Finished!

I am finally done with my new "Offering" titled "Keeper of Seeds"! All I have to do is finish the closure on the necklace (parts on order so I have to wait) but other than that, it is all done! Here are some snapshots (I will have it photographed on Tuesday).

Seeds here can be taken literally (there are real seeds in the glass globe inside) or figuratively. The quote, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, says "Flowers and fruits are only the beginning, in the seed lies the life and the future." The rose design is actually traced on the macro photo of a real seed pod. Right now, I am fairly pleased with the whole thing but I do have to get away from it for a while to be able to really enjoy it! (If you click on some of the images you can see a larger version)

A source of inspiration

It has been a few days since I had anything to write or time to write it! As many other people, I was looking at video of Susan Boyle's latest performance at the Britains got Talent show on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLLIIb_jA9Y&NR=1). Besides being really moved by her singing, I can't help thinking what an inspiration she is for every artist. She had a goal, and even though she was very obviously ridiculed, she did not let it stop her and proved that she could indeed reach it. She also proved that there is no age limit to do what one has set their heart in doing. I am just so full of admiration for her courage and her determination. If we all only had a fraction of that!

Crazy quilt workshop

Twenty ladies from the Asheville Quilting guild in NC and I had a busy day yesterday working on crazy quilting. I always think it is so exciting to see my students have fun with a new technique and get so very enthusiastic about it (hard to break for lunch!). It is also fun to watch how personalities come through in the different projects. I just hope that I emphasize enough that everyone should be doing what it is that makes them feel good and not listen to well-meaning peer pressures. It think it was one of the hardest lessons I learnt.

Here are some examples of pieced blocs at the end of the morning, so colorful and happy. Unfortunately, I cannot include images of everyone's work . (I hope I am keeping images and names straight. I apologize in advance if I make mistakes!)



Blocks by Maria Knox and Nancy Nealon

Look at those gorgeous colors!













Nancy Mathewson

And just the beginning of the embroidery:







Embroidery by Nancy Mathewson and
Peggy Tobin

Putting the pieces together

For the past two or three days, I have been putting the different parts of my new "Offering" together. By now I know that these things have so many parts and require so much precision that there will be problems (I used to think that it had to go perfectly together first time around. Needles to say, I was always disappointed!) There is no way around the fitting problems and realizing that lets me keep all my energy (that I would have spent moaning) to find solutions. Another thing too is that if a solution does not come right away, I don't force it. I do something else, work on another part and eventually I will have a "ha ha moment". I think learning to be patient when I work and accepting my limitations is the hardest thing to do!

So this morning, I was putting the doors in the front panels...and one door was too big. Well, it is relatively easy to trim it a little: very carefully un-glue part of it, slide a strip of an old cutting board between the fabric and the cardboard and trim slowly and carefully with an exacto knife.

(By the way, if you have an old cutting board, cut it into small pieces of different sizes and shapes. They may come in handy!)

That done, I saw that the opening for the next door was not cut right and I had some gaps. That is a lot harder to fix! But I must say, I did not freak out, just thought about it for a while and managed to remedy the problem. Pat, pat , pat on my back!

One more thing, I take lots of short breaks (check emails, eat a snack, take the dog out...). I cannot concentrate so intensely for a long uninterrupted period and I find that rather than breaking my concentration, the short breaks keep me very focused.

Why I am writing all this? Just to share my experiences in the studio and what I learnt from them. May be some of it will help you too!

"Turner to Cezanne" exhibit

My friend artist Pat Kilburg and I went to Columbia, SC, yesterday to see the Turner to Cezanne exhibit at the Museum of Art. The exhibit is there until June 7, 2009 and then will travel to 3 other cities (I don't know which, but I am sure the Museum would know - 803.799.2810.) The works are from the Davies collection, two sisters that collected 19th and 20th century paintings. They appreciated a style that was not yet truly accepted in the art world at the time and the National Museum of Wales is loaning part of their collection for us to enjoy. The exhibit also includes works by Corot, van Gogh, Manet, Monet...to name just a few. Both Pat and I really loved two paintings by Corot in particular, which give out a wonderful feeling of light and peace. If you have a chance to see the exhibit, do it! For more information about about tickets, opening hours, etc., visit: http://www.columbiamuseum.org/visit/FAQs.php

Opening of the exhibit ECO-ART: Artists Respond – Reclaim, Reuse, Recreate.”

My friend Nancy and I went to the opening of the exhibit ECO:ART at the Hand in Hand gallery in Hendersonville yesterday night. It was a wonderful evening (the thunderstorms had come and gone by then) and the opening was really very well attended. Many of the artists were there, which is always fun. I thought the exhibit was beautiful, original and interesting and there were a number of pieces I would I have liked to take home with me. Even though the theme of the exhibit is a serious one, I did not think the message was overwhelming, as it often is when this subject is broached, and to me, the "lighter tone" made the exhibit even more pleasant. This is what the gallery said about it:
This “green” art exhibition will explore the artist’s response to the world and times in which we live. As creative alchemists, they work daily to transform materials and elements into something beautiful, useful and meaningful. Few artists still mine ore as the first step in forming a gold pendant, dig a riverbank of clay for a pottery mug, or harvest trees for a rocking chair. However, every artist develops sources for their material needs and the inspiration for their creations within the context of their own world. An increased awareness of our impact on the limited resources of our earth home redefine our daily lives, so too, it must affect our creativity."

If you are going to be in Flat Rock or in the Hendersonville area, stop by the gallery. This exhibit is on until July 5.
Hand in Hand Gallery is located at 2720 Greenville Highway (Highway 225) along Flat Rock’s Little Rainbow Row. For more information, call 828-697-7719 or visit www.handinhandgallery.com.

Amazing architecture

One more thing I want to share about my trip to Dubai: the architecture. I am sorry that we did not have the time or the possibility to really explore the new buildings. Some of those high-rise buildings are amazing and so many more are being built. We were told that in 1978, there was only a single high-rise building in the city! Things have certainly changed fast. What I liked about some of them is that, although the architects are working with very contemporary styles, they incorporated some of the traditional decorative elements. Of course, some of these constructions, like some shopping malls, are quite out there, with indoor sky slope and attraction park.

The tallest building in the world. Impressive but I don't see it as beautiful.

A very fancy hotel on the beach.

More skyscrapers

Modern buildings with traditional elements

I was glad to see that amid all the new style of construction, the government of Dubai has made a point to restore an entire block of the city in the traditional style of the region. This was actually where our hotel was:

A very clever "air-conditioning" system" a wind tower

Close to where we were staying, we discovered this beautiful mosque, covered in tiles:

Gold Jewelrry in Dubai

I talked about the gold embroidery I saw in Dubai in my last post and while we are on the subject of gold, here is something else that was really incredible. Dubai has a gold souk (market) and there are over 300 stores next to each others that sell gold jewelry. It is also known as the city of gold and there are many other jewelry stores all over the city. From what I gathered from our guide, most of the filigree jewelry is from India and is traditionally associated with brides and marriage. The price depends on the course of gold at the stock markets so it varies. Haggling is also expected from potential customers. The work is so intricate is looks almost like embroidery. My photos are not very good but at the bottom of this post is a link I found on line that has better images to give you an idea of what we saw.

These images are from shop windows in town.

Yes, that's me drooling!

The brown archway with the red neon sign (course of gold of the day) is the entrance to the gold souk. And no, my shopping bag is not filled with gold!

That is inside the gold souk.

And this is John, my husband, patiently waiting while I look! Actually, he was as much in awe as I was.

http://www.shahji.com/indian-jewelry-heavy-necklace-sets.aspx