NEW NOMADIC WORK, EXPERIMENTING WITH DARNING

"Mountain Trails" 10 X 10   Lori LaBerge  2013

The Nomadic Series continued this week with the creation of "Mountain Trails".  I have really become interested in continuing this series with various types of travel routes.  Paths, trails, roads, shipping routes, air routes, etc. all interest me.  We seem to spend our lives going from one place to another, whether near or far.  We travel for vacations, work, visits and other reasons.  Where would we be without roadways, railways, and other "paths" from here to there?

I'm also enjoying working with the 10 X 10 format with these pieces and am finding them quite addictive.  The idea of working with various shapes within this size constraint is also something I've been playing with.

"River's Path"  10 X 10  Lori LaBerge  2013

The hooking on "River's Path", above,  was finished a couple of weeks ago and is now mounted and framed.  All of the finishing work can take longer than the hooking process, but is well worth the time and effort.  Whether edging or mounting or framing, it is important to show respect to the work you put into the hooking and display work professionally.

I found a website that shows various fiber art techniques and decided to use this to experiment with this week rather than a journal project.  The site is Workshop on the Web:  Textile Innovation On-Line.  The site puts out a publication which I just subscribed to, but also has what they call a web taster, where you can view samples of their publication in the form of how-to articles.  I really enjoyed the articles as I love the idea of combining various fiber techniques with rug hooking. Embellishment, trapunto, canvas work, collage and interviews with textile artists are all samples of the types of information you can receive. 

I worked on the article explaining darning technique.  Middle school home economics (yes, I'm that old), was the first time I was introduced to darning and I don't remember it having much of an impact on me.  This article had me thinking about all the patterns one could create with the technique and the idea of rug hooking around a section of darning.  

Some leftover yarns were rounded up along with a leftover scrap of linen and I started getting down to business.  I will need some time to experiment with more contemporary design ideas, but here is the result of Friday's playtime:

"Field and Woods"  2" X 7 1/2"  Lori LaBerge  2013

The colors I had on hand lended themselves to a landscape type scene.  Both straight horizontal and vertical stitching were used along with a weaving of the two in the lighter section representing treetops.  A fuzzier yarn was used in this area for a variation of texture.  This is a very relaxing technique and made me think that I would most likely enjoy tapestry weaving.  For now, I will leave that to another day.

There is so much to enjoy with fiber work.  You never know when a new idea may come to you from your experimentation.  Choose something you haven't tried, give it a go and have a great day.

Snow is in the air and the update on the studio is that it is on hold for a short while. My husband and I are both experienced do-it-yourselfers and we are discussing what we would like to work on rather than have done.  Pete is applying sealing tape in the above photo.  The excitement this week was the arrival of the stove and washer/dryer for the dye kitchen!

"Chief's Road", "Vineyard Road" , Journal and Studio Update

Things are getting busy around here.  I am preparing some new pieces for a show at the PAF Gallery in Siler City, NC, after having been invited to exhibit and to teach a class.  The dates will be March 15 and 16 with the exhibit opening Friday night and the class Saturday morning.  

    "Chief's Road"  10 X 10  Lori LaBerge  2012

The piece above came about as I studied photos of chief blankets.  Since my Nomadic Series has mainly focused on roadways, I decided to bring my own version of a chief blanket into the series.  The old jewelry piece attached to the top is reminiscent of a dream catcher and fit perfect with the work.

"Vineyard Road"  10 X 10  Lori LaBerge  2012

I finished framing and adding metal to this piece which was hooked earlier.  The purple and green remind me of rows of grapes in a vineyard setting.  I am hoping to complete a few more of these size pieces for the exhibit.

My journal activity this week was to tackle a boring subject.  Everyone has a different idea of what bores them in art and mine is pears.  I have seen more pear paintings than I can mention.  It just seems they are always shown the same way, in the same setting.  I would like to see something different done with them.  Here is what I did:

I searched my collection of photos and found the one above of the side of an old deserted warehouse a few towns over from where I live.  The thought came to place a giant pear in the warehouse.  This came from the great "What if?" question. Through photoshop, I created the piece below by adjusting the photo above and drawing a pear into the photo.

