Friday Inspiration - Summer 2014 Exhibitions

There are two exhibitions on opposite sides of the US that if you're anywhere near would be worth taking a look at!  

The first is a 40 year retrospective showing of Margaret Cusack's fiber art at the Brooklyn Public Library's Central location.  Margaret works in quilts, appliqued fabric works, embroidered pieces - even voodoo dolls!  And you may have seen her work even if you don't usually frequent fiber art exhibits.  Her art has illustrated everything from magazine covers and advertisements to children's books.  The show runs through September 21, 2014.

Margaret Cusack

Connie Lippert, Wakulla.  Image:  American Tapestry Alliance

And San Diego's Visions Art Museum is the first stop on the American Tapestry Biennial 10 tour.  Tapestry is about the one fiber art I've never tried my hand at, although I'm fascinated with it and love viewing tapestry exhibits.  This tour features 37 contemporary works (out of 230 submitted).  If you miss it in San Diego (runs until July 20), it travels to Kent State University in Kent, Ohio September 25, 2014 through January 4, 2015 and then on to The Kaneko in Omaha, Nebraska February 6 - April 24, 2015.

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Puppets by Charlie

Hi!  My name's Charlie and I'm four and I want to show kids how to make puppets.  I made puppets from the movie Brave - it's one of my favorite movies.  I'll introduce the characters - first there's Mordu.  He used to be a prince but now he isn't.  He's a very scary bear.  Next there's Mom.  She used to be a human queen but now she's not - now she's a bear.  Next is Merida - a human who loves to shoot arrows but her mom doesn't let her.  And she's really afraid of her mom when her mom is a bear.  Next there's Dad.  Dad does not believe in bears and magic.  He loves Merida so much and he hates bears.  Here's how to make the puppets!
 

Mordu, Mom, and Merida

1.  First you slap your hand down on felt fabric.  You put your hand out and draw a place for your thumb.  This is my Nana's hand.  She did every puppet shape except Dad.  If you don't make it big enough it's just small for the kids and grownups can't get their hands in.  If it's a bear, put on ears.

2.  We cut out two - one for the back and one for the front.  Then we put pins in.  

3.  You need to have a grownup sew it then.

4.  You put scars on Mordu with a pen - and arrows too.  He has a lot of arrows.  

5.  Put the eyes on with fabric glue.  If you use regular glue the pieces fall off.  Glue on a pink eye and a purple eye for Mom and green eyelash eyes for Merida.

6.  A grownup can help you cutting out the noses and lipstick lips.  And really, really scary teeth for Mordu.

7.  Put a gold crown on Mom with glitter glue and then you put a green jewel on it.  It just sticks with glitter glue.

8.  Put a blue dress on Merida and after that you put some orange hair on.  It needs to be nice and bright and curly.

9.  Then those puppets are all done.  You can't play with it right away because you have to let the glue dry.  It takes a lot of minutes.

Dad

1.  First you draw your hand on the felt fabric. 

2.  Then you put it on another fabric with pins.  You do need a lot of pins.

3.  Then you do something tricky - kids cannot do this.  Sew on the sewing machine.

4.  Then you put popsicle sticks on to make him look serious because he's a serious dad who doesn't believe in bears and magic. 

5.  Then you cut out a serious mouth - nice and straight.

6.  Then you put on a yellow eye and a green eye to make him look serious.

Wait until the glue is dry and then just put them on your hands and make a play with the puppets!

Have fun!  Charlie

Friday Inspiration - Leigh Martin's Knitted Fungi

On my walks in the forest at our Oregon farm, I come across some fantastical looking mushrooms - they look like something out of a fairy tale.  I keep meaning to buy a mushroom identification guide, but haven't gotten around to it yet.  I haven't identified this beautiful red one I saw last fall yet so if anyone knows what it is, I'd love to know!

Oklahoma fiber artist Leigh Martin bases her creations on nature - I'm particularly fond of her knitted mushrooms and other fungi.  And the way she photographs them in forested settings is perfect!

You can read more about her knitted mushrooms here and see her very creative blog here.

It's been raining pretty good here for a couple of days so I'm thinking a walk in the forest next week just might turn up some new mushrooms!

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Sunflower Dresden Plate

My Dresden Plate experiments have become sunflowers!  Up at the Oregon farm the sunflowers just got planted and I'm already looking forward to them.  The peonies, English roses, and honeysuckles are in full bloom ....

.... and the sage and chives are brightening the herb garden.

Until August, a quilted table runner will have to do for sunflowers.  Here's my first block done (minus the center).

This will keep me busy while I wait for the fabric paints for the bird quilt to be delivered!

Happy Creating!  Deborah