Textile Arts Resource Guide

Textile Masterpieces created by The Materialistics

2011-04-08T09:23:00.000-05:00

These are INCREDIBLE and were created by The Materialistics - a group of British textile artists!

Ed Munch's The Scream - knitted by Norma Box

Picas-Sew! - by Sue McBride - Based on Pablo Picasso's Portrait of Dora Maar

Other renditions of masterpieces include: Andy Wool-hol (Marilyn Monroe); Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers; Van Meer's Girl with the Pearl Earring; and Rembrandt's Self-Portrait.

You've seen The Scream...How About The SEAM?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1374029/Youve-seen-The-Scream--The-SEAM-Edvard-Munch-masterpiece-paintings-recreated-ladies-knitting-group.html

Knitted Masterpieces
http://andfinally.tv/2011/04/knitted-art/

Girl with a Knit-1 Purl1 Earring
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3513188/You-wool-never-believe-it-but-these-masterpieces-have-all-been-knitted-embroidered-or-crocheted.html

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 11

2011-03-21T07:05:00.000-06:00

I still have to wonder what rock those people live under

who continually whine about artists not being

willing to share any of their techniques or processes...

Part 10 Part 9 Part 8 Part 7 Part 6

Part 5 Part 4 Part 3 Part 2 Part 1

Sewing Machine Tension Diagram - Superior Threads
http://www.superiorthreads.com/media/uploads/2010/12/02/files/Thread_Tension_Diagram.pdf

Find My Fabric - A search engine
http://www.findmyfabric.com/

Watercolor Pencils on Fabric (and a different way to transfer a sketch) - Loreen Leedy
http://studioloreen.blogspot.com/2011/01/watercolor-pencils-on-fabric.html

Elmer's Glue Crackle Technique - Wen Redmond
http://fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com/2011/01/elmers-glue-crackle-technique.html

Choosing Colors and Fabrics for Skin Tones - Leni Wiener
http://blog.leniwiener.com/?p=1086

Thread Painting 101- Angela McIntyre

Supplies - Part 1
http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-series-1-thread-painting-101.html

Supplies - Part 2
http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-series-1-thread-painting-101_20.html

The Basic Stitch
http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/ho-to-series-1-thread-painting-101.html

            Basic Straight Stitch
             http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-series-1-thread-painting-101.html

             Directional Zig-Zag
             http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-series-1-thread-painting-101_11.html

             Directional Straight Stitch
             http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-series-1-thread-painting-101_16.html

             Review and Wrap-Up
             http://laughingcatdesignsetc.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-series-1-thread-painting-101_24.html

Solids, Prints or Hand-Dye? - Leni Wiener
http://blog.leniwiener.com/?p=1097

How to Stiffen Fabric - Jessica Jones
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-stiffen-fabric.html

Colored Pencil Work - Sandra Leichner
http://sandraleichner.com/wordpress/colored-pencil-applique-tutorial/

Mini-Quilt Stands - Cheryl Sleboda
http://blog.muppin.com/2011/01/tutorial-for-mini-quilt-stands.html

A Tutorial on Pleather/Vinyl Straps - Cheryl Kuczek
http://paradisodesigns.blogspot.com/2011/01/method-monday-tutorial-on-pleathervinyl.html

Printing on Inkjet Fabric Sheets
http://h71028.www7.hp.com/hho/cache/784-0-0-39-121.html

Plexipainting - Margaret Hunt
http://scquiltaddict.blogspot.com/2011/02/plexipaintingsort-of-tutorialor-should.html

Corona 2: Solar Eclips - Caryl Bryer Fallert
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bryerpatch/sets/72157625998890775/

Indoor Sunprinting Mini Tutorial - Sue Andrus
http://www.andrusgardensclassroom.com/indoor-sunprinting-mini-tutorial/

More Sunprinting Info - Sue Andrus - "This post will take you through some of the process of sunprinting fabric using deeper colors than I usually have used in the past."
http://www.andrusgardensclassroom.com/more-sunprinting-info/

Preserving Leaves with Glycerin for Printing - Sue Andrus
http://www.andrusgardensclassroom.com/preserving-leaves-with-glycerin-for-printing/

Photo Transfers My Way - Sue Andrus
http://www.andrusgardensclassroom.com/photo-transfers-my-way/

Playing with Inktense Blocks: Part I - Sue Andrus
http://www.andrusgardensquilts.com/blog/playing-with-inktense-blocks-part-1

Playing with Inktense Blocks: Part II - Sue Andrus
http://www.andrusgardensquilts.com/blog/playing-with-inktense-blocks-part-2

Industry Standards and Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards.html

Silkworms Made to Spin Coloured Silk

2011-03-17T07:37:00.001-06:00

Seeing is believing:

Luminescent Silk Cocoons Viewed Under UV Light (Credit: IMRE)

Silkworms are fed a mulberry/fluorescent dye mixture which colors the animal as well as the fibers they spin.

Dye is added to the silkworn diet for the last 4 days of the larva stage

creating a coloured animal and coloured silk (Credit: IMRE)

To read full report:

http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/silkworms-spin-coloured-silk-.htm

1,200 Stitches Per Square Inch - The Art of Ray Materson

2011-02-12T10:18:00.000-06:00

Ray Materson's work is astounding, and the incredible detail packed into his 2.5" x 3" masterworks is remarkable. While in prison at the Connecticut Pennitentiary, he one day traded cigarettes for a pair of socks, unthreaded them and thus his transformation from a cocaine addicted robber to artist began. His subject matter ranges from gut-wrenching scenes of drug use to inspiring images of baseball players and the American skyline.

Mariano Rivera - Ray Materson

NYC Skyline from Liberty Island - Ray Materson

Till Death Do Us - Ray Materson

Website - Be sure to click on the links for Recent Work and Past Work
http://www.raymaterson.com/

Video - 3-minutes - Ex-Con on Pins and Needles
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3057431n

Video - 3- minutes - Eye to Eye: Prison Embroiderer
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3057448n

American Primative Gallery
http://www.americanprimitive.com/index.cfm?section=artist_works&artist=Raymond Materson&hasBiography=1

Incredible Anatomical Dress Art

2011-02-06T17:55:00.000-06:00

"Artificial Beauty" is the name of a show held at Shih Chien University in China during the Fall of 2010. The designs included:

Artificial Beauty Exhibit - Anatomical Ball Gown - Back View

Artificial Beauty Exhibit - Anatomy Dress

More Photos (including front view of Ball Gown)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charles_studio/4449645410/

What's Up With Cotton?

2011-01-22T13:31:00.000-06:00

American Quilt Retailer magazine contacted 30 fabric companies for explanations related to the current and upcoming prices of cotton fabrics. Top executives of 11 of these companies responded: Avlyn, Inc.; Clothworks; E. E. Schenck; Hoffman California Fabrics; In the Beginning Fabrics; Marcus Fabrics; Michael Miller Fabrics; Moda Fabrics; Northcott; Robert Kaufman Fabrics; and Westminster Lifestyle Fabrics.

Their responses:
http://www.americanquiltretailer.com/cotton/

Fine Cell Work

2011-01-17T06:00:00.001-06:00

Fine Cell Work is an organization devoted to teaching needlework to UK prison inmates as well as to sell their products. Twenty-six prisons are involved with male inmates comprising 80% of the project participants. Each devotes approximately 20 hours a week to the project doing the emboridery in their cells.

Abstract Painting Design - Fine Cell Work

Detail - Abstract Painting Design - Fine Cell Work

Fine Cell Work website
http://www.finecellwork.co.uk/home/

Video - 16 minutes
http://www.finecellwork.co.uk/audiovideo/

The Intergalactic Quilts of Jimmy McBride

2011-01-14T10:09:00.000-06:00

Jimmy McBride is fascinated by astronomy and focuses his artwork

on various aspects of it. He states that his work is machine quilted

with hand embroidery, but I think he means that it is machine pieced,

hand quilted and hand embroidered.

M64 - Jimmy McBride

Whether the focus is on galaxies, planets, nebulae, wormholes, etc., Jimmy likes to incorporate as many elements as possible into the work.

Phobos V2 - Jimmy McBride

Detail: Phobos V2 - Jimmy McBride

Jimmy's website:
http://jimmymcbride.com/home.html

Blog - this contains a lot of information not only about how his work is conceptualized, but he also shares some of the mechanics of how the patterns are drafted and put together.
http://www.intergalactictransport.blogspot.com/

Ethereal Artwork by Gabriel Dawe

2011-01-01T10:10:00.000-06:00

Gabriel Dawe creates fascinating and mesmerizing installations
and other artwork primarily using only Gutterman threads,
nails and wood.

Plexus No. 4 - Gabriel Dawe

Plexus no 2 - Gabriel Dawe

"Gabriel Dawe was born in Mexico City where he grew up surrounded by the intensity and color of Mexican culture. After working as a graphic designer, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 2000 following a desire to explore foreign land. In search for creative freedom he started experimenting and creating artwork, which eventually led him to explore textiles and embroidery—activities traditionally associated with women and which were forbidden for a boy growing up in Mexico. Because of this, his work is subversive of notions of masculinity and machismo that are so ingrained in his culture. By working with thread and textiles, Dawe’s work has evolved into creating large-scale installations with thread, creating environments that deal with notions of social constructions and their relation to evolutionary theory and the self-organizing force of nature." http://sweet-station.com/blog/2010/11/gabriel-dawe/

Gabriel Dawe's Website

http://gabrieldawe.com

Gabriel Dawe

http://www.booooooom.com/2010/12/02/thread-artworks-by-artist-gabriel-dawe/

A Stitch in Jewish Time: Provocative Textiles

2010-12-19T15:02:00.000-06:00

Coat of the Agunah - Andi Arnovitz

Middle Matzah - Leslie Golomb and Louise Silk

An amazing exhibit is currently on display through June 30, 2011 at the Hebrew Union College's Jewish Institute of Religion Museum (located at Brookdale Center, One West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012).

This exhibit "...explores how exceptional contemporary artists apply their skillful creativity to the ever evolving understanding of Jewish values. Individually addressing issues of memory and reflection, interpretations of history and ritual, and links between the past and present, they delve into aspects of the Holocaust, war, patriotism, celebration, prayer, feminism, and sexuality, frequently through the inclusion of Biblical texts and sometimes challenging traditional forms."
http://huc.edu/ckimages/files/Digest/August%2026,%202010/Press%20Release%20-%20A%20Stitch%20in%20Jewish%20Time.pdf

More Info About Some of the Artists:

Leslie A Golomb and Louise Silk - "Deez Nites Be All the Same to Me" : These two artists have created a series of quilts depicting the linked story of a Jewish slave-owning family, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Lyons Moss, and their run away slave boy.
http://www.lesliegolomb.com/deezlobby.html

Blog Post to The Jewish Chronicle by Louise Silk - Why Don't Jews Quilt?
http://thejewishchronicle.net/pages/full_story/push?blog-entry-Why+Don%E2%80%99t+Jews+Quilt-%20&id=10679000

Andi Arnovitz - Unchained: While Trying on New Artistic Hat, Artist Develops Series of Paper Coats:
http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/26293/unchained/#3

"One series of coats is devoted to agunot, the so-called “chained women,” who, according to Jewish law, cannot remarry due to their husbands’ refusal to grant a divorce, or inconclusive evidence of a husband’s death. Arnovitz obtained and photocopied hundreds of ketubot (marriage contracts), and tore them into small pieces. With thread she affixed the fragments onto massive paper coats. The sleeves, hems and collars were sewn shut, and the threads, evidence of her painstaking process, were left hanging, a metaphor for the agunah, herself."

Robert Forman - String Pictures - "Forman's work is about the journey-his, theirs, ours. It is about transparent shadows of the real world, shifting as we shift, fortelling our own ephemerality even as they document us for posterity, playing tricks on our vision like Puck, like the trickster spirits of every culture. It is about surface, but also about deeper layers and juxtapositions-of thread, form, subject matter, symbol and meaning."
Website: http://www.glueyarn.com/site/Home.html

Robert Forman: The Journey of Self and Other (Surface Design Journal - Spring 2000)
http://www.glueyarn.com/site/Surface_Design.html

Jacqueline Nicholls - "...uses art to explore traditional Jewish ideas in untraditional ways. This website shows the variety of media I use in my work - paper-cuts, embroidery, corsetry, drawings & print, clothing - and explains some of my thinking behind each piece."
http://www.jacquelinenicholls.com/

Blog - http://jacquelinenicholls.blogspot.com/

Nancy Koenigsberg

Jane Sauer Galleryhttp://www.jsauergallery.com/sagemoon/MainPages/BasketryInPerspective2009.html#NK

Snyderman-Works Galleries
http://www.snyderman-works.com/artists/nancy-koenigsberg

Elaine Reichek - combines "...vintage and current photography with stitching..."
http://www.elainereichek.com/
.
Adam Cohen - "Embroidery offers me a way to explore imagery while still feeling connected to the piece through my hands."

Snyderman-Works Galleries
http://www.snyderman-works.com/artists/adam-cohen

Free Creativity Coaching Sample

2010-12-13T09:01:00.000-06:00

Many of us are familiar with Quinnn McDonald as an artist and as one who has graciously shared tutorials, but did you know that she also is a certified creativity coach as well? Coaching sessions are phone based and are scheduled to fit when you have the time to be focused.

Quinn is offering a free 30-minute sample session and states that it is:

"Not a demonstration or a pitch, this 30-minute free coaching session starts with the issues that you want to be coached on. It's a real coaching session.

At the end [of the free session], we will decide on an appropriate challenge as 'homework.' You'll ask any questions you have on coaching. There is no pressure and I won't sign you up after the coaching sample. You'll have time to think it through if you want to start coaching"

To learn more and to schedule your free session:
http://rawartjournaling.com/Coaching.html

Imagination Works - Quinn's free creativity newsletter that is e-mailed twice a month. To sign up for it:
http://rawartjournaling.com/Newsletter_IVFF.html

Creativity Ariticles - written by Quinn and available through Creativity-Portal (scroll down):
http://www.creativity-portal.com/cca/quinn-mcdonald/

QuinnCreative: Tips, Slips, Stumbles, and Leaps on the Creative Journal - Quinn's Blog:
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/

The Amazing Leather Work of Winfred Rembert

2010-12-10T07:50:00.000-06:00

"Winfred uses a canvas of cured leather to tool memories from his life.

These 'snapshots' offer an unprecedented view into the true lives of

African Americans in the Deep South only fifty years ago. The themes

present in his work transcend age, racial, gender and religious differences.

Through Winfred's work, we are encouraged to persevere and find a blessing

- to find redeption in the suffering we each experience as human beings."

- from his website

Many textile artists use leather in their work - Winfred Rembert, however, uses this "textile" as his fabric to create stunning and masterful narratives. The detailed imagery in the slices of life that he gives us from his own memories and experiences are fascinating, riveting and incredibly moving.

Family Picking Cotton - Winfred Rembert

Chain Gang (All Me) - Winfred Rembert

Website
http://www.velocissima.com/winfred/

The Indelible Images of Winfred Rembert - Folk Art Messenger Magazine
http://www.folkart.org/mag/winfred-rembert

Call Him "Artist" - includes a slideshow with 10 images of his work
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/05/13/entertainment/doc4bec01551d0fd865045524.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Adelson Galleries - Winfred Rembert - can view 44 images of his work
http://www.adelsongalleries.com/exhibitions/2010-04-07_winfred-rembert/

Winfred Rembert at Work - 3:17 minute YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UTfKyjHB_g&feature=player_embedded

WFXL Interview of Winfred Remnbert - 6:03 minute YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2hPEitmam4&feature=related

Business Support for the Arts from Large Businesses Dropped Significantly

2010-12-08T18:24:00.001-06:00

As we probably all could have predicted, a survey for the Business Committe for the Arts found that between 2006 - 2009, business support for the arts from large businesses "...fell from 43 percent to 28 percent, while the number that gave to any charitable cause dropped from 70 percent to 52 percent." Interestingly, however, over the same period support from small to mid-sized businesses actually increased.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=316900003

To read the executive summary of the Triennial Survey of Business Support for the Arts:
http://www.americansforthearts.org/pdf/information_services/arts_business_partnerships/bca/BCA%202010%20Survey%20Executive%20Summary.pdf

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 10

2010-11-26T07:33:00.000-06:00

Your colleagues continue to share unselfishly...

