Today is the day.....

Just stopped by the studio to finish up putting things together to take this evening for my art show opening.  SOOOOOOOOO nervous....and excited.  Thanks to all of you who have gone on this journey with me toward my 2014 goal of a solo show.  I'm finding it quite nerve-wracking.  I've been in shows before but only with a few pieces and a whole lot of other artists.  This is the first time it's just me.  Good news AND scary news. The success or not...all on me...

OK...gotta think about something else now.  Like what the heck to wear!!!  Still haven't decided.  Perhaps coveralls with paint all over them????  Sheesh....no idea.  Can you tell I'm nervous????

I'm planning on taking the whole weekend OFF!!  No schedule....no plans....just winging it. Probably catching up on some much missed sleep?

I'll report to you all next week...photos and everything!

Final piece started

So...now I'm on the fifth and final piece for the show.  I wanted to follow the "life" of the pecan from sapling to final purpose.  And the final purpose of pecans is TO BE EATEN! -- preferably in a pecan pie or pecan waffles!

I'm working on the Pecan Pie first.  I printed a copy of my mom's pecan pie recipe (which she got from her mom) on an 8" X 10" piece of silk organza.  Now I'm working on the slice of pie.  Screen printing is done on one of the dyed fabrics I did for this series and I'm just filling in with a lighter brown color wash to give it some depth.  I took this photo so you could see the un"washed" pecans and the "washed" ones.  When I'm finished with this wedge, I'll be using this for one of the textile additions.  I have some hand dyed and spun wool from my niece (keeping it in the family ya know) which I have braided and will be using it for the fluted outer "crust"

I was struggling with this one earlier today. I took a break for an episode of Frasier and a cup of Earl Gray tea.
 B R E A T H E..........

Came back to the studio and things started falling into place a bit better.  It might change a bit before it is done but at least now I have the complete piece in my head.

The working title for this one is Final Purpose. Not totally what I want but I'm currently brain dead.....
Any suggestions are welcomed!

Gonna grab some dinner now. Not sure if I'll make it back out to the studio. I think it would be best to go to bed and get a new start tomorrow.

Winter Harvest completed!!

At last! It is completed and ready for the photographer on Tuesday!

I used some of the crushed pecan shells on the tree bark.  And I filed down some half shells to add to the ground cover and one falling from the tree!

Here it is!

WINTER  HARVEST

(keep in mind...these are my photographs. They will look much better after Shawn gets a hold of them!)

#4 Winter Harvest - plan to be completed tomorrow!

Well, I'm having a blast!!!  Was working on this piece today and had a brainstorm.  I have bark cloth (thanks Wil!!) and my tree has bark........so........I took bits of the bark cloth, adhered them to the "tree" and then painted them in.  So far I have done the trunk  (well....in this photo TWO of them are painted in.  I left the other two naked so you could see the difference)  In actuality they are all painted in now.  I'll be adding some to the larger limbs, then some crushed pecan shells (like in Emergence). The pecans on the ground - that is how we harvested them....shook the limb and they fell down among a good bit of twig debri and then we picked them up off the ground - I have screen printed in the black "shadow" of the pecans.  Then I will screen print over that with the brown.  I also have several half shells of my real pecans which I'm thinking about adhering among the screen print ones.  There will also be several tufts of grass sticking up.

So....here it is so far. The bit on the left of the tree is still a bit wet which is why it is also a bit shiny. The top and bottom bits have not been painted in yet.

WINTER  HARVEST

Piece 3 - Complete!!!

Just put on the finishing touches!! Whew! Looking forward to your feedback!

EMERGENCE

Here is a close-up of the main branch.  The branch over the textile part is made from bark cloth Wil gave me from Africa. I'm afraid I matched the color for the painted part of the branch so well you can't actually see it in the photo.  The other bit you might be able to distinguish in the photo is that I used crushed up shells from the actual pecans off the tree on my mom and dad's farm in Texas.  The current resident was kind enough to send me a bag of them!!  How cool is that????

The fourth canvas is underway and the fifth (and final for now) has been started!! 

Third Pecan piece on its way

Yes.....before you gasp....I DO know what day it is and how soon Jan. 9th is.  But am I panicked???? Ummmm....yes.....just a bit!

Anyway, the third piece is currently called "Emergence".  This is just the background (a blue wet acrylic color wash.  Dabbed out the "cloud" effect with a paper towel when the paint was still quite wet.  Next I stitched in the textile piece.  Added bits of brown (a pounded fabric from years ago) since the branches would be prominent in this piece.  Then did the grass and began the infrastructure of the tree branch itself.  The "star" of this piece is a screen print of the pecans when the covering opens up and the pecan (as we are used to seeing them) is revealed.  That will be for tomorrow along with some leaves. OH and a stretched piece of bark cloth (like the trunk of The Sapling, will be the continuance of the branch on the textile part. It is sopping wet and stretched out to dry at the moment. And one more thing, I have shelled a bunch of pecans from the HUGE ancient tree in from of my parents former homeplace in Texas. They were sent to me by the wonderfully kind current resident. I will be pulverizing the shells to adhere to the larger parts of the limbs for texture.  I did a test piece and really like the results.

