TWO SMALL TEXTILE MIXED-MEDIA ABSTRACTS, TAPESTRY WEAVING BOOK

"Center Lines"  9 X 13, Lori LaBerge  2014

Work was completed on "Center Lines".  The idea behind this piece was the no passing and passing when safe lines on roadways.  A turquoise blue was used for a solid line and painted washers for a broken line.  This will be part of a six piece grouping of 9 X 13 works. The grays against the orange/yellow mix are a great color combination.  The darker grays make the orange/yellow really pop.

Here you can see the ragged look of the upholstery against the smoothness of the metal pieces.  There is rough, smooth, hard and soft combined.  It is nice to combine various textures, but there is a need to not overdo it.

The above sketch was developed from overpasses on the roadway.  The original plan was to place three washers on the top horizontal section.  I usually place a check mark by the side of drawings in my sketchbook that I would like to use to develop a piece.

"Overpass"  9 x 13, Lori LaBerge  2014

The final work deviated from the sketch as the three washers planned for the upper section made the piece look top heavy and drew the eye away from the brown curves.  I opted for gray lines, the same as the gray at the bottom of the work, through the blue and attached a large washer at the intersection of the curves.  The bottom medium gray and three lighter grays were used.  In keeping with the textured look of the group this piece will go with, upholstery fabric was used in both of the brown sections.

I received a book I had ordered on tapestry weaving this week.  "Tapestry Weaving: Design and Technique is by Joanne Soroka.  I have glanced through the book and have just started reading it.  So far, the instructions seem to be fairly clear.  There are techniques shown for creating various shapes and textures along with design ideas. The photos are beautiful with a section on contemporary tapestry weavers.  There is also information on suppliers and organizations at the end of the book.  I am hoping to take some time this winter to have an at home mini-workshop for myself and experiment with weaving on a small tapestry loom.

It is always good to have something to look forward to.  Plan ahead for your own mini-workshop on a fiber technique you would like to learn and have a great day.

NEW DESIGN, MIXED-MEDIA CONTINUES, PLEIN AIR EASEL SET-UP

Multiple projects were happening in the studio this week along with bookkeeping, ordering boxes in order to pack work for shipment and delivering work to galleries.

While relaxing with a design magazine early in the week, I saw a grouping of six artworks placed together in a living room setting.  I loved the idea of the grouping and decided to proceed with a group of six rug hooked works using the road series I've been working on.

I designed the first of the six and decided on what colors to use.  This grouping of the road series will include more texture along with the planned gray and metal I've been using in the series.  There will be grays, orange-golds, white and a patterned upholstery fabric.

A line of dark turquoise is placed among the upholstery fabric hooked into the center. I love the way the upholstery frays as it is cut and hooked, adding another dimension to the work. Metal will be placed on top of the fabric.  Each piece in the grouping will measure 9 x 13 hooked and 13 X 17 mounted and framed. 

These will be perfect size for showing at the Carolina Designer Craftsmen show in November as I already have some larger pieces made.  Please check out their website as they have just redesigned it.  You can go here, scroll down and see all the artists who will be exhibiting in this year's show.

"Thread Factory" is on the work table in the completion stages now.  I have the edges wrapped around the spools and will head out today to find a piece of wood to place across the bottom.  The wood will be stained and the spools will be screwed to it so the hooked work is held taut.

I headed into the great outdoors this week to figure out a new set-up for hooking plein air. Linen was placed in a quilt hoop and the hoop was attached to a display easel I had in storage.  The easel shown is set up for standing while hooking.  If I decide to sit all that needs to be done is to tie the hoop lower on the easel.  The tray allows a place to set my hook and scissors.  I am looking for a container to attach to the tray to hold wool strips while I work.
  

Here is a closer view of how the linen and frame were tied to the easel.  I tested it out and it worked fine.  I'm also eyeing a new easel where the work can be turned as you hook which would be great.

When looking through magazines, I tend to look for how work is displayed.  Look out for groupings of artworks, shapes of works, framing and other aspects that add to the presentation of artwork and have a great day.

"RUG HOOKING MAGAZINE'S" OUTSTANDING SEPT/OCT. ISSUE AND CONTINUED ABSTRACT WORK

Rug Hooking Magazine's latest issue really grabbed my attention.  The focus was on rug hooking as art and the magazine certainly delivered.  Those who do not see rug hooking in this vein should purchase this issue which will surely change their mind.

I skipped the wine as this issue was worthy of my favorite liqueur, Cointreau.

The issue starts with a look at adapting works of the masters in an article by Tamara Pavich. Who does not recall this in their studies of studio art?  Learning how the masters used color, light, paint strokes, composition etc. leads to an understanding of the process of making art.

