Joshua Tree

Several weeks ago I took a Mixed Media painted fabric workshop from Judy Coates Perez. I realized that Judy's method would be a great way to illustrate a poem I've chosen to enter in the VAST (Visual Arts Society of Texas) / DPA (Denton Poet's Assembly) Collaborative Exhibition. The artists chose poems that were already written to illustrate and the poets chose art to write about.

I chose a poem written by Beth Honeycutt called the Joshua Tree. Below is the collaged poem with a yellow and orange underpainting and metallic turquoise overpainting.

More paint on top.

Sheer fabric added with gel medium and quilted.

Detail below.

Thanks Judy for the class. This is fun.

Next project, a new purse.

Go Red for Women

The Go Red for Women luncheon and style show was originally scheduled for last Friday. Denton was hit with 12" of snow on Thursday so the rescheduled luncheon was today.

Linda is on a trip so she let me use her ticket. :) Thank you!

The Gateway Center at UNT was filled with a sea of mostly red.

(This table is full of design students and two teachers.)

In addition to a nice chicken curry lunch,

we were treated to a fashion show of 74 red dresses designed by 

the Fashion Design students of UNT and TWU.

The show started with short dresses and ended with evening gowns.

The dress on the right was one of the judge's choice winners.

The people's choice winner was a long red riding coat. 

What a fun way to spend your lunch hour.

Sorry for the blurriness, I took these photos with my phone.

2009 PTA Reflections Contest

My son entered four pieces in the 2009 PTA Arts In Education Reflections contest. “Beauty Is…” was the theme. There were 65 entries at his high school. Prizes were given in four of the nine categories. 

He won 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the visual arts category.

1st:  “Sometimes Beauty is an Illusion”

2nd:  “Pop Art Can Be Beautiful”

3rd:  “Directional Blues”

Valentine Snow

We got seven inches of snow yesterday.

Berek made a snowman last night.

Rusty can't get enough of it.

School was closed Thursday and Friday and Monday is a school holiday.

Too bad we didn't plan a vacation.

Mixed Media Painted Fabric

I took Judy Coats Perez's Mixed Media workshop on Saturday.

It was great fun. It's been a long time since I painted anything and the brush felt like an old friend.

Here are Judy's class samples.

Judy is a fun teacher. I recommend that you take one her classes if you get the chance.

We collaged black and white images onto white cotton fabric and painted over the images with transparent fabric paint.

Here is my first attempt.

and my second.

After drawing a primitive drawing on the dry underpainting, we painted the background with metallic paint.

Here's my first painting. I like this one better. The background is more turquoise and green in person.

And my second.

I think this one needs another layer of green leaves.

Here is Deborah's underpainting.

And Michelle's.

Jo painting the metallic layer.

Sherrie's metallic layer.

Naomi's second layer.

I really had fun with this and plan to do more.

Sue Benner Workshop

I took a workshop by Sue Benner on Saturday called Self-Portrait: The Artist as Quilt. I've been wanting to do an art-themed self-portrait quilt for a couple of years. I had heard the phrase "Think Art... Just Start!" and wanted to incorporate it into a self-portrait quilt. When I heard Sue was teaching this workshop, I signed up right away.

Sue had us fill out a questionnaire at the beginning of the class that included questions like: How would you describe yourself with three adjectives?; What are your strengths?; Your flaws? One of my flaws is the fear of beginning which is why I liked the phrase "Think Art... Just Start!" A yoga class I took last spring ended with the "No Fear" pose, see the quilt below. I knew I should use the pose for a self-portrait about beginning.

I've been collecting similar phrases that I will incorporate in the quilting.

Begin!

Make time for Art!

Art is... Three letters, One syllable, A lifetime of exploration.

If you know of a similar phrase, please send it to me.

I did a miserable job of taking pictures during the class but here are a few.

Deborah blogged about her experience.

I loved the leaf hair on this one.

The hair is 3D on Linda's.

Fannie and Jo also blogged about the workshop.

I really enjoyed the class and plan to complete my self-portrait when I've finished a few deadlines.

Wiggly Field

I took Rusty to the Wiggly Field dog park this morning.

It has three fenced areas where dogs can run free off leash.

One for under 30 pounds, one for over 30 pounds and another for training.

He was in heaven.

He ran and ran and ran.

He play chase with some new friends.

What a great place for dogs.