Author Archives: Colleen Kole

New Lights

     This may not be very exciting to you. But I am sooo excited as today an electrician came to install some new track lights for me in my studio. There is a huge long boring story behind this as the box of lights has been sitting in the studio for way too long but I won’t bore you. It has become a joke actually in the family but I have been patiently waiting for a friend to install them-for months.

      But today was the day. Look up at the ceiling-very exciting to have it done.

     I had to clean before they came as they warned me about drywall dust. Not much dust at all but  it is very nice to have a really clean studio.

     This is taken with just the recessed lights on and daylight. The colors when I photograph are really washed out in comparison to how I see them.

  This is a little better and brighter I think but I will have to angle the lights differently now that I see this. But definitely truer to the actual colors I see without really fussing with my camera settings.

    One more picture of clear clean tables.

    And now I will go deal with this. And not tell my family because the saga of the lights continues.

    I also need to quickly get to work on the piece you just saw on my design board which is due on Sunday. I feel remarkably relaxed since I have to travel to Vermont tomorrow.  The dog ate my homework or more likely the airlines lost my luggage would be a good excuse. I shouldn’t even say that as both have happened before.

    And I think I am just not so nervous about my class anymore. I am really accepting where I am and trying to not be impatient with moving forward. Challenged and working hard but not nervous. Nice to be back and realize how crazy I can make myself.

Jumping All the Way In

      I can’t believe I haven’t posted in such a long time. A nasty cold which turned into a sinus infection wiped me out.  And  a reaction to an antibiotic.  And the rest of the time , I have disappeared into my studio.  In my studio, hours fly by and I look up and can’t believe it’s time to go pick up the kids at 3. I am working very hard and really feel driven to get everything I can from my workshop.  My days have flown by and I truly have jumped all the way into this online workshop given by Lisa Call.

     Reading, journaling, thinking again before I touch the fabric. Learning how to give myself parameters for a piece and then critique it so the next one can be different and improved. And figuring out how I work and where I waste time and procrastinate. I am almost done with the Space and Repetition assignment due February 5th and I want to re-work the one ( Color and Value) from last week.

     I just selfishly want to keep them to myself for now.  I feel self-conscious showing them to you. I haven’t figured out why yet. I guess when I am ready you will see them. Right now, I feel as if I am working very hard and have yet to be overly impressed with my outcome.   Don’t get me wrong- I am very,very excited about this whole class process and what I am learning. There is always so much to learn. But this is truly a great experience and I  have jumped all the way in.

   

Seeing A Little Light From Down Under

     I am deep in week two of my online class given by Lisa Call. The past two weeks I have buried myself in reading information, thinking time, consistent journaling and actual work.

     Last week we began by setting a theme or inspiration for our series and set parameters for ourselves: how large it would be, what finished would be for a particular piece and then needed to complete a sketch for our series that we would work from. All that information needed to be completed and logged into a private blog before the next  90 minute lecture on Sunday night. So here I share:

1. My Theme/Inspiration/Intention:  Finding beauty in the architectural rooflines and windows of our local   botanical garden,  the Frederik Meijer Gardens.

Frederik Meijer Botanical Gardens

2. I wanted to use  a motif incorporating and abstracting lines so this will be my motif. I set the parameters of working in a 3×3 foot size. ( I have never set  a specific size for myself and stuck with it: challenge #1) I did specify that I would not drive myself crazy and try to actually complete the machine quilting during this workshop.

Series Motif

3. My final sketch for the series in week one:

Colleen Kole, 2012,  Initial Sketch for Series Workshop

   
   
     I haven’t worked with lines before so thought this would be another challenge for me. I loved the making of the lines and hope for them to evolve into a little bit softer lines.

    But as I have found this week, week two, you really have to be focused on your original intention for the series and shut the thousands of doors that you find when you start something new.  That is the reason you come back to intention -which I fought , kicked and screamed about last week.  I didn’t want to do it.
 
    Intention saved me this week.  (More on week two later. )
 
     Whew- I am pushing and pushing and loving putting all the pieces and parts together of what I had previously learned. Great stuff if you are thinking of taking Lisa’s workshop.

 
   
     

Deep in The Rabbit Hole

     I signed up for an 8 week online class with Lisa Call called “Working In A Series“.  It actually was my Christmas present from my husband, Marc. Yes, a very sweet man who encouraged me to try it . Ok, I begged and he agreed for it to be my present. I really need nothing else.

     Well, there is no “trying it”. I am deep in the rabbit hole soaking it all up , pondering, making right brain meet left brain (ouch-very painful experience) , stomping occasionally having little fits and thinking things through in ways I never have before. Starting and starting again.

