Jenn Mason and me at CREATE

 I'm home. CREATE was a great mixed media retreat with soooo many exceptional teachers and open, sharing students. Unfortunately, I got food poisoning the second day I was there. I was able to teach all my classes, but it was difficult, as you can imagine. My students were wonderful. I'm still recovering. Luckily, I got this photo of Jenn Mason and I before I got sick---cuz it's the only one I got!

My friend is flying first class to CREATE...

 I'm off to CREATE and will return early next week with photos and stories to tell!
You can see my the photos from Montecito Sequoia Family Summer Camp here.

Montecito Sequoia 2010

 This is the my third year as 'artist of the week' at Montecito Sequoia Family Summer Camp. It's really a fabulous place! I taught 'sketching and watercolor: journal style' every morning for two classes, then husb and I  participated in any of the activities. This year, I tried archery for the first time. We canoed, hiked, attended cooking classes, danced, sang along. I also did some arts & crafts, including tie dye and painted boxes. All in the beautiful setting of Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park.
These are the 5x7" pages I did in my morning classes. Plein aire, of course!

online class! Sketching & Watercolor:Journal Style

 Dear readers, you've been so complimentary about my watercolor journal pages, and those of you who have taken my workshop Sketching & Watercolor:Journal Style have seemed to really enjoy the process. Well, I'm going to teach a 6 week version ONLINE! Yup. Sketching & Watercolor:Journal Style starts on October 14, through joggles.com and you can sign up now. It should be lots of fun! 

Casa hot chili peppers and fiesta ~ detail

I've been working on my free motion stitching. It doesn't happen overnight, and takes practice. I'm quite pleased with my latest effort! this is a detail of the quilt below. I've free-motioned chili peppers all over the background of the quilt! 

Casa hot chili peppers and fiesta

The incomparable citizen Jamie Fingal is coordinating another project. She asked a few artists to create and donate quilts for some new homes being built by Habitat for Humanity in Orange County. The new resident specified the mood and colors and then we create a 12x16" quilt for their new house. My residents wanted "hot chili peppers and a fiesta" feeling to their new home. This isn't quite finished. You can see details here and here.

BeBop

Husb and I leave tomorrow for wonderful Montecito Family Summer Camp in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park. This is my third year of artist-in residence and it's just a great experience!  BeBop and Buddy will be well cared for while we're gone by Mark, our most wonderful pet sitter.

Basilica di San Marco ~ detail

If you've been to the Basilica di San Marco in Venice, you know the interior is filled with gold mosaic tiles. It's certainly one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world, and that's saying something! I've changed the name of this work in progress to Basilica di San Marco since it depicts the horses, some of the architecture and now the golden tiles.


I'm proud to announce that I'll be part of the opening weekend events at Quilt Visions: No Boundaries 2010 at the Oceanside Museum of Art. (My quilt, Zen Eucalyptus was juried into the exhibition!) The opening reception is Saturday, October 23. On Sunday, October 24, at 2pm, Judith Content will moderate a panel discussion “Balancing Act: the Art of Being an Artist” featuring Deidre Adams, Gloria Hansen, Katie Pasquini Masopust and ME! 

stargazer

Did you know I'm teaching a two day "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" on December 2 & 3 in lovely San Diego, California? Check it out.

Shop JaneVille.

I added a few things to my JaneVille Etsy shop.

'Venice' in progress

Continuing working on this quilt inspired by my trip to Venice, in June. You can see how this piece started here. The size (now) is 22x22 inches.

Art Unraveled 2010

I had a small class for "Duet: Watercolor Flower & Hand carved stamps" at Art Unraveled so they put us in a small room. Here's our cozy little group. I've posted the work from this class, and my "Sketching and Watercolor: Journal Style" class here.

Art Unraveled (Phoenix)

Home from Art Unraveled! This is the third year I've taught there, and it's really a wonderful retreat with great people. So good to see so many returning students! This is me, at my booth on Saturday, at the Shopping Extravaganza. Look here to see photos of the fabulous artwork my students created in my "Recycled Circles" workshop. Keep in mind, these are pieces at the end of the 6 hour workshop and they will be adding and embellishment. GREAT work!!

Digitally printed quilt in progress.

 I've never done a digitally printed quilt. But Gloria Hansen, the queen of digital, has inspired me to give it a try. Using photoshop, and the feathered edges command (I've never used feathered edges before, it's pretty fun and easy!) I literally threw together this montage of images from another, larger quilt "Venice" that I'm working on. It's only 81/2 x 11" and I printed it on fabric prepared for inkjet printing. I'm going to back it with batting and machine and hand stitch it. I can't wait to get started! I'll keep you posted.

Medium Tall

I feel that I am medium tall. (I'm 5'9") By the looks of this photo of my good friend Melanie Testa and I at Art Unraveled, I look giant! Or she's more of a shorty than I remember. OR, my husband (6'3") took the photo... anyway, we were happy to see each other ~ though briefly. I know I'll see her again when we both teach at CREATE, in Chicago, later this month.

my purse

Treasure of the Heart ~ Tesoro del Corazon ~ workshop in San Miguel de Allende

I am excited!! I'll be one of three artists teaching a fabulous workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico April 13-20th. Tesoro del Corazon will take place during San Miguel's wonderful Night of the Altars, and Palm Sunday. Not to mention you'll get 4 days of wonderful workshops and make ALL the items in this photo! The website has all the info you need to sign up!

Buddy

I'm off to Art Unraveled, in Phoenix and will return next week. If you're near, sign up for one of my workshops, or come by the Shopping Extravaganza on Saturday, August 7. I'll have lots of my artwork for sale. I'll post on facebook while I'm away.

Indigo. work in progress (day two)

I love indigo and I love hand stitching. About 5 years ago, I first heard the word the Japanese art of sashiko, patching with white thread on blue cloth and I made this piece, that I attached to my levi jacket. I'm inspired again, after I bought a selection of indigo dyed fabrics and threads from Glennis Dolce at the Long Beach Quilt Festival.
Shown is day two of my current project with a detail here. I'm working intuitively, just placing the fabric as I go, layering and stitching. It's got a long way to go, and I'll keep you posted!

Indigo- work in progress (day one)

Here's the first day of my Indigo piece.

Long Beach Sunset

Here's the piece I was working on at the Long Beach Quilt Festival. Finished, I think... (Size is about 10x12")

Long Beach Sunset ~ detail

And a detail shot and more here and here.