Author Archives: Colleen Kole

#2 in the L Series

     That is a really lame title. But my tired little brain can’t think of anything else. I was having sewing machine issues so went to newly bought -used machine-but that was having problems too! But my very dear local dealer replaced it with another used machine and this one is sewing just perfectly for me-at this minute. So I just can’t think of a catchy name for this series right now.

     I am continuing blocks with a “L” theme and this time I went much larger.

     The actual sewing together of this one was very challenging for me. Oh alright, that was a polite way of saying it was driving me crazy at one point yesterday. A construction nightmare. I haven’t done inset seams before. Just sewn by hand but not machine. Until this week. And I heard a very distinctive voice, say to a workshop participant this spring-“At this point you should be able to figure it out. I am not going to tell you how to sew it together. You have to find your own way.” Over and over, I repeated those words.:)

So.that is what I did.

Figured it out.  One seam and one piece at a time. I ripped it some seams out SEVERAL times until the top was done.

     And it’s not necessarily any wonder- design wise. But I just feel accomplished because I didn’t give up. Hand dyed fabrics look pretty outside, don’t they? It measures about 32 x 60 unquilted. How does it fit as part of this series? Well…I did follow the “L” motif but I should have played with my original easy design before I jumped into this one. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s an improvisational series.

     Next, I am moving back to machine quilting these last two pieces. I need to add finished pieces to my tally for 2010.

     Happy Sewing, my friends!

The Beginning Work

     It is very quiet here. Drinking my coffee and enjoying the peace, the ticking of the clock and the hum of the refrigerator. Not quite wanting my day to start without them -but it already has -at 6am.  Missing them but relieved for the peace. Always kind of a push pull kind of thing isn’t it? Not quite wanting to start the list of things that is already there and wondering how it will all fit in. And then wondering where the art piece will fit in today.

 And wondering what to share of what I am doing. I did finish the memory quilt. A big yeah! I also pieced the first in my series/study.

It measures about 36 by 36 and I am not going to quilt it yet. I might add another to it but the next in the series…My parameters for the study: play with one block or motif and manipulate it as many times as I can stand it. Don’t need to necessarily like the outcome but just work the motif. Each piece will be individually cut freehand with the rotary cutter-just like this one. Looks like floor tile to me … oops I said no criticizing it , didn’t I? I will show you these along my way.

Also, I am on Work of the Week #2. Parameters on this project:

     1. 4 per month measuring 8×12.
     2. I will start with surface design techniques.
     3. Again, I don’t need to like it, just experiment.
     4. Start with a plain white “canvas”.
     5. No starting it over-finish what you start with.
     6. I may or may not show you them.

That’s it. I will document on the back what I liked and what worked.

This is actually the back which I liked more than the front-the way the paint seeped through the quilting lines.
The front was painted AFTER I did the quilting lines with some Jaquard paints I had in my drawer.

Odd I know . I am not a painter and don’t like the colors or my paintstrokes…oops again…what I do like…what I do like….

I LOVED stitching first and applying color second. Positive is better and makes me feel like I learned something. I guess I need to work on critiquing rather than criticizing my work. That might be the most painful part of this process. Ongoing and forever I guess. Critique rather than criticize.

Off to weed, shop, drive and go to a cross country meet. After I put my hands on some fabric for awhile!

Happy Sewing, my friends!

On My First Day

     Of the kids being in school, I created a massive quantity of art. Ha. No, even better I went to enjoy some art with friends. I wasn’t planning to like this as I had seen pictures and it just didn’t excite me. It has drawn large crowds here since it’s opening but I just didn’t go earlier.

    But in the early morning sun and the company friends, I was in love with it. Enjoy the beauty of the gardens and the the art of Dale Chihuly at the Meijer Gardens .

From the ceiling

Placed in the gardens

One of my favorites-the blending of the pink and the soft yellow…

Beautiful

In the sun

And enjoying two wonderful friends for a few hours. That was a treat and now I want to go back for more to see it in different light. Why haven’t I gone before? The exhibit has been extended until the end of October secondary to the large crowds. I will go again.