The magazine continues with a look at contemporary artists who present a variety of styles. One commonality is these artists' pushing themselves and creating vibrant, creative and engaging works of art.

Leslie Giuliani wrote an article on the Modern Hooker.  Her mixed media-work, rugs and wall pieces bring an old craft into the art world of today.  Anne-Marie Littenberg's article on the human form contains both abstract and more realistic portrayals.  Anne-Marie also contributed an article on Rachelle LeBlanc's work.  LeBlanc's works are in their own category and to me have an etheral feel reminding me a bit of Andrea Kowch's works, one of my favorite painters.  Diane Krys writes on combining rug hooking and felting. showing work that would seem to be comfortable in both the high-end craft and fine art realms. 

I'm basically saying if you have any interest on the direction rug hooking is going today please buy this issue and enjoy all the artists and writers who contributed to it. The future of rug hooked work looks bright.

I returned to work on an as yet untitled piece inspired by the local Coat's thread company building.

in progress, as yet untitled,  Lori LaBerge  2014

I finished the hooking and am working on the area that will wrap around the large bobbins. A brown with blue upholstery fabric was chosen for the edges.  Stitching will be done with various colors which are in the hooked work.

At the sewing machine adding pink stripes to the upholstery fabric.

On the studio work table.  Thread spools will be stitched to the hooked work.  Here, placement is being decided.  I also have whipped edges to complete along with determining how the upholstery will be attached to the large bobbins.  Construction is always a challenge.

Look into the directions your favorite art form is headed, search out how construction of that process works and have a great day. 

SMALL MIXED-MEDIA, READING KATHERINE KUH

"Tunnels"  9" x 13",  Lori LaBerge  2014

While time is short during these few weeks away, I am managing to continue the work on some smaller pieces.  In "Tunnels", a natural wool dyed with green and yellow provided color against a background of grays.  I went for a blue gray for part of the background as it showed off the green better than a pure gray did and provided a medium value.

"Tunnels" uses lamp parts and chain stitched onto the hooked area.  I was lucky enough to have these parts with me in the box full of metal objects brought from the studio.  I did not, however, bring all my tools.  I ended up borrowing pliers from my father's workshop. That may mean I owe him a Martini.  This piece will be whip-finished back at the studio when I arrive home.  Once whipped, mounted and framed it should look something like this:

"Tunnels"  mock-up frame sample,  Lori LaBerge  2014

Photoshop provides an easy way to play with colors and see how a piece will look when framed.  The dark gray line edging the hooked section is the color of the yarn that will be used to whip the edge.  The mat, which will be gray wool, complements the gray background of the piece and the gold edge takes the color of the metal parts used.  It is a sophisticated look for the work and follows the format used for this series.

I love hearing or reading stories from people who knew or currently know famous artists. I'm always intrigued to hear about their personalities.  Were they fun, serious, spontaneous, introverted, a workaholic?  There are so many different ways in which artists approach their work.  Katherine Kuh wrote " My Love Affair With Modern Art: Behind the Scenes with a Legendary Curator".  The book was edited and completed by Avis Berman as Kuh died before she was finished.  

Kuh owned a gallery.  She bought Kandinsky paintings at auction for $5 and $10, the auctioneer unaware of the works he was selling.  Leger, Klee, Adams, Miro and both Albers were among the acquaintances whose work she showed.  She wished to be a pioneer and show work not yet accepted in the mainstream.  I'm looking forward to settling on the couch in the evening and reading away.

Search out the pioneers in the art field, not just artists, but those who supported them or showed their work and have a great day.

MIXED-MEDIA IN PROGRESS, READING ART HISTORY, FOLK ART CENTER

It was a short week with paperwork done on Monday and taking Friday off for the 4th.  I hope everyone had a good weekend.  

As yet untitled work in progress,  Lori LaBerge, 7 1/2" X  41 1/2", 2014

I used photos and sketches (information on last week's post) to come up with the basic design.  The photo of the Coats American Inc. building  and sketches were abstracted. Though the hooking is one long piece, I divided the design into two sections with each being a different section of the building.  Some of the detailed work was hooked in this week.  Lots of bright colors in this one!

You can see each end has a fold mark.  The ends will be wrapped around old wooden bobbin spools to create a horizontal scroll effect for presentation of the work.  This means allowing at least 6 extra inches on each end for wrapping.  These areas will still need to be hooked as they will show, so I will just carry the design out on each end.

With some time off for the holiday, I decided to review past study on Modern Art History.  

History of Modern Art by H.H. Arnason, the link is to the updated version.

Searching through the bookshelves, I found my college textbook to be in pretty good shape. I can't believe I used to lug that around in a backpack along with other texts. It's quite heavy. The Modern art period runs from the 1860's to the 1970's.  Some books state the Modern period started as early as 1784.  Work after the Modern period is considered Contemporary.