Part 9 Part 8 Part 7 Part 6 Part 5 Part 4 Part 3 Part 2 Part 1

Learning to Critique Effectively - Jane Dunnewold - Excellent article on this topic.
http://www.artclothstudios.com/userfiles/file/New%20Critique%20Essay.pdf

Bobbin Work: Dealing with Distortion - Ellen Anne Eddy
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/2010/09/bobbin-work-on-loose-dealing-with.html

Silkscreen Mask Using Plastic - Wen Redmond
http://fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com/2010/09/silkscreen-mask-using-plastic.html

Multi-Color Screen Printing Without a Press - Craft Chi
http://craftchi.com/blog/?p=1304

On a Roll: Create Your Personal Mark Using Brayers - Wen Redmond
http://fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com/2010/09/on-roll-create-your-personal-brayers.html

Who Wants to Color
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/2010/09/bobbin-workwho-wants-to-color.html
Coloring In and Out of the Lines
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/2010/09/bobbin-work-coloring-in-and-out-of.html
On the Loose - Dealing with Distortion
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/2010/09/bobbin-work-on-loose-dealing-with.html

http://mariaelkins.com/index.php/2010/11/silhouette-tutorial/

Family Silhouette Tutorial - Maria Elkins
http://mariaelkins.com/index.php/2010/11/family-silhouette-tutorial/

How to do those Innie Corners - Margaret Hunt

http://scquiltaddict.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-do-those-innie-corners.html

Using Golden Digital Grounds - Quinn McDonald
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/tutorial-using-golden-digital-grounds-1/

Monsoon Paper: Tutorial + Variation - Quinn McDonald
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/monsoon-papertutorial-variation/

Making Glue Work for You - Quinn McDonald
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/making-glue-work-for-you/

Gel Medium Transfers - Easier with Videos - Quinn McDonald
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/gel-medium-transfers-easier-with-videos/

Using Fixatives on Your Artwork - Quinn McDonald
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2008/03/06/tutorial-using-fixatives-on-your-artwork/

Monochromatic Collage - Quinn McDonald
http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/tutorial-monochromatic-collage/

Gallery Hanging Tutorial - Judith Ferguson
http://judysfiberart.blogspot.com/p/gallery-hanging-tutorial.html

Quotable Quotes

2010-11-22T08:18:00.002-06:00

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer;
a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman;
a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist."
Louis Nizer
.

"Life holds no promises as to what will come your way. You must search for your own ideals and work toward reaching them....If you are willing to take the opportunities you are given and utilize the abilities you have, you will constantly fill your life with special moments and unforgettable times."
Dena Dilaconi

Until the lion tells his story, you only hear the tales of the hunters.
African proverb

Art is not for the cultivated taste. It is to cultivate taste.
Nikki Giovanni

"Ideas must be put to the test. That's why we make things, otherwise they would be no more than ideas." Andy Goldsworthy

I tamed my personal art demon – the tendency to think about painting rather than actually painting – by throwing the stuff on the blank paper and telling myself I didn't care about the end result.
I believed it and was saved.
Rich Hawk

I don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that.
Your mind must know it has to get down to work.
Pearl S. Buck

Process trumps plans. That's why our job is called "creative."
Robert Genn

Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.
Bob Dylan

Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul - and you answer.
Terri Guillemets

"Your art isn’t for everyone.
Once you understand this, you’ll have an easier time
finding the people who appreciate your work."
Alyson Stanfield

"I think finding your voice is making the implicit explicit.
It is making what you already know on a subconscious level
conscious and repeatable."
Jessie Carty

"I tamed my personal art demon
– the tendency to think about painting rather than actually painting –
by throwing the stuff on the blank paper and telling myself
I didn't care about the end result. I believed it and was saved."
Rich Hawk

"With age, art and life become one."
Georges Braque

"Never be afraid to do something new.
Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic".
Anonymous

Free Online Course - The Creative Pathfinder

2010-11-15T09:52:00.001-06:00

Mark McGuinness is a poet who also is a coach for creative professionals. Starting from the premise that "creativity isn't enough", he has developed a free course that offers "...an alternative take on professional development for creative people. It’s a practical education in the artistic and professional skills you need to thrive in the real world of the creative industries...while maintaining your integrity, peace of mind and enthusiasm for your work."

An email with a link to the lesson will be sent once a week for 6 months. Each lesson contains:

An article explaining the what, why and how of the topic
A practical worksheet for you to download and complete
Links to additional resources (articles, books, e-books etc — most of which are free)

You can register for the course on the following link which also will provide more detailed information about what the course covers and why he is offering it for free:
http://lateralaction.com/pathfinder/

Ben Cuevas - Knitted Skeleton & Organs

2010-11-12T06:00:00.002-06:00

Ben Cuevas is a fiber artist who has knitted a skeleton

and internal organs that are incredibly detailed and intricate.

Knitted Head & Thorax - Ben Cuevas

Transcending the Material - shows many detailed close-ups of his knitted skeleton

http://bencuevas.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/transcending-the-material/

Ben Cuevas Interview, 2010 Wassaic Artist Resident - video of Ben Cuevas discussing his work in his studio in the Luther Barn in Wassaic, NY

http://vimeo.com/13860849

Healing Disparities: The Condition of Embodiment - Interview

http://arttistsspeak.blogspot.com/2010/08/ben-cuevas.html

Healing Disparities: The Condition of Embodiment - Includes links to detailed images of knitted body parts including: Rectum; Genitosexual; Intestines; Heart, Thyroid; Brain

http://bencuevas.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/healing-disparities-the-condition-of-embodiment/

Test Your Knowledge

2010-11-08T09:46:00.001-06:00

Do you REALLY know as much as you think?

FIBRES and FABRICS
http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=what-do-you-know-about-fibres-fabrics

QUILTING
http://www.pbs.org/americaquilts/fun/index.html

Funny! http://www.fonsandporter.com/aspx/FonsandPorter/fp/onlineextras/onlinearticle.aspx?id=173

KNITTING
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz21719018de4d8.html

CROCHET
Funny! http://www.freepatterns.com/content/content.html?content_id=621

CROSS STITCH
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz16362812bd1a8.html

http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz317077244cae0.html

http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz213275186b9b0.html

NEEDLEWORK TYPES
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz29609721e6080.html

http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz28278620600f8.html

WEAVING

http://www.braingle.com/trivia/5414/a-warped-point-of-view.html

Couldn't find a quiz about baskets

Free Visual Journal Online Workshops

2010-11-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

Starting January 1, Strathmore (one of the leading manufacturers of journals for artists), is making available a 3-part series on visual journaling. It will focus on visual journaling techniques, and each workshop will include 4 online video lessons along with supportin downloadable instructions. You also will receive additional ideas, tips and inspiration from the workshop instructor via email. Workshop sessions are self-paced and will be available online through August 1, 2011.

Workshop 1: Start Where You Are - January 1, 2011 - "We will explore the philosophy that a journal should always be a work in progress and discover the advantages of developing pages in layers using mixed-media techniques and materials such a gels, mediums, water media, paints and sprays...To personalize your journal, notice how the addition of fold-outs and embellishments make the pages interactive. Play with design layouts and spreads, and learn how to integrate writing and images while keeping design principals in mind… but not being constrained by them! And, whether you want to cover your journal with painted canvas or art it up with collage, you will see tempting examples to transform your Visual Journal into your very own masterpiece."

Workshop 2: Recycled Journal Pages - March 1, 2011 - "Reusing your own artwork in your journal pages helps you get the most out of the time you put into creating art. By using copies of previous journal pages and other art you’ve created, you will have a great stash of collage fodder right at your fingertips! Reusing your own art allows you to revisit your art in a totally new way and create pages that are uniquely your own. In addition to your recycled art, collage materials can also be found in other recyclables such as, newspapers, magazines, old book pages or other ephemera. Get the most mileage from your art and take it to exciting new places by recycling it in your Art Journal!"

Workshop 3: Building Your Visual Journal from the Page Up - May 1, 2011 - "Find your unique visual style while creating mixed media journal pages from the background up. Learn how to execute colorful and textured backgrounds with paints and inks. Work with collage papers and ephemera to explore composition. Master paper handling techniques that expand your page and enhance your journal’s flow. Finally take your journal into the real world to hone your on-site sketching and observation skills. The techniques and strategies presented in this workshop will enable you to discover your own authentic journal voice and unleash your creative energy."

To Register:
http://www.strathmoreartist.com/vjworkshop2011.html

UPDATE: The Grades Are In - "The Honor Roll"

2010-11-03T06:00:00.007-06:00

This is an update to the October 29 post

Senate Arts Report Card Grading Criteria - Arts Action Fund

As promised, "The Arts Action Fund" of Americans for the Arts has released its report about those senators who are strong champions of the arts. Thirty-seven senators received a B+ or greater on the Congressional Arts Report Card. Thirteen have been singled out for special commendation. Click on the following link to find out why (NOTE: Use your mouse to hover over each one's picture, then click his or her picture to learn more):

http://artsactionfund.org/pages/honor-roll

Grading Criteria - The 6 criteria on which all senators were graded include: Keeps jobs in the arts; Supports public art; Supports museums; Shows initiative in the arts; Active in extracurricular activities; and Shows leadership in the arts.
http://artsactionfund.org/pages/senate-arts-report-card-grading-criteria

To View for the "Dirty Dozen" - those senators with abysmal records when it comes to supporting the arts:
http://www.artsactionfund.org/pages/senate-arts-report-card-dirty-dozen

To View the Grades for All Senators:
http://www.artsactionfund.org/pages/senate-report-card

A Gallery Director Speaks

2010-11-01T06:00:00.001-06:00

Following are links to a three-part interview with Robert Patrick "...who has a long history of curating and producing shows, tours and events, including 12 years as a very successful gallery director at the Walton Street Gallery in Chicago." The focus for this interview is on "...what artists must know about galleries, collectors, selling, and making presentations."

Part I: What Artists Must Know
http://www.artsyshark.com/2010/10/18/a-gallery-director-speaks-what-artists-must-know/

Part II: A Day in the Life

http://www.artsyshark.com/2010/10/22/a-gallery-director-speaks-a-day-in-the-life/

Part III: The Psychology of Selling Art
http://www.artsyshark.com/2010/10/26/a-gallery-director-speaks-the-psychology-of-selling-art/

A related interview with Samantha Lewis, Artist Agent
http://www.artsyshark.com/2010/05/18/interview-with-artists-agent-samantha-levin/

The Grades are In!!!

2010-10-29T08:36:00.000-05:00

"Did you ever bring home a bad grade on a report card as a kid? What about an F in the arts? Hard to imagine. Well, our U.S. Senators brought home their grades, and although they weren't graded on their paintings or musical scales, many managed to fail the arts. And some failed while the other Senator in their state received an A or B!" - Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts

The "Arts Action Fund" of Americans for the Arts graded how well or poorly senators have voted to support the arts. Over the past two years, 3 opportunities to support the arts were presented to senators. Twenty-eight of them received "F's". Twelve of the 28 have been singled out as "The Dirty Dozen" - click on the following link to find out why (NOTE: Use your mouse to hover over each one's picture, then click his or her picture to learn more):
http://www.artsactionfund.org/pages/senate-arts-report-card-dirty-dozen

Interestingly, in some states, one Senator received an "A or B" while the other failed miserably:
http://artsactionfund.org/pages/same-state-different-story

To view the grades for all Senators:
http://www.artsactionfund.org/pages/senate-report-card

A final report will soon be available about those Senators who champion the arts.

To learn more about Americans for the Arts:

http://www.artsactionfund.org/

Jeanne Martin: The Fabric Chef

2010-10-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

Breakfast and Pastry Platters - Jeanne Martin

Jeanne Martin creates soft sculptures of food (from flannel, fleece, linen, broadcloth and other fabrics) so realistic that it takes usually takes a while for viewers to realize they have been created from fabric.

Fried Chicken, Texas Style - Jeanne Martin (a tribute to Bobby Flay)

Magic in the Fabric - 3:20 minue YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4fyk0_K8PA&feature=player_embedded

Sculptures that Look Good Enough to Eat - Interview by The Denver Post [NOTE: You'll need to scroll 1/3 way down a seemingly mostly blank page]
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_16005749

The Fabric Chef - Jeanne Martin's website - shows many detail views of her work
http://www.thefabric-chef.com/

Free Online Expressive Drawing Class

2010-10-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Steve Aimone, author of Expressive Drawing: A Practical Guide to Freeing the Artist Within and Design! A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftspeople, is offering a free online course in Expressive Drawing. It is a six-lesson class which has just gotten underway. Every two weeks, Steve will "...post a drawing exercise, a game, a video or something else to inspire you as you pursue your art."

You also will be able to upload your drawings or paintings where your "...virtual classmates will be able to see - and thoughtfully critique - your work. Steve will visit the community on a regular basis and comment on pieces that draw his attention."

Additionally, after the "semester" is over, Steve will continue to post monthly exercises for you.

Following is the link to a video about Expressive Drawing:
http://www.aarp.org/personal-growth/life-long-learning/info-07-2010/what_is_expressive_drawing.html

More info about the class:
http://www.aarp.org/personal-growth/life-long-learning/info-10-2010/expressive-drawing-class.html

The current session is on Circles, Squares and Triangles and can be accessed through the following URL:
http://www.aarp.org/personal-growth/life-long-learning/info-10-2010/session-1.html

To learn more about Steve:
http://www.aimoneartservices.com/

NOTE: I have taken several of Steve's workshops in New Smyrna Beach, FL

- he is a superb teacher and I recommend him highly.

Whitehouse Proclamation About the Arts

2010-10-06T07:55:00.001-05:00

In honor of October being the National Arts and Humanities Month,

President Barack Obama has issued the following proclamation:

Throughout history, the arts and humanities have helped men and women around the globe grapple with the most challenging questions and come to know the most basic truths. In our increasingly interconnected world, the arts play an important role in both shaping the character that defines us and reminding us of our shared humanity. This month, we celebrate our Nation's arts and humanities, and we recommit to ensuring all Americans can access and experience them.

Our strength as a Nation has always come from our ability to recognize ourselves in each other, and American artists, historians, and philosophers have helped enable us to find our common humanity. Through powerful scenes on pages, canvases, and stages, the arts have spurred our imaginations, lifted our hearts, and united us all without regard to belief or background.

The arts and humanities have also helped fuel our economy as well as our souls. Across our country, men and women in the non profit and for profit arts industries bring arts and cultural activities to our communities, contributing tens of billions of dollars to our economy each year. Today, arts workers are revitalizing neighborhoods, attracting new visitors, and fostering growth in places that have gone too long without it.

As we work to bring the power of the arts and humanities to all Americans, my Administration remains committed to providing our children with an education that inspires as it informs. Exposing our students to disciplines in music, dance, drama, design, writing, and fine art is an important part of that mission. To promote arts education and pay tribute to America's vibrant culture, First Lady Michelle Obama and I have been proud to host a White House Music Series, Dance Series, and Poetry Jam. We have been honored to bring students, workshops, and performers to "the People's House;" to highlight jazz, country, Latin, and classical music; and to invite Americans to listen to the music of the civil rights movement, hip hop, and Broadway.

By supporting the fields that feed our imagination, strengthen our children's education, and contribute to our economy, our country will remain a center of creativity and innovation, and our society will stand as one where dreams can be realized. As we reflect on the contributions of America's artists, we look forward to hearing their tales still untold, their perspectives still unexplored, and their songs still unwritten. May they continue to shed light on trials and triumphs of the human spirit, and may their work help ensure that our children's horizons are ever brighter.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2010 as National Arts and Humanities Month. I call upon the people of the United States to join together in observing this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to celebrate the arts and the humanities in America.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

______________________________

"National Arts and Humanities Month is a coast-to-coast celebration of culture in America. Held every October and coordinated by Americans for the Arts, NAHM is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation." The NAHM Events Map shows many of the nationwide activities that have been scheduled:
http://maps.artsusa.org/nahm/

The Coiled Art of Carol Eckert

2010-10-04T08:44:00.000-05:00

"Kingdom of the Birds" by Carol Eckert

Carol Eckert has taken the medium of basketry to a new level by using a signature "stitch" and universal symbols to illustrate legends, parables and creation stories by using the technique of coiling. Although she describes this technique as "simple" and only requiring the use of a threaded needle (to wrap copper wire with DMC cotton embroidery floss) her work is very sophisticated and complex. Through it she tells stories using a variety of forms such as staffs, shrines, wall art and books (as well as the occasional "basket" as she defines it).

