blessings

May we be thankful always.

evolution

A few shots of this piece, that went through several stages, my pic's are out of order,, the top one is the finished one. With hand-dyed fabric (fun fun!) and machine and hand quilting, applique and embellishment.

about 28x36"..

no laurel resting

Been in the studio.. for a little time with the muse, this one a literary one..

In between building an ark, for the 4 straight days of rain, I'm working on my Dec. show (all good things come in 3's right?).. a literary theme.. the show being in the atrium of the library.

This is inspired by the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I'm working on 12 (eek! ) new pieces, all inspired by famous authors and their books . Paper,fabric, floss all hand and machine appliqued and quilted 24"x24"

my show..

A few images from my solo show at Studio A in Fredericksburg Va..
I'm going back w/my tripod and take some clearer shots.. but you get the idea.

I even did the floral arrangements! :)

More photos etc.. here It was a great night, and thanks to everyone who came out. The show will hang until the end of November.. then another one at the library here! Whole different direction with that one. Ending 2009 on a good, productive note. xoxo

solo show finally, after 45 years..

Opens Friday Nov. 6.. 13 new art quilts, 7 new paintings, a whole lot of work and stitches! If you are in the Fredericksburg Va. area in Novemeber, come and see. I'll post pictures of more art soon. Sorry this is so tiny, click on it, and you should be able to see it..

the mayhem within

No, 'Studio's' magazine is not going to be banging on my door any time soon..
piles and piles of ideas stacked up waiting for fruition..

Ah yes, there's my inspiration board.. I think I can just see it from here...

hmmm... what is this? an idea? possibly.

and of course, my work horse and my trusty side companion. revving their engines.. ready. set. go.

new work preview

A sneak peek at what's coming up for my November show in Fredericksburg...

New art quilts....


New paintings....

Yeah! I've been busy. A good busy. Not too busy to enjoy the fabulous month of October in Virginia, though.. best.month.ever.

fall in virginia

sweet autumn, you pass way to quickly for me...

stitch + applique..

While going through some photos of some recent work, I came across this piece which was a commission for a dear friend..
I so enjoyed doing it, and it was immediate inspiration when I was told to whom and what the subject was.. can you guess?

the recipient was an ex-Spanish teacher... ! That's a pinata getting the royal treatment there..

"Fiesta" was appliqued, machine and hand stitched, quilted and embellished. Approx. 30x48"..

I love when heart meets mind, meets hands, and it all seem to come together effortlessly..

the process

I have been experimenting mounting the fiber pieces on a stretcher bar/canvas.. It definitely gives the pieces stability and creates a definite 'edge' . A problem I run into very often when deciding how to hang/finish a piece..

This started as a painting and then fiber/beads/thread and ribbon were added.

I received a 'yes' last week to a show submission to a gallery (yeah!) and was provided with the the 3 juror's comments along with the result. It was very interesting to see the comments written. Of the 5 pieces submitted, each judge like a different piece. I know that is no surprise to the other artists that read this. Subjectivity is something one must accept. No matter how much we kid ourselves. One judges' " like" is another's "hate". Comes with the territory. I did agree with a very thorough review one judge offered. More on this subject soon..

rememberance

Thou hast vanished from my reach

leaving an impalpable touch in the blue of the sky,

an invisible image in the wind moving

among the shadows.

-"Fireflies" by Rabindranath Tagore

Remember

giving

I've done a few quilts for charity lately, which has been a good way to take a break from the long series I've been working on. This one was for the Susan G. Komen 3day fund raiser for two local ladies here, in F'burg..



36x38" hand and machine stitched, quilted and embellished..

Of course, she has her pink dress blowing in the wind..

A touch of silk ribbon as well. I always love some 3-d elements, as well as some hand stitching..

good news!

After an annoying string of 'no's" lately, I was starting to wonder what is going on..


But I've received some 'yes's' lately.. hooray! check out December's artist...

sketch book

The best I can do lately is to work in the sketchbook, as the week rushes by in a blurry whirlwind..
or in a rush of paper, markers, and paint..

Keeping the house from blowing away with comings and goings. Anchored to one spot for a small iota of time..

Stillness will come eventually.

summer trees

I've never been a very good linear worker. I must have several things going on at once. Not in a frenetic, hectic sense, but in an inter-connected, flowing from one movement to another sense. A dance of inspiration..an interweaving of spirit. Knitting with painting, sewing with reading..

This has been a linear summer, however, with one thing following the next, as if on a track going from one stop to the next. Taxi service for the masses..go stop go stop..

This piece is part of the tree theme that never leaves me. I grew up in Southern California, where the palm, olive and orange tree was the trees of choice. Here in Virginia, the oak reins supreme. In all it's acorn, leafy glory. Also, though, there are others, sweet gum, birch, and willow. This is the willow, hand and machine sewn, and using a lot of embellishment to boot. Beads, yarn, applique and hand dyed lace.

And some silk ribbon work to add some dimension. about 18x18"

Shad

Here in Fredericksburg, the Rappahannock River runs right through the old part of town. It's an amazing river, as it's tidal up to Fredericksburg, and the fall line is just upstream from the town. A few years back the city removed the old damns that were hindering the shad and other fish from migrating up stream to spawn. Now the damns are down and the fish can go up the creek!

