IN THE STUDIO THIS WEEK

There were quite a bit of odds and ends done this week along with the task of shortening the "to do" list. 

 "Missing Windows" was finally completed.  Yarns similar in color to the hooked wool were used for whipping the edges and nails were hand-stitched to the black window portions.  I am sealing the doorplate that will be used to sign the piece and will stitch it on this coming week.

Here you can see the various colors used in the dark window sections.  I used nails that I collected when builders were working on the studio.  I love the different shapes and the paint and plaster attached to some of them.

Quite a bit of paperwork was done preparing folders for classes, calls and e-mails were made for permission to use photos of other artists' work and planning was made for a panel discussion to be held at the TIGHR conference in October.

I worked on framing for pieces being shipped to Sauder Village for the Plein Air group exhibit.  I also tested frame sizes for the two section piece "Bridging the Gap".  On the table to the left and the far right you can see books sitting on top of backing paper glued to the back of framed works.  After the glue sets, a box cutter will be used to trim extra paper, the work will be signed, hanging wire will be installed and the work will then be ready to pack.

Photos of various works were taken with lighting attached to ladders and poles.  Hey, there's that broom from the paperwork photo above.  It sure does get around!

Though there is still quite a bit of work to do, it felt good to get some items crossed off this week.  Check off some of your own "to do" list items, enjoy your accomplishments and have a great day.

"MISSING WINDOWS" COMPLETED, FRANK AUERBACH BOOK

"Missing Windows"  36" x 60"  Lori LaBerge  2015

The hooking on "Missing Windows" was completed early this morning.  Finishing work will still need to be done.  As I usually pop in a movie when finishing a piece, I may have to look for a very long movie for this one.  It is the first in the "Forgotten Windows" series. 

While reading about signatures of tapestry artists in the 15th to 18th centuries, I kept thinking I wanted to do something different to sign the pieces in the window series.  I decided a door plate will be placed in the corner of each of the works.  The doorplate reminds me of entry to the buildings the windows are in as well as entry to the artwork itself.  The doorplate above still needs to be stitched to the hooking and signed with my signature. This will also be in keeping with the use of metal in my work. 

   "Frank Auerbach: Speaking and Painting" by Catherine Lampert

I also started reading a book on Frank Auerbach this week and am having a hard time putting it down.  His paintings of portraits and urban landscapes have always intrigued me as they are created with thick paint with a strong tactility and emotion to them.  The book goes into Auerbach's views on painting, on art schools, on his method of working, on advice to art students, along with many other views.

"Missing Windows' took me six months due to recovery from surgery and other pieces being worked on.  Enjoy the process, don't worry about the time it takes and have a great day. 

PUBLICITY, RUG HOOKED WORK, N.C. MUSEUM OF ART VISIT, AND STUDIO TOUR

There is quite a bit of news this week as we head into the holidays, when I will be able to relax and enjoy company.

I had a pleasant surprise this week when I was reading  "The Laurel of Asheville" magazine.  My "Tunnels" work was included in photos accompanying an article about the Toe River Studio Tour.  "The Laurel of Asheville" is a magazine that covers information about the arts throughout the Western North Carolina mountain area.  

Work in progress, 3 feet by 5 feet,  Lori LaBerge  2014

Work has started on an as yet untitled work which will be included in a series on windows in abandoned and deteriorating buildings.  Colors were decided on, wool was dyed and I had the chance to enjoy hooking, which has taken a back seat with all the shows going on lately.  More will be discussed on this piece next week.

There is cut wood in the studio.  Stay tuned to see what is going to happen with this.

After setting up my booth in Raleigh, my husband and I headed over to the North Carolina Museum of Art.  Last year we walked through the park area and viewed sculptures along the way.  This year we had the chance to see the new contemporary exhibit.  There is a brand new building which shows the work off beautifully.  I did take a few photos of my favorites, but to tell the truth I was too busy looking at the work to take a lot of pictures. 

Franz Kline, "Orange Outline" , N.C. Museum of Art

Franz Kline has always been one of my favorites.  I love the black and white, the sense of energy emitted and how his work always seems to portray a construction site to me.  I just enjoy that architectural feel I get from his work.  His work was done with regular house paint, nothing fancy here.  When the work is viewed in person, layers of color can be seen as can various thicknesses of paint.

Anselm Kiefer, "Untitled" , N.C. Museum of Art

I had never seen this work before, or heard of the artist.  The photo does not do it justice. The triptych is huge, measuring 130 1/4" by 73".  There is a ton of texture in this piece. Stones are wrapped in a bundle in the first section, a ladder hangs from the upper half of the second and an odd shaped funnel is on the bottom section of the third.  I had the sense of decay and deterioration from this.  Straw was placed in with the paint and areas appeared to be burnt.  I must have spent twenty minutes just studying this work.

Sean Scully, "Wall of Light Peru" , N.C. Museum of Art

Anyone who knows me knows I love the work of Sean Scully.  Stripes intrigue me. Are they roads to places, are those that are cut off boxes with no exit?  Stripes have represented various things throughout history.  Scully's work is layered. Looking closely, you see the colors underneath wanting to be seen through the layer covering them.  The edges are ragged looking, imperfect.  If you do a search on Scully and his work you can find many videos of him discussing stripes and how they relate to his work.

The museum has a gift store and I headed straight to the books.  My purchases were:

 "Choosing Craft: the artist's viewpoint"

This book includes various artist interviews and thoughts on craft.  From what I have read so far, it is a great look into artists' ideas and processes.

"North Carolina Museum of Art: Handbook of the Collections" with a section of a work by Gerhard Richter on the cover. See more on Artsy's Gerhard Richter page  here.

The book includes photos and commentary on all of the works in the permanent collection of the museum.

Last weekend's studio tour went well.  Here are a few photos of the studio right before the tour started.

I set up an area for people to visit during the tour.  That Thursday was also International Hook-In Day, so people were welcome to try their hand at rug hooking. I was looking for a new chair to sit and hook in, when I found my late mother-in-law's old chair in storage.  This was the chair she used to sit in when working crochet and embroidery.  How great to think of her every time I sit and hook. 

Create art, view art, read about art and have a great day.