Thank You, Nienke!!

On the way back from Toronto, I stopped in Stoughton, MA for a 3.5 hour visit to Mecca (IKEA). Earlier this year Nienke had a blog post about her new work space and I loved it. Not only was it fabulous but she was so clever in putting it together. The thought has never left my mind.
I have a 4' X 8' padded printing table and after seeing Nienke's work space, I've had this fantasy about one just like it 4' X 8'.
I drive one of the smallest cars but managed with the help of a kind man to get the large boxes squeezed into my tiny car. The seat release ended up getting broken but it was a small price to pay for my new work space. This is what the space looked like a few years ago:



Then I added a table in front of the ironing table so that it was two tables wide.


A really messy photo but you get the idea of what was here before. I removed BOTH tables, slid in the leaf of the table and removed the plastic organizer drawers beside the lamp. This is an in-progress picture:

The office chair is sitting in what will be the center of the work space. I started out with the Expedit shelves in this configuration but later turned the end (single) unit facing the same way as the other shelves with a space and one of the short plastic drawer units in between.

This is the entire work space assembled

Here you can see how I spaces the single and large Expedit units with the plastic drawer unit. This side is 8' long, four ' across.

Now I have set up the ironing table (2' X 4') at the end of the workspace. The table top is a 4' X 8' 1/2" particle board with a white laminate on top and bottom. The edges were raw snaggy particle board very vulnerable to water and swelling. I bought some Duck (not duct) tape in purple and used it as a wrap to protect the edge from moisture as well as make it attractive and smooth so fabric wouldn't snag on it. I hope you can see all the room I have on this side of the work space to stand.

Nice edging. Really looks finished.

This side is getting full of bins

On the short end of the table, I slid in a small unit of plastic drawers under the ironing table - still very accessible.

This table was LOADED with stuff but now everything is neatly in a bin.

 Containers for scissors and rotary cutters.

Even my painting table is cleared and organized.

little book

When we arrived there was a sheet of 18 X 24 Rive paper (cream) on our table. We were to use this as an under sheet to protect the table from messes. On day 3 we cut it into tiny pieces and used long stitch to sew 3 sheet signatures. Then we used embroidery floss to weave the signatures together. Tedious with a beautiful outcome. If you look, you can see all my mistakes... The book is 2.5" X 3.5"

These were all unintentional marks made while working for 3 days. We sewed the signatures with waxed linen and left the tails long. I braided mine.

Big Sheet of Stonehenge Paper

This was too much fun. We used huge sheets of Stonehenge paper and a 3 foot long stick. I taped a foam brush to one end and a bristle brush to the other. I used full strength and diluted India Ink. When one side dried, I painted the other. On the penultimate day, we turned them into books.

That is me at the top of the picture and Dorothy Caldwell taking photos.

Pictures taken from the balcony (outdoor dining) by my friend Pam Lowe from Texas. The Maine Event folks will remember her - the massage woman. I "met" her when she bought my SAQA auction piece two years ago.

Cover. You never know when providence will appear and add to your creation. The woman next to me was throwing hands full of water on her paper and some got on mine. I think it is the most beautiful part (above). I even made it my cover.

First things first

Actually the first thing we did was cut a strip from a huge sheet of Stonehenge paper and make marks using only your finger. This is the piece I did.

I used my finger tips, the ball, and the sides of my finger as well as dragging the India ink. Both sides were covered in marks. Later I watercolor painted a wash over both sides.

We laid out strips end to end across the driveway and I filmed it until they blew away. You can hear how windy it was that day.

My Book of Marks

From the Dorothy Caldwell Workshop

iPad / Tablet holder

These are for the Penobscot Marine Museum.

 These first 3 which are actually the last 3 I made are all my hand dyed fabric. The olive green one below has a small strip of a commercial batik but other than that all 3 are my fabrics.

Look familiar???

This is the first one I made. It took FOREVER to do all the patches. I thought I had made it big enough for an iPad with the leather cover on it but I was mistaken. The other three will hold my tablet in it's leather case and this one with the tablet naked!!

A Double-header filled with excellent information

First I want to share a "new-to-me" website filled with amazing textile art. There is a spot for downloading a free eBook and loads if interesting interviews. It is called Textile Artist and it features the work of many textile artists including many men!

I hope you sign up for their email updates. I plan on reading one interview a day. They are fascinating...

The other big news is a book from the Netherlands with avant-garde textile work and featuring many artists I know.

Here are a few pages I am using with permission

Above is Nienke Smit's work

Above is Sandra Van Velzen's work. I remember reading her blog while she was working on this wonderful tribute to her father

Above is Marjolijn Van Wijk's work

These last two just speak to me. I love people and portraits

And here is a link to order the book.

I can't begin to tell you the feelings I had looking through this book. It was like adrenalin (the artistic kind). It was beyond an infusion of ideas and made me want to jump out of the chair and CREATE!!!!!

Check out this YouTube of the book and you will see why I HAD to have it.