DETAIL - "The Raven Addresses the Animals" by Carol Eckert

Smithsonian Archives of American Art Interview - An 2007 interview of Carol by Jo Laurie for the Smithsonian's Craft and Decorative Arts in America documentation project can be read online:
http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/eckert07.htm

To view more of Carol's art:
Carol's Website:
http://www.caroleckert.com/Carol_Eckert/Welcome.html

Jane Sauer Gallery
http://www.jsauergallery.com/sagemoon/artistPages/CEckert.html

Fundraising for Individual Artist Projects

2010-10-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

In April of this year, I did a post about the Diastrous State Budget Cuts Proposed for the Arts (http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2010/04/disastrous-state-budget-cuts-proposed.html) and there were comments regarding the need for artists to find or develop alternative funding sources that don't rely on state funding which seems to be rapidly drying up. A follow-up post in May on Fundraising for the Arts(http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2010/05/fundraising-for-arts.html) looked at some ideas being tossed around and tried out. Now, an opportunity has been presented to me that I would like to share with you and hope that you will at least "peek in" every once in a while to see how its progressing and to determine if this is this is the type of alternative funding avenue you should investigate.

_______________________________________

I am pleased to announce that I have been selected to participate in a new online community of America’s finest artists called Project Site ( http://projectsite.unitedstatesartists.org/ ), created by United States Artists to expand its mission of investing in America’s finest artists.

I’ve been asked to join as a pioneer member!

Project Site is still in an “Alpha” stage in which a very few artists have been selected to participate. My Profile and Showcase are already up, and I’ve just launched a new project called Katrina Narratives: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place.

Check it out here:
http://projectsite.unitedstatesartists.org/project/katrina_narratives_caught_between_a_rock_and_a_hard_place

I have some great perks available for anyone that’s interested in supporting me in this effort, and if you can’t support the project financially, I’d love it if you helped to spread the word and tell your friends about it.

Come explore a new online community of America’s finest artists!

Project Site is a community where America’s finest artists and those that love and support them can share their latest work, discover new artists, enter into a dialog with each other, and make direct donations (of any size, all of which are tax deductible) to new projects created by each artist. This is the first website in our knowledge that allows direct public donations between art patrons and accredited artists on the Internet.

Thank you for your support and interest.

Powerful Words of Wisdom to Artists

2010-09-27T10:34:00.000-05:00

Joyce Owens is a primarily a painter

but she is also a sculptor and mixed/mutimedia artist.

In her blog she shares some extremely perceptive

words of wisdom that are meaningful for artists working in any medium...

"More than Skin Deep" by Joyce Owens

Acrylic on Canvas on Wood

An Artist's Pain: Being Judged and Juried - "...dilemmas artists wrestle with are many...submitting to exhibitions may be at the top of any top 10 list of things we hate to do, but know we must! I will tell you what I know that could save you from too much pain."
http://monroeanderson.typepad.com/joyce_owens_on_art/2010/07/pain-and-power-the-critique.html#tp

To Mentors/Teachers, Say the One Thing an Artist Needs to Hear - "My message is that it is important to validate that strange, different kid who may live inside his or her head and doesn't march in lock-step with the others. There is possibly an artist, musician, actor, scientist, computer programmer or other creative type living there figuring out the world as they see it! Give him or her permission to come out!"
http://monroeanderson.typepad.com/joyce_owens_on_art/2010/09/well-i-will-never-forget-this-scene-when-i-was-still-a-teenaged-girl-i-was-walking-along-chelten-avenue-near-germantown-a.html#tp

Pay Me Like You Pay for New Shoes - "It is not bad to be rewarded for your efforts. You need money to buy new shoes! It is also about respect. Respect for the time and effort it takes to produce art. Respect for the money artists spend to purchase materials. Respect for the thousands of dollars some artists pay to get their training in traditional, and other art programs. Artists travel to learn, go to workshops and art centers that cost money. Why shouldn't we expect a return on our investment to develop our skills as a doctor or a chef would?"
http://monroeanderson.typepad.com/joyce_owens_on_art/2010/07/pay-me-like-you-pay-for-new-shoes.html#tp

We Have a Museum for Women, Why Not a Man Museum? - "Separate is just not equal and it won't ever be!"
http://monroeanderson.typepad.com/joyce_owens_on_art/2010/03/there-is-no-man----museum-priceless-----sure-feel-free-to-use-my-comments----------j---------joanne-mattera.html

Who Do You Exhibit With, Where and Why? - "I have found that sometimes it's better to respectfully decline an exhibition offer and wait for the next opportunity."

http://monroeanderson.typepad.com/joyce_owens_on_art/2009/02/who-do-you-exhi.html

To view more of Joyce Owens' art:, visit her website

http://www.joyceowens.com/

and her photo page on Black Art in America

http://www.blackartinamerica.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=1leeh0jjsopky

Fractured Atlas

2010-09-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

Fractured Atlas is a support organization that artists need to know about. They offer a broad range of services, but the one I'm most excited about are the online courses geared to provide training in those aspects of business most important for practicing artists. Furthermore, you can take them at your own convenience as well as start and stop as often as you need. Additional courses are being added continually.

A free, basic level of membership (Community Membership) is offered. However, you may well qualify for a regular membership through one or more of the arts organizations to which you belong.

Writing an Effective Fundraising Letter - "Learn basic ingredients for writing a strong fundraising letter and start building a community of donors who will support you and your art for the long haul."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/44

Audio Description: The Visual Made Verbal - "This course will introduce you to the principles of producing quality audio description and the importance of close communication with the end users – people who are blind or have low vision and people who seek to provide greater media access."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/46

Getting Your Sh*t Together - "This course will take you through 10 steps to getting your sh*t together. If you complete these 10 steps, you are well on your way to being ready to engage with the art world and having a handle on just what else you need to figure out."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/40

Professional Identity: Demystified - "This course walks you through some basic steps to clarify your professional identity, which will lay the foundation for all of the strategic planning work to come."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/37

Fundraising: Demystified - "Producing art is generally not inexpensive. So, how do we go about paying for the work that we want to produce? We fundraise!"
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/35

Marketing: Demystified - "As an artist or arts organization, you have to be able to market your creative offering. Learn about marketing basics like market research, segmentation, positioning, distribution, and promotion of your creative offering."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/34

Presentation Venues - "This course on artistic venues is primarily geared towards visual artists and those working in a multidisciplinary nature. However, all artists can find some information to take away. We list the pros, cons, and how to research all kinds of spaces."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/39

Social Media Marketing for Arts Professionals - "This course will introduce social media marketing to those who are relatively unfamiliar with the subject. It’s friendly to those who are new to social media, marketing, or both. (But seasoned marketers who’d like to brush up are also welcome!)"
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/41

All the Accounting You Need to Know - "In this course, you will gain an understanding of basic accounting principles — with minimal jargon — to prepare you to work with an automated accounting system (such as QuickBooks) for your artistic business."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/50

Personal Financial Planning for Artists - Peace, Love, and Financial Planning - "Using the case study method, we’ll go through a process, introduce some techniques and vocabulary, so that you can find the right way to become comfortable with this important topic."
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/48

Independent Contractors vs Employees: What's the Difference - "Do you know what makes an employee different than an independent contractor? Did you know you can be charged back taxes if you misclassified the artists you pay? Learn the rules in this 70 minute video workshop!"
http://www.fracturedatlas.org/u/courses/52

The Fabric Collages of Wycliffe Lincoln Bennett

2010-09-20T06:00:00.003-05:00

Angela by Wycliffe Lincoln Bennett

Wycliffe Lincoln Bennett creates textile collages on a base of either canvas or wood. His work is compelling, evocative and captivating. It immediately draws and holds the viewers eye.

Linc by Wycliffe Lincoln Bennett [self-portrait]

"To me an artist is someone who is gifted in being able

to express the feelings we all share.

If my art evokes a memory, changes a mood, captures an image

to which you can relate then I've done my job."

Wycliffe Lincoln Bennett

The Art of Linc Bennett - 5-minute video of the artist speaking about his work.

http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v6389580GaQG62pG

Linc's Art

http://lincsart.com/index.htm

Wycliffe "Linc" Bennett's Photo Page on Black Art In America - More examples of Linc's artwork.

http://www.blackartinamerica.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=3n9i9kwn5etit

Extreme Textile - Porcelain Clothing

2010-09-17T06:00:00.004-05:00

Li Xiaofeng (who originally was trained as a muralist) sews porcelain ceramic shards from the Song, Ming, Yuan and Qing dynasties onto a leather base to create clothing which is actually wearable. Each shard is hand shaped and polished. Holes are then drilled into each corner and linked together using silver wire.

Suit Jacket / Front View - Li Xiaofeng

Li Xiaofeng
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/4585/li-xiaofeng.html

Porcelain Dress - Li Xiaofeng

Li Xiaofeng Porcelain Clothing
http://yagosweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/li-xiaofeng-porcelain-clothing-robes-et.html

Li Xiaofeng
http://www.hongart.net/?option=art&collectionid=6&single=true

Artist Li Xiaofeng Does Porcelain & Cotton Polos For Lacoste Holiday Collector's Series
http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2010/06/artist-li-xiaofeng-does-porcelain.html

Porcelain POLO shirt by Li Xiaofeng - Interview and closeups of artist at work
http://www.yatzer.com/2254_porcelain_polo_shirt_by_li_xiaofeng

Q&A with Ceramic Artist Li Xiaofeng - This interview provides additional insight into his thought and work processes

http://www.azuremagazine.com/newsviews/blog_content.php?id=1588

Li Xiaofeng
http://www.virginiamiller.com/artists/LiXiaofeng/LiXiaofeng.html#

The Silk Thangkas of Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo

2010-09-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

Manjushri - Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo

Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo is a contemporary American textile artist working in a Tibetan tradition. In her fabric thangkas, sacred Buddhist images commonly portrayed in Tibetan thangka paintings are rendered in vivid mosaics of silk.

"Leslie is one of few non-Tibetans and probably the only Westerner

to be formally trained in this traditional art form."

Green Tara - Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo

How Silk Thangkas are Made - Leslie states that the Thangkas are "...a mosaic or patchwork of silk pieces outlined, cut, and arranged like a jigsaw puzzle to form a precise and intricate image."

http://www.silkthangka.com/the-tradition/technique

Creating Buddhas: The Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas - 3:07 YouTube video - this is the trailer for a documentary about Leslie's work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlAk10Y72qw

Leslie's Blog
http://silkthangka.com/blog/?p=927

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 9

2010-09-10T07:10:00.000-05:00

More tutorials to titillate and inspire those creative impulses...

Part 8 Part 7 Part 6 Part 5

Part 4 Part 3 Part 2 Part 1

Don't Have Photoshop? Use MS Publisher for Graphic Design - KweliArt
http://africanamericanfabrics.blogspot.com/2010/07/dont-have-photoshop-use-ms-publisher.html

Uploading Your Custom Background Image in Blogger - Loreen Leedy
http://studioloreen.blogspot.com/2010/08/uploading-your-custom-background-image.html

Innovative Use of Lutrador - Lesley Riley - vidcast with Bonnie McCaffery
http://bonniemccaffery.com/vidcasts/048.html

Lutrador Tips and Tricks: Transparency Transfer - Lesley Riley
http://www.lesleyriley.com/weblog/?p=27

TAP Transfers + Lutrador - Lesley Riley
http://www.lesleyriley.com/weblog/?p=26

DIY Bobbin Organizer - The Sassy Crafter - uses tubing from the hardware store
http://sassycrafter.blogspot.com/2010/07/diy-bobbin-organizer.html

Discharge Printing with Bubble Wrap - Lyric Montgomery Kinard - 3:50 minute vidcast
http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/2010/07/tutorial-discharge-printing-with-bubble.html

Pojagi Machine Stitch Tutorial - Victoria Gertenbach
http://thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com/2010/07/pojagi-machine-stitch-seam-tutorial.html

Needle-Felting Tutorial - Jane LaFrazio
http://janeville.blogspot.com/2010/06/1.html

Shibori with Fabric Paint - Gloria Hansen
http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/?p=3887

Printing on Teabags - Judy Coates Perez
http://judyperez.blogspot.com/2010/06/tutorial-tsunami-day-4-wave-hits-shore.html

Sumi Smoosh with Vellum - Diana Trout
http://dianatrout.blogspot.com/2010/06/sumi-smoosh-tutorial.html

Screen Printing Registration without a Press - Amy
http://craftchi.com/blog/?p=1304

Rolling Pin Prints
http://craftchi.com/blog/?p=886

Machine Quilting Loopy Flowers - Elizabeth Hartman
http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2010/06/machine-quilting-loopy-flowers.html

Choosing Photos for Citrasolv Transfer - Lyric Kinard
http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/2010/06/tutorial-choosing-photos-for-citra-solv.html

Citrasolv Photo Transfer Tutorial - Lyric Kinard
http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/2010/02/citrasolv-photo-transfer-tutorial.html

One Bead at a Time: Exploring Creativity with Bead Embroidery - Robin Atkins - 59 page free e-book
http://www.robinatkins.com/OneBeadAtATime_RAtkins.pdf

NOW-I-Get-It Stitching Diagrams - Jenny - detailed pictures and instructions for 7 basic stitches as well as diagrams for lefties
http://www.sublimestitching.com/stitches

Needle Weaving - Laura Wasilowski - "...the idea is to create a thread structure that screens or creates a mesh across the background fabric and sits on the surface as a bold texture. It acts as a grid pattern to emulated window panes or tile or even cobble stones on a small quilt..."
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/06/thread-u-cation-thursdays-needle.html

Thread-U-Cation - Laura Wasilowski is providing excellent and detailed instructions with pictures for a series of embroidery stictches.
Ermine Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/06/thread-u-cation-thursday-ermine-stitch.html
ZigZag Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/05/thread-u-cation-thursday-zigzag-stitch.html
Herringbone Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/05/thread-u-cation-thursday-herringbone.html
Wheat Ear Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/04/thread-u-cation-thursday-wheat-ear.html
Couching
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/04/thread-u-cation-thursday-couching-lets.html
Fern Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/04/thread-u-cation-thursday-fern-stitch.html
Lazy Daisy
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/03/thread-u-cation-thursday-lazy-daisy.html
Arrow Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/07/thread-u-cation-thursday-arrow-stitch.html
Chain Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/06/thread-u-cation-thursdays-chain-stitch.html
Sheaf Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/03/thread-u-cation-thursday-sheaf-stitch.html
Cross Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/03/thread-u-cation-thursday-cross-stitch.html
Blanket Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/03/thread-u-cation-thursday-blanket-stitch.html
Stem or Outline Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/02/thread-u-cation-thursday-stem-or.html
Fly Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/02/thread-u-cation-thursday-fly-stitch-fly.html
Scattered Seed Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/02/thread-u-cation-thursdays-scattered.html
Straight Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/02/thread-u-cation-thursdays-straight.html
French Knots
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/01/thread-u-cation-thursday-french-knots.html
T-Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/08/thread-u-cation-thursdays-t-stitch.html
Crown Stitch
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/08/thread-u-cation-thursdays-crown-stitch.html

Ten Commandments of Stitching A Fused Art Quilt - Laura Wasilowski
http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/2010/07/thread-u-cation-thursday-ten.html

Sinking Thread Ends - Kathleen Loomis
http://artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/2010/06/sinking-thread-ends.html

Decorative Needlework Dictionary - Jenny - detailed explanations with colored pictures
http://www.sublimestitching.com/glossary

How to Make a Melon Baller Eyeball - At first I saw no relevance, but upon thinking about it more, decided that this technique could be easily altered to add some interesting 3-D aspects to textile art.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Melon-Baller-Eyeball/

How to Make Your Own Stamps - Judi Hurwitt
http://approachable-art.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-making-your-own-stamps.html

PDF Version
http://www.hummingford.net/StampMakingForTheTextileArtist.pdf

Advanced Crochet Chart
http://www.crochetmemories.com/crochet4.php

Gallery Hanging Tutorial - Judith Ferguson - Using foam core board
http://judysfiberart.blogspot.com/p/gallery-hanging-tutorial.html

Easy Rules for Hanging an Art Quilt Show - Leni Wiener
http://blog.leniwiener.com/?p=956

