New Project in Progress

Black Birds in Tree Stencil and craft paints on baltic birch panel board... more later after I add more layers.

On My Sewing Table

Thinking, contemplating my next move, lots of ideas rambling through my head seemingly too many some times, but then it occurred to me that I can marry several "themes" I've previously worked on for a greater continuity.

More to come later.

Oooh Stencils

 

Yesterday something absolutely wonderful arrived in the mail for my approval, my sample stencil from one of my own designs "Birds in Tree"!  I've been playing with it ever since it arrived, and of course the inevitable wait time for layers of gesso to dry had to be endured, but over all I'm having a blast this afternoon!

 

More layer as these two layers should be dry and ready for the next several processes, which includes some ink/pen techniques and then more layering.  I see some numbers and text in this piece as well. 

 

Tomorrow I will have some fabric samples to show and tell. 

To Couch or Not to Couch

Indigo and tannin dyed sisal, am contemplating couching some to the surface of Bjorkboda.

Definately not as one mass but more like bits and pieces, more like the stand of cottonwoods at the marsh bent, broken, and leaning.

And maybe a little knotted, like the vines that creep over the cottonwood trunks.

WIP's and Bjorkboda

I'm starting to like it more and more without the silk overlay.

I'm thinking of leaving the silk piece off now and using it on another piece of indigo dyed fabric.

Of course this piece of indigo dyed fabric also looks lovely with this silk piece.

So now I need to make a decision, and of course that decision might involve dyeing more cotton fabric with indigo!

Bjorkboda Marsh

Went out to the marsh this afternoon for a much needed infusion of inspiration!!!

Now to spend some time in the studio this evening working with a fresh mind!

High Winds versus the Pear Tree

And the pear tree lost, the Keifer doesn't seem to have sustained any damage though, the truck just a few scratches.

More Trees

WIP's more Ghost Trees

Tree Inspiration

Solo Show Installed

For some reason I forgot to take a photo of the entire display, will try to remember to do so when I take the show down the end of January 2012.  Over all I'm very happy with the way the pieces look, I have to give credit to Diane Hall for hanging the pieces, I would have hung them in a straigh line and well that's boring!

Rivers and Trees

Getting ready for my upcoming solo show at the Grimes Farm Conservation Center, Marshalltown, IA.  I will be showing my Ghost Trees Series and my Blood River Canyon Series.

River Birch Stand

Stand of river birch that have died long ago, the basis for a new painting that is O'Keefe inspired.

Cottonwoods at the Marsh

My lense fogged up when I turned it on, apparently it didn't like the sudden temperature change.

Ghost Trees

I started these several years ago, finally stitched them up tonight.

Pulled Pork and Tree Trimming

Today's garden update: tied up 2/3's of the tomatoes before I got so hot I had to quit. I have baby roma's they are the size of golf balls.

We trimmed our trees out front tonight, lots of dead branches, esp. on the redbud and on the red oak tree. I knew the redbud was dyeing, I'd give it two more years tops before we have to take it down, but I was horrified to discover our 10 year old red oak, which is now a magnificent 30 feet in height, has heart rot!!! I'll call the arborist on Monday but there's not a whole lot they can do for the tree I love this tree I get wonderful shade on my house in the summer, esp. my studio, so it's not so hot and I don't have to run the air so often.

Dinner for tomorrow is in the crock pot roasting away it's a boston butt roast, I'll season it before I go to bed tonight and we will have pulled pork tomorrow.

Bird Nest

John and I picked pears yesterday, I was able to find a tree via freecycle that needed picking. I found this beauty on a lower branch as I reached down to pick a cluster of fruit.

Today's Harvest

Six gallons of sour cherries, hopefully I'll be able to get permission to pick the other two cherry trees tomorrow or by Monday.

Sour Cherries

Will post pics tomorrow, we picked about 4 gallons of sour cherries tonight. My friend, Becky, invited us down to pick the cherries at her place! tomorrow I will can them, it's a lot of work right now but will be well appreciated come January.

Flood Pictures

Dh was driving over the bridge, that's the river almost to the top of the bridge!

Woodland

I created this piece sometime around 1996 or 1997 I'm not sure when now, it's been a good ten years I can definately say that!!!