"The Giant Red Pear Warehouse"  Lori LaBerge  2012

I really enjoyed this activity as it led me down a different road playing with neutrals and bright color combined.  I don't often use black and white or other neutrals as a backdrop and may try it in my hooking.  I would actually not mind hooking the above piece and testing out if I could make the various grays work in the piece.

Here are a few links to paintings of pears which I really love.  Each artist created something different with the pear as the subject.  They took what could be a boring subject and created something for the viewer to think about.

Jacob Pfeiffer--This painting is wonderful.  I love the way the artist depicts nature and technology side by side.  Notice the small butterfly on top of the light bulbs.

Sara Jane Doberstein--I love the way the crates the pears are on are worn and the artist also portrays pears that are not perfect.  I also like the couple of pears on top, the group below them and the odd pear out on the bottom.  It reminds me of a family grouping.

John Whalley--This is intriguing.  The pear who wants to be a shell, but as the understudy is capable, but not the star.  A very creative take on the subject matter.

What is your idea of a boring subject?  Experiment, try to come up with a different way to approach that subject and have a great day.

Studio update-- No work was done this week as the weather was rain, rain and more rain.  I did, however, receive the new sign for the studio.  It will go in storage until the building is ready for it.

'BLUE ROAD' IN PROGRESS, MAGAZINES I LOVE

With wrapping gifts and preparing for holiday visitors, work is slowing down.  I did manage to get some more hooking done on "Blue Road", which was started last week.

"Blue Road" in progress,  Lori LaBerge  2012

The center area was adjusted with a darker blue added to contrast with the lighter blues.  This area is a depiction of a traveled path, starting inward and working its way out as the nomadic people start at one place and travel to another.  The mix of shades within each color are working out as planned, adding interest to each section.  The drawn design is off as when I started hooking I decided to change the plan for each section to a slightly more diamond shape rather than square.

As Wednesday was my birthday, I took the day off.  The first thing I did was watch the construction on the studio.

The bottom superior walls are up along with the start of the far wall which will be on the workshop side.  We also picked out windows this week.

The second thing I did is one of my favorite things, read a magazine.  I admit I am somewhat of a magazine junkie.  I was in heaven grabbing a glass of wine, gathering my favorite blanket, parking myself on the couch, and reading all afternoon.  A beautiful day!  Here are a few of my favorites (there are many more I will mention in future posts):

When Fiberarts Magazine stopped publishing, I was almost in tears.  Along came Fiber Art Now, and I was happy again.  This is a great publication and to my surprise has often included photos of rug hooked work.  In this issue, a work by Linda Friedman Schmidt was in the reader showcase section.  The major focus is on contemporary work.  Articles in this issue included info. on exhibitions, fiber arts in Spain, and work of various artists (loved how in the article on Jill Powers, she described her studio as a laboratory where she experiments).  I can barely wait to go to my laboratory tomorrow!  This is a must read for fiber artists interested in experimentation and contemporary work.

American Art Collector showcases some amazing painters.  Why am I interested in a magazine that shows mainly realistic work when I do textile and abstract pieces?  I believe all art starts with the drawing process.  The more you practice drawing and realistic work, the better all your other work will become.  I also enjoy the way compositions are put together, especially the ones that verge on fantasy art, with something unexpected popping up in the artwork.  In essence, this magazine is a visual feast for all interested in art.

Surface Design is a magazine where you find the artists who are really pushing the limits in the textile field.  I just love the creativity this magazine covers.  There is 2-D, 3-D and installation art included.  There are great interviews and the writing is hard to beat.  In this issue, one of rug hooker Liz Alpert Fay's  (who is doing some pretty cool tree pieces right now) works was included in the Exposure section.  All aspects of textiles are pretty much covered here.  To receive this magazine, you must join the Surface Design Association.  You can check out their site here.

Grab your favorite magazine before the holiday rush, enjoy some quiet time and have a great day.  And...

From our house to yours, Merry Christmas to everyone!

VICTORIAN TRAVELS INSPIRE "VICTORIAN NOMAD"

"Victorian Nomad"  Lori LaBerge  2012

The piece above was inspired by an interest in the "Gilded Age" of America and how the wealthy would travel the world collecting art from various countries. Transoceanic routes allowed those with money to explore new places and obtain foreign-made works of art for their homes. Americans' purchase of foreign art inspired our own artists to more agressively pursue their place in the art world.