Emergence

I do have the other 2 designed and the materials assembled...just need to execute them.  

Somehow I had hoped this would be a more conversant group. But then, I haven't been particularly great at that myself on a regular basis I suppose. I'm hoping it is because we are all so wonderfully involved in making awesome art!  I just know that I for one would LOVE to have some feedback.....even if you don't like a piece.  It helps us to improve and learn.....    just sayin.......

Finally Completed

Just completed the finishing touches on the second piece in the Pecans Series - Summer Grove.  I am very pleased with how it turned out. Hope you like it.  Now on to the third piece!!  Time is getting rather short.  Glad I have them all pictured in my head!!  (note - the strip across the top is actually straight...just an anomaly with the actual photo.  Can hardly wait to get them professionally photographed!!)

Summer Grove

The Grove continued....

Yesterday I painted the grass field for the grove of pecan trees.  Today I painted in the first tree on the canvas.  There will be two more painted trees and a textile element as part of the sky that will hopefully be completed by the end of this week.

Here is a closeup of the first painted tree. I used the same thermofax tree branches that I used on the textile. It seems to work a bit differently on canvas.  

Second in the new series - Pecans

Working on my second piece for the Pecans series.  This one will be titled "The Grove"

Here is the beginning. I have just stitched the textile part onto the canvas.  Now to do some painting!

Here is a closeup of the textile portion so far.

Got to do some painting today also so I completed the painted part of the sky. There will be a textile element to the sky but that will be for tomorrow.

I'm so happy with how these pieces are going. They really are turning out like I see them in my head!

One Down...seemingly a gazillion to go!

It's DONE!!  The first piece in the Pecan series!!!

And now for the unveiling......

Pecan Series

The Sapling

There are 5 more in the Pecan Series to be completed. I think the first one is the most difficult. All the concepts and supplies for the others are here...just need to put them on canvas.

The Sapling continues

Here is step two of The Sapling. Finished the "ground". Now on to the tree itself.

The Sapling as a new beginning

Here is the beginning!!  I wish I had taken a photo of the canvas with just the textile parts stitched on but I just couldn't wait to get painting!!  This is the sky part (obviously I guess).  Hopefully a bit later today I'll get the ground started. Then tomorrow I can start putting on the sapling together.  I'll keep the photos coming!!!

Taking a New Path

OK...thanks for not writing me off lately.  Life has taken a whole unexpected turn that has taken some getting used to.  We are now keeping our 4 grandchildren full time (at least for the near future).  They are 6, 5, 5 (twins) and 11 months.  Yep...a handful to say the least. Fortunately, they are good kids.  But they are kids! Needless to say, long leisure days in my studio are a thing of the past. But thankfully, when the kids are at school the baby naps in the morning and afternoon. STUDIO TIME!!! Also thankfully, I have an amazing husband who knows I need studio time and helps out whenever he's home.  It has been a month now and I think we are just about settled into a routine (or what passes for one I guess)

But as all things work out for the best somehow, it gave me time to re-imagine my Pecan series.  Started in earnest this morning sorting the fabrics to make the textile bits for the first piece.  On my way I think...unless more curves are thrown into the mix (please no)

Here's my work island with the fabrics sorted. After auditioning them for the first bit, that strip is in the foreground of the photo.

Wish me luck!!  (oh and, all prayers and wonderful thoughts are appreciated!!!)  LOL!!

And it's complete

I guess this would qualify as the beginning of my Pecan series.  I had the original 30 X 30 bits on my wall for what seemed like forever.  Just couldn't make up my mind about how I wanted to proceed with the background.  

Then I saw the opportunity to do a piece to enter in a competition that would end up as a street banner.  I played around with several ideas but none really excited me. The issue was largely the very vertical aspect of the required piece. The original  had to be w12" X h22".  Then if accepted, it would be blown up to twice that size for the banner. I had decided just to let this competition pass. Then like a flash of lightening it came to me...The Sapling!!  The Sapling is the name of the first piece in the Pecan series.  But to do it for the banner would afford me a smaller size to experiment with the background.  AND it is very vertical!!  It all came together so well that it was completed in one day!!

What I learned making this beginning piece has further inspired me to get onto the first of the series -- the REAL Sapling!

The Sapling - Banner

A photo of Main Street with the current banners

AND....it doesn't end there. During the summer, the original pieces will be displayed in Main Street businesses.  In the fall, they will be auctioned off to raise money for the Zumbrota Area Arts Council.

AND...one more thing....Wil has a piece accepted for a banner as well!! Wonder if we will be hanging on the same side of the street!  LOL!!

A Fun Surprise!

I was wandering around FB this morning, catching up with my niece and nephew (about the only contact they respond to!) I noticed that my niece, Faith Silva, and a friend have an Etsy shop where they sell hand spun yarn and rovings!!  I immediately ordered some multi-brown yarns to use in my Pecans series!! Since the series was inspired by my dad, it seems fitting that some bits of it are from his granddaughter!! I just think that is so cool!!

