Monday, June 25, 2012

"Flipped and Tangled" Weaving



I finished the final details of this piece on April 13, 2012.  Literally the day that I was delivering it to the Michigan League of Handweavers 17th Biennial Show, so there was no blog update because I didn't have time to do a photo shoot.  Beading the ends of the dowel rods took much longer than I suspected (this usually happens with my work).



This weaving is a Theo Mooreman Inlay.  The base of the weaving is hand dyed rayon and I use chenille and other "fancy" yarn that I collect for the imagery within this piece.  I also began to experiment with placing beads into the weaving as I wove it (rather than stitching them in afterward), which I think I like.

I wanted to be able to hang this flipped either way, so I put dowels on either end and peyote stitched beads around the ends and stitched the fabric to the beading so that it is one solid piece.

I recieved an Honorable Mention in the show for this piece.

This piece measures: 31.25 inches wide (to edges of dowels) x 13.75 inches long

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Turquoise and Tan: Summer Jewelry Set



I can always tell that summer has hit for me personally when I start wearing a lot of turquoise.  I love the bright blue with brown mottled into it and the less-popular "yellow" turquoise (which is really more of a chartreuse).  These stones are just...classic. 

And so, I am also pulled towards beads in these colors.  In my constant effort to keep my jewelry stock up, but with different colors so that there is something for everyone, I did a set in teal/blues, tans/browns with a splash of green. 



I made a full set: a lariat necklace, leaf bracelet, cluster earrings and a pendant or two.  One of the pendants has sold and the cluster earrings before I could catch a decent photo!  Ah well, that's a good problem to have, I hope they're enjoying their new homes while I wear the remaining pieces (and show some over at Grove Gallery).



(Sorry, this one is a little blurry)


Pendant (Reversible)



Putting this post together, I'm really missing the earrings already.  Maybe I'll get a pair done in between working on my larger project this weekend...

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Call for Art: "Water"


CALL FOR ARTISTS

 It covers 70% of the earth, comprises 50% of our body; it cleans, heals, and quenches; it drowns, rots, and destroys.

 The Technology Information Center Gallery in downtown East Lansing welcomes submissions for Element: Water, an exhibit which will run from July 28 to October 27, 2012.

 The Technology Innovation Center (TIC) is housed in a 7,000-square-foot space on the third floor above the former Barnes & Noble in downtown East Lansing.  The TIC, which  opened in  2008, provides office space to a growing number of entrepreneurial businesses, from producers of documentary films to high-tech startups.  A steadily increasing flow of visitors is expected as the TIC continues to gain attention over the coming months.

 Schedule of Events:

Mon.  July 23:                        Deadline for submission of information to Kelly Boyle
                                                            kelly@boog.com

 Sat.  July 28:                         At TIC, drop off artwork, photos, and artist information from 9-10 am.

                                                 Jury process 10-noon

                                                 Declined artwork notification: noon

                                                 Show will be hung when jury process is complete

Opening Reception date to be determined      

                                               

Saturday, October 27:          Pick up artwork  9-10 am


Media Accepted:  All media suitable for hanging will be considered for the exhibit, including professionally produced, limited-edition Giclee prints, hanging sculpture, and fabric pieces. About 40 pieces will be selected for the show.  Most pieces will be hung in hallways and should not exceed 48” in either dimension.


You may submit up to four pieces; however, this number may be reduced to two if we receive an excessive number of entries. If this is the case you will be notified prior to July 28.   

All work should be equipped for hanging, with a wire stretched across the back (no saw tooth hangers.) The hanging system has a weight limit of 80 lbs. per piece.


Deadline for Submission of Information:  Monday, July 23, 2012.  Information on each piece of artwork you plan to exhibit must be RECEIVED by this date.  Include title, medium, dimensions, price or NFS.  Mail or e-mail to:  Kelly Boyle,  kelly@boog.com   2719 Mt. Hope  Okemos MI  48864


Drop Off:  Deliver artwork to the Technology and Innovation Center (above Barnes & Noble, accessible from 2nd level of parking ramp) between 9 and 10am on Saturday, July 28.  All works selected must remain until the end of the exhibit unless sold, in which case you may contact Kelly and arrange to put in a replacement piece.


Declined Artwork:  Pick up any declined artwork by noon on Sat. July 28. If you cannot pick up your work, please arrange to have someone do it for you.                                      



Sales: There will be a 20% commission on sales. Kelly Boyle (through the TIC) will be the contact for prospective buyers.  Artists will be notified when a sale has taken place and will be paid when the sale is final.  Artists will have the option of bringing in a replacement piece after a sale.

Liability:  See Waiver of Liability and Release

Hanging Committee:  Kelly Boyle plus 2-3 volunteers.  Please contact Kelly if you’d like to help with hanging on July 28.


Exhibitors’ Responsibilities at Check-In:

All artists will provide:

1.     Up to four pieces of artwork that follow the guidelines given above.

2.     A label securely fixed to the back of each piece giving the artist’s name, title, medium, and price or Not For Sale. 

3.     A good-quality 4x6” photograph printed on photo paper of each work submitted for the show         

4.     A one-page, up-to-date, bio/statement including telephone number, address, and email.

Use narrow margins – the page will be displayed in a sheet protector.

5.One page of photographs showing a representative selection of the artist’s work.

6. Several business cards to display in the card holder of the exhibition book.

7.  Sign Technology Innovation Center’s Waiver and Release Form


Questions:  contact Kelly Boyle  Kelly@boog.com  


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Forest Through the Trees, part 4, Weaving is off-loom!


There is nothing like weaving off the final portion of a piece and cutting it off the loom.  It's such a feeling of excitement as I have been wondering what the piece really looks like, as a whole, the entire time I'm weaving it.  The top photo is the side that I could not see while I was weaving, the bottom photo was what I was seeing portions of as I wove along. 


I am hoping I will have this all hemmed up to bring to the Trunk Show at the Lansing Art Gallery this Friday (7pm-9pm)


The above detail is the beaded edging that I will be sewing to the weaving.  Details as to why I'm doing the beaded edge are in THIS blog post.

http://www.lansingarts.org/
This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing

Friday, June 8, 2012

Bright Fringe Necklace


I designed a new necklace.  It has been in my head for a little bit, but I wasn't sure how to finish it, then the fringe came.  I usually don't like to make fringe, or any kind of bead-stringing for that matter.  But for a fresh design, I think I can handle 10 short stands.  I think I have been noticing a ton of fringe out right now too.

The entire necklace is #11 glass seed beads except the bottom fringe accent beads are #6 seed beads with freshwater pearls on either end of them.  The clasp in the back is a druzy-looking spherical box clasp that is sterling silver plated.

This really came to be, because I bought a new pencil skirt from J. Crew in a hideously bright color, so I thought I needed a piece of jewelry to go with it.  I had beads in said-hideously-bright-color.  This color is somewhere between Pantone's "Tangerine Tango" and what I might call an 80's neon red, or maybe a bright watermelon.


I was pretty sure that this would be one of those pieces that had to grow on me, but I immediately liked it when it was finished and I put it on.  So much so, I had to take pictures of me wearing it (see above) and I rarely like to take photos of myself.  So enjoy, and if you're coming out to my June 15th Trunk Show at the Lansing Art Gallery, I'll be wearing it with the skirt that inspired it., and would love to hear your reaction to it (should I make another one??)

Playing with Fire (Small Weaving)

I doodled these matches back in 2015. I had gotten divorced, I was out a lot and "playing with fire" was feeling like the best des...