"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. 

TRAC GALLERY: EDWINA BRINGLE RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBIT

I was excited to see a textile show on exhibit at the Toe River Arts Gallery in Spruce Pine, NC.  A selection of Edwina Bringle's woven and embroidered works from 1963 to 2014 is presented in a well-organized display. 

I first met Edwina when I began taking classes at Penland.  She is a well-informed and creative textile artist and UNC-Charlotte professor emerita who adds to the feeling of welcome for those new to the Penland experience.  Please enjoy this look at her works and if you are in the area make a stop at the gallery.

It is a great feeling to live in an area so full of talent, sharing and love for the arts.  Enjoy what your area has to offer and have a great day.

RUG HOOKED ABSTRACT: MAKING DESIGN DECISIONS

"Parallel",  9" X 13"  Lori LaBerge  2014

I'm having a great time working on these smaller pieces.  They are really allowing me to expand on some ideas and prepare for larger works.  They do, however, require as much care with design as larger pieces do. 

Whether working on small, large, minimal or complex, design decisions have to be made. The following takes you through some decisions I made during the week:

While the design and basic color decisions were made for ease of packing before leaving home, exact color placement was not.  This photo shows the decisions being made about the placement of various grays.  I have defined where light, medium light, medium dark and dark will go.  This was based on making sure the orange and pink were shown off to their best and did not disappear behind a similar value.

These are the various grays I packed with me.  The variety of values are important in making them work together in a piece.

These were the colors I picked out for use in "Parallel".  They are defined from each other in value.  The two center pieces of wool have blue lines while the second from top also has a bit of orange.  These were chosen to complement  the brighter orange section of the artwork.  The light and dark allow for a good contrast in the work.

 Here is the basic hooked work.  From this, decisions had to be made on what types of metal to apply.

Vermont memories brought to mind summer days of watching fishermen throw their lines from bridges into the waters of Lake Champlain.  I had fishing sinkers in my metal supply, so the decision was made to use them.  Placement of the sinkers was the next decision.  I began by simply placing them in various positions.  This one does not work for me.  The placement of the sinkers on the orange just does not move the eye correctly through the piece.  They are also too evenly placed making them a bit boring.

This placement of sinkers on the orange is much better, though still too evenly placed.  Lighter weight sinkers were placed on the narrower pink section and a larger sinker was hung from the chain.  I found the silver of the chain drawing my eye.  I did not know quite where to focus my eyes on the piece with this happening.  

This is getting better.  The two top sinkers on the orange were placed slightly closer together than the distance between the center and lower sinker creating more interest.  The chain here is a duller metal color distracting the eye a little less.  Though this could work as a piece, I did find the chain a bit heavy and perhaps disappearing a bit too much, leaving the balance feeling a bit off.

A gold colored chain with a lighter weight gave a better overall feel to the work.  Even though the gold shows up quite bright, the weight of it did not distract my eye from the focus of the orange and pink area.  Will other decisions be made when I return to the studio?  Perhaps.  I may try painting the sinkers so they show up more strongly against the backing and decide which works better.

Please check out Susan Feller's blog this week and notice the decisions she made with her latest design along with her explanation of why.  Experiment with your work, remembering that no matter how small a piece, it deserves full attention to design details and have a great day.  ***There will be no post next week as I will be on the road...again.

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.

RUG HOOKING ON THE ROAD

Since I am not in the studio for at least three weeks, hooking projects have proven to be a challenge. Most will get started in Vermont, but not be completed until I am back home with all supplies available.

"Ice Ahead"  abstract in progress,  9" X 13", Lori LaBerge  2014

The hooking aspect of "Ice Roads" was finished this week.  I still need to add the metal parts.  As I did not have the correct color chain with me while traveling, I will wait to add it to the piece when I arrive back at the studio.  

The piece came out much softer than the original design plan.  While on the road, I will need to work with the colors I have with me.  The blues available were not as bright as planned and the purple not as red.  The softness of the piece adds more to the cooler feel, which works well to abstractly depict ice and winter, so the piece is working out well so far.  The chain, when added, will bring more attention to the purple section.

There are advantages and disadvantages to working away from the studio with limited materials at hand.

Some tips while on the road:

--Plan out designs ahead of time if possible.

--Try to decide on some color schemes beforehand.  You may not have the exact colors you need, but this can often lead to new ideas while hooking. 

Plenty of grey wool packed for my Road Series designs, some metal parts, yarn and cording.  Unfortunately, I have no access to a sewing machine, so I will only be able to finish off the piece that was pre-sewn when we left. 

--You may be forced to make decisions you would not have had to make in the studio.  Be flexible.  

--Don't forget necessities such as scissors, hook, frame or hoop, wool, linen, and cutter.

--Use the sites around you on your trip for ideas if you did not plan ahead.  This is a great time to work on ideas for new designs.

"Bridging the Gap"  designed on the road,  10" X 28",  Lori LaBerge  2014

The piece above came about as I viewed the many bridges along our trip north.  It gave me the idea to combine two works with a "bridge" between them.  The bridge will be made up of two metal bars.  The whole construction has not been worked out yet, but the main idea is there.

--My computer goes everywhere with me.  If yours is available, go through your digital photo albums for ideas.  Use Photoshop to design.  Cropping is one of my favorite features as it allows one to focus on certain aspects of a photo for design purposes.

