Winter's Garden

LUSH GREENERY, A WELCOME BREAK FROM WINTER

Every January The Riverfront Art Center (my favorite local art venue) has a yearly show called Winter's Garden which opens this Friday.  The gallery will be filled with artwork of all mediums whose subject is gardens.  Walking into the space is such a welcome relief from the shades of winter white outside.  Along with the art will be live orchids, violets and cyclamen for sale. This is a great fundraiser for the center and the plants brighten up the homes of the recipients. Today I had the good fortune to go to the wholesale greenhouse with the director to pick up the plants.  How wonderful to see all of this greenery!

WABI SABI ALPHABET SIGN

This board of letters was hanging on one of the walls.  I have no idea what it is for but being obsessed with grids these days I couldn't resist snapping a photo.  Very wabi sabi. 

How are you brightening up your January?

JANUARY BRIGHTNESS

Yarn Bombing

Covering the Tree

In addition to the gallery show Common Threads, there was also a community yarn bombing.  Folks knitted and crocheted pieces with their own or donated yarn and brought them to the gallery.  On a beautiful, sunny Saturday a group of volunteers gathered to sew the pieces together and wrap the tree.  Well, I say tree but there were so many donations several trees got decorated as well as a scooter, the bike rack, the gallery sign and a piece of driftwood.  Someone was even inspired to yarn bomb their car!


It all made for a colorful entry to the gallery and created lots of interest.  In fact some folks were walking by and joined in to help and spent quite a lot of time working on it.  A nice community effort!

Bike Rack

Scooter

Toni's Yarn Bombed Car

Vince working on the sign

Opening!

Inside the gallery

Friday night the exhibit Common Threads opened.  I met many new people, had a great time and if I do say so myself, the show looks fabulous.  Here is a photo of the gallery as well as the eight pieces I exhibited.  Unfortunately the images I shot in the gallery aren't as good as I would have liked but you get the idea...enjoy!

Air

Dancer

Soliloquy #7

Soliloquy #809

Soliloquy 935

Pastoral Wisdom

Birds and Berries

Keeper of Leaves

New Work

I have recently been asked to show my work in April at the Riverfront Art Center here in Stevens Point. The show is called Common Threads and will include several textile artists. This will be the first time my work will be exhibited in Wisconsin and it has really motivated me. I have gotten away from showing my work and I am finding that making new work feels refreshing and fun. Here is the latest piece I completed yesterday.

The trees are made out of rusted wire and the small house is made by weaving shredded money. No, I didn't cut up my money, I purchased a bag of shredded bills quite a few years ago and have done a few things with the material. I discovered that if I ironed the small pieces flat they could be woven into a really interesting fabric. I guess this makes sense because the paper money is made out of has a high percentage of cotton rag. Let me know what you think of it!