Santa Fe Adventure Begins



Collage of images from Santa Fe

 So after re-modeling my studio this summer (bigger and more interesting space to do my art projects and to teach workshops) an opportunity came to move to Santa Fe and to work full time at a job I love.  It is a 2 year commitment, an adventure, placing my dear house in good hands, I'm preparing to move to the oldest city in North America.  Exciting, scary, exhilarating all at the same time.  Know that feeling?  But first sorting through the stuff of life, what to take, what to store, what to give away.  Wondering if I will ever live in this dear house and wonderful town again.

Three Swans Felted Tapestry



Three Swans Felted Tapestry



Three Swans, are they past, present and future?  They swim along a channel of Willow Lake, in my imagination, near them is a tree filled with nesting cormorants and deeper into the channel are a group of cottonwood trees filled with nesting great blue heron.  It is a place of incredible activity that generates alive peace.  

Isis felted tapestry and more

There are two images here. One a felted tapestry of Isis.  The other image is the tapestry taken through the wizardry of photoshop; I developed the image in camera raw then used a levels adjustment, underpainting, finding edges, glowing edges and some blending modes. 

The felted tapestry was inspired by an image on Dennis Klocek's web site when he was offering a workshop on Isis.  I was drawn to the image and made a copy of it as a felted tapestry. The image helped lead me to finding a way to be able to enroll and participate in a class Dennis offers at Rudolf Steiner College called 'Consciousness Studies'.  The class is held every autumn for about 14 weeks.  The class and group effort planted many seeds for change and personal integration.  

For me in this image, Isis is transforming from a being of the earth and water,  alchemically gathering facts and noting changes, then as her wings expand and are filled with golden light, she readies for flight in the air and through fire.  It is an alchemical image of transformation, of working through all that reverses and then is able to go through the eye of the needle.  Dennis is a fine teacher of new Alchemy working with the principles of Biodynamic farming, Goethean observation, and the Rosicrucian path all referencing the work of Rudolf Steiner.  A link to Dennis's site is: http://dennisklocek.com/home 



Original Felted Tapestry of Isis




Felted Tapestry modified with Photoshop filters



I love receiving comments

C -   champions cycles of creative craft
  O -   onlookers open their optical observations
     M -    measures the magic of mercurial moments
        M -     moves melodious mythic memory
      E -      energizes emerging eddys
     N -   nourishes nuances now
  T -   treks and trails of trembling treasure
S -   spirals serendipity's stellar song

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo hand felted tapestry

I've just finished a felted tapestry of Frida Kahlo.  This effort took some time, I had worked on it months ago and then needed to put it down for awhile.  Now her portrait has reached a level of completion. She has become an iconic figure,  there are moments when I strongly relate to her story, her artistic journey, her challenges.

Summer Classes

I'm teaching a few classes this summer of 2011.
For Adults
Felter's workshop: Fish or Fowl - we'll make several felted birds and fish, could be made into a mobile. Saturday July 16
Felter's workshop: Felted Purses - we'll make a felted purse using a resist, we'll also inlay pieces of silk fabric.  July 23
Felter's workshop: Nuno Felted Scarf - introductory class on nuno felting Saturday August 6

For Children:
July 18-22, 9 till noon
Frogs, Fish, Butterflies, Snails, Turtles and Lizards.  We'll hear stories, learn poems, and sing songs of the animals of summer.  Then we will paint, draw, felt, stamp and collage these creatures.  Last day up at a mountain park to join parents for a picnic lunch and display our artwork.

July 25-29, 9 till noon
A Summer Puppet Show. During this class we will create puppets and scenery, practice the script and songs for a summer puppet play.  On the last day of the class we will put the play on for parents and friends.  This class includes dramatic performance, painting, singing, sewing and felting to make the puppets.

Send me a message if you would like more information

Nuno Scarf Close Up - Student Work

Nuno scarf close-up

we used silk gauze, merino wool and silk fiber that gives a shiny luster

I'll be teaching another introductory nuno class on August 6, 2011.  It is being offered through the Mountain Spinners and Weavers Guild.  Here are a couple of photos of closeups of Sandy's scarf that she made during the last class.  Please contact me if you would like to come.