Category Archives: Uncategorized

Studio Shots

I haven’t wanted or been able to show you what I have been working on for a long time. So I struggle with exciting things to tell you about my process or my art happenings.

the state of things

I am just hard at work work right now but I miss connecting with you.

So, I will try something new here on this blog. I am going to institute two regular postings. One will be simply studio shots and thus, title of the post will be : Studio Shots. Not a very catchy title nor very original but I am really trying to get back to posting! I take many photos which are simple but convey a moment of time I am trying to document in my studio.

from a tag sale

My husband brought me this stash of books from a neighbor’s tag sale. What a sweet guy and I was jumping up and down when he gave them to me.

rocking in the studio with my music of choice today

The second post will be titled: What’s Happening? I expect it to contain a really broad variety of topics : family fun stuff, events happening in whatever town I happen to be in and all things Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids is a pretty great town and I am really looking forward to Artprize 2014 beginning on Wednesday September 23rd. Wooho-let the fun begin! So there will be lots of new posts titled “What’s Happening? ” in the next few weeks.

Summer’s End: A Workshop, Lecture and an Exhibit Visit

Summer has ended with a return to warm temperatures and a big sigh of relief. I love the last few weeks when you have fully sunk into sleeping in and reading lots of useless novels. Haha-that didn’t happen round here and August has kept me busy and happy.

Highlights from the month:

1. After moving home from VT in early August, I packed my bags and went to a Nancy Crow workshop sponsored by the Muskegon Museum of Art. I had taken it before but signed up knowing that a little refresher is always good for you. The title of the class was Sets and Variables and the intention was to manipulate a “motif” you have made into various assignments.

Peek to the left and you can see the beautiful workspace!

The workshop was given in a recently renovated building in downtown Muskegon and I fell in love with the high ceilings and great lighting we had.

Motifs under construction

I greatly missed Margaret’s cooking as we ate out for lunch/dinner which really disrupts your process. I struggled with staying focused for the exercises. I learned quite a bit about my working habits that are getting in my way.

Alwasy listen to directions :they needed to be smaller

Always listen to directions -they needed to be smaller

2. Nancy Crow gave a lecture on Thursday night in conjunction with the opening of her solo show titled “Transformational Quilts“. It was a treat to here her speak about her work, her career and inspirations. The exhibit was breathtaking and included older work and some very new pieced work. ( No photos allowed. ) I have never had the opportunity to see more than one or two of her pieces in the past. She is definitely the master of color and composition and this exhibit reveals that so clearly. It took my breath away to see such a variety of styles of her work in one space. The two events were a treasure for me. If you are in the area, you definitely need to see this exhibit. If you aren’t in the area, think about making a visit there before it closes in mid- October.

3. I went back to fabric dyeing last week. I am in love with full immersion of really dark pieces.

full immersion of 2 yard pieces

4. I assisted in the hanging of the AQS show here in Grand Rapids. It was amazing to see what goes on behind the scenes in a show. I signed up for a shift to help hang the quilts and enjoyed seeing both sides of the quilt. I also appreciate what the vendors do to get their merchandise ready for all those crazy buyers.

large pallets being moved in to the vendor region

And now my son is back in school and my daughter is at college so I am back to regular studio hours and the fabric is flying. I am on to the next season of work and play . What are you working on?

Sinking Into A Vermont Summer: #2

I have decided to embrace the chaos of summer. I woke up on Wednesday and had no idea what the date was or the day of the week. Or what house I was waking up in until I opened my eyes- Vermont or Michigan? It was Michigan but I needed to get ready to return to VT which takes me a day to organize and then a day to travel. So I thought I would l give you a re-cap of the past two weeks.

– A silly but cute parade that my kids still wanted to be a part of:

A reluctant parade participant 🙂

She still loves her cows

— A trip to the Vermont Quilt Festival

Greta use of color with lots of pieces!

I ran into a fellow classmate from the Barn Lee Sproul and I was pleased to see her piece which was one of my favorites from the show.

Lee Sproul “Orange Link”

Details of Lee Sproul’s piece “Orange Link”

Nice job Lee and nice to see you!

