Solo Show at the Sanford Museum and Planetarium

The wall!!! I have a variety of styles per say in this show, Mixed Media Fiber in the form of the niches, Paint in the form of the acrylic painted panel frames, and Encaustic in the form of the smaller encaustic paintings.  The theme is Queen Anne's Lace and Crows, so there is some consistency.

This is the only close up photo that didn't end up blurry, I will have to take new photos when we go up in a month to take the show down!

Stop by and check out my show, be sure to sign in and let me know you stopped by!!! My show runs the month of May at the Sanford Museum and Planetarium in Cherokee, Iowa!

Queen Anne's Lace Panels in Progress

Not feeling the love!  I'm left wondering how much better these panels would turn out if I wasn't so distracted by a million things that need to be done before my solo show is hung this weekend?

As you can see from the previous photo that each layer of paint is leading towards improvement, and yet I'm just not feeling it.  The good news is I found six gesso'd raised panel frames today that I plan to go full tilt on later this evening! 

Baltic Birch raised panel frames, taped and gesso'd another words ready for paint!

One of those Moments

When I decided to lose the red.

And was oh so glad I did!  More later am off to look at my embellishments cache while the first layer of gold paint dries.

WIP Queen Anne's Crows No0 1

I have to admit while I really like the half and half harlequin coloring of this particular niche it's really rocking in metallic gold paint!  I need to add a second coat of paint and then when it's dry enough buff on some metallic black gold wax.

I will add purple to the back of niche (inside) and I think it's pretty much done.

Queen Anne's Crow No 4

Now with a base color of white. The central panel has been wrapped with plastic wrap to protect it from my surfacing endeavors.  Touching the work has finally moved me beyond my stuck place, I'm now getting to know each personally.

More Queen Anne's Lace

I have a few more to make but had to stop for the day, I printed more fabric (birds) and it won't be ready to use until tomorrow afternoon sometime; I'm working on my new Natural Dyeing App while I wait on the fabric.

Making Crows

Digitally printed silk organza fabric layered atop painted timtex.

It's best to stitch all of the finer bits of the bird before cutting out the shape, otherwise those bits will be damaged by the presser foot.

Cut away the excess fabric/timtex before cutting out hte final bird shape.

Trim away the excess threads for the final bird shape and add additional stitching if needed.

I still need to add the eye.

Auditioning the crow to see how it looks in the niche.

A closer look.

Barbed wire detail, backed with a piece of watercolor paper painted with gouache, watercolors, and ink.

Digitally printed silk organza fabric, machine stitched, aurifil threads.  Natural dyed silk organa, painted timtex, wooden clock body, and barbed wire.

Auditioning Elements for a Work in Progress

Very simple, but lacking in additional interest.  The goal here is to avoid being cutesy.

The piece definately needs a pop of colour, but which colour and where?  If I attach the cochineal dyed silk organza I'll add stitching in a contrasting colour.

I'm not sure that this works either, but it's interesting... just the wrong colours and not enough of them. Acrylic on watercolor paper.

Here's a bit of gouache and watercolor, with ink sketches, on paper behind the main panel.  The main panel is still lacking, it needs a pop of something, anything... but it has to be the right element otherwise it just sits there like a lump.

So I will continue auditioning elements into the wee hours of the night, once I have this niche figured out the remaining eight niches will be a snap since I'm working in a series.  I will be adding additional elements to the outside of the niche in the form of copper and/or black brads and tacks.

Progress

This whitish egg will be replaced by one that has been painted to look like a crows egg, it's currently drying.  Now to make the sides for the egg niche and make a decision on the larger niche's background.  To paint the niche background copper or not to paint?  To collage vinage papers and fabrics or not to collage?

Experimenting

Machine stitch on painted timtex.

WIP - Niche's

Niches for an upcoming solo show, am still playing off the theme of Queen Anne's Crows from last year.

The door on this piece, and another similar piece, were confounding me.  This issue has now been resolved... the big reveal will be this coming Sunday at Cafe Diem, stay tuned. 

She was Third Class to the right of these two pieces.

Queen Anne's Crows

Queen Anne's Crow's available in my store.

Digitally printed cotton fabric, painted timtex, machine stitched.
Size 7 7/8" x 9 7/8"
Matted and framed to 11x14x2 inches

WIP - Queen Anne's Forest

Queen Anne's Forest (lace) No. 1
4x6 inches
Painted Timtex, Machine Embroidery

I will be adding indigo dyed silk organza to this piece later this evening.

Queen Anne's Lace No. 4

I need to reheat the surface, a pint sized customer (5 year old) tried to pick the wax off the surface, she managed to scratch it but other than that the surface was hard enough to twart her endeavors.