How to Make Lovely Fabric Flowers
http://www.simplyvintagegirl.com/blog/index.php/2010/05/29/tutorial-how-to-make-lovely-fabric-flowers

Fabric Peony Template
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30871747/Hof3-RF-FabricPeonyTemplate

Thread Delivery System - Dr. Bob of Superior Threads - 5-minute video - Your machine's Thread Delivery System and the important role it plays in having your machine operate correctly.
http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/8-thread-delivery-system/

Texture Magic Videos - Superior Threads - videos - This is a series of 10 (or more) videos on how to work with Texture Magic
http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/category/texture-magic-1/videos/

Painterly Terms and More - Wen Redmond - "...help for confusing or unknown terms."
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6509748266256496369&postID=1781943331438520162

Knowing Your Bobbin Mechanism - Ellen Anne Eddy
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/2010/09/but-how-does-my-machine-work-knowing.html

Color Theory for Thread: Basic Shading for Embroidered Applique - Ellen Anne Eddy
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/2010/07/color-theory-for-thread-basic-s

Make Fabric Prints with Tape - Jessica Jones
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/08/make-fabric-prints-with-tape.html

Instant Rust!!! - Lois Jarvis
http://rust-tex.blogspot.com/2010/07/instant-rust.html

Discharge Printing with Bubble Wrap - Lyric Kinard
http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/2010/07/tutorial-discharge-printing-with-bubble.html

Machine Quilting Loopy Flowers - Elizabeth Hartman
http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2010/06/machine-quilting-loopy-flowers.html

Using Your Own Drawings in Collage or Quilts - Jane LaFazio
http://janeville.blogspot.com/2010/04/tiny-tutorial-reusing-your-own-drawings.html

ArtFelt Instructions
http://www.itsartfelt.com/artfeltinstruction.pdf

Pictures - http://www.itsartfelt.com/index.html

Thread Reference Guide for Home Machines - Superior Threads
http://www.superiorthreads.com/media/docs/quickReferenceHome.pdf

Thread Reference Guide for Longarm Machines - Superior Threads
http://www.superiorthreads.com/media/docs/quickReferenceLongArm.pdf

The Jury Process - An Inside View

2010-09-06T08:12:00.000-05:00

"What do people really think when they get your grant application?" - Artist at Large

This article is by a juror/panelist for the visual art grant applications of a regional Arts Council:
http://vercauteren.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/the-jury-process-an-inside-view/

Felt Alive: Sculptural Needle Felting by Kay Petal

2010-09-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

"Li'l Mr. T - I Pity the Wool!" - Kay Petal

"Li'l Jay Leno" - Kay Petal

These are absolutely fascinating - and Kay has only been needle felting since 2007.

See more of her work (including some videos) at:
http://www.feltalive.com/

It's Not About You...It's About Them: What Motivates Bay Area Donors to Give to the Arts and Artists

2010-08-30T06:00:00.002-05:00

Although this study focused on the San Francisco Bay Region,

its findings are probably applicable nationwide.

KEY POINTS:

Values shape people's charitable giving - Connecting to the values and interests of potential donors is essential to success in any fundraising effort and raising money for artists’ projects is no different.
Donors to artists and small arts organizations differ from donors to larger arts institutions - in values as well as in their profiles
Donors to artists’ projects are moved to give by four connection points - a personal relationship with the artist; a passion for the artform; an emotional or intellectual interest in the subject
matter of the artwork; and an involvement with the culture or community touched by the project.

Connecting with the donor on more than one of these points increases the likelihood of giving.

To read the full report:
http://www.heliconcollab.net/files/It%27s%20Not%20About%20You...%20It%27s%20About%20Them.pdf

The Sistine Chapel in Cross-Stitch

2010-08-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

Joanna Lopianowski-Roberts' Cross-Stitch Rendering of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Joanna Lopianowski-Roberts undertook the monumental task of recreating the Sistine Chapel Ceiling in cross-stitch. Her design contains more 628,296 stitches, measures 40"x80", and uses 1,206 distinct color combinations.

Close-up - Joanna Lopianowski-Roberts

It took Joanna nine years and three months (2,872 hours of stitching) to complete (including 718 hours to design it, and an additional 68 hours to choose the colors).

Charting Sample - Joanna Lopianowski-Roberts

Check out the project website for full details.

http://www.lopianowski-roberts-sistine-chapel.com/index.html

Conceptual Textiles - Shrimp Lace

2010-08-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Shrimplace - Tara Bursey

Tara Bursey used dehydrated shrimp to create patterns resembling doilies and other textiles. Onions and garlic skins were used to simulate women's gloves.
http://tarabursey.com/artwork/1162942_Shrimplace_I.html

Potpourri of Info About: Selling/Talking About Your Art

2010-08-20T07:44:00.000-05:00

"Your art isn’t for everyone.

Once you understand this, you’ll have an easier time

finding the people who appreciate your work."

Alyson Stanfield

The following articles provide valuable information and tips

about factors that can make a big difference in

how successful you are in marketing your art...

Brag Better About Your Art, About You - Alyson Stanfield
http://www.artbizblog.com/2010/08/bragbetter.html

Putting Your Art on Sale - Alyson Stanfield
http://www.artbizblog.com/2010/06/artonsale.html

5 Things to do After Selling an Artwork - Eric Smith
http://artexpola.com/2010/07/5-things-to-do-after-selling-an-artwork/

Should You License or Assign Your Art - Richard Sim
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-30267.html

How Not to Sell Your Art
http://www.artbusiness.com/hownot.html

The Art of Self-Promotion for Visual Artists - Barney Davey
http://www.artprintissues.com/2010/07/the-art-of-self-promotion-for-visual-artists.html

Marketing Art on Commission: Tips for Artists
http://www.artbusiness.com/privcom.html

The Art of the Home Show: Six Ways to Close More Home Sales - Eric Smith
http://artexponewyork.com/2009/09/the-art-of-the-home-show-six-ways-to-close-way-more-sales/

Pricing 101: Best Practices for Independent Artists - Eric Smith
http://artexponewyork.com/2009/10/pricing-101-best-practices-for-independent-artists/

Hanging Art: Tips and Tricks - Eric Smith
http://artexponewyork.com/2009/11/hanging-art-tips-and-tricks/

What to do Before, During and After an Art Trade Show - Eric Smith
http://artexponewyork.com/2009/11/what-to-do-before-during-after-an-art-trade-show/

People Need Help Buying Art, So Help Them
http://www.artbusiness.com/orvvt.html

You Can't Sell Your Art Until You Learn How to Sell It
http://www.artbusiness.com/consultpurp.html

Why do People Buy Art - Kathy Gulrich
http://www.smartbusinesscoaching.com/article_whybuyart.html

Matisse's Obsession with Textiles

2010-08-16T06:00:00.003-05:00

And we thought Matisse was "just a painter"...

However, his textile related background exerted a profound influence

on his art. This passion for textiles not only stimulated his creativity
but allowed him to "find his true artistic voice".

Mimosa Tapestry - Matisse Textile

Matisse, His Art and His Textiles. The Fabric of Dreams - "The premise of 'Matisse, His Art and His Textiles' [the exhibition] is that textiles were 'the key to (Matisse's) visual imagination'."
http://www.studio-international.co.uk/painting/matisse_textiles.asp

Schmattes of Matisse: Painter Was Obsessed With Textile Design - Hilton Kramer - "...textiles have all along been the key to a full understanding of Matisse’s art..."
http://www.observer.com/node/37415

How a Renown Painter Found Inspiration in Cloth - Roberta Smith - "Matisse...first encountered some of the salient characteristics of his own art in textile form."
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0CE7D81F3BF937A15755C0A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2

Not just a man of the cloth - Laura Cumming - "Matisse was the son of textile workers...he was at home with the fabrics, surrounded by swatches, understanding their fluidity, weight and drape. He began collecting the stuff in his youth and by the end of his life had an archive so vast - 'my working library' he called it - and so ceaselessly replenished by trips to flea markets and tailors, bazaars in Morocco and Algeria, to the end-of-season sales at French couturiers, that a whole room of his flat in Nice was given over to fabrics."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2005/mar/06/art

Matisse's debt to textiles revealed - Maev Kennedy - "Rainbow-coloured textiles were what rescued Henri Matisse from the flat, muddy sugar beet fields of northern France and made him one of the best loved artists of the 20th century."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/mar/02/arts.artsnews

Just for Fun: Textile Related Oddities & Absurdities - Part 4

2010-08-13T07:37:00.000-05:00

More to tickle your funny bone, engage your sense of humor,
admire the creativity and/or to just leave you shaking your head...

If you missed earlier posts:

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1

ANIMATIONS / VIDEOS - most of these are just too cute or funny for words...

Send Doozer Knitting Song Ringtone to Your Cell - For us "oldies" who remember and loved the Jim Henson PBS Fraggle Rock series - You can also read the lyrics.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/doozer-knitting-song-lyrics-muppets.html

Fraggle Rock Doozers Knitting Song - This is a 1:43 minute YouTube video clip of the Doozers singing about their favorite pasttime... It is just so-o-o cute!
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/05/fraggle_rock_dozers_knitting_s.html

Don’t Let It All Unravel – This is a short (1:44 minute) animated film – it’s wonderful!
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/11/knitted_world.html

Shreddies, Knitted by Nanas – This is a funny group of videos “explaining” how Shreddies (a British cereal) are made. Be sure to watch all 4 episodes. The top “TV” control lets you select the episode; the bottom control is for the volume.
http://www.knittedbynanas.com/

Maggie and Mildred - Holly Klein - "Maggie and Mildred is the hand-stitched [cross stitch]animated story of the friendship between two girls. These girls aren't your usual friends, however!" - This is truly adorable!
http://vimeo.com/6687510

The Last Knit – This is an animation about when knitting becomes an obsession – Absolutely hilarious!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM&feature=PlayList&p=DA49F5C29470A8F3&index=3

The Thread That Holds Us Together - ...and pulls us apart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhdKCQfYptg&feature=email

My Body - It's amazing how much you can pack into 12 seconds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8G5AkXdNi4&feature=related

All Knitted Animated Music Video – Everything in it is knitted and over 700 frames were needed to create it
http://geckogrrl.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/cool-all-knitted-video/

Knit Stop-Motion Commercial
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/03/knit_stop-motion_commercial.html

Yarn City Stop Motion Video
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/10/yarn_city_stop-motion_animatio.html

Yarn Performance Video
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/11/yarn_performance_video_by_jean.html

CLOTHING and ACCESSORIES

Panties from Knit Shirts – complete with instructions - It took her 5 hours just to make 2 pair (and this doesn't even include the time it took her to take apart the old underwear = presumably to use as a pattern).
http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/underwear-from-knit-shirts

Sewn and Embroidered Sanitary Pads - Warning: This may offend some viewers - The title of the work is Seven Women's Days
http://www.serbiancontemporaryart.info/radovi.php?lang=2&id=1046

How to Make a Wedding Dress Out of T-Shirts - complete with instructions
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/06/how-to_t-shirt_wedding_dress.html

Design Your Own Keds
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/04/geek_chic_design-it-yourself_shoes.html

Appliquéd Anatomy T-Shirt
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/01/appliqud_anatomy_shirt.html

Ribcage Purse
http://streetanatomy.com/2009/06/12/ribcage-bag/

Knitted Full Head Monster Masks – these are really cute and would make great Halloween Costumes – instructions provided
http://thingsandideas.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/monster-monster/

Crocheted and Knitted Houses Worn as Sweaters
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/03/wool_houses.html

Wearable String - Male and Female versions
http://www.rose-kim.com/2010/04/thursdays-are-for-what-hell-is-this_15.html

Knitted Skeleton Body Suit
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/04/skeleton_bodysuit.html

Cards and Crochet - Life-sized dress created by combining greeting cards with crochet
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/01/cards_and_crochet.html

Knitted Licorice Thong [the real licorice you eat] – And only 302 calories - For those who always wanted some of those edible panties but were just too embarrassed to buy a pair, knit your own – instructions provided.
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer04/PATT302calories.html

When Life Hands You Expired Condoms, Make a Dress! - "When New York University student Emma Kaywin realized that a pile of expired condoms from her HIV Hotline internship were going to the landfill, she asked if she could use them for an art project, instead."
http://www.ecouterre.com/11875/when-life-hands-you-expired-condoms-make-a-dress/

Making the Condom Dress - video of the process
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/making-the-condom-dress/a4605a7f23c0b15f883ca4605a7f23c0b15f883c-29518725512

Woman in Repose
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NiPlMkQgmXg/S8bg1mtStZI/AAAAAAAABPA/X5X6Ovgq7_Y/s1600/fifi%28500x375%29.jpg

Sex Scene - You'll have to look hard to make out what they are doing
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NiPlMkQgmXg/S8bg1mtStZI/AAAAAAAABPA/X5X6Ovgq7_Y/s1600/fifi%28500x375%29.jpg

Subversive Cross-Stitch - Not the type of sentiments you expect to see on cross-stitch work - be sure to also check out the blog
http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/

Childbirth Education Doll - Woman in the process of giving birth
http://www.etsy.com/listing/46814890/childbirth-education-doll-pattern

EQUIPMENT

Sewn and Stuffed Digital Camera
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/02/stuffed_digital_camera.html

Crocheted Hand Saw
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/04/amigurumi_hand_saw.html

Crocheted Sewing Machine and Thread
http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.24646693.jpg

Crochet Bicycle Basket
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/03/crochet_bicycle_basket.html

Crochet Television and Atari Set
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/02/crochet_tv_and_atari.html

Crochet Telescope
http://woowork.blogspot.com/2009/08/stargazer.html

MISCELLANEOUS

Motorized Quilt
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/01/motorized_quilt.html

Need Privacy When Using Your Laptop in Public Places?
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/04/knitted_interfaces_for_technol.html

Music Waveform Needlework Sampler
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/10/breakbeats_sampler.html

Knitted Guitar
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/05/knitted_guitar_pattern.html

Knitted Olives – complete with the pimentos and instructions
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/knitted_olive_2

Crocheted Explosives - You shouldn't play with dynamite! - pictures and video
http://woowork.blogspot.com/2009/04/dynamite-danger.html

Lunar Embroidery
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/07/lunar_embroidery.html

Knotless Knitted Iceberg
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/05/knotless_netted_iceberg.html

Cross-Stitch Obama Pattern
http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/obama.html

Yarn Tattoo
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/01/the_lone_knittas_yarn_tattoo.html

Yarn from Old Newspapers
http://www.dezeen.com/2007/10/21/yarn-from-old-newspapers-by-greetje-van-tiem/#more-6075

Crochet Chess Set
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/07/crochet_chess_set.html

Spaghetti Crochet - Ever tried to crochet using spaghetti as your yarn?
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/07/spaghetti_crochet.html

DOWNRIGHT DISTURBING

Knit Your Own Hitler – Rachael Matthews (UK) has published a book with instructions for knitting replicas of 12 of the most evil tyrants in recent history including Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, and Pol Pot. The cover features the Hitler one doing the Nazi salute. Why in hell would anyone want to make one or more of these for themselves? I guess I really don't want an answer to that...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1448685.ece

Unfortunately, she is not the only one...
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/10_04/hitlerChurchDM3010_600x550.jpg

NOT FIBER/TEXTILE RELATED (but worth a look anyway)

Bill Cosby Portrait – Okay, this isn’t fiber or textile related, but its so unique I had to include it
http://andrewsalomone.com/blog/2009/07/13/jell-o-head/

Anatomical Vegetables - Not fiber/textile related either, but very creative
http://www.likecool.com/International_Vegetarian_Union--AD--Gear.html

Printable Paper Dolls - Remember Betsy McCall??? - You can download the first 10 years of Betsy and her wardrobe. I remember not being able to wait until McCall's Magazine was delivered each month. She never had any ethnic friends though (sigh).
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/01/printable-paper-dolls.html

QUESTION: Why is it that knitters and crocheters seem to have most of the fun???

Professional Identity

2010-08-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

These articles should be required reading for all artists!

