Cairo is hopping around my counter looking for ammo to spill. He is investigating the coffee pot and cream container, and I have to continually judge his capabilities while typing. If I underestimate the amount of weight he can toss with that agitated beak, I have a mess to clean up. Otherwise, it is kind of funny. Have to call Angell today for an appointment for Hapi. Maybe they have a birdie hypnotist on staff that can resolve Cai’s fetish for tall containers of liquid and spray bottles.
There really is so much fantastic art in the world, isn’t there? Glad I can start setting up the structure for kids to learn all about it this week. New bulletin boards, new projects, new spaces and organization. Love September! Hi Ho, Hi HO...iI is off to Staples I go. I need reward stickers.
Am still seriously thinking about a small African Grey tattoo on my ankle, A simple line with a red tail. Hmmmm. Summer’s not over yet.
I am starting to imagine how I will quilt and embellish the large prints I made at Mass Art. Am thinking of working in relief with some of them -- cutting out a main pot figure, quilting and beading it, making a separate background from another print, and attaching it, repeat. Physical layers as well as illusionary ones. I need to really play, here. Lots of thread and texture. Lots of beads and stitch. Personal archaeology. I love that even if I screw it up I can get more prints made via Spoonflower, so nothing is 100% precious, That is so important. I would also like to include some fabric collage elements, too - -maybe flowers? Other pots? Not sure yet, but I don’t want to lose that technique in the digital shuffle. Good things are coming, I can feel it. I have to be willing, though, to take creative chances and try something that is completely new to get there.
Yesterday Tim and I went to Todd Farm in Rowley to poke around at the junkfest and see if there were any treasures. As always, I found a few...a cute little cloth doll from Jamaica, an Italian handmade pitcher that features a macaw for the handle, and two small carpet purses made from Turkish rugs. The latter are really nice pieces...at $5 each, they were irresistible. I also found a sweet little souvenir textile from Peru that is just adorable. It is an example of classic dimensional applique, called “arpilleras,” and shows people farming melons and watching sheep. All hand done. Beautiful work, beautiful materials. Here’s a photo of a detail from it. Funny to find it as I am thinking about experimenting with relief and “building out” in my own textiles. Hmmm…always new food for thought showing up, isn’t there? Cheers!