

Not sure about making resolutions but have good feelings about the New Year. Maybe some of it from a wonderful day of hanging out with artists, all females, laughing, talking, trading, eating, selling art and a gift exchange. Goods energy, good time, good peeps. I joined a monthly challenge starting today: www.sharonb.wordpress.com/take-it-further-challenge  This months challenge is to do a piece in either paper or fabric about someone you admire and or using the colors suggested. I was totally stumped this morning but as I drank my coffee and read blogs I came up with a plan and did a little sketching, which is very out of character. I tend to use angels in much of my work and want to showcase other interests so this should help me stretch a bit. This is not something we will have to mail off but show on our blogs or flicker accounts. You can check into the blog above to get a link to each participant. I'm excited to see what others do with the topic, including myself. I normally just do, no time spent planning, just let it happen for the most part.  This feels different than doing a round robin, doing this just for myself. Stay tuned!

My Mom was taken off her meds for anxiety and dementia but slowly adding them again. Without them she is more alert, talking more, but more anxious, angry and depressed. She did talk to me last week but didn't seem real pleased to hear from me nor happy to be in a nursing home. The week before (on meds) she claimed to love the place. Hope they can find a happy medium so she will move on and maybe accept she cannot go back to the condo. She is resisting being "part of things", being placed where other patients are higher functioning, doing her therapy so she can be independant. 

To anyone who reads this, thank you. Feeling part of a big community is inspiring.