Cay Denise

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is hosting a Frida Kahlo exhibit through September 28, 2008. Friends and I went to see it yesterday, and it was wonderful! I'm not one who has been drawn to Kahlo's work, but it was well worth going to see. This artist was incredibly self-absorbed by the fact that she appears in so many of her paintings ...many of them being self-portraits...and was pre -occupied with fertility. In a sense, the self portraits don't appear to be intended to capture moments of the artist's beauty over time but rather to convey states of mind or emotional experience through the symbolism that is part of each portrait in which she appears. The preoccupation with fertility appears in many of her paintings symbolized by fetuses or shapes that would suggest the female reproductive system. One painting in particular, "Moses", is incredibly packed with imagery with a fetus in the center. As I viewed it from further away, I saw shapes that cou...

This month's challenge was to create a piece with a single point of focus or one that has no focus point (in the manner of Jackson Pollock or Andy Warhol). This piece is a fabric collage and the intention is having no focal point. That, to me, means the eye shouldn't rest on any single point in the piece. From your perspective, does this meet the challenge?

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...

There is alot of hand-sewn embellishment in this project. In it's quilting, I did two bird images (wings in air) in the background first. As a result of doing it this way, the fabric got bulky in other areas of the quilt sandwich. So, I had to quilt the remainder of the sandwich (excluding the figure) with small stippling in order to shrink that bulk. In addition, there was bulk to the fabric bird (perched on the hand). Instead of machine quilt it, though, I did a freeform cross-stitch in perle cotton. This project started in an online design class with Pam Allen. If you don't know Pam's work, it is quite funky and highly embellished. Usually, figures do not look real...they are very Picasso-like in form. In any case--Pam, I hope I've made you proud!

This is a test construction paper weaving. The goal is to create a sense of motion through the weave design.

I always create a finished piece and then title it. But today, I got the name for a piece (after having a germ of a design idea for it), though I haven't worked that design out or even started the piece yet. How do you work? From a title and then create a piece based on it? Create a piece and give it a title after completion? Do it both ways depending?

John Fox, a San Francisco Bay area Poet and Poetry Therapist, is actively working to see Arts-in-Medicine programs introduced at hospitals nationwide. These programs are intended to provide patients with the opportunity to utilize the expressive arts as part of their medical treatment and healing journey. John is a talented and sensitive poet and author of books of which Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem-Making is among. He has led numerous people on personal quests to put their pain, grief, suffering, woundedness , etc. into poetic form. That form is not bound by rhyme, meter or number of syllables per line. It is a free form that encourages the writer (regardless of skill level) to emote through soulfully-selected words that create a unified work. I know this from the experience of having attended a workshop. His books showcase the rich work of many of his workshop participants. Healing Words is a program that has been filmed at Shands Hospital in Florida showing John working...

I'm working on the quilting of a wall-hanging that has a bird image in it. (The bird is sitting on the hand of a person.) In thinking about how to quilt the piece, I got the idea that it would be neat to quilt a parrot flying in the background in a non-contrasting thread color...sort of a ghostlike image that wouldn't distract from the overall piece. I found a photo on the internet of a parrot beginning to take off and made a freehand pen drawing of it. Some liberty was taken in abstracting the body/head to simplify the overall image. Then I took a test quilt sandwich (muslin/batting/muslin) and sewed the drawing (again freehand) with feed dogs down. Silver metallic thread was used on top and a colorful cotton (coral) on the bottom. It came out very well!!! You can see the progression in the photos below from drawing to front and back of stitched test sandwich.

Finished Piece: Above Sacrificed UFO Collage: Below Challenge: Create a quilt top and deconstruct: reconstruct into a different quilt top using principles of good design This challenge started with a UFO fabric collage that has been sitting in my closet for 2-3 years. It has been deconstructed to smithereens and is kind of difficult to see in this month's finished challenge piece (see top photo). This finished piece has ribbon, cording, and silk leaves in it. It also features strips from a fabric weave in contrasting colors. There was no plan in the design. One step just seemed to lead to another and voila!

Jobs can be distractions from making art, and I've been almost completely distracted since a job change late last year. That new work drained my energy for and interest in being creative. I worked too many hours with too much intensity and commitment, and it has taken its toll. With a beautiful studio space and plenty of excellent materials to work with, I haven't been able to get into my creative zone and work. The focus, energy and passion that had been companions in my creative adventure up to the point of that new job all but disappeared. Seven months have passed and there are only two fabric pieces to show for that span of time. Now I recognize...I have been living work, not life! Things are about to change! Again, there will be a job change, but my creative adventure will be getting back on track because I'm setting the intention that my creative work is priority. The day job will be the day job and will have limits. It will be interesting to see what new work emerges...

