coffee shop journal

I'm teaching "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" March 19 in Encinitas, California at the California Center for Creative Renewal. We could draw our breakfast, as our hostess puts out a fine spread. But the garden is really stunning!

On Location: Coffee shop

I'm setting a good example for my students in my online class, Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style ON LOCATION. We're in week two, and the location this week is a coffee shop. One of my students chose to draw a cute dog biscuit rather than order something with too many calories. Clearly, not my MO. (method of operation.) And yes, husb is by my side, also fulfilling one of my New Year's words.

dreaming of Venice

"Dreaming of Venice 1" completed. (machine needlefelted and hand-stitched. Tutorial on this process is here)

this and that

I told you about a profile of yours truly on the wonderful blog and resource ArtPlantae Today. Readers sent in some thought provoking questions and I've answered them here.

Another element for my Nostalgia series. The bird is one from my watercolor journal, transfered to the linen.

see page 36-39

My "Basillica San Marco" art quilt and article is in this issue (feb/march 2011) of Quilting Arts magazine. Wish you could see the quilt in person.

detail from "Basillica San Marco"

On location

One of my tiny sketchbooks and part of the Sketchbook Challenge. I visited Oceanside Museum of Art yesterday, to see Quilt Visions 2010: No Boundaries and an Imogen Cunningham Botanical exhibiton. My purse-size sketchbook, watersoluble pen, and waterbrush were perfect for some quick sketches.


Here's the page from this on location. Not to thrilled with the way it turned out, but I sure enjoyed the afternoon spent painting it.


And another, from the nearby winery.

Still dreaming of Venice

I'm still thinking of Venice and inspired by the beautiful wreck it is aspects. (ha, my first musically accompanied blog post!) This is a machine needlefeltd piece that I'm going to hand sew on. (You can see my tutorial here) It started with one of Suzanne's everything kits and some bits from my stash. I'm preparing it all for a segment on Quilting Arts TV that I'm filming next month.(gulp)

Beautiful Utah in July? here's the scoop on the art retreat I'm teaching.
Just found out I'm teaching at CREATE in Costa Mesa, CA in May.
Oh yea, and let's not forget Italy in 2012.

Etsy shop and Art Unraveled in Phoenix

"Pomegranate Past" just added to my JaneVille Etsy shop.


"Almost Ripe" just added to my JaneVille Etsy shop.

I'm thrilled to be teaching at Art Unraveled in Phoenix, Arizona again this year! I'll be teaching "Big Book" on Wednesday, August 3, "Monoprinting on cloth and paper" on Thursday, August 4, and "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style Pinecones & Pods" on Friday, August 5. Registration is now!

One more thing. Yesterday, in Mundo Lindo (the afterschool art program I created and teach) was a full circle moment. Check out this post.

Monotype Mania!

I love gelatin monotypes and my friends requested a day of it. Here they are, in Andy's studio. L to R: Susie Clark (in the back) Andy Hein, Helen Shafer Garcia, Pamela Underwood and Jill Hall

We spent most of the day making monoprints, having lunch, talking and laughing.

It was a gorgeous warm day, so we put some of our prints outside to dry.

These are some of mine.

   
When I got home, I selected one of my prints on fabric to begin sewing on. The pic on the right is from the back, some free motion machine stitching.

Here's the work in progress~ adding some hand stitching. Okay, a lot of hand stitching.

I'll be teaching a day of this, gelatin monoprinting, at the Long Beach Quilt Festival on July 29th.

Remember my fabric vase tutorial? Suzanne Stewart followed it and made a beautiful vase to go with her table runner. Check out her work here.  

Make your own piece of felt

  
 
I made this piece of felt and then sewed a journal cover from it. There are tons of things you can make with your own piece of handmade original felt. Wall hanging, journal cover, pillow top, box...


This is a piece of felt that I cut up, embroidered and reassembled.





Here's a detail view of my Zen Eucalyptus, curently hanging in Quilt Visions 2010: No Boundaries at the Oceanside Museum of Art. Created from hand made felt, cut up, embroidered, reassembled.


The process involves rolling and agitating the fibers for about 45-60 minutes

And I can teach you how to do this! (you knew there was point to this post, didn't you?) I'm teaching wet felting in San Diego Feb 5 & 6 (email Beth), in Newbury Park (Ventura-ish) May 7 & 8 (email Eileen) and in Idyllwild July 1 & 2. Hope to see you at one of these workshops.

Paper & Cloth

I'm an artist who works in paper and cloth and I love it when the two come together. More for my Nostalgia Series.

I'm preparing for my upcoming classes, workshops, and QA TV and DVD filming.