At home, the whitework continues

Here's the current stage of my Schwalm stitching.  As you see, it's drawn threadwork, and I have to draw all the four hearts out, then I'll learn at our next embroiderers' guild meeting what to do next.

I like the lattice effect and I think I'll probably use some in an upcoming design on linen.  I love drawn threadwork.

AIR the tapestry is getting there!

Amazing to see that we're getting close to finished, at least the major part of finished.  Once all the main pieces are woven in and all the background complete, then I need to add a few items here and there.  And then after that the big job of weaving in all the hundreds of tails on the back of the work.

The big red figure is now emerging, the top part woven ahead, and now I'm working up to incorporate it into the whole work. 

Here's a detail of the work I accomplished today

And how the whole piece is starting to look. That red section on the right will extend right up to incorporate the red figure there. Some of the rough looking bits between sections will be underneath the final touches I'll be putting there, possibly beads or braid.

This was the last time in the gallery, and it was a fairly quiet afternoon, but there were several visitors who watched silently and signed the book and went away!   After this I'll be working on the third floor again, since there will be another exhibit in the gallery.
 
 

AIR Tapestry update

Yesterday I put in an extra session to get more done on the tapestry, very challenging point this, since it's getting done but the design gets harder as you go, because of all the previous decisions.

So this is where we are right now, and as you see, it's rapidly getting there. Click on the pictures to see better.

This is the completed work awaiting the two pieces you see below which are pinned temporarily to see what will be the happiest location for them.

And here's a detail, with various greys, including a wonderful sparkling one at the top.

As I was leaving, I went down to the first floor, looked over at the gallery, and to my great joy discovered one of my art icons, in the gallery studying my work.  A very private person, though well known as an artist, I won't intrude on her life with names and pix, but it was so great to get her comments and reactions and critique. 

She was one of my earliest teachers, and strongly suggested that I should exhibit, and the rest is history!   another artist, Carol H., had given her a ride over from the town where they live, on an impulse, and it happens that she was one of my drawing students years back.  

So it was like three generations of artists/teachers all there by chance at the same time. Given that our elder is in her late 90s and still exhibiting and encouraging other artists, this is a great model to bear in mind. As is the fact that she's very much at home with the computer and wanted the link to this blog to come in here and see what's up.

She also came up to the third floor wanting to see the tapestry, and sat before it offering all kinds of interesting thoughts.  She loves the idea that when the piece is finished and exhibited, it will have a list of credits of all the people who donated to it, in the form of fleece, or beautiful finished yarns and beads and general encouragement.

Jewelry returns!

Not for sale this time, though, since this already has a destination.  I really enjoyed making this one. I used fishing line for the warps, and gold fine thread for the weft, and a magnetic clasp, to make it easy to put on.

This was very close work, since the beads were mostly size 11, i.e. tiny, and the warp was invisible, so that was interesting.

Anyway, it will be on its way tomorrow, and I hope the receiver likes it. And I'm sure her wrist is not as gnarly as mine!

Looking ahead already

Now that I've agreed to teach a couple of kids workshops in the township summer art program, which I decided would be stick weaving, but using drinking straws, cheaper and easier for big groups, my inner achiever is at work.

 
Never mind that I won't be doing this till maybe July or August, I have ordered the yarn, measured the amount each youngster will need to complete a weaving, and made a little one myself as a prototype for the program director to see, since she's unfamiliar with this weaving.  See picture above.

Since the theme of the summer program has to do with Greek, or It's All Greek to Me, I decided that variegated yarn in the Greek colors of blue and white would be a good choice.

So it's on order already.  And I'll get a box of straws.  I need to do my own shopping for this, since only I know exactly what I need, though the program person would gladly shop for me.  But she will have volunteers at the ready nearer the time to measure out lengths of yarn so we can give out supplies rapidly.  

Anyway,this is where I am.  I used yarn I had at hand, not having blue and white, just to test the principle and remind myself of the practice, too.  Always a good thing for the teacher to know how to do the project.

AIR update on tapestry and leisure stitching

I put in another good afternoon at the tapestry, interested visitors, including a young home schooler and her tutor, who asked many questions -- I think I was a field trip--and left planning to warp up a picture frame and make a tapestry.  Great afternoon of showing visitors around the exhibit, too, since I was in the gallery.  This was a great idea, nice exposure and good questions.

Quite a few youngsters, too, but I was careful not to include them in pix, since I don't do that without parents present and giving their okay.  I did take one, a little girl peering up close at today's work, on her mother's sayso.

