It's hip to be SQUARE ~ CRAFT NAPA

Garden Patch ~ in progress~ by Jane LaFazio

As Huey Lewis sang, "It's hip to be square!"

Garden Patch ~ in progress~ by Jane LaFazio

I like to work in a grid or squares format. I do it a lot. It's not that I'm rigid in my fiber art, far from it! I come to textiles as a mixed media artist, so anything goes! 

Garden Patch ~ in progress~ by Jane LaFazio

Working in a grid, helps me work spontaneously and intuitively, and then be able to compose it into a finished cohesive composition. A grid gives me a guide to work within.

Garden Patch ~ in progress~ by Jane LaFazio

All the pieces above will become something like the Garden Patch art quilt below.

Garden Patch Botanical ~ (14 x 13.5 inches)  by Jane LaFazio

But the squares below, are a Text on Textiles piece, and created in a totally and completely different manner. Yet, they are squares!

Text on Textiles ~ in progress ~ by Jane LaFazio

Text on Textiles ~ in progress ~ by Jane LaFazio

Text on Textiles ~ in progress ~ by Jane LaFazio

Text on Textiles ~ in progress ~ by Jane LaFazio

And these squares will become something like this, Text on Textiles ~ Childhood Summer:

Text on Textiles ~ Childhood Summer (12x12 inches) by Jane LaFazio

I'll be teaching both these classes, and their different ways of working in a square, at CRAFT NAPA, in Napa, California January 7-9, 2016

Friday, January 8th, GARDEN PATCH: Learn an easy, original way to create an art quilt. We’ll collage both paper and cloth to a surface and cut it up to create an original themed quilt. You’ll learn about color schemes, composition, and hand stitching. This is a great technique to create a quilt from a trip or memory, using fabric and paper bits that you already have.

At the end of the day, you’ll have your hand embellished, composed quilt. You can stitch it together by hand, in class, by machine at home. You’ll use this technique again and again, with totally different results each time.  REGISTER HERE

Saturday, January 9th, TEXT ON TEXTILES: We will combine writing, personal mementos, and textile arts to create a small art quilt full of personal meaning. This class will be meditative in many ways. We’ll be doing some journaling on fabric (I’ll give you writing prompts & the pen) then we’ll tear and cut the fabric, combine it with other small bits of fabric, paper and ephemera to create a small hand stitched story quilt. You’ll learn some hand embroidery stitches, ways to assemble diverse materials (paper, cloth, rocks etc) and create an interesting composition. Only you will know the power of your little, one-of-a-kind hand-stitched quilt. REGISTER HERE

and here is a video of yours truly, talking about my workshops at CRAFT NAPA

CRAFT NAPA: Kickstart your creative new year by joining world-renowned artists in enchanting Napa Valley! During this three-day retreat, you will have the opportunity to master your skills in collage, quilting, sketching, printmaking, painting, art journaling, and mixed media, all the while enjoying outstanding cuisine and wine, too.

Please leave your comment by Dec 10th and answer this question: What are your creative goals for 2016?

The winner is Janet Avery. Congrats Janet!

CRAFT NAPA is sponsored by:

Turquoise Kisses

Turquoise Kisses (12x12 inches) by Jane LaFazio

detail Turquoise Kisses   by Jane LaFazio

detail Turquoise Kisses   by Jane LaFazio

detail Turquoise Kisses   by Jane LaFazio

And its sister piece. Both are available in my JaneVille Etsy Shop.

"Primary Message" (14x13 inches) by Jane LaFazio

I created both these pieces by wet felting wool roving. One of the things I love about making my own felt, that it's totally original cloth! And that it is really yummy to stitch on.

When I posted about my Hand Stitching, recently about Floss Away for storing my thread, Mary asked to see it in action. Here's mine, stuffed to capacity with thread!

My embroidery thread collection ~Jane LaFazio

Organized by color

You can take the bags off the ring when you need to ~Jane LaFazio

My embroidery thread collection ~Jane LaFazio

And if you'd rather make your own wool felt, here's my instructional DVD:

Wet Felting Essentials ~ Jane LaFazio

Houston Quilt Festival Recap

from my sketchbook ~ by Jane LaFazio

Demoing on the Quilt Festival convention floor

I taught at the Houston International Quilt Festival earlier this month. I was amazed to find out I hadn't taught there in 5 years! (I've been traveling to Mexico this time of year, for the last few years.)

The Festival is fun and HUGE. I taught three classes and then looked at the beautiful quilts on display, along with the 60,000 other people in attendance.

I taught a stamp carving workshop ~ art by Jane LaFazio

Student work ~ from my Text on Textiles workshop

teaching Free Spirited Free Motion 

a glimpse of my work in progress ~ art by Jane LaFazio

And I had a photo shoot for some new head shots! 