A closer look at the hooking with a wonderful Victorian doorknob plate found in an architectural salvage shop stitched to the piece. I could easily spend days in these types of shops. They have all sorts of little (and big!) things to sift through.  I just love the bumps along with the peeled, chipped and dripped paint on this old piece.  

I attached a photo of the face of a Victorian compass in the doorknob hole.  The compass symbolizes the various directions of travel taken by those in the Victorian Age.

You truly never know where ideas will come from.  One trick is to draw different ideas from everything you encounter and write those ideas down, no matter how odd they may seem at the time.   Another is to think of things out of context.  This is similar to using a dime to turn a screw, it is not what it was made for, but it works. Throw around the "what if" scenario in your head, do away with the fear of trying something different and have a great day!

ART AND MEANING, "FREE PASSAGE" COMPLETED

Since I began work on the Nomadic Series I have become interested in traveling, moving, the meaning of home, and surroundings. "Free Passage", pictured below, relates to routes we travel by land, sea, and air (the red lines through the piece). It also brings into play how lucky most of us are to have the freedom to move around the world when we want to. That freedom should not be taken for granted. The old lock represents how easily some people's right to travel is "locked" and they are not allowed to travel without permission.

"Free Passage"  Lori LaBerge  2012

The above is my interpretation of the piece I created. Someone else may view this as simply a decorative piece. I'm o.k with that. Art should be whatever you want it to be. I love the idea of a piece having multiple meanings to different people or no meaning at all. I have always been interested in all kind of art; be it decorative, realistic, shock art, simple pretty picture, social statement or anything else. To me, whether a work has meaning or not is up to each individual viewing the piece.  

I remember going into an art gallery with my daughter and looking closely at an abstract piece. The owner, who was also the artist, asked me if I liked the work. I said that I wasn't sure, but it grabbed my interest. He pulled the piece off the wall, turned it 90 degrees, put it back on the wall and asked what my opinion was now. He did this again, continuing to turn the piece before I made him stop. I immediately made out the abstract figures of a woman and little girl playing cards. I love the way the artist allowed for me to make my own interpretation of the piece. He certainly would have had no problem if I had brought it home and placed it in a different orientation than intended.

What a work of art means to the critics, experts or the masses does not have to be what it means to you. View some artwork, make your own interpretation of it and have a great day!

Note- I did go back to that gallery later to purchase the piece, but it had already been sold. Though disappointed, I was pleased someone else had found their own meaning to it.

HOOKING DONE ON "TRILOGY ROAD"

"Trilogy Road" is a geometric piece depicting three roads. The road sections are hooked with beige print upholstery fabric, rougher than the wool in the rest of the piece. The roads we travel are not always easy. It is often which road each of us chooses to follow that determines events in our lives. Each road has its own story.

"Trilogy Road"  Lori LaBerge  2012

The work as a whole depicts the corner area of a rug. This design developed from seeing rug remnants and wondering what role those pieces played in the design of the original full-size rug and how and why the larger rug was cut into pieces. Like these rugs, our lives consist of many pieces which combine to make us who we are.

Close-up,  "Trilogy Road"  Lori LaBerge  2012

It is exciting to see many nomadic rug remnants being made into pillows, bags, or other small items. They are finding a new life, yet keeping their cultural identity. Two great places to see examples of remnant reuse are Mother's Atelier for pillows and Northern Lights for carpet bags. Love the designs on both of these sites!

Create your own road leading to where you want to be in life and have a great day!

"DIAMOND ROAD" COMPLETED

The nomadic series is coming along and I've been learning so many new things along the way. The hooking process went fairly fast as this is what I am most comfortable with. The overall original design stayed the same with only the upper left corner being changed from a tassel to a button pouch.

Original layout design for "Diamond Road"

My first thought was to place tassels on the piece as there are numerous tassels on nomadic salt bags. I veered from this as the look was not what I wanted. More research led to finding photos of small bags nomads use to carry buttons. Work began on creating a small pouch to hang in the upper left of the piece. This consisted of wool, thread, yarn, a key, and an old keyhole found in an architectural salvage store. 

