Happy New Year!

 It has been a very busy year and I have neglected my blog since September! So sorry ! My New Year's intention will be to keep up my blog. It really started with a new computer. I am still trying to navigate around my picture files. And then I got very busy teaching classes, entering shows and so on. I do a lot of volunteering which takes some time. I am the editor of my embroidery group's newsletter, membership coordinator for my fine arts group and I will be a communication person for another fibre group. I did give up some groups but I still have little time for house cleaning! :>)
Above and below is a highlight for me for 2011. My little house was published in Cloth Paper Scissors! There it is with the little green roof and orange door. This kind of collage and embroidery is really my style!

 Here I am at a Mixed media workshop I helped run for the Fine Arts Society of Milton.

 This my collage piece that is being critiqued by my instructor, Jill Segal.

I also taught an adult class at the new art centre in October called Art Quilt.

Below are three of my students, Sharon, Shelia and Annie.

 Mary was the also in my class and I enjoyed introducing her to fibre art.

 My other class was at the Canadian Embroiderers' Guild Guelph. I was teaching The Book of Stitches from the Jan Messent book on Celtic, Viking and Anglo Saxon Embroidery. This is 92 year old Dorothy who put the rest of us to shame with her creativity and work ethic. Her book of stitches was completed at the end of six weeks. Ellen, a retired teacher enjoyed the class as well.

 Barbara Lee, below, created a very beautiful accordion book!

I taught a children's art class at the Milton Centre for the Arts for 10 weeks. ( once a week ) We had a delightful art show of all student's art work at the Holcim Gallery in December.

Whew, it was a chaotic season! Did I mention I taught at my friend's Open Studio, did Studio Tour with the best sales ever and fitted in a few supply teaching days? I did make a bit of art in the evenings watching television to sell at the AM Gallery. I continued to do the Sketchbook challenge each month, even if it was only one sketch or collage.

Its two hours into the New Year and I will not be making New Year's Resolutions. I will work at addressing my intentions for 2012 which will include my passion for all things fibre and stitch and mixed media.





Visual Arts Camp at Milton Centre for the Arts

 At the new Milton Centre for the Arts

August 8th to the 12th.

I was the instructor for the week with 20 -  6 to 12 year olds.

What fun! ( exhausting too!)

 The wet area for painting and sculpture.

 The drawing area with a great view!

 Me

                                           Day One: Learning about Mona Lisa and DaVinci

                                                           Mixed media Collage and painting

                                                         Day Two: Vincent Van Gogh and Sunflowers

                                                                Day Three: Picasso Dogs

Another Picasso Dog! Children are so free in their art!

                                                       A Handmade Sketchbook with a credit card painted cover.

                                                           A painted Doodle Dog!

                                               Four legged Sculptures based on Picasso's Goat.

                                                                      A lion sculpture

                                                          The preparation room for instructors.

                                              Day Four: Barbara Reid and Plasticine art.

A horse of course!

Day Five!  Grafitti Art and Keith Haring 

Acrylic on Canvas

More Grafitti Art

Zentangles

More Zentangles

And our thoughts of making art all day long!



Home Sweet Home Challenge

 This is my entry to the Cloth Paper Scissors challenge, Home Sweet Home.

I used fabric collage and hand embroidery for all the details.

 This close up shows the paper doors and windows. I embroidered around each shape to make it look sketchy.

My favourite side with wisteria fgrowing on the walls.

La Maison de Fleur.

 I sent it off to the Cloth Paper Scissors offices after I made the finalist list.

  I hope it will be featured in their magazine.

This was a fun little project for sure! Opps a little fluff on the left side.

July Sketchbook Pages

                                                              A Seed Becomes a Flower

doodles collaged, gesso, paint, black marker

A tribute to my aunt in my Little Bird series

Inktense pencils, marker

Collograph printmaking samples

Made at Sandra's Open Studio

Cover of my mixed media book

Little Bird Speaks

More to come!



Fun at Open Studio

Front of my folder book made at Sandra's Open Studio.

First two pages with the the bottom pockets to hold papers.

The back of the folder in progress. The flower is a bit of ephemera I received from Suzanne's stash.

Another day we made faux encaustic art! My favourite piece!

Also another day we made decorated paper ATCs!

The vase below is my favourite, I am not giving this one away it will go in my visual art journal/sketchbook. I like to make small samples for my sketchbook as a record of what I've done. Now don't you agree that Sandra's Open Studio is very inspiring!

I am teaching a fibre class there this week! I am a lucky girl!

http://creatingartnow.blogspot.com

Teaching at Mixed Minded

Mixed MindedWorkshops

www.mixedminded.com 

This is Mary Jo from Simcoe, at my workshop on May 28th at the Mixed Minded Conference in Kitchener's Holiday Inn. It was sponsored by the The Art House Studio and Karen Ellis. It was a fabulous weekend! I met great new people and had a wonderful time.

Here is one of the finished projects.

Karen is thrilled with her efforts. She belongs to a fibre art group in Cambridge.

 

I heard Judy from Selkirk really enjoyed her weekend. She also took workshops with my friend Sandra, of Open Studio.

 I did a mini trunk show to start, to show the students my background in fibre art. Then we got down to work learning the quilter's knot and other stitches. Michelle was persistent and finally learned the french knot. She and her mother were taking my class. Later in the afternoon, I took Nancy Donaldson's encaustic 101. I had a fabulous time working in a brand new medium! I wish I could have taken her wire and bead pendant class too. If you live in the area please visit The Art House Studio, Karen has some fabulous products, some I only have seen on the internet. I am hoping next year I will be asked back to teach at the super Mixed Minded!

Ontario Network of Needlewworkers AGM

May 12th, 2011, I traveled to London, Ontario for the Ontario Network of Needleworkers Annual General meeting. Above is the Oakville Stitchery Guild's Display of needlework. My friend, Margaret is working at the booth. I had needle work at three displays! Yes I am an overachiever!

Here, Mavis from the Canadian Embroiderers' Guild Guelph is looking after our artwork! A lovely display of detailed needlework.

My Jeweled City piece is right next to work by Erin and Doeteke. Margaret's mask is just beautiful.

A close up of our fish display for the OSG. Tracey found the netting on the playground. Another Go Green initiative.

My third display is the fibre art Group of Eight. We all participated in the cigar box challenge, each art work is truly unique! It was a lovely display for a new group to the O.N.N.

This is the Group of Eight Display. My Funky Form Vase is next to Linda's exquisite fibre egg. The photo below shows Jan's awesome encaustic art, my watercolour box and Heather's beautiful mask.

We had a very exciting day going to the business meeting, listening to the guest speaker, admiring all the guild's displays and meeting a lot of new needle workers! We even toured the University of Western for Jayne to revisit her memories.