Professional Identity: Who Are You? and What Do You Do? - Kamal Sinclair - "...knowing who you are in simple terms is the key to obtaining meaningful success."

http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/blog/2008/10/08/professional-identity-who-are-you-and-what-do-you-do/

The Art of Going Pro: An Identity Crisis - Bill Weaver - "The language we use to describe ourselves, what we do, how we do it and how we frame our responses to decisions, is directly related to how we are in the world and how others experience us…it seals our identity and in turn describes our vocation."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/the-art-of-going-pro-an-identity-crisis/2010/03/

Professionalism in Practice…Setting the Stage - Bill Weaver -"...being a pro is a mindset, a way of seeing life and the world."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/professionalism-in-practice-setting-the-stage/2010/05/

Four Elements that Define a Pro - Bill Weaver -"The real secret the professional holds is the knowledge that a personal best is just a point on a long continuum of growth and insight and not a destination."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/four-key-elements-that-define-a-pro/2010/04/

Getting Started on the Right Foot: Part I - "An important point here is to understand the connection between how you see your business and how it actually is."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/how-to-get-started-on-the-right-foot-part-1/2010/02/

Getting Started on the Right Foot: Part II - Bill Weaver -"...focus on the business end of making a living from your art by taking a look at some best practices."

http://www.theartistscenter.com/getting-started-on-the-right-foot-part-ii/2010/02/

Getting Started on the Right Foot: Part III - Bill Weaver -"Start investing in yourself because you are your business."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/getting-started-on-the-right-foot-part-iii/2010/02/

Getting Started on the Right Foot: Part IV - Bill Weaver -"These next steps rely heavily on your having some idea of where you want to be and the strategies that will get your there."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/getting-started-on-the-right-foot-part-iv/2010/02/

The Art of Going Pro: Living Professionally I - Bill Weaver -"The pro knows that change is constant and that attaching himself to a particular outcome is a distraction because the future cannot be controlled. So instead of worrying about whether something will or will not happen he does he focuses his efforts on the present because he can control the present."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/the-art-of-going-pro-living-professionally/2010/04/

The Art of Going Pro: Living Professionally II - Bill Weaver -"...the point of this exercise is to give us as artists, especially visual artists, a code made up of behavioral and visual elements to build our own artistic identity on."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/the-art-of-going-pro-living-professionally-ii/2010/04/

The Art of Going Pro: The Missing Piece - Bill Weaver -"Clarity is important to identity and identity helps others when they are sorting out where you belong in their minds."
http://www.theartistscenter.com/the-art-of-going-pro-the-missing-piece/2010/04/

Your Artistic Voice or Style

2010-08-06T06:00:00.030-05:00

"I think finding your voice is making the implicit explicit.
It is making what you already know on a subconscious level conscious and repeatable."
Jessie Carty

At one time or another, we all as artists have expressed concern about whether or not (and the extent to which) our artwork is readily identifiable as our own; about whether or not we have found our artistic "voice" or have developed a recognizable "style". I know I've found my voice, but identifiable style...I'm not so sure. Frankly, I've stopped worrying about it.

Following are several excellent articles on this topic...

How to Develop Your Artistic Style - This article has good tips, including, "Look around at whatever trend is happening in your artistic medium. Brainstorm on what the exact opposite of that cliché and play with that idea...This trains your brain to think in another way and makes your art fresh and unique."
http://news.deviantart.com/article/42054/

How do you find your own style without adopting the style of your teachers? - answered from the perspective of painting, but completely relevant for textile artists - "...look for the unique aspects in your own art—and at first it will definitely be the flaws, or the things you think aren’t quite right. Maybe your perspective is a little strange, or you tend to create extra dark shadows. . . then think about whether you’d like to emphasize that aspect of your work, or eliminate it."
http://emptyeasel.com/2007/03/14/art-question-answer-how-to-find-your-own-artistic-style/

How Do You Find Your Own Art Style? - Amanda Seydahelm - examines the four elements she thinks are key - included is this one: "Ponder A Big Question...If you find yourself comparing your art with other artists it may be that your question isn’t clear enough or big enough to engage you fully. Stretch yourself."
http://quazen.com/arts/how-do-you-find-your-own-art-style/

Developing Your Artistic Voice - J L Blackwater

Introduction - "...just like children don’t come from the stork, an artist’s voice is not dropped off on the doorstep one night, all perfectly preformed and powdered in a tidy package with a bow on top."
http://brainripples.wordpress.com/2007/03/06/developing-your-artistic-voice-introduction/

Artistic Voice Part 1: Listening - "Artists can use careful observation of themselves, their world, their fellow artists, and their own thought processes to help sculpt their own voice. By listening carefully and often, an artist gains clarity on what precisely s/he wants to say with their work."
http://brainripples.wordpress.com/2007/03/30/artistic-voice-part-1-listening/

Artistic Voice Part 2: Practice - "Drafts and practice attempts provide clues that reveal the answer to WHY we create (beyond simply being “compelled to do so”), which can help us cultivate our artistic voice. When we understand what sparks our need to create, our voice can gain clarity and strength through a sense of purpose."
http://brainripples.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/artistic-voice-part-2-practice/

Finding Your "Voice" - Leni Wiener
http://blog.leniwiener.com/?p=475

Finding Your Voice - Kathleen Loomis

Part 1
http://artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/2010/03/finding-your-voice-part-1_1877.html

Part 2
http://artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/2010/03/finding-your-voice-part-2.html

10 Ways to Infuse Your Work With Your Personality - Keri Smith
http://www.kerismith.com/blog/10-ways-to-infuse-your-work-with-your-personality/

What Type of Artist are You? What is Your Function? - James Hart - "Artists can play many roles in our society and have, throughout history, been thought to exist somewhere between high priest and prostitute."
http://blog.entrepreneurthearts.com/2009/09/09/what-type-of-artist-are-you-what-is-your-function/

Ten steps to finding your artistic voice - James Hart
http://blog.entrepreneurthearts.com/2009/08/26/ten-steps-to-finding-your-artistic-voice/

The Mold Gold Cape

2010-08-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

"The cape is one of the finest examples of prehistoric sheet-gold working and is quite unique in form and design. It was laboriously beaten out of a single ingot of gold, then embellished with intense decoration of ribs and bosses to mimic multiple strings of beads amid folds of cloth.

Almost 4,000 years old, the cape was in fragments when discovered in 1833

in a stone quarry in Mold, Flintshire, North Wales.

Originally thought to have been worn by a high ranking chieftain, when reconstructed

it became obvious that it could only be worn by a slim woman or child.

The Mold Gold Cape - Includes information about its restoration

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/t/the_mold_gold_cape.aspx

Mold Gold Cape: A Closer Look

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/young_explorers/discover/closer_look/mold_gold_cape_closer_look.aspx

Mold's Gold Cape and Other Important Local Finds

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northeastwales/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8091000/8091355.stm

Mold Gold Cape - 15 minute audio - "A gold cape made almost 4,000 years ago and discovered in 1833, by a group of workmen looking for stones in a field near the village of Mold in North Wales. This sheet of pure gold, found wrapped around a skeleton, inspires Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, to envisage the society that made it. Nothing like the contemporary courts of the pharaohs of Egypt, or the Minoan palaces of Crete, seems to have existed in Britain at that time, but he imagines a people with surprisingly sophisticated skills and social structures." - NOTE: You'll need to be patient - it may take 5 minutes for it to load.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/ahow/ahow_20100211-1000a.mp3

Dealing with Procrastination

2010-07-30T06:00:00.003-05:00

Last week there was a post about effective artist habits.

This week, the post is about a very ineffective habit in which many artists indulge - Procrastination

"I tamed my personal art demon – the tendency to think about painting rather than actually painting – by throwing the stuff on the blank paper and telling myself I didn't care about the end result.

I believed it and was saved."

Rich Hawk

"I don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that.

Your mind must know it has to get down to work."

Pearl S. Buck

.
Procrastination Videos - You'll really enjoy these!

Video 1 - Procrastination - John Kelly - 4 minute video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXziurFkQxM
Video 2 - "Procrastination" Tales of Mere Existence - Lev Yilmaz - 1 1/2 minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P785j15Tzk&feature=player_embedded

Video 3 - Overcoming Procrastination - Susan Gregg - 3 1/2 minute meditation video
http://www.artofallowingclass.com/video/overcoming-procrastination

Video 4 - Here and Now: Procrastination - Ellen Degeneres - 3:50 minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU-0bF_sSas&feature=player_embedded#

Understanding and Overcoming Procrastination - Linda Dessau
http://www.genuinecoaching.com/articles/understanding-procrastination.html
.

Unlearning the Art of Procrastination
http://coachcreative.com/abigcreativeyes/2010/03/14/unlearning-the-art-of-procrastination/
.

The Little Guide to Beating Procrastination, Perfectionism and Blocks: A Manuel for Artists, Entrepreneurs, Academics and Other Ambitious Dreamsers - Hillary Rettig - 87-page free e-book - "The reason we have trouble overcoming procrastination is that procrastination is a sneaky, stealthy, doesn’t-fight-fair adversary. As you will see, it is expert at disguising itself and its effects, and at misleading you into trying the wrong solutions."

PDF version
http://lifelongactivist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The-Little-Guide-to-Beating-Procrastination.pdf .
Rich Text version
http://lifelongactivist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The-Little-Guide-to-Beating-Procrastination.rtf

Structured Procrastination
http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/

Hmong Refugee's Death Fugue - Sheng-mei Ma

2010-07-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

"The author of this literary analysis pieces together accounts from oral histories, academic literature, popular works and Hmong storycloths to describe the 'death fugue' associated with the early narratives of the Hmong refugee experience in Southeast Asia and the United States."

The section on Hmong storycloths is pp. 14-29, but the entire article should be read for full understanding; includes pictures.
http://www.hmongstudies.org/MaHSJ6.pdf

Incredible Portraiture

2010-07-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

"Fine Art" painters and sculptors have nothing on these artists...

CAYCE ZAVAGLIA - Incredible portraiture in embroidery - Cayce focuses on creating portraits of family, friends, and fellow artists. The detail and coloration she achieves are amazing.

by Cayce Zavaglia

http://lyonswiergallery.com/artists/cayce-zavaglia/
http://moderncraft.blogspot.com/2008/07/cayce-zavaglia.html

LISA KOKIN - Lisa creates incredible portraits by stitching together recycled buttons

by Lisa Kokin

http://www.lisakokin.com/buttonwork/ (click button icons on left to view more images)
http://www.myartspace.com/interviews/interviews/art-space-talk-lisa-kokin.html

JO HAMILTON - Jo creates crocheted portraits based on photographs

http://johamiltonart.com/htm/crochet.htm
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/07/jo_hamiltons_crochet_portraits.html

ILARIA MARGUTTI - Ilaria makes machine and hand embroidered portraits of women who are in process of literally either mending or creating themselves.

by Ilaria Margutti

http://www.ilariamargutti.com/cataloghi/ilaria_margutti_mend_of_me.pdf (text in Italian but many pictures)
http://www.ilariamargutti.com/progetti_mend.php

Effective Artist Habits

2010-07-19T06:00:00.003-05:00

Periodically, okay I confess - frequently, I find myself simply spinning my wheels and not actually accomplishing much of anything. I'm fully aware that its mostly because I have acquired and practice some non-productive habits.

Hope that's not your modus operandi. But if it is, the following might be helpful:

Artist Habits of Mind
http://opd.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/T-ARTIST_HABITS_OF_MIND.pdf

7 Habits of Highly Effective People: The Art World Edition
http://www.fineartsla.com/7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-the-art-world-edition.html

Studio Thinking Framework: Eight Habits of Mind
http://www.pz.harvard.edu/research/StudioThink/StudioThinkEight.htm

6 Habits of Highly Effective Artists
http://www.artbizcoach.com/6habits.pdf

Ten Habits of Successful Artists
http://www.nyfa.org/level4.asp?id=162&fid=1&sid=51&tid=197

Overwhelmed in the Studio? Check Your Work Habits
http://www.finearttips.com/2009/03/overwhelmed-in-the-studio-check-your-work-habits/

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 8

2010-07-16T07:14:00.001-05:00

Textile and other Artists continue to share their knowledge and expertise:

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 7

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 6

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 5

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 4

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 3

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 2

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 1

Working with Copper Sheet in Arts and Crafts [including fiber] - Belinda Spiwak
http://basiccopper.com/wowicoinarcr.html

Fiber Bowls - Misty - This tutorial shows how to create fiber bowls from unspun fiber thread.
http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/03/artmind-tutorial-fiber-bowls.html

Handbook of Textile Design: Principles, Processes and Practice - Jacquie Wilson - "...there has been a need for some sort of text that covered the textile design process from initial ideas through briefing, research and design development, to finished fabrics being sold to garment designers and to retail. What follows is an attempt to provide such a text. This book is based on my experiences as a textile designer in industry..."
http://dc121.4shared.com/download/185516987/53e943ba/Handbook_of_Textile_Design.pdf?tsid=20100508-231913-9cd91b5

Tesselation Nation - Raymond Huston has begun a blog, Tesselation Nation - that is solely devoted to cataloging patterns that have been generated from a single tile. His focus now is to only create quilts designed by using this one tile - its amazing! Check it out to see how he does it.
http://tessellationnation.com/

Tesselation Tutorial - Kay Sorensen

Supply List
http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/06/tessellation-tutorial-supply-list.html

Fabric Choices
http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/06/tessellation-tutorial-fabric-choices.html

Lesson 1
http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/06/tuesday-tessellation-tutorial-time.html

          Lesson 2
          http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/07/tessellation-tutorial-lesson-2-woi.html
          Lesson 3
          http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/07/tessellation-tutorial-lesson-3-are-you.html

Marbling Fabric the Easy Way - Kay Sorensen
http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/02/marbling-fabric-easy-way-tutorial.html

Creative Cloth Dyeing: Scraping, Blending and Silk Screening - Leslie Morgan - 22+ minute video
http://committedtocloth.com/consider/

Rescuing Ugly Fabric - Judi Hurwitt
http://approachable-art.blogspot.com/search/label/mixed-media%20tutorial

Tsukineko Inks with Ink Potion No. 9 Tutorial - Judy Coates Perez
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2009/09/tsukineko-inks-with-ink-potion-no-9.html

Mixing Rit Dye - Judy Coates Perez - Judy provides dye recipes for a yummy variety of colors
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/12/mixing-rit-dye.html

Sewing Metal - Judy Coates Perez - this is a 2:48 minute video
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/10/sewing-metal.html

How to Make Lace Knitting Charts
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/09/how-to_make_lace_knitting_char.html

Playing with Teabags and More - Judy Coates Perez
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/06/paper-on-top-left-with-letters-is.html

The Artful Use of Teabags - Judy Coates Perez
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/06/artful-use-of-tea-bags.html

Acrylic Varnish and Mica Powder Backgrounds - Susan Chong
http://theartfulmama.blogspot.com/2007/03/preview-this-finished-piece-uses-brown.html

Resin Knitting Needles - These are absolutely, stunningly gorgerous! - instructions are about half-way down the page
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=285832.0

How to Design Your Own [Knitted] Embossed Wash/Dish Cloth - I don't anticipate much interest in knitting wash cloths, but the technique is something art knitters might find appealing.
http://own-two-hands.livejournal.com/55657.html

Tortured Felt (with some molded UTEE tossed in) - Susan Chong
http://theartfulmama.blogspot.com/2007/03/tortured-felt-with-some-molded-utee.html

Four Mixed Media Art Techniques – Cloth, Paper & Scissors ebook – Note: you must register to access
http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/media/p/2162.aspx

Studio Redesign Tips – Cloth, Paper & Scissors ebook – Note: you must register to access
http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/media/p/284.aspx

Fun with the Flower Stitch Foot - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/fun-with-the-flower-stitch-foot/

How to Stitch Freestyle Woven Bars - Sharon B
http://www.pintangle.com/journal/2009/5/14/how-to-stitch-freestyle-woven-bars.html

Taking and Editing Photos for the Internet - Vicki Welsch
http://threecreativestudios.com/freeprojects/photoediting.pdf

Charting Charts: A New Way to Keep Track of Knitting
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/06/charting-charts-new-way-to-keep-track.html

How to Make Your Own Stitch (knitting) Markers
http://www.sheepinthecity.prettyposies.com/archives/000201.html

Liquid Starch Recipe Updated - Vicki Welsch
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/2009/12/liquid-starch-recipe-updated.html

How to Center a Quilt Back on the Long Arm - Vicki Welsch
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/2009/08/how-to-center-a-quilt-back-design-on-the-longarm.html

Make a Yarn Winder from Tinker Toys
http://www.folkcatart.com/blogs/jen/?p=742

How to Stitch a Not-Too-Crappy Feathered Wreath - Vicki Welsch
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/2009/04/how-to-stitch-a-nottoocrappy-feathered-wreath.html

