Tag: Inspiration

  • The visual feast of SOFA Chicago

    The visual feast of SOFA Chicago

    20 years ago I met Julie Lynne (formerly Upshaw) and Vickie Hallmark when I lived in Austin, Texas and we were all making art quilts. Fauna is one of the many group quilts that we made together. Fauna panels left to right: Frances Holliday Alford, Kathy York, Vickie Hallmark, Julie Lynne, and me. Julie and…

  • A day out with my sister

    Over the weekend my sister Deb came to visit me from Maine for Thanksgiving. With finances being so tight we haven’t seen each other in 2 years, but a month ago we were able to find a flight on JetBlue for $80 roundtrip from Boston to Chicago to split, so this holiday has even more…

  • Wonderful work inspired by a few of my classes and techniques

    After taking my Heavy Metal Play Day class in St Paul last June Janet Hartje made this wonderful book to hold a variety of papers showcasing mixed media techniques. Check out Janets blog to read more about the book and see some of the other cool stuff she’s been creating! This week Marilyn Fischer, from Kentucky, shared this…

  • Triple Inspiration!

    Last month Jane La Fazio taught a lesson to her monthly art quilt class using teabags, similar to the work I have done collaging them on fabric.  One of her students, Susie Zolghardri, had also been reading Carla Sonheim’s book and did some cat drawings, using a pillow as the support below the drawings to get…

  • The last week of April

    Last week was an interesting one, so I thought I would share a few images from it. On wednesday President Obama was next door at Harpo studios. Several news vans were outside with cameras set up to document the arrival. I watched the motorcade drive up and into the studio garage, there were at least…

  • A little Inspiration at the Art Institute

    Saturday my friends Frieda Anderson and Laura Wasilowski picked up my daughter Nina and I on their way to the Art Institute for a meet up with other midwest SAQA members. The plan was to see the current textile exhibit, but I was sidetracked by the amazing exhibit titled Kings, Queens and Courtiers: Art in…

  • Street art in the neighborhood

    One of the things I like about living in my neighborhood is finding bits of interesting street art when I am out walking my dog. This is one of the newer pieces of street art by Banksy a well known, street artist from the UK.

  • 2 of my favorite people are going to have a conversation and we all get to listen…

    My friend Tracie Lyn Huskamp of The Red Door Studio, is going to be on Art And Soul Radio, Monday night at 6 pm, central time. The lovely and talented mixed media artist Lesley Riley is a new host on blog talk radio, this discussion with Tracie about her work, process and up coming projects…

  • A Date with Matisse

    Yesterday, Frieda Anderson, Laura Wasilowski, BJ Parady and I met with several other SAQA members from Appleton, Wisconsin and Bloomington, IL to see the Matisse exhibit at the Art Institute, here in downtown Chicago. What a fantastic exhibit, it really makes me want to paint on canvas and then maybe throw it under the needle…

  • Quilts in the Middle East

    Don’t miss watching this! Bonnie McCaffrey just posted her newest podcast from her trip to the Dubai International Quilt show. There is a huge interest in art quilts there, this is a fascinating look at the work being done there.

  • An art escape

    An art escape

    While in Wisconsin at the retreat last week, Frieda, Laura and I ran out at the end of the presentation on day one for an art fix. We managed to get to the Racine Museum of Art one hour before closing and had just enough time to take a quick spin through the building and…

  • A new mixed media retreat you won’t want to miss!

    the Premier Mixed-Media Retreat in 2010, August 25-29, Rosemont, Ilinois This fall Cloth Paper Scissors will host an event that will celebrate artistic expression through Mixed-Media unlike any other. CREATE with Cloth Paper Scissors is a new Retreat that will bring together inspiring artist instructors and enthusiastic participant artists of all levels for an exciting…

  • Artist interviews- women who like to paint

    Alma Alisa Burke interviewed Alma Stoller, who often paints portraits of women with a tranquil moodiness, combining stitching and paper elements, translating everyday objects into artful images. Then Alma interviewed Alisa, who paints with a lively floral graffiti style, Alisa’s world is an open canvas ready to be transformed. Alisa

  • Some inspirational gifts for your holiday shopping

    Several talented artist friends have recently self published beautiful books with Blurb and the really awesome thing is Blurb is offering a special through December 31st $10 off any books with a value of $29.95 or more. That means you can order an image wrap hardcover copy (mine is normally $29.95) for $19.95 or get…

  • Maggie demonstrates thermofax

    Bonnie McCaffrey has made another fabulous vidcast. Click on Bonnie’s name to go to her website and watch this very informative demo with the ever delightful Maggie Weiss, you won’t be dissappointed. Just watching this makes me want a thermofax too!

  • The beautiful math that links coral, crochet and hyperbolic geometry

    Another fabulous Ted talk. I have a fascination with many scientific and mathematical ideas, although many times I have a hard time grasping the full concepts, none the less when there is an overlap of scientific and artistic ideas it so interesting. I am probably especially drawn to these kind of things because my dad…

  • More Robot love

    Referencing yesterdays post about Susan’s robot piece, Cindy from Art Making in the North left a comment with a link to Fobot Found Object Robots by artist and creator Amy Flynn. I love these! Amy makes these fantastic sculptures from vintage tins, toys and hardware, each one is unique with so much personality. Amy also…

  • A bit of fiber inspiration

    Cool Mixed Media Felt art by Susan Hinckley. I have mentioned Susan’s work before, but if you haven’t gone over to check out Susan’s entertaining blog filled with great vintage advertising images that reflect her humor and outlook on life yet, you really should. Visit her website too, it features lots of her beautiful work.