 This was truly a privilege.

Happy Art, my friends!

Fun With Fools

     Since I have have been home, I have this overwhelming desire to be by the water. We live about 45 minutes from Lake Michigan and I have been taking every opportunity to soak in some water views. The plan on Saturday was to get up early and join all the other crazy people who wanted to do the same thing and go to the beach. However, the weather took a real turn and it was cold and very windy. Well, we went anyway but just took a drive and walk along the lakeshore. We ended up at South Haven beach- windy, cold and 63 degrees.

    I haven’t seen the lake like this in a long time. The waves were washing over the pier and a fool was standing out at the end.

I looked out and I saw these guys-what is this-not parasailing?-windboarding? They were flying on these boards and having a great time. I had never seen this before.

There were three guys who went out and were just having so much fun riding with the wind.

I kept thinking of how incredibly strong their upper bodies must have been with the wind gusts we were having.

The board looked like a snowboard.

The sail was large and heavy-drying off before he loaded it into his truck.

A little water watching at the end of summer. Then I went home and have spent about ten hours purging my sewing room-dealing with scraps and things. Guess I didn’t really put things away after returning home:).

Happy Summer, my friends!

Frogs, Fridays and Finishes

     I was just pouring myself a cup of coffee this morning and look who was peeking in my kitchen window-this little frog was perched on the top of my window! He couldn’t have been anymore than 3 inches big .

 What an awful picture. I had to send my basic lens for the SLR away for repair. Boo hoo- it would have been a great close up.

Well I do kind of feel like him-clinging and maybe not headed in the right direction this week. I was being kind of hard on myself and kept thinking I didn’t really do enough art wise this week. So I sat and made a list.
What did I do art related this week?

1. 90 percent done on memory quilt. Just need to wrap up the binding.

2. Went to Nellie’s reception. Began my own crinkle quilt which isn’t quite dry yet with all the humidity we have had.

3. Ironed all my surface design work from summer and found a home for it. Figured out I need deep navy, gold and deep purple fabric dyed yet this warm weather season.

4. Went our West Michigan Fiber Arts meeting and saw a great demonstration by our own Linda Walburn on deconstructed screen printing. I loved this.

 She made it look very easy…

 

 (Note to self:you may not try this until you have current projects on this list completed.)

5. Pieced 75 percent of my  first top for my series.(Need a name) Ended up moving it around and liking it better.Too many ideas for the second one! Super excited.

6. Waiting for my 8×10 work of the week #2 to be dry so I can do some hand stitching and finish the edge.

And then if I add in the last minute back to school stuff and kids home yet, maybe it was a productive week after all! School starts Tuesday and as much as I have had a great summer with each of them I am ready for a schedule.

So if you feel you haven’t been as productive as you “should ” be, maybe make a list. Some of this is just “studying” for the end result of finding my way. Make a list and look back on what you DID do.

Happy summer and sewing, my friends!

Artist Opening:Nellie Durand

     I had the privilege of attending  Nellie Durand’s opening at an art gallery, goodgoods, in Saugutuck, MI this weekend.  It was a hot sunny day to visit this great little city about an hour from home. The town was packed with people trying to enjoy one of the last weeks of summer. This opening included two other artists, Sandra Adams and Dawn Edwards,  and all were demonstrating their techniques and answering questions about their work.

     Nellie’s work is just beautiful when you see pictures of it on her blog Nellie’s Needles. But seeing it in person just took my breath away! She had a great representation of all her work there-her crinkle work, her surface design pieces and of course the amazing Lake series. Nellie also demonstrated -very generously sharing -her techniques with us for creating the Lake pieces. She also showed me her crinkle work which is really intriguing with the application of hand stitching on a starched crinkled composition. She is a kind and patient teacher. (I must be a visual learner because it is so much easier to see the technique done and understand… ) She made it seem so easy but the art of her work is the perfect placing of color and stitch to make the piece just sing.