Table runner ~ Tutorial with Stencils

table runner ~ by Jane LaFazio

table runner ~ by Jane LaFazio

I made this table runner by stenciling onto white cotton, using acrylic inks. It's perf for our holiday table!

table runner ~ by Jane LaFazio

table runner ~ by Jane LaFazio

Here's a tiny tutorial on how I made this table runner.

detail of table runner ~ by Jane LaFazio

I used these three stencils, designed by me, for StencilGirl Products and available in my JaneVille Etsy Shop. 

Eucalyptus Stencil ~ designed by Jane LaFazio

Pods Stencil ~ designed by Jane LaFazio

Sweet Gum Ball Stencil ~ designed by Jane LaFazio

974 likes and so much support!

I posted this on facebook earlier this month. A little over a year and a half of buying my new car, I paid it off completely. I celebrate this because I bought the car from my income as a professional artist. (In fact, when I bought it, and drove it home, my husband asked me if I needed him to co-sign. Umm, no, Honey.)

On this facebook post, I got sooo many comments of support! It really made me happy that others appreciate what an accomplishment this was. I didn't set out to do it (be an artist=buy a car, etc) but that my income comes from what I love is a real gift.

I've been a full time artist since 1998, and if you've heard or read my story, you know we made lots of economic adjustments, downsized our house, etc, to make it work. And remarkably, it has worked. Or rather, I have worked! And I love my life as an artist and art teacher. So...to think that I can support myself and my husband, on my salary as a artist is amazing. (Full disclosure, Husb had disability and now retirement income, but the majority is my responsibility.)

We've come farther than I'd ever imagined. (You can read my story here, if you want the details, scroll down to the 'my life story' part.)

Thanks to you, for supporting me.

Join me for sketching and watercolor in England in 2016!

I hope you'll join me, Jane LaFazio, for sketching and watercolor classes in the English Countryside August 3-9, 2016. (Yes, I'll be teaching you to draw and paint if you are a beginner, or I will inspire you if you are more experienced.) You'll learn to capture what you see and do and eat in your travel sketchbook. 

No more coming home from a trip with an empty travel journal!

We'll spend 6 nights in a wonderful hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, right on the canal. The first night we'll know each other at our welcome dinner.
As the week progresses, we'll explore (with our sketchbooks in hand) Stratford, the world famous home of Shakespeare. Stratford is nestled in the beautiful Cotswolds; a legendary inspirational setting for our daily art classes and adventures. 

There will be an orientation walk in Stratford, also a one day pass for the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, to orient you in your exploration of the cobblestone alleys, shops, pubs, restaurants, and all things Shakespeare.

A daily program of sketching and watercolor classes will be held in beautiful, on-site locations like Britain's greatest palace and world heritage side, Blenheim Palace. Winston Churchill was born there and now the 12th Duke of Marlborough lives there and will no doubt greet us with open arms. (Well, that is if we happen to see him...) On the way to see the duke, we'll stop at a charming village known as the Venice of the Cotswolds. 

We'll also experience a real English tea at Hobsons Patisseries, a boat trip along the canal, and a visit to the town of Woodstock. We can even see a play at THE Royal Shakespeare Theatre, if we choose.

We'll go on a special "Ghost Walk." Led by actors, we'll visit Shakespeare's haunted streets in Stratford complete with tales of ghosts and witches, murder and mystery. We'll probably be too scared to draw in our sketchbooks on that evening!

Dedicated walkers are welcome to join our fabulous tour organizer, Carlo, for optional morning guided walks as she follows the rivers, canals, and meadows. There will be plenty of time on your return for our full daily breakfasts and the day's activities.

On our last evening in Stratford, we'll enjoy a farewell dinner together, and share our sketchbooks and celebrate our new-found friendships.

August 3-9, 2016

Stratford-upon-Avon $3250 pp double

Single supplement: $399  

Program subject to change and to a minimum number of participants

Limited to just 14 people.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ENGLAND 2016

But wait, there's more!

An optional three night pre-tour in London! 

Arrive early and join us
July 31 to Aug 3, 2016 for three nights at our London hotel, daily breakfast, London sightseeing tour, and private group transportation from our London hotel to our Stratford-upon-Avon hotel.   
London: $950 pp double, single supplement $350

After Stratford: The Festival of Quilts, in Birmingham, England takes place August 11-14th. Birmingham is about 1 hour away by train. I'll be going to the festival, but it won't be part of our escorted tour.

 CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ENGLAND 2016

from my sketchbook

photo by Jane LaFazio

I'm home for a while and working in my sketchbook on a secret project. And having fun! 

photo by Jane LaFazio

photo by Jane LaFazio

photo by Jane LaFazio

photo by Jane LaFazio

photo by Jane LaFazio

Follow me on instagram