 Pouch was completed and then overdyed with brown dye.

Ever since delving into mixed-media, I've been learning to use all kinds of new tools. This project included a metal bar that required drilling. My husband is spending some time teaching me how to use all these tools. Below is the result of a combination of old and new skills put to use.

"Diamond Road"  Lori LaBerge  2012

Delve into new territory, sharpen old skills, acquire new ones and have a great day!

"LAKE HOUSE" IN RUG BEAT MAGAZINE

"Lake House"  Lori LaBerge  2011

Rug Beat is a new online magazine featuring articles on contemporary rug hooking. A photo of "Lake House" is pictured alongside an article on contemporary works of hooked art which were juried into the 2011 "Pushing the Limits: New Expressions in Hooked Art" group.  This group encourages new ideas and creativity.  There are some wonderful rug artists out there stretching the bounds of rug hooking and hopefully Rug Beat will get their work into the public eye.  This was the premier issue and I'm looking forward to future articles on innovative works.

Also received this week was my copy of Surface Design Magazine.

This is how I roll.  Magazine, wine, chocolate and the fireplace.

The magazine was timed perfectly as this issue featured works on a variety of textile artists using innovative materials and methods.  One artist who really grabbed my eye is El Anatsui.  His work is made up of aluminum, copper wire and other found objects and resembles draped contemporary quilts.  See some of his work here and be sure to scroll down on the blue bar on the page to see the quilt-like pieces. Another artist whose work was featured is Elizabeth Whyte Schulze.  She creates coiled baskets from pine needles and raffia and paints images on them.  See some of these baskets on her website here.

I'm still working on "Diamond Road" and below is a photo of it further along than last week, with hooking done and construction in progress.

  

Seek out your creative side this week and have a great day!

ADDING NEW COLORS TO THE PALETTE

The works created for "The Stripe" series used a fairly consistent palette in all of the pieces.  This, plus the stripe theme, kept the series cohesive.  The salt bag portion of the nomadic series, currently in the works, is sending me to some new colors. While hooking, I ended up pulling out a bright magenta I had planned to place in a rectangular stripe portion of the piece.  It had the same value (lightness or darkness of a color) as the turquoise placed next to it and just did not work.  When values are similar a lack of contrast occurs.  The replacement color is in the light/red/pink range which is a color I rarely use, but flows well with this piece.

I tend to veer toward brights and darks with a neutral thrown in.  There will be more chance to experiment with adding lighter shades to my favorites this year.

Above is the original palette that was planned.  Not enough light values.

Above, a black and white version allows you to see that there is too much similarity of values in the center grouping.  More light is needed.

Above you can see the lighter color substituted for the magenta.  This adds needed contrast to the piece.  Below is the color photo of the above.  Compare to the second photo in this post.  Much better.

We all have colors we are drawn to, and  I am no exception.  Join me this year in adding colors you would not normally use to your palette.  Whether for clothing, dinnerware, home decor or other areas of your life, enjoy the range of colors available and have a great day!

"ROAD HOME" HOOKED, NEW SALT BAG DESIGNS

A very Happy New Year to everyone.  The hooking on "The Road Home" was completed yesterday.  The edges still need to be whipped, a frame ordered and a mounting board cut.

 "The Road Home", Lori LaBerge, 2012

                                            

In the meantime, research on nomadic life and art has continued.  New designs have begun based on nomadic salt bags.  The bags drew my attention as I have been wanting to work with various shapes.  They have a large rectangular bottom section and a narrow vertical neck.  The neck area is narrowed to prevent the salt from falling out and rainwater from entering the bag.  The bags are made to hold rock salt for sheep.  The salt makes the sheep thirsty and they will drink more water. They are then able to graze for days at higher altitudes where water is not as plentiful before returning to lower land.  To view a photo of a salt bag click here.

The basic designs below are modernized and will be mixed media pieces using wool and metal.  Other materials may be incorporated as the pieces progress.  I have yet to complete the designs which will go into the rectangular areas.

New designs, Lori LaBerge, 2012

Working on new designs is always fun.  It always amazes me where it leads and how much I learn.  Enjoy where new things in life take you in 2012 and have a great day!