process of becoming an artist

It has been a long time since I visited this little blog. I keep wondering what is keeping me from it. Probably just a busy life outside of the studio and some things I can’t yet show you. But in my travels last month to CT for a wedding, look who I found: the amazing […] Read More...

It was steaming hot here this past week. It’s the kind of weather that the cotton fabrics and dyes love. I definitely have been in love with my newfound knowledge of fabric dyeing after my Carol Soderlund class last May. Carol recommends processing in a plastic bag for low water immersion. But I am way […] Read More...

I have to admit it started awhile ago. I opened one of the drawers next to my sewing machine and I found a whole boatload of curvy fabrics from a workshop. I know it was a Nancy Crow workshop but I am not sure which one. I quickly shut the drawer knowing I was deep […] Read More...

Still in VT and waddling through the end of summer seeing lots of art and having lots of family and visitors here. I am ready for a quiet week for my art next week. I periodically mull over pursuing an arts degree (when I get frustrated or when I feel I […] Read More...

I have totally avoided blogging because of my last month’s schedule. Or is that the reason? I get so confused by what I read. Blogs : Blogs are dead. No- you need a blog to link to your website and to FB. If you do write a blog, be authentic. Be […] Read More...

I thought I would be showing you a finished piece at the end of this week. It always takes longer than I think it will. When I went to put the binding on tonight, I realized that I had a huge spot of machine oil on my piece. I took a […] Read More...

I just keep thinking-oh silly me. Normal people start small and then when they feel comfortable in a skill, they move on to a larger project. Nope. Not me. I just plunge right in and hope for the best. I am way too impatient to wait until my skills improve. ( Can you […] Read More...

I finally woke up from the last few weeks of March. The sun shone here for the past two days and I could feel March lift off from me like a bad dream or the fog. I put my machine in the sun today and just let it wash the winter away. Maybe […] Read More...

I read a lot of blogs. I call it my art education-watching , reading, seeing what others are up to and sometimes just being nosy. And I see a common thread in those artists who have just completed a big event: applying for Quilt National, applying for other important exhibits/competitions or having a […] Read More...

For the past few weeks after my workshop, I came home and have felt like I am in a fog. Dragging around trying to kick myself into gear. I finally gave up on the “in gear” part, got more sleep and read a few fiction books. Then I took a […] Read More...

I have all these grandiose plans to write a separate blog post for all the fun things I have been doing. But it just seems like old news. So I will give you the abbreviated whirlwind catch up: 1. Attended a day long workshop by Susan Brubaker Knapp at the WMQG on Thread Sketching. […] Read More...

The recent issue of the Grand Rapids Magazine had an article in it about the American Quilt Society Show coming to our city August 22-25th. And back in July, they interviewed little old me and my friend Terri Watson for this article. Very nice to have been interviewed and I didn’t say anything too embarrassing! […] Read More...

I thought I would have my piecing done today for my Artprize piece but decided to re-make a few of the blocks. Took longer than I thought. I am almost there and could have left them. But then I would always be frustrated that it was just off a little bit. I dyed […] Read More...

I have journeyed back to Michigan (yup, a mixed up summer) late Sunday night and hit the ground running with all things art in my world. More tomorrow for you on that. But today I had a long awaited playmate with my very talented friend Terri Watson. She is a […] Read More...

Just arrived in Vermont on Sunday for the week. I kept working on my Artprize piece the past few weeks and have driven my family mad with it. I think I am now on version #2578 of the same piece and left it half assembled on my design wall. I promised them that […] Read More...

I know, I know I am supposed to be buckling down and doing the work with new focus. I am still machine quilting so that does indeed count. I am continuing with my little mini master’s art degree as planned this year. Scheduled next week starting Sunday is a class at the Barn taught […] Read More...

I went to a friend’s house for dinner a few nights ago. She is a very productive person: mom, volunteer extraordinaire, and wears many other titles (which I can’t even begin to wonder why one person would need or want to have). After lots of conversation, I realized she was clearly at odds […] Read More...

This one was by far my hardest assignment. I chose a few parameters for myself and then realized I had chose a silly construction method that just didn’t work for me. I spent hours on this one. It became a case of me against the piece and I truly felt like I had […] Read More...

I thought I would finally take some time and show you what I have been doing in Lisa Call’s class Working in a Series. I just needed a little breathing room to post on what I have been doing and realize that it may take me 10 or more pieces before I really find […] Read More...

Ninety Percent: As I was laying in bed last night unable to sleep ( I really hate insomnia) , I realized that I have three projects ninety percent complete. Two of those projects are small Christmas gifts and one is a small study that I need to figure out how to complete it. That […] Read More...