Ash, you can see the leftmost pink area and that beautiful soft grey area, on the right, from your gift.  Both working very well, and a real pleasure to handle. And I definitely have to figure out how many hours I've put into this work, since that's becoming the number one question.

 And then there's leisure stitching, learning Schwalm whitework, a German art form, taught by a fellow stitcher in the Guild, who studied it in Germany. Here's a detail, then the whole work.  It's very restful following someone else's lines!

Easter/Spring eggs decorated

I finished this year's batch, and here they are:  two stages, first the first coat of metallic acrylic, drying and ready for drawing, sponging,etc, with contrasting colors, last one the finished item.  One delivered already to happy recipient.

Update on Earthloom Tapestry

Great weather for weaving indoors, what with high winds and heavy rain, not patio weather.

So I incorporated some of the lovely new yarn from Ash into today's work, and did a good afternoon's art, including solving a few problems I'd been wondering about.  I'll be back at the loom on Friday, but in the gallery and open to the public, so today was a good chance to solve some design deals without needing to talk to anyone.

Note the bag of new yarn incorporated into the rest of the supplies.  You'd never know it had just arrived.

Barbados calls, with wonderful yarn for the tapestry

I was just on my way to packing for a trip to the library to work on the tapestry this afternoon, when the postie brings a little package.

Ash this is just lovely, and thank you so much.  I can see some of this yarn finding a home in the tapestry this very afternoon!  great choices of color, which will tone in poifectly, and sparkly yarn too which I can incorporate into the robes of the sisters.  

 
Your timing is impeccable, Ash, and thank you so much. And the tealight candle is now in the middle of my candle setup on the hearth, ready for Easter.  Too cool!

Opening went with a bang!

Very good afternoon indeed, even my horoscope was in tune with it, to wit:     

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

Your friends are all-important today, and they may surprise you with support and love and all the rest of the awesome package. Enjoy the day, as this kind of social well-being doesn't happen all the time.

And so it came to pass..

People from many decades of my life came and celebrated and enjoyed and met each other and enjoyed that too.  Students from decades ago, friends of theirs, artist friends from the 70s and the present day, the chaplain who helped me so much after Andy's death, neighbors, sick and well, stitcher friends, a lovely steady stream of people, including some really impressive artists and their friends

Seen here a series of pix of people newly introduced and hitting it off just fine.

And this, of dear friend K and our mutual friend G, I will treasure, for reasons readers of my Field and Fen blog will already have guessed.

Many people taking pictures of me and each other, and me with each other, and I remembered to give a couple of people my camera so you could see, too, since I'd got so engrossed in the convo I forgot to take pix.  I feel so important.  For the moment, at least.

After the excitement was over, I retired to the deck to drink a glass of wine and eat pomegranate chips (don't ask me, I was given them) and calm down with more Lucia and Miss Mapp.

Great day, and some interesting insights from a lot of the comments I heard and read in my guest book.

Weaving in the gallery

It was a hectic but great afternoon in the gallery with people coming and going, interested in the weaving and in the exhibit and I spent a good bit of time answering questions all over the area, didn't sit much after the first hour. But I did get some weaving done!

Most of the visitors were either artists or friends of same, great convo.  One interesting lady, who simply loves textile arts, engaged me in a great discussion with some really epic questions.  Turns out she was a computer programmer back in the day, and doesn't make art, just loves it, which I reminded her, is just as valuable in the scheme of things!

Most of the pix were taken by other people and I'm in them, so this group is a bit sparse.  Also one of the staff was up a ladder, determined to get the lighting brighter for my opening on Sunday, and since the bulbs just arrived, dashed up to the ceiling to replace a lot of them.  Looks a lot better.  Very exciting place this afternoon what with all these different activities.

You can see the charcoal version of Four Sisters there on the left behind the loom, as a keen visitor takes pictures for future reference and makes notes of the books I brought in.  She left with plans to teach herself tapestry weaving.

Next is the husband of a stitching friend who didn't want to be in the picture, obligingly posing!  and at the bottom is the current State of the Tapestry. 

As you see, it's getting exciting, as I've completed weaving in one of the small pieces, and I'm getting ready to incorporate another. It's really starting to come together now, and it will be on display in the gallery for the opening, so that will be fun.

Life is definitely good today.

Other stitching in the picture

I just completed a square of a large banner for our regional stitchers' guild, and though it's far from the most accomplished of the completed parts -- one square per person from members of all the chapters of the organization, until it gets filled-- it's my best.  

It's in its third year now, and still plenty to do! Really hard to work in the middle of such a large frame, since I have no holder upper for it, but anyway, it's now done, and I'll pass it on so other members of my chapter can work on it if they choose.  

Pix of the whole thing and of the tiny bit I did follow.

