MLH 21st Biennial Exhibit at LowellArt Gallery

It's starting to feel like I'm getting back into my old pre-pandemic-groove. Art-wise at least. Everything else in my life seems to be changing but submitting work to exhibits, going to receptions, seeing my weaver-friends feels a bit more like what normal was.  

On Thursday Bryan and I went to The LowellArts Gallery for the opening reception of the Michigan League of Handweavers 21st Biennial  Exhibition. What a beautiful space they have over there!  This show is always great sampling of what the Michigan fiber arts community has to offer.  I didn't get many photos. I'm really working on being more present with less having my phone out. 

I was pleasantly surprised when the awards were announced that I had received an honorable mention for my Evil Eye Bangle. Thank you Barbra Bushey for the award!

Also thank you Helen for purchasing the necklace that I entered. She already has a number of my pieces so I know the Copper Daphne Necklace will be going to a good home when this show is over. 

I'm reminded and humbled that even though I'm not currently producing a ton of my usual artwork, I still have just enough in rotation to feel like I'm staying relevant and keeping my art career going despite my full-time day job, my big personal yard projects and getting ready for our wedding. Life is busy but very very good. 

Leaf Me Alone 2

I finished Leaf Me Alone 2 just in time for the Michigan League of Handweaver's Conference and entered it into the Fiber Art exhibit.  It received an honorable mention.   I was fortunate enough to be the scribe for Cameron Taylor-Brown as she went through each piece critique-style.  She said that both of my Leaf Me Alone series weavings looked like maquetes (I appreciated her use of this word). Which they kind-of are.  I have one more small piece to weave and then I'll be warping my loom for the original idea, a large version of Leaf Me Alone. 

I wanted to play more with the way I'm using my words in my pieces, so I wove this one on an angle.  Cameron thought (and I agree) it's a bit more playful, almost like something from a comic book.  (Another prompt for a new piece concept to boot.)

As usual, this piece has the beaded edging which is becoming a bit of a signature of mine.  The smaller pieces turn out a little wonky with the beads because it's not as heavy as the larger pieces.  Something to work on still.

I struggle to get absolute true-colors in my images sometimes and I'm seeing a lot of different lighting for this pieces does different things.  I originally thought the above and below photos were too dark, but I think these also give a good idea of what this piece is. 

Michigan League of Handweavers Conference 2019

Michigan League of Handweavers 2019 Conference is officially behind me.  I've had artwork sitting in a corner of my dining room for a bit too long (trying to keep the cats away) and to be honest I enjoy hanging this show, but the intake and pickup process has to be less on the point person making a ton of special arrangements.  I had to be pretty stern with some people towards the end and frankly, I'm exhausted from that.  The show itself turned out great, I think the quality of artwork increases every year.  I enjoyed taking notes for Cameron Taylor-Brown as she juried the show and I always appreciate conversation and critiques on my own work as part of the process. 

All of the awards will eventually be listed at MLHguild.org, I didn't feel that I had my strongest two pieces (but I got Leaf Me Alone 2 done finally!) so I'm pleased to have received an honorable mention.  MLH and being around all the weavers I now there always inspires me to get back to my loom as quikcly as possible.

I have to set up the exhibit in a classroom, and with all the pieces that needed hanging I was quite grateful for the framed works and sculptural pieces.

I spent a lot of time in Room 203, Graves Hall.

I failed to get photos, but I had also entered two bangles in the Fashion Accessories Exhibit.  Klingon Light and Ginkgo Leaf Bangle.  The fashion show was fun as always.  We have so many creative weavers and artists in this guild.  Everyone is so inspiring.

Fashion Show Finale

I did something new this year.  I have somehow been involved in MLH since 2009...I know it was 10 years ago because it was the 50 year anniversary and Karen East had recruited my help to work on and set up the Lansing Guild Exhibit.  I had heard there was a beach in Holland but never took the time or had the time to go.  So Friday was my shopping, catching up with friends and "relaxed" day.  I I went and found the beach.  I'm not a big beach person, but it was a nice sunny day to walk the pier.  I was also relieved that I had gotten my State Park tab again with my licence registration because there was no line for heading in to Holland State Park Beach.

We had two presentations Friday night.  Marta put together a short history of MLH's beginnings which was really wonderful. There is a ton of history with this Guild and she said that she barely touched on it with this showing.

Cameron Taylor-Brown also brought a fresh perspective to the presentations with her talk on "How String Changed the World."  It was definitely a different sort of keynote talk than we're used to seeing and I really enjoyed it.

It's always wonderful to get back to Hope College for a few days to reconnect with fellow weavers and our passion for fiber art. Thank you to everyone who works so hard putting this on.  It is a LOT of work.