— A trip to the Shelburne Museum to see the Nancy Crow exhibit

Hat and Fragrance Gallery entrance

A link that reviews the exhibit as I took lousy pictures:

Heather Dubreill

—–A proud mom who is excited and happy that her boy ‘s team won the regional division and will travel to Phoenix in February . Only four teams left in the nation so good job Ben, my goalie man. Congrats!

——Lots of walks

Mountains in the distance

—–goofy selfies

Hope and I with the top down

I am making the most of every free minute and every not so free minute and keep working and sewing. I am now working on making lots of lines this week-which I can’t show you.

Summer continues to be

Sign at the Shelburne Museum entrance

Next week a little more fabric dyeing as I need reds and greys. Never enough hand dyed fabrics!

Done Times Two

Some things I really appreciate. And finishing the machine quilting on a piece is one of them! This weekend I finished Rooflines #15 which has been accepted into Artprize 2014.

It is always with a bit of trepidation that I commit an unfinished piece to an exhibit but the last three years I have done it. And each year there has been a moment of panic when there is a glitch. Not a devastating glitch- but a glitch. I pinned this up on the wall when I finished it before applying the binding to admire my work. And with a huge gasp, I realized I had a pretty significant skew and one of the main lines of the quilt was very “off to the left” . I felt like I needed to tilt my head to look at the piece.

major squaring needed

I just needed to be brave and lose a few inches in order for it to look right.

Rooflines #15, 63X64, ©Colleen Kole, 2014

All done and what a good feeling. I did a lot of procrastinating while quilting this because I had so many thread changes.

Details of Rooflines #15

Details fo Rooflines #15

I also wrapped up fabric dyeing and over dyeing about 130 yards. And of those about 30 were overdyes as I started off very impatient and just didn’t tend to them like I should have. I finished ironing last night and making some black and white sketches so today I will cut into theses pretties. I am ready to start something new.

Fabric Dyeing 2014

All Things Summer

I have been in VT for 16 days already and you haven’t heard a peep from me!!! So I owe you a quick re-cap. Marc, I and dogs arrived on May 31st which is the earliest I have ever come for the summer. Marc and I came to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary with out kiddos. However, i promptly came down with a tremendous cold…so good thing he still loves me.

Lilacs in June

It was beautiful here and I have never seen this lilac bloom in the whole ten years we have owned the house. I did a really hard prune of it about 4 years ago and Iam amazed that it has re-grown so quickly.

Yes, the cows are just across the street.

We had the house painted this spring and I have to admit, it has never look this pretty so I will share it with you. Off to the left you can see my chairs where I watch the sunset and have glass of wine. Come anytime and join me!

Vermont home

My sewing room is in the right front corner and I can hear those cows as I sew.

Lucy enjoying VT

The barn is in the back and to the right and that’s Lucy, my sweet one. The Lab, Mandie, is obsessed with the woodchuck and has pushed the word obsession to a new level. She is not in the picture because she can’t stop pacing… The dogs love it here as much as we do.

Crazy girl

Marc left after a few days and my daughter Hope joined me. I knew when I saw her get off the plane that she was really sick. An ER visit diagnosed the very sick kid with mono. She wasn’ t happy though as all her plans of milking cows and working as a deli were on hold. as were my plans of working away. But I was so grateful that she was home from college and not sick 11 hours away. Best case scenario if you have mono: Be with mom so she can take care of you. I am not sure she quite thinks so.

Nice neutrals in the bunch

I have been working hard. I started dyeing fabrics with my new dye knowledge. However, I had less than successful results with my colors turning out much lighter than the color swatches. I suspect old dyes and cold temps. I have replaced some of the older dyes and will see if my theory is right.

Lighter than expected-too cold and dyes old?

I am also machine quilting my Artprize piece. I did get accepted into Artprize 2014 this year and really look forward to it again.

Rooflines #15 under the machine

I try to take a walk each day and this is one of my favorite spots on the Stowe Recreation Path.

Stowe Community Church

And I always watch the sunsets here.

My nighttime view

Hope you are sinking into those long summer days. What are you working on?

Decision Making Time

I got some good new this week. Two of my pieces. Rooflines #2 and Rooflines #8 have been accepted into the SAQA special exhibit called Tactile Architecture. This exhibit will be at the International Quilt Festival in November 2014. I haven”t really tried to enter many shows so this was encouraging.