Since Impressionism is at the start of the Modern period, I have decided to brush up on my French.  I have forgotten pretty much all but the basics from my college days and have decided to focus on reading french for art purposes and forgo the speaking aspect.  My plan is to read some French art magazines and I really have no one to actually speak French with.

  French for Reading by Karl C. Sandberg was recommended to me and should arrive Tuesday.  It will be interesting to see how much I remember.

Since I haven't studied extensively on Expressionism and Germany was at the forefront of this movement, I am also planning on studying the German language. My husband lived in Germany for a 9-month period a while back, so maybe he can help me out with this. 

Reading Knowledge in German for Art Historians and Archaeologists by Mary L. and H.P. Apelt.  This is an expensive book so I am still looking around for the best price.

My husband and I took a ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend and stopped to look around the Southern Highlands Folk Art Center.

There was quite a bit of textile art on display, but unfortunately, they did not allow photos inside the building.  Quilting and weaving were well-covered and it was interesting to see the different approach in style each artist took.  One artist focused on the Morse Code system and developed it in her weaving which I found fascinating.  Dyeing technique was the focus of another artist's work.  I do wish more of these artists had websites.  I see artwork when I am out and about and may not purchase at that time.  I very often go home to look up artists' work and am so often disappointed that they have no site.  

       

If you are ever traveling along the Blue Ridge, the Folk Art Center is well worth the stop.

Art leads me to so many places:  studying languages and history, stopping by new galleries and art centers and exploring new areas for inspiration.  Find where it leads you and have a great day.

PLEIN AIR STUDIO WORK, PIECES JURIED INTO "HOOKED ART 2014"

During Susan Feller's Retreat into the Mountains, covered in last week's post, I worked on a studio piece developed from a small plein air work I had hooked.  Since we were in a mountain setting, I decided to work on a nature design.  The piece was not quite finished when it was time to leave the retreat, so I worked on completing the hooking this week.

  "Stopping for the View"  10" X 22",  Lori LaBerge  2014

Here is how the design came about:

"Winter's Dance"   4" X 6", Lori LaBerge  2014

After completing this piece, I decided I would like to create a larger work based on the trees.

When the small plein air was completed, I snapped a photo of the area used to create the work.  I wanted to include the three trees in a horizontal format.  A photo rarely works as a full design, so I adjusted and edited some branches for less clutter.  I also added a hillside and mountains in the background instead of more trees.

I was interested in the crossing of the branches near the middle of the photo.  I reversed the way the trees were leaning so they would go left to right.  Orange buds were added when I noticed how the peeling bark in the photo had an orange tint to it.  They are dispersed in a zig-zag like pattern to draw the eye throughout the work. The piece has the feel of being among the trees and viewing through the branches to the blue mountains beyond.

A red circle shows how the eye is brought around this portion of the work.  The crossed branch near the bottom center left of the circle veers upward toward the branch protruding inward on the far right tree and around to touch onto the left side branch and a lower branch back around to the crossed area.  This way the eye is not brought out of the picture, but moves around to focus on a certain area.

A while back, I entered into "HOOKED ART 2014" which will be showing at the University of Connecticut's Art Gallery in Stamford, Connecticut from October 23-November 29, 2014. Five photos were sent and two of the pieces were juried in.

"White Collar" and "Blue Collar",  Lori LaBerge  2014

The pairing of "White Collar" and "Blue Collar" were selected.  I like the juxtaposition of the pairing and was excited to finally have an idea for the pulley I had found a while back.  These two pieces tell a story and I hope they engage the viewers in thinking about how both blue and white collar jobs affect our lives on a daily basis. 

This will be a show worth seeing as it focuses on contemporary hooked works.  The entry requirements were for innovative work consisting of at least 30% rug hooking technique.

Try creating your own innovative design where you make it flow so the viewer's eye moves around the piece and have a great day.

MIXED-MEDIA "WHITE COLLAR" COMPLETED, GEOMETRIC ABSTRACT STARTED

"White Collar"  18 3/4" X 21 1/2" X 1 1/2", Lori LaBerge  2014

This was a really great piece to work on.  I enjoyed the collage and may add the technique to future works.  The tie had to be cut and pieced back together on the backside to be the right length for the work.  The original plan was for the tie to be higher up, but I really like it hanging a bit over the edge.  The piece has the business look I was going for.

"White Collar"  close-up, Lori LaBerge  2014

I tore out the stock market pages from a few newspapers to use for the collage, purposefully placing the NYSE lettering toward the middle of the piece.  The collage work is more polished than the rough work done on the "Blue Collar" piece completed earlier. The two pieces have different feelings and I wanted to communicate that.  All that is left is to place D-Rings for hanging and label the back.