Sewing with a Twin Needle - Vicki Welsch
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/2010/04/sewing-with-a-twin-needle.html

Basting with Mistyfuse - Vicki Welsch
http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/2010/03/basting-with-mistyfuse.html

Making Felt Using Yarn and a Layer of Tulle - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/making-felt-using-yarn-and-a-layer-of-tulle/

Thread Reference Guides for Superior Threads
http://www.superiorthreads.com/page/330/

Texture Magic Tutorial - Superior Threads 3-part video series

Part 1 – 10 minutes
http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/tmt1/
Part 2 – 9:35 minutes
http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/tmt2/
Part 3 – 9 minutes
http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/tmt3/

Thread Therapy Series - 5-part video series by Bob Purcell (Dr. Bob), President & Chief Threadologist of Superior Threads

Chapter 1: Metallics – 6 minute video - “Dr. Bob teaches everything you need to know about metallic thread.”

http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/chapter1/
Chapter 2: Cotton Thread vs. Polyester Thread – 6 minute video

http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/2-cotton-thread-vs-polyester-thread/
Chapter 3: Types of Polyester – 6 minute video - “In Chapter 3, Dr. Bob discusses types of polyester thread. He explains how spun poly, multi-filament poly and trilobal poly threads are produced and the characteristics of each type.”

http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/3-types-of-polyester-thread/
Chapter 4: The Magic Needle – 5 minute video - “In Chapter 4, Dr. Bob discusses the importance of using not only a good needle, but the right needle. With so many options available, which needle should you choose for your project? Dr. Bob answers this and many more questions in "The Magic Needle."”http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/4-topstitch-needles/
Chapter 5: Tension – 8 minute video – “Dr. Bob...discusses the importance of having proper Tension settings when sewing/quilting.”
http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/5-tension/

Fusing Plastic Bags - the eclipse way
http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/fusing.pdf

Use Markal Paintstiks to Create Rich Surfaces for Embroidery - Ruth Issett
http://www.embroiderersguild.org.uk/stitch/projects/markal/

Demo! Flour Paste Batik - Bridget Benton
http://eyesaflame.blogspot.com/2008/06/demo-flour-paste-batik.html

Artists' Shorthand: Water - Leni Wiener
http://blog.leniwiener.com/?p=318

Making Sense of Stabilizers - Threads Magazine
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4631/making-sense-of-stabilizers

Which Machine Embroidery Stabilizer to Use
http://www.embroidery-methods.com/machine-embroidery-stabilizer.html

Selecting the Right Stabilizer - Lydia Morgan
http://www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?SelectingtheRightStabilizer.htm

How to Make Your Own Stamps - Judi Hurwitt
http://approachable-art.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-making-your-own-stamps.html
''Stitching on Paper - Trish Goodfield
http://trishalandesigns.blogspot.com/2010/05/crafters-way-135-stitching-on-paper.html

How to Quilt a Face - Virginia Greaves
http://www.virginiagreaves.com/blog/2009/11/04/how-to-quilt-a-face/

Facings: An Alternative to Traditional Bindings - K Grace Howes
http://barnyardchatter.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/facings-an-alternative-to-traditional-bindings/

12 New Quilt Binding and Finishing Methods for Your Art Quilts - Larissa Davis for Quilting Arts magazine
http://www.quiltingarts.com/media/p/17544.aspx

More Tips for Designing Your Own Fabric Line - Larissa Davis for Quilting Arts magazine
http://www.quiltingarts.com/media/p/11882.aspx

Jill Kennedy's Instructions for Making Embellishments - Larissa Davis for Quilting Arts magazine
http://www.quiltingarts.com/media/p/6163.aspx

How to Create a Zentangle - Larissa Davis for Quilting Arts magazine
http://www.quiltingarts.com/media/p/17250.aspx

Felted Wool Dryer Balls - Judy Coates Perez
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/10/making-felted-balls.html

How to Make a Tutorial - Misty - Step-by-step guidance on how to create an effective tutorial
http://artmind-etcetera.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to-make-tutorial.html

How to Embellish Photos with Embroidery - Lisa
http://thecraftartykid.blogspot.com/2010/02/jazzing-up-photos.html

How to Spin Hemp Roving
http://windrosefiberstudio.blogspot.com/2009/03/spinning-hemp-roving-video.html

Fabric Flowers 101 - Pat Bravo
http://artgalleryfabrics.typepad.com/weblog/Rosette_Flower_Making_101.pdf

How to Make DuhBe Fabric Roses
http://duhbe.com/blog/?p=807

Spring Cleaning for Your Sewing Machine
http://craftnectar.com/2009/03/09/spring-cleaning-for-your-sewing-machine/

Fabric Preparation - Aligning Your Fabric's Grain - BurdaStyle
http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/fabric-preparation-aligning-your-fabric-s-grain

Burned Fabric Flowers - BurdaStyle
http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/burned-fabric-flowers

How to Create a Fabric Design (Without Using Photoshop or Illustrator) – 2:45 minute YouTube video - Spoonflower
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl50ZgL2ImE&feature=player_embedded

Fabric Paper Tape – Annekata
http://annekata.blogspot.com/2010/05/fabric-paper-tape-little-tutorial.html

Fabric Painting with Gutta Outline - yanghaiying - 3-4 minute YouTube videos

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri3UBlOE90I&feature=channel
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLolrQvCBzM&feature=related
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yjufF_DWek&feature=channel
Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=845fA-7rh8Y&feature=channel

The Contemporary Embroidery of Erin Endicott

2010-07-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

Erin Endicott - Detail of Healing Sutra #10

Erin's work is powerful, beautiful and very moving. It is embroidered onto antique fabrics stained with walnut ink. She states that she uses "...contemporary embroidery on antique fabric as a canvas to explore the common threads that bind countless generations of women. Wounds - both physical and psychological - are given life using delicate, meditative stitches. Traditionally thought of as "woman's work", sewing is a time consuming and contemplative process, each thoughtfully considered stitch becoming integral to the whole."
http://www.erinendicottart.com/gallery.html

The Cutting and Stitching Edge - Erin Endicott
http://www.mrxstitch.com/2010/05/20/cutting-stitching-edge-erin-endicott/

Key Elements for Effective Abstraction

2010-07-09T06:00:00.004-05:00

Moe Brooker is an acclaimed painter, but all of the things he says about abstraction during his lecture to the Philadelphia Sketch Club in this 7:21 minute video are relevant for any art medium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajiH1W1xMg

To learn more about Moe and to view his artwork:

A Morning with Moe Brooker (2.25 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYftzxpKVek

Cleveland Arts Prize
http://www.clevelandartsprize.org/awardees/Moe_Brooker.html

Sande Webster Gallery
http://www.sandewebstergallery.com/artist_pages/artists_brooker.html

The Mind's Eye: Psychiatrist-Textile Artist Uses Pigments and Processes to Create and to Heal

2010-07-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

"Jay Rich, MD ’76, a practicing psychiatrist in Omaha, NE,

sees many parallels between art and science,

between the art of dyeing textiles and the practice of psychiatry."

The Mind's Eye: Psychiatrist-Textile Artist Uses Pigments and Processes to Create and to Heal
http://www.ndmedicine.org/article.cfm?articleid=252

Jay Rich, Shibori experimentor and textile researcher
http://www.jayrichfiberart.com/

Recap - In Case You Missed It (July 2009 - June 2010)

2010-07-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

Following are the topics posted this past year (July 2009 – June 2010)

that you may have missed or want to revisit.

Recap - In case you missed it (July 2008 - June 2009) - posted July 5, 2009

http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2009/07/recap-in-case-you-missed-it-july-2008.html

Recap – In case you missed it (June 2007 – June 2008) – posted July 3, 2008

http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2008/07/recap-in-case-you-missed-it.html

Textile Related Tutorials: Part 4 - posted July 12, 2009
http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2009/07/textile-related-tutorials-part-4.html

I took a hiatus from blogging from July 12, 2009 - January 10, 2010

The Ingenious and the Spiritual: How and Why we Make Things

2010-06-28T06:00:00.002-05:00

This is a 35-minute videofile of a keynote address to the International Quilt Study Center on March 3, 2007 by Stuart Kestenbaum, Director of Haystack School of Crafts.
http://g2.unl.edu:8080/ramgen/programs/IQSC/kestenbaum.rm

MP3 File: http://beagle2.unl.edu:8080/podcast/IQSC/kestenbaum.zip

Free Web Resources - Part 2

2010-06-25T06:00:00.125-05:00

More free online resources to investigate...

Free Web Resources - Part 1

West African Wisdom: Adinkra Symbols & Meanings – “This site's mission is to make available high-quality renditions of these African symbols at no cost for personal and non-profit uses.” – You can sign up for updates to receive alerts when new symbols are added.
http://www.adinkra.org/

Adinkra Cloth Symbols: Asante Wisdom - Aaron Mobley - This is a "...PDF ebook, with 110 symbols, a brief history of the Adinkra Cloth, an image gallery of Adinkra cloths and stamps, and a resource list with links to more information on Adinkra cloth and African textiles." Please be patient as it downloads.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/1323229/adinkra-cloth-symbols-3-9-mb-pdf-august-20-2009-8-29-pm-4-2-meg?da=y

Adinkra Cloth Symbols Chart - Aaron Mobley - Click chart to enlarge
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2927423965_84a92d9c4e_o.jpg

PictoBrowser - a free web application that displays Flickr and Picasa images on websites and blogs.
http://pictobrowser.com/

Penzu – “Penzu is a free online diary and personal journal that is focused on privacy. You can keep your thoughts and ideas to yourself and share only if you want to!” – CNET and PC Magazine both give it a big “thumbs up”.
http://penzu.com/

ARTSBOWL: A Creative Courses Hub – A new platform for promoting art classes, courses, workshops and creative activities. It is designed to raise your profile as a creative course provider as well as a way to stay up-to-date on new courses and competitions, to post blogs and show off your creative projects.
http://artsbowl.com/

Pattern in Islamic Art – “This website offers a FREE download of over 4000 images of patterns and other design features drawn from the rich cultural heritage of the Islamic world. Historically, the decorative arts have always formed a major part of Islamic aesthetic expression. Its remarkable achievements in this direction (much of which are represented here) make it an invaluable resource for designers of all kinds as well as for art-historians and art-lovers generally.”
http://www.patterninislamicart.com/

TextureKing - High quality texture photos that are free for personal and professional use.
http://www.textureking.com/

MapMuse – this website has interactive mapping of quilt shops, and fabric stores across the country, with relevant info given for each store.

Quilting Stores - http://find.mapmuse.com/re1/interest.php?brandID=QUILTING_SHOPS

Fabric Stores - http://find.mapmuse.com/re1/interest.php?brandID=FABRIC_STORES

FabSearch – This site is sponsored by the Fabric Shop Network and provides three ways to search for products: Keyword search for fabrics, books, patterns, notions, etc.; Keyword search for products, newsletters, class information, etc.; and E-mail search in which you "Provide as much detailed information as you possibly can. For example: If you are looking for a specific fabric, include a written description, the manufacturer, name of the collection (if known), pattern number, color name and number, and number of yards you need." This e-mail request will then be sent to 1,000 fabric and quilt shop owners.
http://www.fabshophop.com/fabsearch_quiltart.asp

EMBROIDERY and CROSS STITCH RESOURCES:

How To Videos of Embroidery Stitches – “Hand embroidery is easier if you have someone around to show you how to do it. You can certainly find just about any hand embroidery stitch illustrated in a book, but it’s not quite the same as sitting down next to a friend who can walk you through the stitches. There are quite a few videos available on embroidery stitches, but I’ve noticed that they are either for special techniques (such as “crewel embroidery” or “ribbon embroidery”) or they are very expensive for only a few stitches. So I thought I’d see if I could manage a library of hand embroidery stitches on video.”
http://www.needlenthread.com/videos

Embroidery Stitch Dictionary – Click on the magnifying glass beside each entry to view a large image of the stitch.
http://www.needlecrafter.com/Stitches/stitches.html

Dictionary of Stitches for Hand Embroidery and Needlework - Sharon Boggon -includes illustration of how to work each stitch.
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchindex.html

Embroidery Stitch Identification Guide - Henry Art Gallery - ""The Embroidery Stitch Identification Guide presents a standardized nomenclature and classification system for embroidery stitches based on seven structural and three usage categories. The goal is to provide consistent nomenclature for designers, ethnographers, textile historians, curators, and others who wish to identify embroidery stitches or create embroidered textiles. The project includes names for stitches previously undocumented in embroidery literature, variations of named stitches, and stitch combinations. The index cross references stitch names that deviate from this standardized nomenclature. The focus is on surface stitches, joins, edges, withdrawn element embroidery, deflected element embroidery, and cut work." - "As you move your mouse over the name of the stitch, a large image of it appears.
http://dig.henryart.org/embroidery-stitches/first_level_pages/default.html

KG-Stitch - This is a highly professional free cross stitch software application. Instead of loading and transforming pictures and photos, this piece of software is used to design your own cross stitch charts and graphs. It has a color palette based on DMC embroidery thread colors. There is also a blog to keep you updated and a Support Forum.
http://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/

User's Manual
http://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/manual-cs/

KNIT AND CROCHET RESOURCES:
KnitMap – “Knitmap is a searchable catalog of yarn stores from all over the world…anyone can review, rate and help keep Knitmap up to date!”
http://www.knitmap.com/

Standards and Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting - "The publishers, fiber, needle and hook manufacturers and yarn members of the Craft Yarn Council of America have worked together to set up a series of guidelines and symbols to bring uniformity to yarn, needle and hook labeling and to patterns, whether they appear in books, magazines, leaflets or on yarn labels. Our goal is to make it easier for...consumers to select the right materials for a project and complete it successfully."
http://www.craftyarncouncil.jade-server.com/files/s-and-g.pdf

StitchMinder – iPhone Knitting Application
http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2008/08/12/stitchminder-free-iphone-knitting-app/

Yarndex the Yarn Directory – “The Yarndex.com yarn directory is created to offer knitting enthusiasts a never before available guide to the world of yarn. It is the goal of Yarndex to present every quality yarn from all manufacturers across the globe in a single source that is easy to search, intuitive to use and that provides quick results to Yarndex users.”
http://www.yarndex.com/

YARNIA – the final product isn’t free, but the service provided is unique – “Yarnia is a revolutionary yarn store in Southeast Portland, and the only place where you can design your very own custom blend of yarn. You choose the fiber, color, thickness, and amount, and can have your custom cone of yarn wound for you right on the spot.” – Click the Custom Yarn link at the top of the page to get started creating your very own skein(s). You’re able to control all of the variables from color to fiber to thickness to amount.
http://www.yarniapdx.com/

KnitPro – “KnitPro is a free web application that translates digital images into knit, crochet, needlepoint and cross-stitch patterns. Simply upload jpeg, gif or png images and knitPro will generate a graph sizable for any fiber project.”
http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/

The Nike Blanket Petition – “From 2003-2008, a diverse group of international knit and crochet hobbyists participated in a microRevolt project called the Nike Blanket Petition, a 15-foot wide handmade blanket of the Nike swoosh. Each 4 x 4 inch stitched square creates the Nike logo, acting as a signature for fair labor policies for Nike garment workers. Over the five-year period, virtual and hand-made squares were collected on tour, electronically and by post mail, representing over 30 countries demonstrated above.”
http://www.microrevolt.org/web/blanket.htm

How Not to Talk to an Artist

2010-06-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been conversing with someone
about your art when all of a sudden you feel
you've somehow wandered into the Twilight Zone?

How to Talk to an Artist - Gigi Conot
http://www.artistresource.org/how2talk.htm

How to Talk to an Artist - Gail Gregg
http://www.artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=1856

What is the most ridiculous question or comment about your art that anyone has made to you?

For me, the zenith of ridiculousness occurred just this past week. You know requests you get from various organizations asking you to donate one of your artworks to be used as a fundraiser? I actually recieved an email from an acquaintance asking me to donate one of my quilts to be used as the grand door prize for her family reunion.

I sat at my computer in a state of shock and actually reread the message several different times to be certain that I had not misread it. Once I ascertained that she had indeed asked me that, I indulged in a series of curse words during which I called her everything but a child of God. When my blood pressure finally came back to normal, I responded by sending a one word reply - "No".