When I left off last time, I was undecided about whether to enter my piece into Artprize 2014. I did decide to try with it. I will let others decide if it is a good fit for their venue or not. I guess I am tired of being indecisive with my art. My motto will be just try. Or just do the work perhaps, earlier ( ahem) , be more confident of it and try again at a later date.

Gail Baar sent me this great catalog from the QUILTS: The New Geometry exhibit. I do love the introduction that the curator, Sue Benner wrote. It is one of the most well written summaries of the art quilt. Try calling the museum for it as it would be a great addition to your library. Thank you Gail!

It is finally thinking of spring here! Since I am not ready to show you what I am working on right now, here’s a few spring pictures for you.

My favorite daffodils

I love their gradated centers.

The only set of tulips this year!

Critters ate all my tulips but this last bunch. I might stick to daffodil bulbs next year.

I am so excited to pick my daughter up form college this week. I have missed her so much this year. Off to Iowa at the end of the week and maybe I will send you some cow pictures. 🙂

The Anatomy of a Piece: Rooflines#15 WIP

About two weeks ago, I was really feeling quite smug as I thought I had my Art Prize entry for 2014 all pieced out and ready to trim and photograph. I was going to use a workshop piece that I had created last fall. But I pulled it out and really didn’t like it for this exhibition.

So , I gave myself 48 hours to decide: yes or no to Artprize 2014. The answer was yes but with a new piece. And I only wanted to devote one week to see if i could create something Artprize worhy. Here is the chronicle of events over the past few days in pictures. I am not going to spend lot of time editing them for you but just lay them out as I took them.

I wanted a plan to limit my overall craziness as I obsess over new designs. So I wanted to make another piece similar to Rooflines #8, a red/blue piece. Super simple , I thought.

Start with lots of strips so I have options. I really hate strip piecing -why did I choose this? Too late to change and I decided to just plod ahead. Ok, just focus and take pictures. Think about values.

Black and white looks good. Keep going. I have no more of the lighter colors but I ignored this blatant fact.

No problem as the board is filling up. Ignore design and fill up the board. Seems like a great plan.

Filling up but kind of dark. Add lavender strips. Rip it apart to do it.

Needs rooflines inserted. Good job with one set in and looks good.

Other sets of roof lines needed and placement looks good. Keep going. Wake up in the morning and realize that it looks like a set of draperies. Ugly draperies. It was a few hours of panic. One of those Ralphie moments form The Christmas Story when the dogs steal the turkey. What are you going to do now, Miss Smarty? Better cut it up. Ok, cut away.

My favorite tools for the nasty job of changing design mid -stream :

A spiffy seam ripper

and my tailors’ chalk as I can’t live without it now. Chop it up and insert pieces.

Better, I suppose. But I had no idea how to inset parts and pieces on the other side. It was way past my construction level and i was in a piecing pickle. I could have done it so much easier IF I had a well thought out design.

Learn how to inset seams and do all sorts of strange rip outs in order to make it work.

Slowly making progress.

Almost there.

Done as it will be for now. It measures about 68×65 so not a small piece.

My critique in my journal. I give it about a 5 on a 10 point scale with room for improvement need but a god seed project. Yup, I have spent 105 hours on it from april 16-April 26th as I am trying to calculate how long some of my processes take for our Master Class.

That’s all the fabric I had left at the end of the piecing frenzy. And there is the anatomy of my process and Rooflines #15.

I will give it 48 hours to deem whether or not it is Art prize worthy. I never like a piece when it’s first finished. I do love the accomplishment , though, of conquering this piecing job!

Part One: My First Impressions of George

Snaazy packaging

Not too long ago, a new machine named George came to live with me. This was a long researched sewing machine and I really wanted this one to be “it” and have it live with me for long happy life. Now, I have been known to be a bit fickle about sewing machine but I have been loyal to my recent machines.

