Wednesday Works-in-Progress

Remember the Trash to Treasure project that started with a garbage bag? I have completed two more steps. I zigzagged with alternating length and width using variegated thread, and cut away some holes.

This project is interesting, but I am not sure where I am going from one step to the next. We were supposed to use Ferrero Roche gold candy wrappers in the next step, but they are not on the South Beach diet! I painted some paper with metallic gold Lumiere to be ready for whatever we do with it.

One of my trash bag pieces was so large that I cut it up. No need to have a big ol' trash bag to manipulate under the needle.

My guild is hosting the North Carolina Quilt Symposium in May, and we are being asked to enter the Pursesonality challenge- making a purse out of something unusual. I am thinking- how about a garbage bag?

At the same time, I am enrolled in this online art quilt class with Pamela Allen. (Still Life is Boring-Not!) Here is my first lesson, previously posted.

Pamela suggested that I change the orientation of my kitchen scene to highlight the tall kitchen windows. In order to do that, I had to paint some more window-pane fabric. Next I need to make Betty Lou, the schefflera, much grander in size thanks to all that sunlight.

One thing I love about Pamela's classes is the art history education she throws in. She often finds a famous artist's work to compare to ours. This time I got a Picasso. Not that the subject is the same, but she converted it to gray-scale for me to check out the play of light and shadow from the window.

Maybe it is just me, but does anyone else see a Frankenstein head in this scene?

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...

It's off to work I will soon go...yesterday I accepted a half-time teaching job nearby! I worked at the same school full time last spring, and really liked the school, kids, teachers, and staff. I will be teaching either fourth or fifth grade, probably doing math and reading instruction. Last year I saved all my teaching money and used it to renovate and upgrade our kitchen and the floors downstairs. This year I will be using the extra money to pay bills. I feel very blessed to get this job. I hope I will still have some energy to do some Quilty Things since it is only a half-time job. My preference would have been to work mornings, or work a couple days a week. Unfortunately, this job will be every afternoon. So, if I am to get anything done, I will have to put an end to my morning lolly-gagging habits! I am very good at lollying! Anyway, I don't know when the job will begin, but it will probably be within a couple of weeks.

Once again I find myself participating in an intensive online workshop right at the same time I return to work. Last year, it was the Think Like an Artist class with Pamela Allen. This year, it is another Pamela Allen class called Still Life is Boring-Not! Many of us from the first class have "re-upped" for this one. I did my first homework yesterday...another black and white still life. This one is supposed to represent one of our favorite family meals...cooking with the fondue pot. When I got married in 1971, the fondue pot was a popular gift. We received three! The only one that was any good was one from Europe that we received from a family friend serving in the Army in Germany. We are still using this one. Mostly we fondue chicken, shrimp, and hot dogs in peanut oil, and then dip the cooked meat in barbecue sauce. Slow but savory eating!

The above piece is just glue-sticked down to batting, awaiting comments and "tweaking" from Teacher.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know that I am a big Pamela Allen fan. In the last workshop, we also started with a black-and-white still life. Here is my finished piece from that first class.

Each piece of fabric is cut with scissors with no pattern, and then hand-stitched to the batting with embroidery floss. Then, you go wild with machine quilting. It does not show up on the front, but check out the back:All this is on a quilt about 8" x 10", quilted on my Gammill Longarm, of course!

While I was watching Pamela's Think Like an Artist DVD in the mountains, I decided to get out my sketchbook and doodle many of the images she used on her quilts. It ended up being a little landscape that I call "Pamela-La Land."

The other day I had a doctor's appointment in Raleigh, and decided to go to the North Carolina Museum of Art to psych myself up for the still life workshop. The museum is practically across the street from my doctor's office. I ended up browsing for two hours, immersing myself in art. Highly recommended! Unfortunately, the entire American art collection is currently closed, perhaps because they are preparing it to move into the new building. Still saw lots of inspiration!

Pamela Allen DVD

Yesterday I got all my errands done in town, and then came home to wonderful mail: my DVD of quilt artist Pamela Allen, Think Like an Artist!



I was so excited. I took Pamela's Think Like an Artist class online last winter, and really admire her work, her attitude, and her devotion to her students. You would not believe the number of e-mails exchanged during our online course. Pamela quickly answered every question. As we posted our works-in-progress online, Pamela "tweaked" them in Photoshop, showing us how we could make our work more interesting and artistic. Additionally, she generously shared lots of techniques that she uses, and imparted a bit of art history and education as we learned about Picasso, Matisse, and other artists. Not to mention line, symmetry, balance, value, and other elements of art.



In fact, this online community still exists. We have been writing to each other and sharing our work for a year now. Since we all begged for a Part II, Pamela has agreed to start a new group, beginning the enrollment with our class. This one will be called Still Life is Boring- Not!


From what I have watched of the DVD so far, it is an excellent reprise of our workshop. The photography is excellent, Pamela is a natural in front of the camera, and there is a trunkshow of her work that is mind-boggling. The publishers, Nine-Patch Press, have created a You-Tube video with some excerpts from the video. Take a look!

And here is a big get-well wish for Pamela's husband, her former art teacher, as he is currently in the hospital for quad-bypass heart surgery.