I'm still pissed!

Textile Designer: Lois Mailou Jones

2010-06-18T06:00:00.002-05:00

Although primarily known as a painter, Louis Mailou Jones
began her textile design career as a freelancer in 1927 with
the F.A. Foster Company in Boston, and for the Schumacher Company in New York

However, in the Summer of 1928, she moved to Paris after experiencing

continuous discrimination including being told by a decorator,

"How could you have designed that? You're a colored girl."

On Jones' career move from textile design to painting:

"I wanted my name to go down in history.

For this to happen, I realized that I would have to become a painter."

NOTE: Because textile designers were anonymous

Lois Mailou Jones Textile Designs for Cretonne fabric

An Interview with Lois Mailou Jones - Charles H. Rowell for Callaloo
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG01/westkaemper/callaloo/mailoujones.html

Loïs Mailou Jones textile design - Brooks Robards
http://www.mvtimes.com/calendar/2006/09/28/art_jones.php

Louis Mailou Jones
http://www.loismailoujones.com/introduction.html

Timeline - Begins career as a freelance textile designer for F.A. Foster Company, Boston and Schumacher Company, New York.
http://www.loismailoujones.com/timeline.html

School of the Museum of Fine Arts Hosts Lois Mailou Jones
http://www.artknowledgenews.com/Lois_Mailou_Jones_exhibit.html

Jury Duty and Lois Mailou Jones - click to view the slide show full size
http://www.berkshirefinearts.com/?page=article&article_id=107&catID=3

The Life and Legacy of Lois Mailou Jones - Reprint from Howard Magazine, Winter 1999
http://www.howard.edu/library/HUmagazine/1999Winter/Lois_Mailou_Jones.htm

Quotable Quotes

2010-06-14T06:00:00.005-05:00

"Women who strive to be equal to men
apparently have little to no ambition."
Edna (a.k.a. Anonymous Female Artist and Militant Art Bitch)

"Anytime a woman picks up a paintbrush,
it is indeed a feminist act, and by this fact alone,
every piece of art made by a woman is revolutionary."
Edna (a.k.a. Anonymous Female Artist and Militant Art Bitch)

"Think outside the box, collapse the box,
and take a f____g sharp knife to it."
Bansky

"Art is not a mirror held up to reality,
but a hammer with which to shape it."
Bertolt Brecht

"Artwork that is only about wanting to be famous
will never make you famous. Any fame is a by-product
of making something that means something.
You don't go to a restaurant and order a meal
because you want to have a shit."
Bansky

"Some of the greatest works of art and the
most important works of peace were created by people
who had no need for the limelight. They knew that
what they were doing was their call, and they did it
with great patience, perseverance, and love."
Henri Nouwen

"Fame and significance have nothing to do with one another"
Dennis Prager

"What is fame? The advantage of being known
by people of whom you yourself know nothing,
and for whom you care as little."
Lord Byron

"Accept that some days you’re the pigeon,
and some days you’re the statue."
Roger C. Anderson

"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow
if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable
when you try something new."
Brian Tracy

"The creation of art is not the fulfillment of a need
but the creation of a need. The world never needed
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony until he created it.
Now we could not live without it."
Louis Kahn

"When I stand before God at the end of my life
I would hope that I have not a single bit of talent left
and could say, "I used everything You gave me."
Erma Bombeck

Essential Services for Aging Artists

2010-06-11T06:00:00.051-05:00

"Age gives you the freedom to do some things you've never done before.

Great work can come at any stage of your life." Will Barnet

"With age, art and life become one." - Georges Braque

Essential Services for Aging Artists is a 233 page document that is the May 2006 final report to NYFA (New York Foundation for the Arts). It was produced by The H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University.

"The project’s goals were to gain a more thorough understanding of the problems and needs that visual artists face as they age, to research potential services that exist to address these needs, to pinpoint and explain needs still unmet, and to make recommendations for addressing these unmet needs."

The Overall Conclusions and Recommendations, and the Lessons Learned segments start on page 114. Also, be sure to look at Appendix H - the Artist Cheat Sheet. Additionally, there is an extensive Annotated List of Existing Services which, while a number of them are specific to the state of New York, many others are cited which are available to artists nationwide.

A copy of the survey used to collect the data is included - you may want to print it out and take it for yourself - use it as a tool for self-awareness and to help crystallize your thoughts about who you are as an artist.
http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/systems/report/51_FINAL%20SYSTEMS%20REPORT.pdf

You also may want to review the March 12, 2009 post on

Estate and Legacy Planning for Artists
.

Artists and Aging: Better with Time - This is a 100-minute video of Part 1 of a 3-part professional development series sponsored by the Artist Trust and broadcast by the Seattle Channel: Taped on 4/24/10, it is "A discussion from a multidisciplinary panel of senior artists that have continued to create new work through the tides of personal and social change." Part 2 (Now and Forever: Legacy Planning for Artists) and Part 3 (Where There’s A Will There’s A Way: A Guide to Estate Planning for Artists) are not yet available.
http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5591041

Strange but True

2010-06-07T06:00:00.004-05:00

Tidbits of "out of the ordinary" happenings
involving quilts & Very Unusual Fabrics

Plummeting Quilt Paralyzes Man

In China, a man has been left paralyzed by a quilt which fell on him from a four-story building:
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=50043&in_page_id=2

China Hospital Fire

In Beijing, a 43 year old patient saved himself and his wife from a hospital fire in which 39 people died by tying a quilt to a heating pipe and climbing down from his 3rd floor room. Unfortunately, his wife lost her grip and fell from the second floor level, seriously injuring herself.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/16/world/main1131922.shtml

Chinese Woman Survives Fall from 18th Floor

She fell while airing out a quilt
http://www.topnews.in/chinese-woman-survives-fall-18th-floor-2250614

Killer Wins Pounds 1400 For Warder Bite; Prison payout over bus clash

Fight was over a quilt
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KILLER+WINS+pounds+1400+FOR+WARDER+BITE%3b+Prison+payout+over+bus+clash.-a0211609771

Quilts are Hot and Vanishing Fast

Quilts now have the cachet of fine art or antique jewellery, and discerning thieves know it.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/20/1077072840178.html

Inmates Master Quilting while Serving Time

These male quilters are killers, thieves, sex offenders.
http://www.komonews.com/news/81799602.html

12 Unexpected, Surprising, and Downright Weird Eco Fabrics Used in Fashion

"Organic cotton, wool, and bamboo are familiar enough to anyone who's only casually acquainted with eco-friendly fabrics. Ingeo, made from corn, doesn't require a huge leap of the imagination, either. But chicken feathers? Used fishing nets? Milk? Cigarette butts? There are some offbeat sustainable materials shimmying down the runways these days, and we're betting we've only just scratched the surface."
http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2009/08/weird-eco-fabrics.php

Artists Need to be Wary

2010-06-03T20:28:00.001-05:00

"A vanity gallery is an art gallery that charges artists fees to exhibit their work
and makes most of its money from artists rather than from sales to the public.
Some vanity galleries charge a lump sum to arrange an exhibition,
while others ask artists to pay regular membership fees and then
promise to organise an exhibition with a certain period." Wikepedia

"A vanity gallery is one that charges artists fees in order to exhibit their work.

The shows are not legitimately curated and will include as many artists
as possible. Most art professionals are able to identify them
on an artist's resume." NationMaster.com

But vanity galleries aren't all we need to be concerned about -
there are vanity art shows and "competitions" as well...

The Vanity Gallery - Joanne Mattera
http://joannemattera.blogspot.com/2009/05/marketing-mondays-vanity-gallery.html

Vanity Gallery - This site posts a list of well-known vanity galleries/exhibitions along with the participation fee the artist must pay upfront. [Note - and you think $25 exhibit fees are exorbitant???]
http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Vanity-gallery

Vanity Galleries: Pay to Play at your own Risk - Renee Phillips
http://www.manhattanarts.com/readingroom/ezine/CareerBusiness/Renee_Pay.htm

Art Contests, Competitions, Shows and More-- Will They Get You Somewhere or Are They Dead Ends, Time Wastes or Scams? - The title says it all. This article goes into detail about an incredible variety of things on which you should not waste your time and money trying to advance your recognition as an artist.
http://www.artbusiness.com/osoqutscawas.html

Sketchbook Project 2011

2010-05-31T06:00:00.097-05:00

Many of you already know about and have already signed up

to participate in this exciting project, but for those who don't...

[Note: there is a $25 cost. However, discounts are

available for group participants (over 4) and educational institution orders.

There is an option to also have your book digitized at an additional cost. -

I have no affiliation with the project except for my decision to participate]

Sketchbook 2011 (the 3rd Sketchbook iteration) is the brainchild project of the Brooklyn Art Library, a facility dedicated to artist books. About Sketchbook 2011: "This is a massive nationwide project...You are not just buying a sketchbook from us. Your submission fee goes to cover the sketchbook, shipping to you, the upkeep of the library and website, manpower, traveling across the country with 1500+ sketchbooks, and much much more."

Please take note that submitted work will be included in the permanent collection of the library and some of it may be published in an Art House book.

There are 30 themes available from which you may choose, or you may have a random theme assigned. Sketchbooks are not juried and all that are submitted will be included in the traveling exhibition.

You must sign up by October 31, 2010
and the sketchbook must be postmarked by
~~January 15th, 2011~~ (Just received notice

that my sketchbook is being shipped and that
the postmark date has been changed
to December 31, 2010. The tour starts March, 2011.

Overview - this is where you can view examples of past sketchbooks as well as a video describing the project.
http://www.arthousecoop.com/sketchbookproject/

Project Features - "CNN aired a piece about the 2009 tour, five participants were featured in a Time Out NY article about the 2010 tour, and PBS wrote an article about the 2009 tour which featured work from a slew of participants."
http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject/features

The Tour - thus far exhibition tours of all submitted sketchbooks have been booked for venues in: Brooklyn, NY; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Portland, ME; Austin, TX; and San Francisco - other venues may be added
http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject/exhibitions

The Rules - This page takes you to the General Rules. Tabs are provided for access to the Detailed Rules and the Agreement.
http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject/rules

Community - Be patient, it may take extra time for the page to load into your browser. - "This map plots where each participant is located geographically. You can click on the marker to view who it is, find a link to their profile page, and see the theme of their sketchbook." - NOTE: International participants are welcome.
http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject/map

FAQ
http://arthousecoop.com/faqs

Blog
http://blog.arthousecoop.com/

Control Panel - Once you have signed up to participate, there will be a Control Panel link at the top of each page you view. Click on it to have immediate access to your Profile Pages on which you can add: a picture and info about yourself (e.g., short bio, gender, state, etc. - by the way, if you include your birthdate it doesn't show up on public view); up to 12 images of your work; and determine your account settings (e.g. whether or not your want your profile to be public, delete your account, etc.)

Free Web Resources

2010-05-28T06:00:00.110-05:00

Following are free online resources you may find useful.
Some you are probably already well acquainted with -
Others you'll probably be delighted to learn about.

The Wayback Machine - The Wayback Machine is an internet archive that is building a digital library of internet sites. It allows you to access web sites and web pages that have disappeared without warning. Just plug in the URL address for the non-working site or page and if it has already been archived, you will be able to view it.
http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

Copyscape Plagiarism Check - You can plug in the URL of the web page you're concerned about, and it will search for copies of your page on the web. It also has a paid for service (called CopySentry) that will automatically monitor the web for copies of your pages and email you as soon as they appear.
http://www.copyscape.com/

Akismet - "Automatic Kismet (Akismet for short) is a collaborative effort to make comment and trackback spam a non-issue and restore innocence to blogging, so you never have to worry about spam [in the comment section of your blog] again."
http://akismet.com/

Photo Pencil Sketch - Upload an image, and it will create a pencil sketch of it
http://www.dumpr.net/sketch.php

Sporkforge Sketch Generator - Upload your image, set your desired parameters and generate a "...sketch"-like abstraction of your digital photograph."
http://sporkforge.com/imaging/sketch.php

E-mail Templates for Newsletters - "Getting your email to look great in all the major email clients can be a challenge at times, so we’ve done the hard work for you with these 30 free email templates. We’ve tested them in all the major email clients, so add your own content."
http://www.campaignmonitor.com/templates/

YouSendIt - "YouSendIt technology is ideal for sending large files without the limitations of email attachments..." It is designed for individual use as well as businesses. The free "lite" version allows you to send a maximum file size of 100 MB with a 1 GB monthly download limit.
http://www.yousendit.com/cms/liteaccount

Google SketchUp - "Google SketchUp is software that you can use to create 3D models of anything you like."
http://www.google.com/sketchup/product/gsu.html

ShipGooder - "ShipGooder is the simple, fast way to find optimum shipping rates for local, regional and national couriers." It provides comparative rates to ship your item for all major national, regional and local couriers. Just plug in your origin and destination zip code, postal code or ISO code for a non-US/Canada destination. The advance option allows you to add package size information.
http://www.shipgooder.com/

The Acronym Finder - "The Acronym Finder allows users to decipher acronyms from a database of over 600,000 entries covering computers, technology, telecommunications, and the military. Unlike online glossaries, search engines, encyclopedias, or thesauruses, Acronym Finder exists purely to unravel the bewildering range of acronyms that impact daily life." - If you access it from the home page, you have the option of using it in 13 other languages. Note: unfortunately if there are "tons" of entries for the same acronym, its a little disconcerting because the listing of them is not alphabetized. Not a problem for SAQA which only has two entries, but there are 95 entries for SDA.
http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/

Artist's Butler: Studio Manager for All Artists and Photographers - Okay, this is not completely free, but you are allowed to download the program at no cost to try it out - this demo allows you to input, edit and/or delete up to 10 records so you can determine if this is the program for you. It has a long list of features.
http://www.lynnsoft.net/

The RasterBlaster - Create giant scale prints and images - "The Rasterbator creates huge, rasterized images from any picture. Upload an image, print the resulting multi-page pdf file and assemble the pages into extremely cool looking poster up to 20 meters in size." - You have the option of uploading your image online or downloading the software.
http://homokaasu.org/rasterbator/

The Big Picture Software – The Big Picture is an easy to use free poster printing software that allows you to divide any picture into several A4 pages for printing large posters…Not only does it divide the picture into suitable pages but it also interpolates each page for smooth printing…The program shows how the picture will be divided into individual pages and counts the physical size of the final poster. You can also preview the individual pages…The program contains clear instructions with sample pictures.
http://www.tml.tkk.fi/~tmakipat/thebigpicture/getbigpic.html

Grid Pattern Generator - Just upload your image and it will convert it into a grid. It gives you the option of showing the grid in black and white, in color, using squares and/or using the alphabet.
http://www.typorganism.com/asciiomatic/

Graph and Grid Paper Generator
http://www.incompetech.com/graphpaper/

Wordle - "Wordle is a toy for generating 'word clouds' from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes." - This is a great resource for designing a piece using text. http://www.wordle.net/

Exercises for Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - This is a series of 15 videos - "How to understand carpal tunnel syndrome, its symptoms, and how to relieve pain caused by it with exercises and stretches; get expert tips and advice on treating carpal tunnel pain in this free physical therapy video series."
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_3747_exercises-treating-carpal-tunnel-syndrome.html

This to That - "Because people have a need to glue things to other things"
http://www.thistothat.com/

Stain Removal Guide
http://www.chemistry.co.nz/stain_frame.htm

Universal Currency Converter
http://www.xe.com/ucc/

TinyURL - To convert those l-o-n-g URLs into something manageable - "By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings and never expires."
http://tinyurl.com/

Zip Code Lookup
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

LibraryThing - catalogue your books online - "LibraryThing is an online service to help people catalog their books easily. You can access your catalog from anywhere—even on your mobile phone." - The free account allows you to catalog up to 200 books. A paid account ($10/year or $25/lifetime) provides unlimited cataloging.
http://www.librarything.com/about

Free Conference Call - "Teleconferences can have up to 96 participants for 6 hour period of time per session." - Use for business or family.
http://www.freeconferencecall.com/

Create Jigsaw - Upload an image and it will show it in jigsaw puzzle format.
http://www.dumpr.net/puzzle.php

Rubik's Cube - Upload an image and see it rendered in Rubik's Cube format
http://www.dumpr.net/rubik.php

Marketing Your Fabric Designs

2010-05-24T06:00:00.047-05:00

Fabric Design by Andy Mars

I was recently contacted by Andy (Andrea) Mars, a photograher searching for information

re how to break into the fabric/textile design market. Not having a clue

but being curious, I did a little research and was able to provide her

with some leads. It then occurred to me that with all of the recent interest

in being able to get your own fabric designs printed for personal use,

others may also want this information..