--This is also a good time for finishing work.  I tend to hook about four or five pieces before starting finishes.  If you stitch around edges before leaving home, whipping edges becomes a perfect activity while on the road.

--As I am a caregiver during my time in Vermont, I cannot leave the house easily.  If you are vacationing, however, think about stopping by art venues, enjoying public art or practicing your drawing skills by doing some sketches of places you are visiting. 

Though I am most interested in creating art, there are many other aspects of life which lead to ideas for my artwork.  Take a break from the studio, hit the road and have a great day.

NEW MIXED-MEDIA FIBER AND METAL DESIGNS FOR "ROAD SERIES"

I received confirmation of booth space being reserved at the Carolina Designer Craftsmen show in Raleigh, NC.  The show will be held over Thanksgiving weekend. Since I have been making quite a few larger pieces lately, I will need to focus on some in the $100-$300 range in order to have a variety of pricing options available. I will be on the road the next three weeks, so this is the perfect time to work on some smaller pieces.

Designs drawn on linen and ready to be packed up for the trip.

Below is the design process of the three pieces worked out this week.  These are roughed out designs and I may make some changes during the hooking process.

Design for "Parallel Roads"  9" X 13"  Lori LaBerge  2014

Here you can see how many erasure marks were made while working out the placement of lines.  Usually I start out placing the lines then look at the various shapes they create.  Often, changes are needed to eliminate odd shapes or lines that are too close together. 

Color planning for "Parallel Roads"  9 X 13  Lori LaBerge  2014

In the first sketch the parallel areas were the same width. I made the decision to vary the widths for a more interesting piece.  I will be placing fishing weights on the color sections and the gray marks within them gives me an idea of how they will look.  I'm debating on placing a larger weight hanging down about an inch away from the top right hand side as this design still feels like it needs something.  Also, the pink section may be too close to the center of the work.  I'll continue working on this and see where it takes me.

Design for "Tunnels"  9" X 13"  Lori LaBerge  2014

When searching through a box of metal pieces, I found some cylinder shaped lamp parts which gave me the idea of tunnels.  A chain will be placed through the two cylinders and left to hang down the ends of each.

   Color planning for "Tunnels"  9" X 13"  Lori LaBerge  2014

The local Blue Ridge Parkway is surrounded by the beautiful greenery of the wooded areas on the roadside which led me to use the color green.  There are a multitude of both short and long tunnels to drive through along the Parkway so I will use one short and one long cylinder in the piece.

  Design for "Ice Ahead"  9" X 13"  Lori LaBerge  2014

Though we are in the Summer season, I've been thinking of using turquoise or light blues in a piece.  This led to the thought of icy roads.

Design with color planning for "Ice Ahead"  9" x 13"  Lori LaBerge  2014

This color plan has the cold feel I was going for.  The purple will add a tad of warmth to offset the coolness.  A chain will hang down the center of the purple section to represent tire chains.  When I drew this out on linen, I narrowed the blue line directly to the right of the purple section slightly and moved it closer to the purple in order to create variance in the parallel lines.

While working on both large and small works for this series I have found it interesting to see how size affects the design process.  Look at works of your own or on the web and see how a composition would have to change if made larger or smaller and have a great day.

PROGRESSION ON ABSTRACT, ADJUSTING OR CHANGING ARTWORK

Untitled abstract in progress,  Lori LaBerge 2014

I've been working on the background of the piece this week.  Since it is made up of various blues with navy, turquoise and pure blue, I have been placing variations of each to add more interest rather than leaving each section solid.  Work will continue this coming week.

If any of you have been reading the blog regularly you may have spotted some differences in works that were previously thought to be completed.  I have never hesitated to look at a piece and change it if I feel the change could better the work.  

Just a note here to let you know to never change a work that has been accepted to a show or had a photograph of it sent to apply to a show.  When applying, the photo you send must accurately reflect the work.

"Coastal Route" before adjustments,  Lori LaBerge 2014

I had used clear thread to attach the washers in "Coastal Route".  The more I looked at it, the more it bothered me, as if it needed something more. 

 "Coastal Route" after adjustments, Lori LaBerge 2014

I removed the clear thread and replaced it with dark gray yarn.  This added more contrast and color and to me just looked better overall.  The washers now blend in with the design of the piece adding to it rather than just laying on top of the hooked work.

"Road Movie"  before adjustments,  Lori LaBerge  2014

Another piece that was changed a little more drastically is "Road Movie".  Again, I had used clear thread.  The piece looked a little too static for me.  I wanted the washers to better portray movie reels as they were moving.

"Road Movie" after adjustments, Lori LaBerge 2014

I removed all the washers.  The smaller washers were then staggered on various areas of the larger washers to portray movement.  Dark gray yarn was used to attach the washers to the hooked work.  A small screw nut was stitched onto the lower right so the metal would not overwhelm and make the left side seem heavy.

Before changing anything decide why you want to change it and if it really needs changes. Plan out the changes. Decide what types of changes could make the piece better.  Does something need to be added or would it look better if something were removed?  Older pieces can sometimes be revived and given new life when reworked.  Could you possibly use an older piece as part of a new work?  There are infinite possibilities.

Embrace experiencing change and have a great day.