Here is a photo of the works side by side:  I added washers and screws to the top collaged section of "Blue Collar" this week.

"White Collar" and "Blue Collar", Lori LaBerge  2014

I have worked on quite a few 16 X 16 and smaller pieces.  After working on the 30 X 30 hooking challenge, I have decided to push myself and, while still working on a few smaller pieces, focus on larger pieces this year.  A new work in the "Road Series" was started this week.

"Red Light in the City"  in progress,  27" X 36", Lori LaBerge  2014

Dyeing was needed for the project.

and here's the palette of colors ready to go.

Try switching up your work (work larger or smaller, work with colors you wouldn't normally use, work with materials you wouldn't normally use, etc.) and have a great day. 

RUG HOOKING COMPLETED ON "WHITE COLLAR", LAURA KENNEY RUG CHALLENGE, STUDIO UPDATE

This week the hooking section of the latest mixed-media work was completed.

"White Collar" in progress.

The next steps are to whip the edges, collage a piece of wood for the top, attach a tie to the center, attach a hanging device and label.  This will probably take a week or longer as I've signed up to be a part of Laura Kenney's rug challenge.  

While looking through my Facebook, I noticed that Laura was calling upon others to join her starting February 3 in what she has named  "Make a Rug Week".  You can keep up with what people are doing this week on Laura's Facebook artist page.

I put in extra time this week to finish up the hooking on "White Collar" and started thinking about a design for the challenge.

I have been wanting to add to previous work I have done with abstract figures, but wanted to work on a larger scale.  This was the time to begin.  I started drawing out the design:

The start of "At the Coast".    30" X 30" Lori LaBerge  2013

The background was roughly drawn in to depict an ocean view.  I will change this slightly as the hooking goes along to get what feels right for the piece.

Next was to do some color planning.  I will need to dye more blues, a light gray and some black.  I would like a brighter orange so will look to see what I have or if I have to dye.  Most of the other colors I was lucky enough to have in my stash.

This will be an intensive one-week project and I hope I haven't pushed myself too far with this as I have never finished a 30 X 30 piece in one week before. It will definitely have to be an 8-cut.  Hooking officially starts on Monday, so I'll let you know how it went next week.

Join a challenge or set up your own and have a great week.

STUDIO UPDATE--

We're getting there!  The plumbing was completed this week, but water will not be turned on until final inspection (which was supposed to be Friday, but was a no-show).  A drain pan has been ordered to place under the washer/dryer.

  The faucet for the dye sink was installed.

And what would a bathroom be without a sink.  We still need to caulk where the tile and sheet rock meet.    

"BLUE COLLAR" NEAR COMPLETION, "WHITE COLLAR" CONTINUES AND STUDIO CONSTRUCTION

"Blue Collar"  18 1/2 X 21 3/4,  Lori LaBerge  2013

"Blue Collar" is almost completed.  I still need to purchase the correct size D-rings to place on back for hanging and I want to find screws to attach the washers to the top rather than gluing them.  This week I painted the chain, put another coat of gel medium on the collage section and attached the pulley to the collaged wood.

To put the hole in the wood to attach the pulley required learning how to use a drill press. It looks a bit intimidating, but actually worked great.  This allows for a straighter hole through the 1 1/2 inch thick wood than a regular drill would create. You can see this was brought indoors.  Way too cold to work out in the shed.

The hooking on "White Collar" also continued:

"White Collar"  Lori LaBerge  2013

Though the original plan had a slight inclusion of design down the middle, I decided it was not needed as the tie which will hang down the center ended up being wider than I thought and would just obstruct any hooking.  When completed, this will be the same size as the "Blue Collar" piece.

With all the activity around home lately, I have decided to take this weekend to myself and experiment, create new designs, work plein air and do some drawing.  No phone, no computers, no interruptions.  

Plan to take a weekend for yourself and have a great day.

STUDIO UPDATE:

We installed the vent over the oven area along with cabinets.  Things were going smoothly until we realized the heating guys had moved the hole for the vent for some reason.  This means the oven will not be centered directly over the vent.  This type of problem requires wine and chocolate which leads to the realization that since this is a studio and not a home, there should be no problem.

Lighting was installed over the sink area in the bathroom.

The walls in the storage area were painted.

Facing the chaos as the old studio was dismantled.  This all needs to be moved.

Things get worse before they get better as a corner of the new studio serves to hold moved items.

A bookcase and some shelving (there never seems to be enough) starting to look like some kind of order occurring.  The oven and washer/dryer are in the far boxes on the right.  I am still looking for a table and decided to use an old folding one until I find what I like.