Fabric Design by Andy Mars

How to Start a Fabric Design Business
http://www.ehow.com/how_5452969_start-fabric-design-business.html

Useful info about the field of textile design:
http://www.infomat.com/research/infre0000250.html

Handbook of Textile Design: Principles, Processes and Practice - Jacquie Wilson - "...there has been a need for some sort of text that covered the textile design process from initial ideas through briefing, research and design development, to finished fabrics being sold to garment designers and to retail. What follows is an attempt to provide such a text. This book is based on my experiences as a textile designer in industry..." Can be downloaded for free.

It includes two chapters on The Professional Practice of Design which includes information about "Getting Design Jobs"
http://dc121.4shared.com/download/185516987/53e943ba/Handbook_of_Textile_Design.pdf?tsid=20100508-231913-9cd91b5

The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing - (No affiliation) - "...is often described as the garment industry 'blue book'”. - The "Newcomer's Guide to the Trade" chapter appears to be very informative, particularly the Free-Lance Design section. It and some other interesting sections can be read online. Check it out to see if you think the book is worth ordering (it's $60) or request a copy from your local library.
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/products_services/table-of-contents/

Directory of Print and Textile Design Studios Suppliers - May be helpful in locating a fabric agent
http://www.fashiondex.com/silver/services/prs0.php

International Textile and Apparel Association - The 2010 Design Comptetion is open for submission - Deadline is June 1.
http://www.itaaonline.org/www/default/index.cfm

10 Tips on Contracts and Clients
http://escapefromillustrationisland.com/2010/01/08/10-tips-on-working-with-clients/

Art Rep 101 - Tips for Creative Professionals - "Whether you’re thinking about working with an art rep, wondering how to find one, or curious about how your relationship with your agent compares that of other artists, you’ll find answers to many of your questions in the articles below." - Articles include: Should you work with an Art Rep?; How to find an Art Rep; How to be attractive to an Art Rep; and several others.
http://escapefromillustrationisland.com/2010/01/16/art-rep-101-tips-for-creative-professionals/

7 Elements of an Effective Portfolio Website - "...when an Art Director or other type of potential client visits your site, they get a clear sense of who you are, what you do, and why you are the right person for their project...a winning portfolio will lead to more contracts, more referrals, and more work doing the types of projects you really want to do."
http://escapefromillustrationisland.com/2009/11/05/escapee-speaks-7-elements-of-an-effective-online-portfolio/

Printsource: The World of Textile and Surface Design Database - "The Printsource New York Global Design Database (G.D.D.) is the first and only global online tool that allows buyers of surface and textile designs to search for information on creative talent worldwide." - It has a link where a textile or surface design professional can add company information to the database.
http://www.printsourcenewyork.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=GlobalDesignDB.GDDHome

Textile Republic - "Textile Republic was founded by Kimberley Osborne-Milstein and Brian Osborne in the spring of 2007 to promote the work of aspiring textile designers across the globe...[It is] an online platform that would easily allow emerging artists and designers the chance to showcase their work..."
http://www.textilerepublic.com/terms.php

I don't know how effective registering with textile design sites would be, but it can't hurt (especially since being listed is free):

Fibre2Fashion - search engine - a search for "textile design jobs" lists 2,908 current postions all over the world from fulltime employment to freelancers work (including the USA)
http://search.fibre2fashion.com/search/jobs/searchResult.aspx?q=textile+design+jobs¤tSection=jobs

PeoplePerHour - Can post your services here (category is home textile agent)
http://www.peopleperhour.com/find/home_textile_agent/2

DesignerSearch.com
http://www.designersearch.com/Browse.asp?cid=29

Some current job postings for textile designer in California: - there may be similar sites for other states
http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-textile+designer/l-los+angeles,+ca

Just for Fun: Textile Related Oddities & Absurdities - Part 3

2010-05-21T06:00:00.003-05:00

More items for your enjoyment that are fun, funny, wierd, or just plain creepy

Part II
Part I

Embroidered Wonder Bread - Catherine McEver - Catherine "...uses sliced bread and thread to create art. while seemingly empheral, mcever has been able to keep some of these carefully crafted embroidered pieces for over four years."
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/10202/catherine-mcever-embroidered-wonder-bread.html

Sewing Machine as Musical Instrument
http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/sewing-machine-as-musical

Make Your Own Cloth Menstrual Pads - I kid you not!
http://www.borntolove.com/d-list7-make.shtml

Pringle of Scotland - This is a hilarious 3-minute animated video about what goes into the creation of their luxury knitwear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoiW5-uA3_E&feature=player_embedded

Little Hen Rescue - request and instructions for knitting jumpers for rescued chickens who have lost a significant amount of their protective feathers.
http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/jumpers.aspx

How to Hand Knit a Mattress: 1,000 Strand Knitting - This is a 7 minute YouTube video of Rachel John (Extreme Textiles) knitting with 1,000 strands simultaneously. It shows both the set-up for the event and the event itself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVRfVEONxJQ

"Coraline" Tiny Knitting - This is a 2-minute video showing how Althea Chrome handknit the outfits for the Coraline movie character
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wADZBNvA_s&feature=player_embedded

Extreme Knitters Rock the Yarn - This is a 3 minute slide show (with audio)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/bpp_slideshows/knitting/publish_to_web/index.html

Extreme Crochet - This is a 4 1/2 minute YouTube video of a woman using her arms (and by extension, her body) as a crochet hook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds9J_hcOOIw&feature=PlayList&p=285E2467F8FECF1A&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=12

The Knitting Machine - 5 1/2 minute video - Two excavators are used as a knitting machine to actually knit an American flag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSfnURZrKQE&feature=player_embedded

Barack Obama Crochet Tapestry - Teresa gives a tutorial of How to Crochet from a Chart based on how she created a crocheted portrait of Barack Obama
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-crochet-from-chart.html

This is 1+ minute video of the process
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXEt1DqBRKo&feature=related

What Not to Knit - full knit male body suit promoting the film Bruno - but its still another "WTF?" moment.
http://shadyninjaknits.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/what-not-to-knit/

Crocheted (and backless) Jock Strap
http://www.rose-kim.com/rose-kimknits/2010/01/thursdays-are-for-what-hell-is-this_14.html

Crocheted Snuggies - y'all gotta make one for yourself! - NOT!
http://www.rose-kim.com/rose-kimknits/2009/12/thursdays-are-for-what-hell-is-this.html

Creepy Halloween Costumes for Infants - I don't find these to be "cute" at all - just creepy!
http://www.rose-kim.com/rose-kimknits/2009/11/thursdays-are-for-what-hell-is-this_12.html

Crocheted Urinal
http://whatnottocrochet.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/crochet-vs-installation/

Stuffed Crocheted Zebra Head
http://whatnottocrochet.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/crochet-mafia/

Stuffed Crocheted Deer Head
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/stuffedtrophy-772570.jpg

Crocheted Hand Saw
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/crochetsawscarf.jpg

Crocheted 31' Garden Hose
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/31-feet-of-hose.jpg

Knitted Power Cord
http://whywouldyouknitthat.blogspot.com/2008/09/why.html

X-Rated - There are just no words for this...
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/defeckto2.jpg

X-Rated - Crocheted penis belt
http://www.buzzfeed.com/scott/crocheted-penis

X-Rated - Crocheted nude suit
http://www.tressugar.com/Crocheted-Nude-Suit-1036572

X-Rated - WTF?
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/sculpture-zled-dolls-black-eyelo.jpg

Perfect Gift for the Topless Pole Dancer on Your List
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/lola-pordbl-s.jpg

Crocheted Guns
http://whatnottocrochet.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/starchguns.jpg

Crocheted Gun and Gun Belt
http://hellocraftlovers.com/2008/02/going-through-my-studio-space/

Severed Finger - You can even have the pattern for free...
http://monstercrochet.blogspot.com/2006/09/free-pattern-severed-finger.html

Knitted Poop
http://whipup.net/2008/02/27/potpourri-poo/

Knitted Wedding Cakes
http://whywouldyouknitthat.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-tribute-to-cake-wrecks.html

Crocheted Bacon Strips
http://monstercrochet.blogspot.com/2010/04/crocheted-bacon-strips.html

Dan Beckemeyer's Anatomy - he creates anatomical work by needle felting onto handmade abaca paper
http://www.mrxstitch.com/2009/04/21/stitchgasm-dan-beckemeyers-anatomy/

Knitted Dissected Animals

Frog
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39427668

Rat
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39323461

Easter Bunny - for those who are into traumatizing children
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34169372

Fetal Pig
http://www.etsy.com/listing/30723742/knitted-fetal-pig-biology-project

Road Kill Carpet - I hope the people that commented about wanting to order one were just BS-ing. By the way, the featured road kill is (or should we say 'was') a fox
http://www.oooms.nl/road-kill-carpet/

Crocheted Eyeball - With instructions
http://www.instructables.com/id/Crocheted-Eyeball/

Fundraising for the Arts

2010-05-17T06:00:00.018-05:00

Since the 4/23/2010 post about the horrific budget cuts
for the arts being proposed by a lot of governors, and with
Vicki W's comment regarding the need during the current economic crisis
for us to identify/create non-governmental resources for funding the arts,
I've been trying to research this. Admitedly I haven't yet been able to
come up with much, but hopefully the following is a start...

Winning for art in a funding storm - "Artists throughout the State of New Jersey have been weathering their own storm of increasing intensity, as the government cuts back on arts funding. 'All individual artist grants have been canceled,' says Kay Kenny, president of Pro Arts." The article includes an innovative fundraising idea Pro Arts used to try to help make up for the lost funding opportunities.
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/03/winning_for_art_in_a_funding_s.html

The Artist Pension Fund - This is promoted as an artist retirement fund that minimizes risk. It is indeed a unique and creative concept. Its not a scam, but after reading other articles about it, I'm skeptical about how well it'll work. As one person pointed out, the market will ultimately make that determination...
http://www.artistpensiontrust.org/home.asp

The Artists who Invest in Themselves: The Artist Pension Trust could provide a nest egg for an uncertain future. If it works... http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/The-artists-who-invest-in-themselves/20694
.
Can Art Trusts Work? http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2004/06/several_weeks_a.html

823 Key Project: Funding Artists Through Fashion - Lorraine Sanders - "823 keys will be sold to provide a grant to one artist. Then the process begins anew. "
http://www.7x7.com/blogs/glamwatch/823-key-project-funding-artists-through-fashion

Two Funding Ideas based on the Microfinance Concept

Kickstarter - "Kickstarter is a funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors, explorers..."
http://www.kickstarter.com/
.
IndieGoGo - "IndieGoGo is a collaborative way to fund ideas. Anyone with a project - creative, cause or entrepreneurial - can raise money, offer perks and keep 100% ownership of their idea."
http://www.indiegogo.com/

Joining Forces to Save a Visual Scene
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704450504575222920092113984.html?mod=WSJ_NY_Culture_LEFTTopStories

Fundraising and Development Toolkit - Texas Commission on the Arts
http://www.arts.state.tx.us/toolkit/fundraising/

Fundraising from Individuals - Martha Richards - "Many women artists are familiar with writing grant proposals to government agencies or foundations, but they are not sure how to raise money from individuals because there are no clear guidelines or application forms. This article will focus on strategies for raising money for your projects by approaching individuals for contributions."
http://www.womenarts.org/skills/fund_basics.htm

Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts - Foundation Center - This is a 60 minute webinar recording - "This course is geared towards individuals involved in the arts and looking to fund any type of arts-related project. - If you are an individual involved in the arts and looking for funding to complete a project, mount an exhibition, put on a performance, conduct research, or anything else arts-related, this webinar will show you how to identify funders supporting individuals working in the arts. We will also touch on grantmaker motivations in funding individual artists, and the variety of support options available."

There is a Registration Form for a July 15 session, but you can view a session by clicking on the link located on the right side of the page.
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/training/webinars/gsbia_webinar.html

Fundraising for the Arts - This is a 7.21minute video - During the summer of 2009, leaders from emerging art spaces around the world met in Canada. This was one of the topics discussed. It was presented by Anne Dunning of Arts Action Research USA
http://freedimensional.ning.com/video/fundraising-for-the-arts

Negotiating the Balance Between the Roles of Artists and Facilitators - 5.18 minute video -Presented by Julie Upmeyer from Caravansarai, Turkey
http://freedimensional.ning.com/video/negotiating-the-balance

In Mexico, Artists Can Pay Their Taxes with Artwork - As little appreciation as our governments seem to have for art and artists (again, I'm referencing the 4/23/2010 post), this will never happen here...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-04-15-paying-taxes-with-artwork_N.htm

Studio Protector: The Artist's Guide to Emergencies

2010-05-14T06:00:00.003-05:00

"The Studio Protector is the one tool no studio artist should be without (if you want to cover your A’s that is − your art, assets, and archives). It’s a calendar-sized wall chart with wheel charts and pull-out booklets that cover the essential points of preparing for and recovering from emergencies. The complete, fun-to-use disaster kit designed by artists for artists makes the dull details of emergency preparedness a little less tedious for creative types of all stripes –
craft artists, sculptors, visual artists, designers, and graphic artists."

The Studio Protector is the first product of the Coalition for Artists’ Preparedness and Emergency Response, a new national task force that was formed in 2006. Dedicated to ensuring a national safety net for artists, and the organizations that serve them, before, during and after disasters the Coalition is a consortium of local, state, regional and national arts agencies, artist service organizations and foundations, CERF+ is the lead sponsor of the Coalition, and also, the creator of the Studio Protector.

There are two components to The Studio Protector:

The Wall Guide (purchasable for $16) is "...a handy, practical and portable set of instructions and tips for decisive disaster response. The “Pocket Protectors” and Getting Help booklet can be removed and pocketed for ready reference, both in the studio and off-site, when you need reliable and easy to follow information fast." For ordering information as well as a 4+ minute video that demonstrates its features:
http://studioprotector.org/WallGuide.aspx
.
The Online Guide is a supplement to The Studio Protector Wall Guide and provides "...more in-depth information to help you recover and salvage artwork, livelihood, and workspace. The mix of solid information and selective links and resources will streamline your research process; the well-honed advice from experts and compelling artists’ stories will keep you on track." There are eight components, each with incredibly detailed information, for you to explore: Planning, Warning, Relief, Clean-Up, Salvage, e-Salvage, Rebounding, and Safeguarding. (Note: You can freely access this supplementary information without charge):
http://studioprotector.org/OnlineGuide.aspx

Make sure you explore the entire site. On the homepage there is an opportunity to win a free Studio Protector (through the month of May), a Tip of the Month, and a featured video (Furniture maker Gary Spykman talks about flood insurance and the flood that affected his New Hampshire studio).
http://studioprotector.org/Home.aspx

(Affiliation: I am a former Cerf+ board member)

Known Scammer Names Used in Art Scams

2010-05-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

In general, scams targeting artists have been on the rise. In recent months textile artists have come to their attention. I personally have been targeted over the past couple of months (most recently over the past couple of weeks) with 2 emails from a Dennis Morgan using phisiology00@gmail.com as his email address. The message to me (the email subject line was the name of one of my artworks):

Hello,

Good day to you over there, My name is Dennis Morgan i'm from California and i hope this message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught...., i will like to have it for my new apartment this month. please let me know if the piece is available, if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. i will be waiting to read from you asap.

Dennis.

Now really, aside from all of the punctuation and tense errors, its clear that the "my eyes caught....." part is designed to cover whatever artwork was listed in the Subject header. And who signs their name with a period?

Nonetheless, at some point these emails will probably become more sophisticated and harder to immediately identify as being a scam. Fortunately, ArtQuest has taken on the mission of compiling and frequently updating the names of known e-mail scammers. So please check this list before responding to any e-mail offers to purchase, even if the e-mail seems to be legitimate (its also useful to google the person as well). If the name does not appear on the list but you're pretty certain its a scam, ArtQuest asks that you send the email to them as an attachment (this allows them to look at the complete header options and identify fake addresses).
http://www.artquest.com/ArtQuest/scammer-names.htm