Dress series continues

New art dress entitled "Sackcloth and ashes'' Hand dyed fiber, discharged fabrics, hand and machine sewn, embellished.

About 65" long. 

November color

Because really, in the end nature is the best colorist.

Even the grays are better

A feeble attempt to duplicate.

Have you seen what Jude is working on?

waterdress

waterdress, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.


One of 4 art dresses I've made based on the 4 elements of earth, fire, air and

water.  Made of hand dyed fabrics and fibers, each one took me over 2 weeks

to make. Hand and machine sewn, embroidered and appliqued. This dress is a

bit 'fish' shaped, with positive and negative kelp and fish shapes all over. 

It's over 70" long and wearable. I have made hangers for all of them as well.

Here's a detail shot of the dress..

Maybe a 'wave' dress next..

fire dress

fire dress, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Here's a close up of the fiber and the stitching. Sheer overlays and overdyed silks and cottons..

earthdress

earthdress, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

One of four art dresses I've sewn, based on the four elements, earth, air, water and fire.

Fiber Art Now Magazine

There is a nice, new magazine out now "Fiber Art Now".  The first issue is out, and my work and words are in there. Take a look..

It's a good mail day!  If you like to see the rest, here's the link.

encroachment

a bit about this piece...

Slowly but surely, the suburbs are coming together, like tectonic plates, moving toward the center. Houses are built; shopping centers are placed on top of hallowed battlefields, erasing all that once was. Abstracting two aerial views of my area, I've synthesized a coming together of the worlds. By enclosing the wild areas of our world, we are corralling the wild into the tame. I am again, striving for a meaningful piece of art, which encompasses my current concerns, as well as striving for an interesting and beautiful piece of art to view.

Finally Autumn...

It was a very long and trial filled summer, and I'm glad it's over. I've been working on submission for shows, and also the Lazarus series of work, combining fiber and paint.

Lazarus III  fiber, paint, canvas  20x20"

I hope the fall is a quiet, comtemplative time around here.

The last of the coneflowers are being harvested by the bees..

New work at Studio A

It's always a sense of relief and unbelief to hang a show.  All those hours of work, all that over thinking. Then it's hung, and pray to God it all looks good. My new solo show opens up tomorrow, Sept 2, at Studio A, in Fredericksburg Va.

It's been a summer of extremes, but at least I've made my studio time a priority. Fall is always a busy time with shows, art festivals and such. It pays off to be consistent in the studio.

"Lily"  acrylic on wood  14x14"

Besides pricing, I think keeping the mojo going when all your work seems to be in the 'ugly' stages is the most difficult. Staring at a painting or fiber piece looking for it to start to 'sparkle' is agonizing sometimes.  I feel most insecure about my paintings (today, ask me tomorrow). Maybe because it is what I was trained in, or maybe because painting has been so over analyzed, but it takes me as long to make a good painting as it does anything else.

'Moonrise'   fiber   37x23"

If you are interested in any of the pieces, let me know, I've priced them very reasonably, and have a good supply on my hands. I'm also going to be participating in the Baltimore Inner Harbor Art Festival this month, check the side bar for more information.

Getting ready for a show

My show at Studio A in F'burg opens on Sept. 1st, and the ensuing chaos is now in session.. So much on the to do list, I weary of it. But onward I go..

Work still going on, it will be done!

piles of stuff, ok, never going to be featured in "Studios' magazine! I know I know..

Art quilts and paintings.. all in a row.. not!!

On the easel (floor) right now..

And my son took a great class on street art, and has gone and done some work..Wonder where he gets his art gene from? :D  Love it!

Etsy shop sale..

Through the end of August!   Here.

A story is like water

A story is like water, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Etsy store sale!

The whole rest of July, I'm offering everything at 50% off, I need space!  Go have a look, I'm listing new art every single day.

Art + Craft

up close and personal..

Hand dyed and commercial fabrics. Hand and machine stitched, appliqued, quilted and embroidered. Going 3-d for these latest pieces.

city on the hill

city on the hill, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

raising the surface

raising the surface, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

seaside quilt

seaside quilt, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Wordless Wednesday

microbe II

microbe II, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Words do matter

Many many thanks to those who stop by and comment, look and keep up with this blog. It's not much of a word blog, there are plenty of those, but more of a visual and image blog. I do try and explain some of the thought process that goes into the making of the art.  Much of my work is word related, if not exactly with text directly, but by books, movies and poetry. I have much admiration and a bit of envy when it comes to those who are, as the Irish say, have the gift of gab. Musicians, poets, and writers amaze me with being able to evoke a feeling or scene, merely by using words. Over simplified, perhaps, non the less, still an amazing feat.

I am very fortunate, that the well does not run dry for me. I do not have 'blocks' or lack inspiration. I do get lazy, and lack direction, occasionally. When this happens, I go back to the basics, line, form, shape, color, etc.. working in my sketchbooks, going back to black and white. Simplifing. Luckily, it does not happen a lot.

I work on several series at once. It does not confuse me to do so. I am lately very interested in bluring the line between 2-D and 3-D.  Very interested, as well in dark to light and contrast, both in color and shapes.

And always hope for a little (or a lot!!) of narrative and story telling in the pieces.

Raising the surface and the bar a bit.

..and a little poetry to go on..

When my love comes and sits by my side,
when my body trembles and my eyelids droop,
the night darkens, the winds blow out the lamp,
and the clouds draw veils over the stars.
It is the jewel at my own breast that shines
and gives light. I do not know how to hide it."
Rabindranath Tagore

Lazarus II

Lazarus II, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Mixed media, acrylic and metalic paint, fiber, thread, fabric on wood. 20x20"

Farewell

Farewell, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Prairie poetry

Prairie poetry, a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

chesapeake color [explored]

chesapeake color [explored], a photo by Lorie McCown on Flickr.

Library Show is up..

My June show at the Central Rappahannock Library in Fredericksburg Va. is hung, and looks great. It's nice to see them all together in a great, well lit spot.  It will hand the entire month of June. Normal library hours.
All works are for sale.

http://www.librarypoint.org/arts

                       Detail shot of  "Prairie Poetry"  hand and machine stitched, appliqued and embroidered.

New work

"Taken refuge"  24x30"  fiber/mixed media/hand dyed fabrics