     Nellie has obtained a coveted spot at the Devos Hall for one of her pieces during  Artprize here in Grand Rapids. She gave us a peek by displaying two of the panels of the Lake at goodgoods this weekend. I can’t wait to see the whole piece and will remind you of it in September.  DeVos Hall will be the perfect venue for it!

      My 19 year old Erin went with me. As I was gushing at dinner that night and the family was patiently listening to me, I paused and realized Erin was gushing too. She chose the Lake piece as her favorite and was so inspired by seeing and enjoying art that she took back to college her jewelry making supplies. I saw her peeking through Nellie’s blog after dinner.

     So, Nellie- Thanks for sharing, creating and inspiring. It was such a treat to meet you. Thanks Paula and Tod for the intro.

Happy Summer, my friends!

A Few Minutes of Peace

 

   For the first time -in over two months- I AM ALONE. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful. And no one is talking. I will sit with my coffee and read my book that just came in the mail. I ordered it from Lisa Call although she has no more. You can find them on the SAQA website.

     Ahhh….how nice is this. The book is from the Color Improvisations exihibit in Germany curated by Nancy Crow. And it is beautiful. I have never seen such a gorgeous catalogue. You thought I would give you a peek didn’t you? No, you have to get your own! Or- you could join me for a cup of coffee.

So What’s Next?

     My oldest daughter left this weekend for college. The other two kids start school after Labor Day. As we have spent time shopping for school supplies, I became increasingly and foolishly jealous of my kids purchases. New pens, new pencils, new crayons and a new year at school. But then, I realized it wasn’t necessarily the new loot but the fresh start I was jealous of . They begin a new year as if the previous year wasn’t there and they get to start all over again. Learn new things, try new things and do the work.

      I am a wannabee art quilter right now- so why couldn’t I do the same thing? A fresh start but not just jumping from one thing to another. I am doing the learning new things and the trying new things but I have no specific plan or purpose. So to give myself some goals for the rest of the year, I need a little more structure.

1. I am going to work in a series for 6 pieces at least 3×3. I will work in a simple motif or block that I started working on in Vermont. Series sounds- scary -but more serious.  I think I need to learn to manipulate this little block until I have it how I want it. It’s just a little “L” so how scary can that be? Why that size? It’s just big enough I can feel I am working on my machine quilting. Not big enough to be overwhelmed.

2. Then I am also going to work smaller. 8×10 is the next size I have chosen. After being introduced to the work of Jeanne Williamson by Paula, I have been really inspired.

 I picked Jeanne’s book, The Uncommon Quilter in the library after Paula mentioned her name and I was amazed after reading it.  She made a quilt a week  this size for seven years-365 to be exact. A perseverant and talented artist. I am going to try to work through some of the techniques she has outlined in this great book. The only thing I bought for it is a new box of crayons. The rest will be found objects or things I already have. I am very excited to do this.

     So there is my fresh start and new box of crayons for the new  school year! Just like that I have returned to school.

Happy Summer, my friends-for a few more weeks!

  

The End of the Week

    Mmm…that’s about all I can say about my art life this week. It’s the end of the week. I seem to have underestimated the fact that I would need to move my oldest back to school tomorrow. And I had way too many appointments this week.

     Whatever bits of time I did have, I worked on a memory quilt for a friend who lost her husband a few years ago. I don’t feel I can share that with you though as it’s hers and only hers. My precious friend that it is for is a private person- her grief is private-so no sharing this time. I finished piecing it this week and will try to wrap it up this weekend. Made me sad…

     I also sat down and wrote out some goals for myself. I seem to do better with a list. One of them was updating the blog but in my attempt to do that, I have really screwed it up. So just bear with me until I can figure it out. Did Blogger change their templates….? I want my old one back….and can’t find it.

     Happy Summer my friends!