Thoughts about art and stitching and more on the Moon and Stars

I think I'll call this done for now.  I may cut off the part to the right of the black line I drew, not sure yet.  As I worked on this more I thought about stitching and painting and which I enjoy more.

No conclusions, I seem to enjoy the one I am doing at the moment.  And at the moment it seems to be stitching.  While sorting through fabrics I came back to a quilt I started a few years back. Each block was different and I wanted to keep it that way but was out of ideas.  I had all the squares done, strips put together and laid out ready to put it all together.  I realized two things... it wasn't big enough and I didn't like the center block.  So, it was set aside.

I'm not a quilter, I made one when we first got married and the teacher was an excellent quilter but also one who insisted on perfect.  I don't do perfect.  I finished the quilt and it became a blanket but that was almost 40 years ago and it's a bit worn.

That is what prompted the new one but once done and not really ready to be finished, I just couldn't work up the enthusiasm to do more blocks.   It was to be a blanket for our bed and since my thinking was winter, it was (is) whites and off whites.  The strips have been sitting unfinished in my sewing room ever since.


 This is the Center block,..

Much too dark for for the rest of the quilt.  I got to thinking about it and first thought, cut it our of the strip and arrange the rest of the strips around it instead of just long strips.  I cut it out.  Then decided I could probably do some embroidery using lighter floss and see how that works.  I may also just applique a piece over the top of it.  We'll see.  Doesn't matter, my mind is in motion and I'm inspired to take up this quilt again.  Hopefully I will be able to finish it this time.

And just to give you an example of how I stray from medium to medium, this is a ccokie jar I made a few years back.  I love it but we don't do cookies in our house so it sits on a shelf in our dining room.

The color doesn't show up in this photo but you can see there is a lot of texture.  I love texture!

The Moon and Stars

Yesterday I did a little more work on this little one.  I have no idea where it's going to end up but for now, it's fun going.

A little sketching and a lot of stitching

It's part of my DNA; stitching.  And for a long time I denied it. "No, I do not like to stitch."  Yes, I can do it but I don't like too.  But I kept buying fabric and embroidery floss and yarn, and I didn't get rid of all of the leftover fabric, yarn and equipment from earlier days -- way earlier.  Comparing a package of my embroidery needles with some I looked at last week -- the package of Boye needles I have, still marked 15 cents and it's just one of many.  The package of the cheaper brand I looked at... $2.49.

So why am I writing about this you ask.  Because I've discovered that I truly do like to stitch, what I didn't like was having to do it perfectly.  Yes, there are some things that I'd like to do better and I'm willing to practice those things so I know I will get better -- again.  A blog I enjoy is Jude Hill's Spirit Cloth, she practices on small pieces and keeps them, sometimes using them later in larger works.  I like that idea.  I also like Jude's classes and started to watch videos of a heart class.  I thought I'd do the heart thing so started with this one...

But realized I seemed to be doing more circles. Hmmm, is that because I seem to run in circles at times or at least feel like I am. Perhaps.  Anyway circles became moons became faces.  Here are a few...

 This one is a piece of discharged denim, I added stitch to the center trying repeat sizes.

then another discharged piece that still needs something

 This one got a face

So did this one though not a happy one.

And this one

Then I decided to try printing a face on fabric and adding it to other fabric.  This is a Christy Girl from a very old book I have.  If the book where in good shape it would be something to sell but it isn't so I use the pages.

And then just faces that may end up as circles but at the moment, just features

 

And then I had to practice some stitches I like to do.  The woven picot forms the petals and french knots fill the center.

The woven spider web is another one I love to do.

And an open circle, something Jude posted that I had to try

Jude also does a lot of feathers so I had to try one of those too.

But still painting as well.  Here are a couple sketches done with my Tuesday Painters.

Beth's Bonsai

and Connie's Coffee Grinder that isn't functional.

Now I'm off to do more work on that first piece I posted today.  I need to finish the satin stitch and then put it away for awhile.

Zen and Art

I’m reading the “Zen of Seeing” by Frederick Franck.  Very interesting;however, slow going.  It is handwritten and his handwriting isn’t all that easy to read.  His concept is a good one… go slow, concentrate and really see what you are drawing.
It’s rather like art as prayer in that one gets lost in the process.  I’ve always felt that way; however, I don’t always work slowly and really look so I decided to give it a try.  That’s what my dailies have been this week and so far I’m liking them. 
The berries above were the first ones I concentrated on.  Day 2  and 3 -- just ink, no color, from a juniper bush.  The big one the first day, the smaller piece the 2nd day.

Today my Tuesday Group painted at the library and I did a couple branches from a bush that was just out the front window. 

This is so totally different than my usual practice which is a quick sketch, usually in pencil, then ink and color.  These are done with ink, no pencil first, then If I’m adding color it’s last.  The first one, day 1, I used my Inktense pencils for the color.  Today I used my watercolors.  I like the result so I think I’ll keep going.

My Word for 2016 -- Sketch

 

I started the year with a word instead of a resolution.  My word is SKETCH.  I do it a lot but this past year it hasn’t been daily.  I need to get back to that and so far I’m doing fine. 

BUT… it’s only week 1.  However, I am thinking positive.  I will keep up with it no matter what.  In fact the page above is an example of commitment.  It was bedtime and all I had done was a few quick pen sketches while we waited for our dinner at a favorite restaurant.  You’ll see those later in this post.  I did the top sketches before bed.

And this is what I did while we waited for dinner last evening….

Each of these is in a different sketchbook.  I know I’m going to want to do a bit of painting/sketching when we go on our next trip; more than just a few sketches in the one journal I take along when we go anywhere. 

So I’m trying a few out to see which works best for me.  The one that I did all of the little ones in has been eliminated.  It’s great for watercolor but not good for pen.  Since most of my sketches are pen and ink with watercolor and I frequently do a bit of journaling along with it the paper has to take both.

 

A Quick Sketch today

Just a quick sketch today.  I've been in the studio working on a couple mixed media pieces.  May do another sketch tonight as I have an idea for another mixed media piece.

First Sketch of 2016 & The Last Sketch of 2015

And the last sketch of 2015

First the last one…. I sketched a pinecone, then carved it into a stamp thinking I could use it to make every card original.  Well, it would be Easter before I got them done so that probably won’t happen this season.  Maybe if I start early enough next Christmas it can work.

So on to 2016 and I have a new sketchbook to try.  It’s a Pentalic Field Book, 7 x 10 inch with 140 lb watercolor paper.  This is from a photo over at the wetcanvas weekend drawing event.  This year I want to work on more intense color in my sketches and work on sketching faster. 

To do that I need to work on a sketch every day – maybe two or three.  Currently I work on something everyday but it could be stitching, jewelry, printmaking, painting… who knows.  But drawing is important and I need to practice daily, no matter what else I’m working on.

Another goal for 2016, get back to taking a walk everyday.  I used to do it early in the morning.  I need to get into a new habit of doing it mid day and taking along my sketchbook.  Thinking positive…. I am going to do it.