Cay Denise

It was so nice to take an extended lunch from work today to meet a new art quilter friend and go to the local Quilt Museum. The current exhibit theme is knitted sculpture. While at the museum, we saw two artists' works that were amazing! One is Kerry Mosley who knits wire, fiber and beads to create translucent facial images (particularly the aging face). Check out this link to see what one of these look like: http://www.bhkc.co.uk/jpeg_images_07/Knitting%20Artists/Kerry%20Mosley/CIMG5249.JPG . In addition, we saw the wonderful work of Sha Sha Higby. This artist has studied puppetry and spent time in Indonesia. She creates imaginative and beautiful costumes with a host of materials including batik fabrics. The other part is that she wears and performs in these costumes. Below is a postcard showing one of her works. I'm so taken with Sha Sha's work that I'm planning to go to the performance she will be doing next month! If you'd like to learn more about this artist an...

Sarah Jessica Parker has landed a deal with Bravo to host her Project Runway-type reality art show. Read more about it at the link below. There doesn't appear to be a timetable yet (including any calls regarding auditions for artists). http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i1da5db18eb0203bb23076987aab0f76e

A portion of San Francisco's Presidio infrastructure is being transformed to host a new Walt Disney Family Museum and Archives. The complex is projected to open in 2009. For more information, visit: http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/familymuseum/exhibits/articles/presidiovisit/index.html Note:  Unfortunately, this video is no longer available for viewing.

A group of friends got together yesterday and altered photographs. Among the materials we used were sandpaper (to scratch the emulsion surface), watercolor and acrylic paints, glitter glue, magazine images and foil. Above is an example of the original photograph I used and what it looks like after being altered. There are no rules. Start with pictures that you're ready to toss, don't like or don't know what to do with. Then soak the photo in a tray of water for about 10 seconds, scratch the image surface with sandpaper, a coin or other rough material (while photo is still wet), add paint, glue collage materials to the surface, paint some more, and add anything else that suits your fancy. An altered photo will never come out the way you expect. They're intended to be a spontaneous creation and don't have to make sense. Just make it fun. These can make great cards!

Do you know what this bill will do? It addresses copyright law where orphaned works are concerned. It could make it easier for people/businesses who want to use a piece of art they can't easily find the copyright holder of...with limited consequences. It would also change the level of recovery that could be obtained by artists who are successful in litigating infringement violations. For information on this U.S. Senate Bill, please enter the bill number at www.thomas.gov . I've just written my state's senators about the bill and encourage you to research this legislation, think about its implications, and consider writing your senators about it as well.

The design is complete for this memory quilt which will be two-sided. The bottom of the quilt sandwich will be fabric squares signed by family and friends. Each of those squares (actually rectangles) will be the center of a single log cabin block. The fabrics for the block design have been selected to create a secondary pattern focus when all are assembled. The front of the quilt will be done in seven sections each with a color theme. This is my own design. The photos below show a portion of one section that will have a yellow theme. Pieces 1f and 1s are specifically highlighted in the photos which include their templates, the fabric pieces up on the design wall (after being cut), and the reconstruction plan. Note that there is a reversal effect due to the back of the template being the pattern for the right side of the fabric. So, the tissue paper pattern attached to the template material is done upside-down. So far, things are looking good. Maybe it is immensely helpful to do good an...

This last group challenge was to take a traditional quilt block and abstract it to create something that is different but still recognizable as a deviation of the inspiration block. My abstraction was on the 'Puss in the Corner' block. To see an image of this traditional block, please visit: http://www.qorsite.com/styles/classicblocks/pussinthecorner/pussinthecorner.html . The dice-like squares in my final piece were done with reverse applique and each circle embellished with satin cording. The center strip of fabric is translucent, decorative and non-cotton. So, the lime green cotton fabric below backlights that fabric's design. The turquoise flowers were an addition at the end of the project because something was needed to pull the piece together. I've received a few comments that they look like something you'd see on a showgirl. That was not the intention. The red fabric strips were originally intended to be added to the top of the center fabric at the bottom in...