Clothes sewing is not part of my repertoire , but I do enjoy looking through this magazine for ideas and skill-building guidelines. In the latest issue, there were two article of particular interest. One is about costume design for Opera. To volunteer or apprentice for this type of work seems like it would be a great experience! The other article is about Cirque Productions...the brainchild of Neil Goldberg. This is the place where those incredibly unusual Cirque du Soleil costumes are developed and made. I would love to visit this place! The article also announces a competition for creating a costume design. Cirque Productions will make the winner's costume, and it will premier at an upcoming show in the winner's home city. How cool is that??!!! I'm not a costume designer, but I'd consider entering just for the fun and experience of it! This brings a couple of questions to mind. Do you try different things to establish or build new skills, or try out other discipline...

A collector recently asked what my favorites are from my body of work. Wow, what a concept to think about! I like a number of pieces -- all for different reasons. What then makes a piece of art the maker's favorite? For me, the favorites I chose are those in which there was an unplanned element of surprise in the completed project (whether via a technique used or an unconscious element that appeared and had meaning). So, I pose the question to you. From your body of work, what are your favorite pieces? Beyond that, why are they your favorites?

Golden has come up with three types of digital grounds that can be used on a variety of materials to allow printing on them via an inkjet printer. One ground is for fabric. So, I've just ordered some to experiment with. This particular product allows the color/pattern of the fabric to show through the printed image. I'll post a couple photos of experimental work with the product in about a week.

The word 'flow' has already visited me multiple times this morning. Now that I've noticed it and am paying attention, what am I going to do about it? My answer is nothing, but I will look for places in my experience today where there are blockages to flow and where it is unhindered. The goal is for all flow to be full and unfettered. Isn't that what we strive for in the midst of creative chaos? When stuck...it seems that flow has become blocked. While in the creative zone, flow seems so natural and easy. So, where is flow for you today?

My profile photo was highjacked ! For those of you who are blogging, be wary. There are some unscrupulous folks out there who may be using or about to use a photo(s) you've uploaded to an online photo-hosting site. At the time I created a blog, having a URL for a photo uploaded online was the only way to insert a photo in your profile or to create a custom header. There had been no problems for a long while. This morning, however, I did a Google image search for my name and found my photo linked to a totally different blog than my own! It is possible I didn't mark my file with the online photo-hosting site as private, but I didn't expect this to happen. I don't know whether marking it private would have actually averted the situation, but I'm not waiting to find out. I eliminated my membership to that online photo-hosting service today and caution anyone to be careful with uploading images to the internet . If you read the terms of agreement at many sites, you'...

I just watched the documentary about Marla this morning. She must be 8 years of age by now, four years after the popularity of her painting started to take root. The video is the real-life drama of the family's experience of the rise of this child artist, how media excites interest, interest builds and begets fame, media looks for scandal, and how this pressure can quell or re-ignite interest in that emerging artist's work. The video looks at Marla's rise, fall and rise again. It doesn't conclude whether the suggested scandal (that her work was not completely done by her) has merit or not. But it does capture a parent's intoxication with the success of a child artist (at least this is my impression of her father). I think the real question is whether Marla truly enjoys painting. Since she was so young at the start, I don't know if anyone will ever really know or whether she will even recall that time in her life when she gets older. Joy, though, is what many buy...

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This is a wonderful and inspiring video from CBS News! It is about classical music transforming impoverished children. The video is a bit lengthy (around 12 minutes), but it is well worth watching! http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4011959n Note:  Unfortunately, this video is no longer available for viewing.

My two snails photo from a recent trip is the basis of a design idea that I've been playing with today. The first part was drawing what the most important shapes in the photo were (in a general way). Next, I scanned the drawing and saved it as a a B/W jpg . I printed out some blocks of the scanned image and played with their layout. Then I opened the black and white image in Photoshop and gave it color. Some colored blocks were printed, and the layout was played with again. This could make an interesting background for a future art quilt, or depending on the arrangement...might make a nice border for a piece.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3942008n Master quilter, Ricky Tims , was recently featured for a segment on quilting that appeared on the CBS Sunday Morning program. To view the video, click on the link above. Note:  Unfortunately, this video is no longer available for viewing.

The intention behind this piece is to create art that happens to look like a person. I've used a photograph of me as a starting point. But this, in no way, looks like the photo! It is a rough sketch in fabric that could, and probably will, change.