Hinky Pinkie

A Room of her Own

 

Sometimes we all need a little time on the coffee porch where we can spy on the world, but not be easily seen.  These are the curtains I made to dress up my daughter's emerging room of her own. She's done a few things to personalize it too.

 

Company is Coming!

I just last week jumped into a mini blog world of creative mamas, who write a small musing on a given theme and then share once a month.  Check it out here: on Edison Rex, crafted by the fabulous and astounding Maeg Yosef, artist mama extraordinaire.

The great thing is that I get challenged to be introspective and then to share my thoughts.  The other great thing is to hear what other artist mamas think on the same thought. And the third great thing is that it invites visitors!

I’ve reached a point in my grown-up-ness, which I think might be related to the magical number 40, in which I’ve really accepted who and where I am.  I’ve accepted that I’m doing the best I can with what I have, and that that’s enough.  I got the warning email last night, from Maeg, that our creative mama post would go live this am, which I thought was a nice courtesy.  This morning, I’m realizing that means she’s inviting her new friends into my living room of blog space, and I didn’t clean it last night!  It’s just it’s own musty stale self of my thoughts from a few weeks ago.

Well- I’m ok with that- it’s honest and true.  I have been busy making things, and will now give you a little taste of my current works in progress.

 

Known as English Paper Piecing or Mosaic Patchwork, this is a time consuming hand work project that brings me great joy.

 

Another intricate project, machine paper-pieced trees, ready for their binding, sleeve and label.

 

The sticky note is the to do list on this one: sleeve and label is all that's left!  I love this color study and am eager to do more.  It's hard to choose where to direct my time!

 

Thanks for visiting- enjoy your stay and come again soon.  Having company coming is delightful, and means I might even have incentive to get a bit more finished product completed for sharing!

 

TWIST off the top

Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots. 

Frank Howard Clark 

 

 

 

This summer I was finally inspired “enough” and I applied to a big time favorite local juried craft show.

(It’s called TWIST and is awesome!)

I held high hopes that my work would fill a vacant niche, would fly off the shelves like hotcakes and would be "just the thing" each shopper was looking for.  

I started making more things.  I went beyond my usual bed quilts, wall quilts, small wall quilts, shoulder bags and handmade bias cut shoelaces that match the handmade, flannel, gender-neutral infant booties that would never be worn. I stepped it up and made bibs, “Taggies”, Christmas stockings and wristlet purses.  I sold out from under myself, my first four wristlet purses- to a collection of Tai Chi practitioners in Vancouver.

The accepted vendor announcements were to be made on August 15^th. I was eager, I was crossing my fingers, I was hoping.  I was hoping that I would be recognized for my efforts, that I’d be given a chance to be fairly reimbursed for my vision and my hard work, and for my creativity. I was gently quieted in my production fervor, by being waitlisted for the craft fair.

The next announcements were due out on August 31^st.  A cruel distance of time and energy from the assembly line I’d designed for myself, but the distractions of summer abounded and I spent some time carpooling children to a far away camp and processing pears.

Finally the end of the month arrived.  The school supplies had been purchased, the lawn had been mowed extra short in case I needed to ramp up again. The creeping realization that I’m not terribly happy making lots of the same thing visited again.  The joy of selecting combos of beautiful fabrics for new pieces had already been exhausted and was physically filed in the vertical bins under my cutting table. What remained was the dirty work of making zippers zip properly.  I was still eager, I was still crossing my fingers, I was still hoping, but what I was crossing and hoping for had changed.

I received the stock email saying “Thanks BUT, blah blah, show size, blah blah, diversity, blah blah, balance…” and I went upstairs and told my husband: “TWIST set me free.”

He replied, “Awww…” in his own quiet way of expressing both sympathy and delight at the same time.

And I said, “Yeah, I’m disappointed, but I’m also relieved.”

Maybe they knew I’m not really a full time craft artist who wants to sell things professionally for a long time, that I’m still a baby artist who has accumulated a lot of really great assorted, seemingly random pieces that I want to unload onto the world and that it wasn’t cohesive enough of a vision to fit on a table in their little space of 60 vendors. They’re pretty smart. I’m guessing they did know all that. I think they also would have liked to give me a space, but it didn’t fit the balance of diversity…

I get it. I didn’t make the cut.  It was my first time and I know what it would take for me to try again. I didn’t take the rejection (very) personally and I’ve already moved on.

I got a job working for that circus guru I mentioned in the last post.

 

 

 

Life is Cherries

"What do you do?" is a question that plagues me.  Last week when I answered "cooking and cleaning" as my honest response, I was cheered by the new book group circle and validated by the recognition that my work is still undervalued and mundane.

(I sound like a housewife, I think I'm a housewife!- thank you for the lyrics, Michelle Shocked).

Today, I answered the same question with, "I'm an artist."  I was cheered by the local circus guru and validated by the assumption that I would have a website and that my efforts to share my visions with the world are valued and respected.

Instead of  struggling for ten more years to re-classify myself, I'm putting my thoughts into words, and my words into action.  

I am an artist.  

Life is cherries.

Cherries just are.  

You can choose to think thoughts of suffering, using  statements ironically, by listing your challenges followed by the sarcasm of "Life is a bowl of cherries" with sting and sorrow. OR - you can turn it around to the actual sweet idiom:  Life is a bowl of cherries!  and just experience gratitude.  It's all in the naming of things.

Looking at what is my life, I'm reminded of the character quote:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.Watch your words, for they become actions.Watch your actions, for they become habits.Watch your habits, for they become character.Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. 
Author Unknown

Now I'm heading to upstairs to eat some cherries and cut up some fabric in my studio, because I am a hungry artist.

 

Sun+ Paint+ Fabric=FUN

My girl gang of artist types gathered for a fun few hours of sun and paint play on Sunday. Here's the resutls from my three strips. 

