Carrying on with postings from the past, I bring you this one, written two years ago today. The 100 Day project was a collaboration with my husband. He selected 100 photographs from his archives that matched a list of categories I had given him. I then attempted to make art out of his choices. We both enjoyed the process. In the pursuit of truth, I must admit that I didn’t make it to 100 days.
I am now a fiber artist without a studio. Yesterday I packed the final box of my materials, tools, supplies, journals, finished paintings and works in progress. With no access to my stuff, there can be no new reveals. For now, I’ve decided to share some of my earlier posts, starting with this one, written and photographed about one year ago. Please enjoy the pretty posies. I’ll return to normal (I hope) in about two weeks.
Raising money to address hunger. Well done, girl.
Laura Kate
Taking a break from packing boxes this week, I decided to attend Open Studio at my local art association for a class conducted by mentor Cheryl Bryan. This will be my last class with Cheryl before I move away. She sent us this sketch…..
……and told us we would practice painting with only two colors. We were to choose two that, when mixed together, created a neutral black.
I chose to make my own sketch instead of tracing Cheryl’s. I followed her general design but simplified the line work in the lower left area. My chosen pigments were Winsor and Newton’s Ultramarine blue and transparent orange. This is one of my favorites for a good black, as I discovered when painting Winter Chicks in 2023.
The following morning, I cleaned up my edges, adjusted a few values and added tiny and minimal details using Micron pens and a soluble graphite pencil.
This was a fun, easy class that produced a highly-stylized result. I loved every minute. I call this one Dancing with a Seagull. It is 9 by 6 inches on cold press Arches paper
I will sorely miss these Open Studio sessions, the people at the association and especially instructor Cheryl Bryan. It will be hard to find another group like it in my new home. I’ll check in with Cheryl periodically, in the spirit of Apprenticeship.
This week I cast off this shawl, the last stashbuster of 2024. This shawl started life as a hurry-up project to accompany me on our trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountain coach tour in July of 2024. I found the easiest pattern I could lay my hands on quickly, gathered up a bunch of fingering weight leftovers and hit the road.
She was cast on in the Calgary hotel lobby.
Progress happened throughout the trip. I improvised the color and stitch changes.
In late July, the shawl and I were in Northern Wisconsin for a week at the lake.
With the passing of my father in August, we drove to Ohio, the shawl serving as a comforting activity on the long trip to and from.
In December, I sat with my friend who was dying, slowly knitting and listening as she told me what was in her heart.
In January, the shawl came to Iowa, where we signed the papers to purchase our new home. In March we were back in Iowa to visit with family – a joyous occasion.
I haven’t even worn it, but it is embedded with many memories. Memories of all the places where I have knit it, the people who were present and the emotions I felt. Each color change reminds me of the projects that I have made with that specific yarn, and who received the finished project.
This simple little shawl carries a lot of stuff for me. I guess I will keep it.
Linking up with The Unravelers, courtesy of As Kat Knits.
Daily Fiber 