 

My square is on that right downward slope of the A!

Four Sisters Tapestry as of today

Since the tapestry was mentioned in the show catalog (to see the post giving you a virtual tour of the exhibit, go here)

I thought you'd like to see the current state of the tapestry. I worked on it in the gallery today, so that I was surrounded by my own work, and people took pix, stopped by, and one of my best friends in art and in life, actually, Stefi M., spent the afternoon visiting and giving me lunch and enjoying the progress of the weaving and asking seventy gazillion questions, great fun! 

 I also gave a guided tour to a visiting library director who happened to be there, and finding she's a stitcher, too, made a pitch to get her to join the embroiderers' guild (never miss a chance!).

Anyway, this is where the tapestry is now.  My bag of materials is getting lighter and lighter on the return trip home,as I transfer the yarns to the loom. 

And here are the shots of the whole show, part of which you see in the background here, and which covers three walls.

 

 

MEDIA RELATIONS an exhibit by Liz Adams at the Gallery at Plainsboro Public Library

           The Gallery at Plainsboro Public Library Presents

                              Liz Adams

                   Media relations
 
An exhibit of paired and compared art media April 2-30, 2014

 “In this exhibit, I have been examining the different ways in which a concept can be rendered in different media, where the medium has a major role in determining the outcome of the work.” Liz Adams


                                        CATALOG

 14 Abstract Figure Stitched Goldwork and beading on sage green linen $300
Abstract Figure Drawing Ink and wash drawing $150

 3 Cable Boxes Woven Woven embroidery floss and beadweaving, freeform $500
Cable Boxes Filmed Image transfer from artist’s film photographs, manipulated and collaged $250

 13 Cello Player Stitched Goldwork and beading on linen $300
Cello Player Drawing Ink and wash $150

 7 Wild Cherry Tree Drawn Modified contour drawing ink on mulberry paper $150
Wild Cherry Stitched Artist dyed silk with goldwork and beading $300
Wild Cherry Tree Painted Watercolor and chalk $250

 8 Cityscape Seaside Artist-carved stamps on mulberry paper $150
Cityscape Virtual iPod generated painting with reverse painting on glass $150
Cityscape Stitched Goldwork stitching on canvas, overlaid on lame $100


 

 11 Flyover Monotype Black print monotype on tan paper $175
Flyover Stitched Silverwork and embroidery floss on linen $300

 4 Sunflower Stitched Goldwork and stitching on artist-dyed silk $300
Sunflower Found Objects Sawblade and natural stems on gessoed cigar box 175

 5 Four Sisters Drawn Charcoal drawing on tan paper $200
Four Sisters Snapped Film photograph $150
Four Sisters in Paint Ink and wash $150
Four Sisters Tapestry Not part of the permanent exhibit. Work in progress on the Earthloom
with artist spun and dyed wool, woven beading, other fibers.

12 Grass Fire Painted Pastel painting $250
Grass Fire Woven Artist-spun and dyed fibers woven $150

  

2    Jungle Orchids Stitched Beading, stitching on linen $250
Jungle Orchids Monotype Watercolor monotype and drawing $250

 

 6 Marsh Flowers Monotype Watercolor monotype on Arches paper $250
Marsh Flowers Stitched Artist-dyed fabric with beadwork and stitching $350

 10 Smoke Rising Stitched Goldwork on linen $300
Smoke Rising Drawing Ink and wash drawing $150

 1   Tidepool Filmed Film photo image transferred to Arches paper $150

Tidepool Mixed Painting on Tyvek, beading and stitching $250

9 Weed Stitched Black stitching on white cotton lawn $150
Weed Drawn Semicontour ink drawing on mulberry paper $150


If you wish to purchase artwork, please contact the artist directly.
Liz Adams, lxxadams@yahoo.com

About the Artist:
 
An accomplished artist who has moved among many media, Liz Adams has lived in Plainsboro for over 30 years, and has devoted time and talents to the community through numerous workshops
and arts groups. 

Named “2013 Artist of the Year”, she was an initial founder of the Gallery at Plainsboro Library, and was key in establishing the library’s fall arts festival and summer arts and science programs.

Ms. Adams has created two award-winning blogs which combine writing, art, and photography: www.fieldfen.blogspot.com, and www.beautifulmetaphor.blogspot.com. 

She has taught art to adults and children through organizations such as Princeton Adult School, Homefront, and Princeton YWCA as well as the Princeton Chapter, Embroiderers' Guild of America, of which she is currently co-president.

Note from Liz: The catalog above was edited and the bio added by Donna Senopoulos, gallery manager, and artist herself.