Loose Threads

Embroidery and Sketchbook





The Value of a Critique


One of the things I admire about how Nancy critiques my work is that she shares how it makes her feel, what confuses her, what she likes.  Her questions helped me figure out how I had originally planned to hang it seemed to contradict what it was about. So I decided to stitch down the loose threads on the side of the embroidery. It's very

The Crooked Paths

Today's Inspiration
 I have always struggled with Guston's work, particularly the later period. The colour and cartoon quality just did not draw me in toward further examination. I do admire his struggle to explore and express ideas, even in the face of harsh criticism. However, after reading his bio it has given me a better understanding of his work AND a new appreciation. 

"Studio Ghosts:

Sunday Snaps: Butterflies and Beer Cans

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and our garden is a mad flutter of butterflies and bees.

Butterfly Art  

I love to see art that is made from found trash and in this case artist Paul Villinski created this butterfly with beer cans he finds on the streets of New York.



check out his work, it's amazing.

Oh YEA! Spinning it in Israel

Yes, that's my Spin Art Vinyl on the Shelf with Rafi in Israel. One of the coolest things about doing Free Art Friday is knowing that you've made someone happy. The other thing is learning about or connecting with other artists around the world. While I don't understand the language visiting Rafi's FB photo album was so inspiring.



Meanwhile back in the USA



Somebody stole the Knitted Poo

Craftbombing: Sunflower and a Crisis

Spent the morning with Nancy putting up a few craftbombs and yarnbombs, meeting Connie from the Dayton Daily News who got IN on the jafa-action and put up a knit twit too



and

 the Crisis

arg, eeek, screech

Our jafagirl blog was suspended and I'm dealing with trying to get it resolved, grrrrr.

Body Art Expo - SF Cow Palace Aug. 24-26

Hey, tattoo ladies and gents! Premium Tattoo will be exhibitors at the Body Art Expo this weekend! If you are interested in booking an appointment with Matt, Brett, or Danielle during the convention give us a call at (510) 922-8901. Great shops, fun vendors, and friendly competition!  Follow the link at the bottom of the page to the Body Art Expo website for further information involving directions and hours of operation. Due to our participation in the expo, Premium Tattoo will be closed Friday, August 24 thru Tuesday, August 28. We will open our doors Wednesday, August 29 at 11 am. See you at the Body Art Expo!

www.bodyartexpo.com/MAIN

Silent Sentinels in Cincinnati

I  hitched a ride to Cincinnati Longworth Hall and instead of waiting in the car took a gander around the warehouse. I LOVE discovering art in places you least expect. While the cars whizzed by overhead on the freeways the birds were like silent sentinels amid rust, old railroad tracks, scrubby grass, concrete and steel.


  



"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds." Aesop

Vinyl Art in Israel

Free Art Friday Tel Aviv Israel did a fab job with the video and what a lovely bonus to see my vinyl art included.






George

To learn more about Free Art Friday check in with FAF Blog About Page.

Sunday Snaps

Rufus does not want to be here






he would rather be there






frolicking in the Sunflower field 



Garden of Sunflowers





A garden of Sunflower beckoned to me -Come join us, my lady, and joyous you'll be!



We're large ones and small ones, some dainty and fair,And even some delicate to wear in your hair.



We follow the sun, swaying slowly without a care,We have a new dance that with

From Taedēre to Taedium

In other words I am at the point of going rather bonkers and wondering why the heck I decided to stitch around the troll with tedious cross hatching-arg!!!!!!!!!!!



Oh! I remember why, because it has the kind of effect I want, messy. Anyway, it's part of a larger piece in my Narrative Dreads series and is a mixture of paint, hand embroidery and a feather. It's based on a painting I did with my

Stencil Flower on Vinyl for Free Art Friday

Into the Midnight Garden



I'm at this very slow and tedious part of my embroidery and just needed to get away from it and get into the studio and play with paint. So 7:30am this morning off to the studio and I thought I would experiment with my old flower stencil. I couldn't resist adding a bit glitter, and mirror petals. This will go out for Free Art Friday :) 

Love Lies Bleeding

Amaranthus Caudatus









This one seems to be well nibbled on, must have tasty leaves.  My friend Karen gave them to me and I have been enjoying them in my garden vase. According to the wiki link above many parts of the plant are edible and used in Indian cooking (which explains why they are so tasty for the garden critters).  Some say the leaves taste like spinach but a bit stronger. The

Hand Embroidery of Troll Doll Face

Work in Progress



Troll dolls join dubiously popular toy and game based movie craze and it was the word dubiously in the headline that caught my attention. Dubiously, hum!  I used to collect them, and I remember they had a unique smell that plastic one's and current one's don't have. Wonder if it was the rubber they used at the time? Anyway the embroidery is based on a doll my mum bought

Craftbombing Inspiration: Blue Butterfly Colony

I saw this magnificent photo





source:  Milky Way Scientists - used with permission



 on KAOS Queen Karen Russell's fb page and went "WOW". It inspired me so much I wondered if Nancy and I could do a jafacraft felt version.









"bolt of blue"

 Here is what we came up with for the Dayton Art Institute. We could have added more felt butterflies, but wanted to save some for another

senile delinquents we presume

Inevitably you always get this one person who is a hater or a wet blanket and like a coward sneaks about cutting down people's art (whether you think it's art or not is beside the point). It is happening in our village with the ys pride craft and yarnbombs and it happens elsewhere. A comment in this article Council says sorry after workman removes Paignton yarnbombs had me in stitches; ""We

FAF Event in Tel Aviv

All sorts of goodies are being sent from around the world to Free Art Friday Event in Israel and this includes two of my painted vinyl records. This one is a stencil of an old pal of mine, George. It's one of my fave images because it's so George. He always had a fag hanging out of his mouth,even when painting plein air.






oil painting on canvas



oil painting on river stone



I think