 

 

 

I  kept almost falling over with headrushes after bending down to the sidewalk to work, so left midstream to get some rest. The remainder of the gang had a bit more documentation to share. Dancing Crow  shows the final products from her batches and for another look, check out the details of the process of fabric paint dyeing on Timna's page.

Weeding

Moving closer to a definition of my intentions as an artist, I find that noticing what I do not enjoy shows me what I must cut out.  This weeding has revealed an empty space into which I can spread the vines of my intention and see what flowers next.   Stay tuned!

 

To Take commissions or not Take Commissions... Is that a question?

Sometimes, people who like my work, who've wanted something unique or special, want me to make them that something special.  I've been wary every time, as I've heard from other artists that it crimps their style, that they worry about customer disaappointment or worse, losing a friend over such a disappointment.  In spite of that concern, I've said yes everytime and I've been continuely delighted!

 

The way it works best for me is to be quite thorough in my communication, to emphasize that as the artist, I need license to be creative within the agreed upon parameters, and that I'll do my best to represent my own style, which is what the customer is attracted to foremost. I am still figuring out the pricing piece, but what has felt most comfortable is to offer a range of expected prices, within which they agree to pay and I agree to work, and then I narrow the final price down to a sliding scale window that feels comfortable to both of us.  It leaves the final exchange amount in the hands of the consumer, but is moderately under our joint control.  This makes the entire exchange feel like a collaboration and thus a win-win situation.

 

 

Here's a pillow (shown on my daughter's bed) I designed as a memorial piece, using a dress given to  my customer by her late husband.  She treasured the dress but needed it to be in a new form she could better interact with and enjoy.  She brought the dress to me, requesting only that it be made into a "lovely" pillow.  Knowing that what she thinks is lovely and what I think is lovely may be divergent, I asked lots of clarifying questions.  I narrowed it all down to a design with a 16" square pillow form, a removable cover, a focus on the print material featured mainly on the front of the dress and including the grey/black skirt of the dress. She wanted heavy quilting and lots of curves, no hearts or cheesiness and beyond that- would trust any design decisions I wanted. Her favorite color is blue.  I came up with the shapes and design combination, whipped it up and held my breath.  She exclaimed that it was indeed "lovely" and later even sent me a photo of it nestled quietly into her other bed pillows, looking comfortable and regal in it's new home.

 

 

 

Another commission piece with less emotional weight, and stricter design constraints, was the messenger bag I made for a friend's birthday. She let me know about three months in advance that she wanted her husband to commission me to make her a "bag like yours" and I could make it anyway I wanted.  Well, the bag like mine was a specific pattern I'd learned in a class, so I figured I'd better replicate that pattern, so the design choices were primarily fabric color, texture and embellishments.  I asked her favorite color (blue again) and decided to focus on light blue as she's proudly Swedish and has lots of light blue decor in her home.  I found a fabulous focus fabric with blue and white button design, but I worried that it would be overwhelming. The bag design is reversible, so I balanced it by having the other side be darker and a bit more decorated by adding a ribbon strip to the pocket. Not knowing when I'd fit it in around other projects if I postponed the work, I created the whole bag within those first couple weeks after she asked.  Months later, her husband called to see if I might be able to make his wife a bag for her birthday, a few weeks away.  I delighted him by saying, it's already done!  and just crossed my fingers that she'd like it.  Well, she does!  It works to hold both file folders and diapers, hangs nicely from her busy shoulders and as good functional art probably should, she told him "It pushes me a little out of my comfort zone!"  I was surprised to see her using it with what to me is the "louder" side out, and am so glad the button fabric is to her liking!

 

 

I'm so happy I went with a "Yes!" to the question, "Do you take commissions?"  I have felt like my work has added value and life when it is targeted to the needs and desires of a specific request.  The challenge of fitting my style into the confines of someone else's vision is invigorating and makes me happy.  I think it's something I'll continue doing as it seems to be working!

SO- If you want me to make you something- Let's talk!  

 

 

The Bees will be next

As soon as it's warm enough, the bees will emerge for their cleansing flights.  After the promise of pollen, they'll come to stay for the warm seasons approaching- Can't wait!  This is a little piece I made over the winter in anticipation.

the Birds are Returning

 

While not cedar waxwings, which were spotted outside the fourth grade's classroom window on Friday morning, the birds are returning to my work as a side theme.  It always curious to see who arrives when. 

 

 

Birthday celebration # 8

As part of my 40th trip around the sun, I've elected to celebrate as much as possible.  I've had breakfast in bed, a concert or two, amazing Moraccan food, snowshoing, skiing and sledding dates-  Anything fun I do, I say it's because it's my birthday.  I don't think I"ll be able to ride this wave of birthday much longer, but do have at least a lunch date and night out dancing still in the works.  Here's some shots from my super fun art party where I had the chance to listen to my favorite music, with some of my favorite people, doing one of my favorite things- making art!  The event was more process over product focused, and the photographer was only 7 years old, so keep that in mind as you peruse.  

 

 

To book your own birthday art part- contact Art Always

 
 

Shhhhhh....It's Snowing Again

This stellar image is one I snapped while touring the Supreme Court building in Jerusalem , Israel.  It is now my computer desktop wallpaper  and is a gentle reminder to seek quiet spaces in order to let my creative energies flow.

It's snowing again today.  I have three girls playing pirate ship in the upstairs and two cats playing lounge lizard nearby.  It is too icy to drive to Greenfield where I'd intended to spend my morning at the once a year secret fabric sale at the fabled Textile Company. I am trying instead to have a productive workday, making "pointy pencil posse" bags for the elementary school, in the midst of shoveling and recovery from my week of sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.  How do you find quiet in the midst of a storm?