     The online format to me was questionable with an art class. But Lisa has methodically and meticulously set up a private blog forum for the class. We receive e-mails three times weekly with loads of reference material and can post questions on the blog as much as we would like. That is in addition to lectures via conference calls -five 90 minute lectures. The first one was Sunday night and we are off and running with potential ideas for a series. Assignments are given and due dates described with finished work posted on the private blog.

     I have to admit that I have not had intention, theme or meaning associated with my art. A whole new world is opening up for me. I am working hard and not ready to share yet. But I will. When I am ready. I am going to take my time with this one and try to push myself to understand working in a series.

     Right now, I am deep, deep in the rabbit hole doing the work.

    If you have an inclination to take her class, jump in. Soon. Lisa is a wonderful teacher.  Week one assignment due Sunday.

Shhh…It’s A Secret

      I am the worst person at keeping a secret. I just can’t do it. I really was going to keep it to myself.  But then you would wonder why I am so boring and why I am doing nothing. So, here it is: I am taking a class online. For the next 8 weeks. Can you guess with who?

   

Playing a Little More

     I am totally enthralled with this old piece I found in my work basket.   Scraps of Japanese fabric which are perfect for hand stitching.

    And thank you to the wonderful Lynne who gave me simple direct instructions for changing the size on this image. Hopefully my blog will load faster for you.

     One more day of studio cleaning and re-organizing for me. I can’t wait to settle back in again.

Trying to Figure It Out

I took a photography class. I should have taken Photoshop class. Bear with me while I try a few pictures…
Just trying to see if these download faster and are appropriate for web uploading.

I have been using my I-photo and directly uploading them to Blogger. I think that was not a good idea as
over the long holiday weekend I had difficulty uploading. Any one out there using iPhoto and how are you uploading to Blogger?

I know-I should have been using Photoshop, right? Just seems like an extra step?

Thanks if you have an answer for my little computer brain.

Done Hibernating

     I traveled to Vermont the day after Christmas, and I feel like I was a bear hibernating for the past week.  The weather was really dreary-rain, snow, rain but not unusual for this week.

I would sleep, read, play games with the kids and then come up for food. The daily walks never stopped. There was the occasional burst of energy but just lack of focus. I was getting frustrated and then I was reminded by my husband that it’s ok to take a vacation.

     So,  I relaxed and gave in to the vacation.  And I have woken up and feel much better. But I forgot the proper pile of fabric I had sitting on my table to bring with me. So, I made do with what was here without panicking.

Charity Baby Quilt, 2012, 36×36

     Made a charity quilt to get going again.

     I feel ready to move into 2012. Last year was my year of the technique learning as much as I could about different techniques and I believe this year is the- year of focus and doing the work.

     Happy New Year!

Peace to All of You

     Take some time to slow down and enjoy the day. Look closely at the beauty the season offers us. And enjoy the wonder of the child Jesus born many years ago on that first Christmas Day.

     I’ll be taking a few days off with my family. I  look forward to some slower hand stitching over the next week.  It will feel great after all the busyness of the past few weeks.

    Merry Christmas to you and your families! Hugs to all!

New Friends

     I have some new friends. They haven’t lived in America for long-only 15months they reminded me today. I have been helping them for a year now get settled here after their move from Bhutan. Prior to moving here, they lived in a refugee camp for 17 years. Yes, 17 years in a bamboo hut and cooking over an open fire but they went to school and proudly could speak some English when they arrived. They weren’t allowed back to their native land of Nepal nor did Bhutan want the refugees so they were stranded in this camp along with thousands of others.

    I have had the privilege of taking them to their first grocery store trip, figuring out why there are three sizes of shoes on one box, helping them fill out paperwork, taking them to doctors appointments and just plain visiting with them and talking to them. I have tried their foods and they have disliked my foods. And  they are friends enough to tell me why. 🙂 I have been at the airport when more of their family members have arrived and celebrated with them. I have celebrated when Sita called me in Vermont and told me she could drive now and had a job. Both are now employed at a bakery.

    When I asked them where they wanted to visit this month, they asked to go to the Meijer Botanical Gardens Festival of Trees.  Today was the day we went to visit. The chatter amongst the two of them on the drive was amazing as they tried to figure out why we cut a tree down, put it inside and throw it away. The conclusion at the end of the drive was, if they “do the American custom” they will buy one in a pot and keep it. Good for them.

   As we looked at the trees, each tree was decorated to represent a specific country and many questions again were asked about where the countries are and why they celebrate certain ways. They just want to know it all and their excitement over anything new just really makes me melt. I just love their enthusiasm.

    But the absolute best moment of the day was when we entered the actual conservatory which was hot and humid and filled with bamboo at the entryway. Sita looked at me and said, “This is what my homeland was like and this is how I built my house with bamboo. ” She sat on a bench and said, “Thank you very much for bringing me today. ” I have never seen her smile brighter.

   That was an absolutely perfect Christmas gift for me. I really need nothing more.

    Be content and blessed by where we live, my friends.