Here is a link to their shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TactileDactyl

And it must be one-of-a-kind stuff because the one I ordered is no longer in the shop!  But....it is on its way to my studio!!!

Pecans - Sapling - background

Today I got my muslin layer on my design wall and got the background laid out for the Sapling.  I know the center of the "sky" may look a bit monochromatic just now....but that is where the main part of the sapling branches/leaves will be so I'm not too worried.  Still working with the black "wedge" on the left of the "ground".  I keep moving it.  (The second layer of ground -left and center- is a piece of painted silk Maggie sent to me! Thanks, Mags!! Fits in perfectly dontcha think?)

Each Pecan piece will be mounted onto 24" square canvases with a 1.5" depth.  So I have my muslin marked to include plenty of fabric to wrap, turn under and staple in the back of the canvas frame.

Now I have to decide if I want to do raw edge applique or if I want to turn the edges under.

Anyway...here it step one and I'm on my way!  Can't tell all of you how excited I am to get fabric on the design wall for this one.

Pecans - Sapling - background

And 2013 is underway...

Just completed my final piece remaining from 2012 (you can see it on my art blog...www.kellyartist.blogspot.com) and I'm ready to start on my 2013 pieces.  I have decided on a size and presentation.  I will be making "art quilt" pieces but the "quilt" part will be 24" X 24" and mounted on 24"square canvases.  I did a couple of these earlier and I really like the results.  Today I'm going to start on my first in the Pecans series.  Hopefully I'll have a photo to post later today.

Now.....OFF TO PLAY in my studio!

I hope you guys are all as ready as I am to get this new year underway.  I'm so looking forward to seeing your art work!!

New Year's Eve

As I am spending time in my studio this New Year's Eve, I thought I would take a short break and stop by to wish you all HAPPY  NEW  YEAR!!!

Don't know about you but I'm so excited to begin all the projects I have planned for this year.  Oh and guess what!!  The people who bought my parent's place in TX sent me real pecans from my dad's HUGE pecan tree! I do know one project that I will be using them for and will probably eat a good portion of them!

Looking forward to tomorrow morning with just my husband and myself.  Our tradition is to watch the Rose Parade on HGTV, eat Cinnabons, drink mimosas and just chill for the morning.  It will be quiet.  My favorite way to start a new year.

No resolutions as yet. Not planning on any really......

I pray all of us have a wonderful, creative, productive and profitable 2013!!!!!

Another Piece of the Plan Arrives

As you know...I've been gathering bits and pieces, dyeing fabric, and generally getting things in order for Pecans - my series for 2013.  Just had a great addition, a nice FedEx package of REAL pecans from my dad's pecan tree in Texas. The people who now own the land were so gracious to send some to me. When we were there for my dad's funeral, I had asked to take some twigs from the tree with the plan for stencils and thermofax screens. They asked about what I was doing and I described the concept to them. So when I called and asked if the pecans were still on the ground and could I have a few, they were more than delighted to send them.  They even sent enough for me to have some to eat!!  I'll be using them for the series after the first of the year so check in then to see how I am incorporating them.......

Pecans - the series

For the challenge this year, I decided to do a series on Pecans.  This fall my dad died. He was a wonderful man and a great loving dad. And one of his passions was pecans.  They had a HUGE very old pecan tree in front of their house and he even planted a pecan orchard.  He subscribed to magazines for pecan growers.  Oh and he enjoyed eating them as well!!  (something we had in common!!) So, I decided to do this series in honor of my dad.

So far the series will depict the  different stages of the pecan.  1) sapling, 2) a grown tree, 3) mature pecans on the tree limb, 4) pecans on the ground at the base of the tree - ready to harvest 5) a barren tree after all the pecans and leaves are gone 6) pecans harvested and halved, etc and 7) the piece honoring my dad - it will have his photo in B/W transferred to silk organza, pecans, perhaps other photos, and my mom's pecan pie recipe.

Well....I have done a bit on this series already.  Ordered screen prints, cut out templates, etc.  But dyeing the fabrics felt like the project is actually underway.  After a couple of days of dyeing....here are the basic fabrics I will be using in all of the pieces in this series (6 or 7 planned)

They are all dyed in a 6 step gradation.  Here is one of the brown all set up to batch.

And here are the completed dyed fabrics --

Browns (yes I know some of them don't look brown but they are named "brown" something) -  From left to right...Tobacco, Cocoa, Golden Brown and Dark Chocolate Brown

Greens - Left to Right...Emerald, Dark Green and Forest Green

And Blues - Left to Right... Well actually they are so close it is difficult to tell the difference even in person! But I used Cerulean and Intense Blue.  I took these down a couple of gradations because I wanted some light blue sky with "clouds".  I'm very happy with the results.

Ordinarily this would be the end of dyeing...however after just completing the snow dyeing for another challenge...I HAVE to do some pieces for this series!! Hopefully I'll get to that tomorrow if not starting some today.