Karen Ruane Contemporary Embroidery

Here is the contact for Karen Ruane Contemporary Embroidery
http://karenruane.blogspot.com/

It is worth checking out.

Oops, that was her old blog. Now check this one for more recent work and information.
http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/

Nancy

A New Fiber Hobby and Getting Hacked is No Fun

Will have photographs on the next blog about my most recent venture into fiber art. I have signed up for an 8-week on line class with Karen Ruane of Contemporary Embroidery called Simply Stitching. Her work is mesmerizing to someone like me who has collected and inherited vintage lace and textiles for decades. She uses these treasures for the foundation of her embroidery and applique work.

I think I now have a hobby. Since quilting became far more than a hobby, I  have not had one. Seems right to have another form of fiber art for a hobby. Now when I need a vacation from creating in the quilt art media, I can turn to contemporary embroidery.
 
Well, I have finally gotten my emails back and the contents of my folders. Did not get back my contacts in my contact lists. Bother!!

Also have not been able to send emails from my I Phone since I changed my password even after redoing my password on the I PHone email account. Double Bother!!

The hand stitching I have been doing of evenings does relax me and takes my mind off of the frustrations of getting everything back up and running again. 

Please leave a comment if you have the time and inclination. Reading your comments helps me know that I am not blathering to myself.

Thanks for reading,

Nancy

Scam Alert!

My email has been hacked. I am not in London desperately needing money from friends far and near to pay my hotel bill. I have changed my email password, now to figure out how to change my google account password as blogspot seems to be hacked as well. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Saturday - Big Day at Random Arts Saluda NC

Packing up the car today with boxes and bins and bags of art supplies to take to the art sale at Random Arts tomorrow. The car will be so filled that it will pull hard going up the mountain to Saluda! Check it out here;
http://randomartsnow.com/newsletter.html

Putting lots of like items together to make it easier on the shopper.

I think I have something for every type of artist - painter, sketcher, dyer, collager, quilter - traditional, crazy and contemporary.

Had fun yesterday with a friend putting together some packages of materials that will be great for collagers, mixed media, quilters, even crazy quilters. Here are some photos of some of those packages. Sorry for the glare they are in 1 gallon containers. Each has some special hand dyed fabrics, assorted related fabrics, embellishments, threads and beads.

Another friend is coming over today to help me package and price.

Any suggestions for pricing on these 1 gallon packages?

Would love to have your comments. It helps me know that I am not talking to myself. If you have the time, please leave a comment.

Nancy

Yum, Yum! Valdese Weavers at Caldwell Arts Council Exhibition

Yesterday I wrote about the three downstairs galleries at the Caldwell Arts Center and the exhibition of my art work and Sondra Dorn's artwork. Today I want to explore the fascinating exhibition of fabrics upstairs from the designers at Valdese Weavers.

Before lots of folks were downstairs I had the opportunity to spend some time upstairs with the exhibition and the designers. It is eye candy for fabric lovers of many persuasions. Around the room were exquisite framed artworks that were weavings, paintings and embroideries and next to each artwork were examples of the contemporary fabrics created based on the artwork as inspiration.

This is a good example of the antique embroidery work used as inspiration for the hanging contemporary fabric on the right.

Above is a painting that inspired the fabric to the right.

The antique silk above has lots of motifs to be used for inspiration. The designers selected one small motif in the border to create the large scale floral fabric used in the dress to the right. The photo shows how the design can be interpreted in contemporary colorways.

Two of the Valdese Weavers Designers were at the exhibition to discuss the fabrics and their company. It was really interesting to see the commercial aspects of fabric design at the exhibition.

One of the most fascinating aspects were the books of vintage and antique fabrics on display that the viewers could go through. I would love to spend a few hours with them for inspiration and education.

Great exhibition. The curators and placers of the art did a great job. If you are anywhere near Lenoir NC during May I highly recommend spending some time on both floors of this delightful arts building.

Please let me know if you find this interesting. Notes from readers help me know that I am not just writing for myself. 

Nancy

What Fun! Opening Reception of Fabric Fascination

The curators at the Caldwell Arts Council put together a varied and interesting exhibition that showed a lot of variability in how fabric art is handled today.

Today I will focus on the great job done by the volunteer "Placers" who decided which pieces of art went where. And tomorrow I will focus on one of the exhibitors -- the Valdese Weavers Designers.

The Caldwell Arts Council has a very active group of board members and volunteers who work to produce top notch exhibitions for the community. In the downstairs there are three galleries, and two artists - Sondra Dorn and I - were in those galleries.

While Sondra works with fabric, her collage style and processes could not be more different from mine. She uses a lot of surface design techniques combined with applique and stitching to create her collages, many of which are also treated with acrylic medium. Her abstract work referencing natural objects is very appealing.

The curators were quite courageous to choose these two very disparate art forms into one exhibition. Their courage was borne out well with very careful selections of which art would be combined in each room and on each wall. 

A wall of blues and violets

The top photo shows four pieces of Sondra Dorn's work and one piece of my work, Mimosa Dancing, in the center. I think the placers really brought together work that relates well. The photo above has another wall with both our artworks - Dorn's art are the four pieces to the left - and my work, Ligustrum Twilight, is on the right. the work really goes well together. The balance is good in both color and form.

The photo below featured three of Dorn's collage pieces above the fireplace and  one of mine - Pinus Virginianus II on the left.

One gallery had primarily Dorn's art and another had primarily my art. I took several photos of walls featuring groups of my work.  Love the way Winter Fruit looks between Teasel Morning and Teasel Twilight.

The photo below is another wall. I love the way Mossy Cup Oak looks over a fireplace. 

 I was impressed with what a great job the placers did in selecting work to go together when sizes differed and styles of art differed dramatically.  Overall a really great exhibition.

 The Lenoir Woman's Club hosted the reception for the opening, and a lovely reception it was! My artwork was on several of these walls.

Hope you have enjoyed a peak at this exhibition.

Tomorrow I will cover the fascinating exhibition by the Valdese Weavers Designers that was in the large gallery on the second floor.

Nancy

Arts Thrive in North Carolina Counties

Recently I have had the opportunity to visit public art centers across North Carolina, and they appear to be thriving with great respect for fiber art! Communities are creatively using their former court houses, an abandoned tobacco auction warehouse, auto salesrooms and large homes.

Yesterday we delivered over twenty pieces of art to the Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir NC that is in the foot hills of the mountains.

I took some photos of the building to share.

Love the wrap around porch. Note the colorful panels between the second floor windows. Note also the pig on the roof peak and the colorful sculptures on the right lawn.

Each colorful panel has the logo that conveys arts with boldness and charm!

These larger than life size musicians greet the visitor the Caldwell Arts Council.


A real first for me is an outside sign announcing the exhibition.

To further demonstrate the community support of the arts, the Lenoir Women's Club hosts the artist reception. 

Really looking forward to the opening. Hope you can come by if you are in the area.

Nancy