Heavy Metals!

In-between the hand stitching, I would swivel my chair around to my sewing machine and work on a few other pieces (okay, 5 of them.)

One of them is being done in metallic threads (always a challenge to get flowing smoothly through all the threadings on the machine) but I am really enjoying how it is coming together and approaching my vision of it.

In the beginning -
a piece of printed gray velvet that I coloured blocks of gold, copper and silver onto...

then I started adding layers of threads...
(I did actually start with a layer of hand stitching between all the colourblocks.)

and layers and layers...

The gold is done:

the silver is halfway:

and the copper is on the first layer:

Still working away (and missing a lot of the gorgeous spring weather outside) but deadlines are calling!

Velvet on Canvas

One thing that is taking up all my waking hours, on the hand stitching side, are these lovely 6" x 8" squares. A piece of velvet, in various shapes, has been appliqued on painted canvas and then hand stitching in hand-dyed threads (silk or wool or cotton) covers the sides.

But you would not believe how many HOURS went into each of those little pieces!

Small Treasures

Small Treasures Art Show and Sale

November 19, 2011 to January 17, 2012
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, Alberta
Swiss Guides Room

Good things come in small packages! A favourite tradition of locals and visitors, the Museum hosts its annual holiday season Art Show and Sale. Choose from individual works of art or handcrafted artisan-made gift items. Artists have challenged their artistic boundaries by literally thinking inside the 144 square inch box to create these winter themed treasures.

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This is the announcement from the Whyte Museum of the first of my shows there. The gallery is downstairs in the museum, a small room full of Christmas treasures! I have small tabletop framed art + brooches + my newest item...

Smooth pebbles off the beaches around southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia which have been carted over the mountains to the foothills of Alberta, then felted with raw wool fibres, turning them into paperweights that can be stacked or used individually. So many colours and sizes.

These are so tactile (my favourite kind of stuff!) You just have to pick them up and fondle them - the soft wool over the hard stone. I love them!

Hope you can get to the mountains over the Christmas season and get to see all the different types of art on display.