My name is Joke, I am 54 years old and I live in the Netherlands. I’ve been asked to join this group by Wil. I don’t like rules and I cannot work with imposed themes. So when Wil asked me for this group, which is almost without any rules and where I may think of my own theme, I thought: “That’ll be nice!” 

My English isn’t very good, so I’ll often use Google Translation. I hope you’ll forgive my poor sentences.

I work mainly with textile and paper and in addition with anything that comes my way. I often recycle materials. 

My work is very varied: booklets, wall hangers, art dolls, I do it all, as you can see on my blog waterleliedesign.blogspot.nl

intro

Okay, here is a short intro about me. I have been working with fibers for many, many years. Started out with knitting, crochet, spinning, making garments and so on. But the fiber bug definately attacked around 15 years ago when I discovered quilting. Traditional quilting  is not my favorite - never made a sampler - but I like to incorporate traditional blocks in my work. Most of the fabrics I use are my own hand dyed ones. I love to dye and use all kind of surface design techniques to it to give the fabric a bit more.
I have lots of ideas so I am never short of excuses to start a new quilt, but I love to have challenges to work with. That is one of the reasons that I am a member of several online challenge groups. Practically all these groups work with a set size and with quarterly/monthly themes. When I was brainstorming with Kelly we decided to set up this group a bit differently.

Hi! I'm Kelly

Great idea, Joss, the intro bit.  So, here goes.  (more will be posted in my bio shortly)

While I've enjoyed art all my life, after being rather rudely shot down by a teacher when I was in school, I quit even trying to "make" art.  So I came to this place at a later time in my life and I have found a "home".  I got started with textiles and that still makes up the major part of my work but I'm also a "junk junkie" and have little cubby boxes full of bits and things, found and rusted, etc.  These do find there way into my work more and more these days so things are tending to head in more of a mixed media direction lately..

I also love to try new and different things.  My motto:  "I wonder what would happen if....".  I'm a risk-taker by nature and that is very much a benefit with mixed media work. This is one of my most recent pieces. The title WAS Junk Junkie but since it is now being considered for an exhibit, I changed the name to Rust and Found.  I wove the rusted wire to hang the rusted bits on.  And the fabric is rusted and hand-dyed.

Now onto the upcoming year 2013.  I'm using this time as a means to complete a project started a couple of years ago that has been languishing for lack of motivation.  A few years ago I received permission from the original artist to use her work reinterpreted into my art style.  In downtown Minneapolis, we have 11 gorgeous manhole covers which she designed.  You can see all eleven of them at this link to her website:  http://katekburke.com/section/143737_Manhole_Covers.html

I am cutting the manhole covers into lino and then will be printing them onto fabric and working them then into textile on canvas wall hangings. I do have the fabric dyed and a couple covers cut in lino....and there is has ended so far. But now I'm accountable!!!  And excited to get it back in the works again.

So...that's me and my plan.  I'm looking forward to hearing from others!