The Friends of the Rappahannock is an organization here in town that have many conservation and enjoyment programs for this river. They hold a fund raiser every fall and this quilt is going to their silent auction. It's my attempt at depicting the shad in the river. It is all raw edge applique and machine and hand sewn. About 36x46".. I've layered upon layered this to give a shimmer and movement to the fish and the water.

Just about done, some more embellishment and stitching, hopefully complete by next week.

A Winner!

Miss Gina, You win the quilt! I'll mail it out to you next week. My hired help picked a number, and it corresponded to your name. Congrats!

a give away!!

Since it's my birthday next Friday, I thought I'd give YOU a gift! Just leave a comment on this post, with a link or your email or some way I can reach you and next Friday, August 7th.. I'll pick, by very scientific means, (ie, names in a hat w/11 yr old picking out..) and voila! for you!

This is a small wall quilt, part of my floral-theme quilts I've been doing for a while now, about 8x11".. would you like? Ya! Thank you to all my commenters, I read them all, and my lurkers thanks for the moments you spend here, looking at and reading my blabberings. I appreciate it!

summer thoughts

As birthday #45 approaches for me, I stumbled onto one of those long lists of things to 'live by'. By coincidence, 45 of them..I do not profess to follow all of these, but I'd like to. I think there is a little nod to Bill Cosby in there as well as Erma Bombeck. Both of whom I hold in high regard..

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written." My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1.Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you no one else.
20. When it to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion, today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.Enjoy!

small fabric collage

Again the idea of using the sewing line as more than a way to connect 2 pieces of cloth. It seems like a great way of exploring the full extent of the medium.
Here is a small sampler of batiks, linen and beads to that end..

and a little inspiration from this lady... love love her stuff..


small fabric collage
Originally uploaded by loriemccown

applique panel

This is a small part of a large whole..One pannel of a large wall hanging I've done. I love the idea of using the sewing machine as a drawing instrument, and plan on doing a lot more of that!

Here I've machine and hand sewn pannels onto a large, long banner-style hanging with much embelishment going on..




applique panel
Originally uploaded by loriemccown

colors of summer

This summer is racing by like a rushing river. I can hardly believe how quickly the days are flying by. During the summer, I rise early to work in the studio. Before the phone starts ringing, before the hot, humid air drifts in. Quiet and calm.

Water colors of the pool and river and sea...


A simple 1-patch, with fabrics so beautiful not much is necessary..

To dive into when I can't get to the water, like I want to.

The colors of summer, greens, violets, turquoise..

Keep cool!

stitching a landscape..

stitching a landscape..
Originally uploaded by loriemccown

I am wearing my fingers down a bit, but this one is coming along..I am going for a lot of dimension and movement in this one, while trying to maintain a limited color range.

I do like the way the grass reeds are showing up! More to go..

Still here!

My poor, neglected blog.. but there has been LOADS of art being made, just cutting back on the computer time..

Stitching here is an art quilt, "Hollyhocks" about 20x30" hand and machine sewn with color color color..

detail of the blooms..


and more here:

Some beading and embellishment, of course!

And paintings galore! this one's "In the Garden" 20x20" oil on canvas

And "poppies" again oil on canvas, 20x20"

And an Etsy update coming soon.. now I have (I hope!) my picture and computer skills working..

cheers.

back on

After many failed attempts, I'm computing again, still trying to import the photos, data etc.. to the new computer..
But I have been busy in the studio..

A few oil paintings, works on canvas and board... rain and rain the last couple of days, so all the better to work inside..

etsy!

I've opened my etsy shop, with just a few items.. more to follow. This picture has nothing to do with it, my computer is sick, so I'm posting from my son's, this is from his picture file...it's not him, but it sure looks fun!
Link to the shop!
loriemccown

late spring

I've managed to finish this shawl: These colors really remind of the sea.. turquoise, lavender, moss greens.. I loved making this one. Two yarns, alternating, one a rayon ribbon, the other a thick and thin loose spun wool, hand dyed..

The garden has exploded in color, texture and weeds! Must. get. some. pictures.

Sweet pea..

pink roses, my all time fav..

an Asian lily.. love the color combos here..

I feel overwhelmed at the moment, school is coming to a close, the house, the new work in progress.. need to relax and take things one at a time. I'm a horrible multi-tasker. I end up doing things in halves.. one step at a time..

trees and birds

The latest in the tree stitchery going on..still layering, sewing, adding..

Hand and machine stitched, embellished...

and they left us yesterday, all intact, just up and flew away! the nerve.

where's my house fairy?

I've missed my house fairy, where can it be?
I've had my nose in this:

and sorting out this:

look what appeared, but no fairy to fold..

and these! wow, now if I can find that fairy to put this away! must be hidden in the laundry!

corners of my home

The sun came out, yesterday and dried up the mushy yard..streaming through the windows.



I never really realized how many Japanese things I have around..

We spent 3 years in Japan, and I loved it. But I was also happy to come home, too. I did love their eye for the simple, and the nature of things. I developed a love for indigo cloth, anything blue and white, and the gorgeous pottery. I did a little bit of buying when we were there..

More sun!

Hmm more blue and white!