12 by 12 Book Give Away

I wrote a review of this book on the Fiber Art Options blog awhile back. You can see it here .

This is a delightful book that I am giving away on my blog. Just leave a comment by December 3. Be sure to get back to this blog on December 4 to find out who won. If I don't hear from the winner by December 7, the book will go to the next person on the list. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving for those who celebrate in November.

Nancy

Self Critiquing

Robert Genn has a terrific suggestion about self critiquing our own artwork on his twice weekly newsletter.

You can get a copy by contacting him here.

"Robert Genn Twice-Weekly Letter"

Genn suggests that we should develop our own list of questions to ask about our art, and then he gives some of the questions he asks. The questions vary from concept questions to technique questions to show the range.

I particularly liked the question about interesting subject matter. I realized that my own questions are very rudimentary and lack artistic depth. They are mainly about perspective, center of interest, repetition, rhythm. Developing a good list of questions is a growth area for me.

Do you ask questions of your art to help in self critiquing? If so, would you share them with my readers? If you blog about it, would you share your link to your blog?

Thanks.

Nancy

Inspiration Sketches

My work is done directly from live specimens, augmented by photography and sketches. Since the timing for live seeds and berries may not be the same as when I want to create a piece, I like to document specimens throughout the year with sketches and photos. Here are a couple of cuties that I really like.

The little red berries are sketches of Partridge Berries. This is a very diminutive ground cover found in the Piedmont area of the Carolinas. What I find fascinating about this little plant is that the little white flowers are always twin flowers coming out of the same spot on the stem. And the berry that results from the 2 flowers is one berry with two "belly buttons". Anyone know of any other flower that does this?


The three cones are actually clusters of seeds that are tightly bound together looking like a weirdly marked berry until it begins ripening and splits begin around the individual seeds. Initially they look a bit like little pine cones, but pine cones have seeds inside the petals of the cones. Here the "petals' are actually the seeds. These seed clusters can occur in a string of these strange little balls that shatter. They are from the Bald Cyrus trees that are planted around Charlotte and turning brown at this time. This is a deciduous tree that looks evergreen in the summer, but browns and drops its needles in the fall.

Are you sketching? Please share a link to what you are doing.

Nancy

Fall in Charlotte

The fall colors have never seemed brighter than this year. DH and I spent sunny hours driving around and taking photos to remember through the winter months. I will share some here and some on my Facebook page.

Please let me know if I should share more.

Nancy

Art Work by Meadowood Stitched Workshop Participants

Participants in my Meadowood Stitched workshop created some lovely pieces on Saturday at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens.

We worked with a large variety of specimens collected by staff from the wonderful gardens. Making choices among all the wonderful seeds, berries and leaves was really difficult.

The first photo is of a buckeye seed pod and dogwood leaves. The next one is a real play with colors to add some intrigue to the pecan and its outer husk.

The next are persimmons with their lush colors just as they begin ripening.

The first set of leaves are from the fothergila shrub in my garden that turns many different shades in the fall.

And the last lovely piece is a compound sumac leaf.

It was a glorious day, we sat outside for a picnic lunch on the veranda.

If you have a chance to take a class at DSBG, the set up is lovely, and you are bound to enjoy it.

Please leave a comment and let the ladies know how much you enjoyed their work.

Nancy

Meadwood Stitched Workshop at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Nov 5

Meadowood Stitched: Meadow Plants on Fabric

Date & Time: Saturday Nov 05, 2011
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, Belmont NC

Cost: $80 (members), $90 (non-members), $20 (materials)

Registration: Call 704-829-1252 to Register

Supplies: Lunch, #2 mechanical pencil, kneaded eraser, small rotary cutting mat, utility knife with renewable small blades

With demonstrations and step by step exercises, you will create unique images of nature on fabric. All special supplies will be furnished. Come have fun, see a beautiful garden and go home with your own creation celebrating the wonders of the fall meadow and woodland. This is tailored for beginner to advanced participants. No experience necessary.

Directions:
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is located just west of Charlotte at the N.C./S.C. state line, outside the town of Belmont. The Garden is easily accessible from Interstates 85 and 77.

Seed Play at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

Google alerted me to this nice piece of coverage of my exhibition at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. You can see it here.
If you are in the Richmond VA area, please check it out. You can see more of the work in the show on my website.

Nancy