Why consider a long arm machine? Quite simply, I hated slugging a large quilt under the small harp of a domestic machine. And I knew that long term sewing would wreak havoc with my shoulders. They really hurt after the big quilts and , as a previous physical therapist, knew that the repetitive stress would lead to nasty shoulder syndrome. (“Arthuritis” would settle in. )

I visited my friend the lovely Terri Watson who let me try her Gamill machine one day. I loved it. The ease with which I could finish a quilt was astounding and rewarding. But I couldn’t justify the high cost of a typical long arm if I wasn’t going into business to finish others quilts. And I wasn’t. So, over the course of two years, I went to different shows and tried lots of sit down models. And slyly enough, a George was at the Barn the last two times I went to workshops and the wonderful Beth Shillig, an APQS dealer, was there to entice us to play with George.

I fell in love with him. I was smitten with him.

George set up and ready to go

The reasons why:

1. He was solid. He felt and looked like hefty machine that could handle the beasts of things to come. I like piecing large quilts. I don’t like quilting them.

2. He did not intimidate me as I could use my same skills that I had doing free motion quilting on my domestic machine.

3. And he could accommodate smaller needle.

4. He has a really decent sewing table that is included in the price.

5. He has a good reputation among other art quilters. I hadn’t heard negative things.

So, I took the plunge and made George a part of my studio not so long ago. I have been spending time with him and learning to adjust to him the past few weeks.

Changing a needle for the first time

I am in the learning curve portion of my adventure with George. More next post about the pros and cons I have found early on in this adventure.

A New Show, A New Store and A Little Spring

fabric is flying…this week

I have been working away in the midst of the never-ending winter here in Michigan. I feel the clock ticking down to spring and a garden but am really making the most of my indoor time. And I am appreciating it.

A few catch ups for you:

1. I am currently in Lisa Call‘s Master class and one of the goals I have given myself is to track my actual studio and art business time . I have logged in 58 hours this week. I felt like I was working hard and moving forward but never had any really numbers to justify those thoughts. Good news: This week Monday through Friday, I logged 58 great hours of art time: 46 actual studio time hours and 12 art business hours. Woohoo and no wonder I am tired tonight. Bad news: I am not ready to show you what I am working on yet.

2. I have work hung at the Electric Cheetah restaurant. Last Friday, I hung 5 of my pieces at the restaurant in their mini art gallery section and Saturday went for dinner there to celebrate. Go if you are in the area as they will likely be there for 2 months. It was a great learning experience in having a solo show (lots of work but rewarding ) and it was received well there. Nice to have my art be seen.

Show at the Electric Cheetah

3. I found a new store just a few miles from my home. I went today to visit and was very happy to see bright lighting, modern fabrics and a great store owner who was helpful and enthusiastic about her upcoming classes and events. She will be hosting a Modern Quilt guild meeting at her store on Tuesday April 1st at 6:30 pm if you are interested. Super excited to see her come to the area and I wish her well.

Stitched Studio opening in Grand Rapids

I bought a few fabrics for fun summertime making.

Lotta Jansdotter love

4. A wonderful friend Lynne sent me some spring last week. The multi-talented Lynne is one of the first people I made a group quilt with. She made these beautiful butterflies for me sending a little spring my way. Thanks Lynne! I love my friends I have made along the way !

Lynne’s butterflies

It really will come. Spring is coming soon.

No Hesitation Necessary

With a prompt from my daughter’s boyfriend, I answered a request for art on a Facebook page of a local restaurant, The Electric Cheetah. Without really thinking about my decision , I applied to one of my favorite restaurants here in Grand Rapids. Within 24 hours, I was accepted and got to work on getting my pieces ready to show. I was floored when they wanted me to hang the work-um- this week. But sure, what am I waiting for?

disorganization of unfinished tasks

Well, I guess finished artwork means:

1. Sleeve made and sewn on

2. Signed label made

3. Work photographed

4. Photo edited

5. Website updated with info on new work

6. And then add all this to your inventory sheet

I learned, once again, that procrastination is painful. I thought I had done this when I made the website last year but must have stopped midway through the job… I was painfully reminded you have to have ALL your systems in place in order to process this information. I thought I had it but my photos are a mess. I re-shot some of my images and got to work. The info will next get added to my website this weekend. Ugh.

I can hardly wait to see what I learn tomorrow when I hang my five pieces there. 🙂