Textile Art & Fine Craft
In the beginning.......God created.......In the beginning........was the Word...... In the beginning of 2016, I stalled out. In the midst of stacks of fabrics, committed projects, commissioned work, beckoning ideas, and pots of paint, I struggled to create a plan and to write a schedule that would contain and direct all these good things. The elements … Continue reading The Beginning is Not The Starting Point
The sewing machine or a pair of scissors are often the tools first associated with my art practice. But it is the iron that is used most frequently and consistently. When I am working well, focused on what is before me and its purpose, it is the iron that guides me into good evaluation. Fabric … Continue reading Bring On The Heat
Today marks the 2/3 point of CreativeSprint. I agreed to try this practice because my assertive younger sister told me I needed to loosen up about sharing work that is either incomplete or just nor very good. Ouch. It does take the magic out of the practice of art. It also makes me more aware … Continue reading Practice And Collaboration
CreativeSprint prompts me to open a drawer and make something with the contents. Bold circles, a little black mat, and a few minutes of pleasure start my creative day.
Beth Nyland, my sister, chastised me when I hesitated to post some of my recent work. She said I needed to work on the discipline of sharing. Noah Scalin's Creative Sprint appeared as an opportunity to follow Beth's advice and to have some fun creating and sharing. Today the task was to make something that will … Continue reading Sister says “Share!”
Where do I begin? Do I clean up holiday clutter? Do I assemble what I need to achieve new year's resolutions? I prefer to begin in a familiar place, taking a couple of steps. And then a few more. I discover new vistas through well known landscapes. My breathing eases and my mind quickens. 2015 art … Continue reading Traveling in Spirals: Begin in the Present
Let every heart prepare him room. Some years, preparing room is as simple as changing the sheets in the guest room. Other years, the room has been renovated. But this is a year that requires an empty space. The tree is decorated. Presents are wrapped. Packages are shipped. I need this empty little stable with its one … Continue reading Advent Interlude 3
The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. --Marcel Proust
Summer conversations with pastors presented me with a design challenge: create hand crafted art stoles for $75. The stoles will conform to the studio's standard craftsmanship. Techniques will be simplified and limited, but the art will still have my signature look. Emily, my daughter and partner, wants six ready for October 15. I found fabric for all five liturgical … Continue reading Searching for the Way to Create Clerical Stoles for Smaller Budgets
I believe that we are offered up opportunities to practice and rewrite the places in our souls where we have not best served ourselves. -- Norma Colman Yes, I am quoting myself this morning. This was written a decade ago and I rediscovered the words this winter. My sister, Beth Nyland, and I discussed Sabbath … Continue reading A Year of Listening: Week 20