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Vending at Southern Comforters quilt show March 10-11
Mark your calendars. I'll be selling wearable art scarves at my booth at the annual Southern Comforters Quilt Guild show next weekend, March 10-11, in Bowie, MD (Samuel Ogle Middle School, 4111 Chelmont Lane). The event includes the quilt show, about a dozen vendors, a silent auction, and some wonderful raffle items, including the award-winning quilt pictured above. It's well worth the $10 admission. It's also a manageable sized show. You can probably do the whole thing (including shopping!) in an hour, making it a nice weekend afternoon activity.
The Guild is a great organization that supports quilters and provides educational and service outreach to the community. Come out and see my latest wearable work and support the Guild.
I made the cover!
The year is getting off to a brisk start. I've been so busy in the studio that I've neglected to share some really exciting news (or at least there's nothing about it on the website yet, so I'm thinking that I haven't shared it).
In early December I learned that I had 2 pieces juried into the new Art Cloth Network show titled, "Unbound". The juror was Michael James from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I'm really delighted to have had my work in front of someone with his reputation, and even more delighted to be selected to be part of what I think is a strong show.
While the body of work has been selected, the first exhibit venue hasn't yet been secured. However, the exhibit catalog has been published on Blurb. It's beautiful--thanks to Barbara Schneider--and one of my pieces was used for the cover. I'm giggly-thrilled. Check out the image above.
You can preview the entire catalog at: http://www.blurb.com/books/8453285-unbound-an-exhibition-by-the-art-cloth-network
You can see my two accepted pieces by clicking the links to my portfolio below. Both works are part of a series I started last year based on cut paper collages that have been enlarged, printed on fabric, and quilted. I love where this is going, and it will be my focus for the year, if/when I can take a break from dyeing cloth to replenish my depleted inventory of wearable items. Spring shows are right around the corner!
Visit my booth at the Greenbelt Festival of Lights, Dec 2-3
All of a sudden the holidays are upon us. As you contemplate gifts for friends, family, and self, please consider supporting the local craftspeople and artists who will be at this year's Greenbelt Festival of Lights Juried Art & Craft Fair. It's a wonder show in a community that really supports the arts.
The event runs Saturday Dec 2 (10-5) - Sunday, Dec 3 (10-4) at the Greenbelt Community Center (directions). I'll have a booth again this year, selling wearable art. I hope to see you all there.
New artwork at Peg Leg Vintage in College Park
Earlier this week I dropped of new art quilts at Peg Leg Vintage in College Park. It's just about the coolest local source for mid-century furnishing, accessories, and consigned art. If you're in the DC metro area, then you definitely need to check it out.
They recently got some excellent press in the Washington Post. In fact, when I was there the other day there were customers in the store who said that they came because of the Post article. Pretty great. You can find the story at https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/at-this-vintage-store-in-college-park-md-the-past-is-always-fresh/2017/11/07/7cffd834-b366-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.42c0a0f2567b.
Also look for them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PegLegVintage) and follow their weekly posts of newly arrived items. I think that my new work is going to be featured this coming week.
New items in my online store
Check out the newest items in my online store--the fruits of an intense month of dyeing!
New items in the portfolio section
Collage #1
If you follow my studio Facebook page, you might have seen some quick & dirty snapshots of recently finished work in early September. I've just finished properly photographing all of those pieces and adding them to my online portfolio. Take a look at:
Wonderful art cloth exhibit in Miami
Photo: Daniel Portnoy
This has been a confounding year so far. After a couple of surgeries (3 in 9 months), I feel like I've addressed some deferred maintenance issues, which is good. But, it seems that every time I've sort of gotten my feet back under me I've fallen over again--metaphorically speaking. As a consequence, the studio as been a disjointed, unproductive, unfulfilling confusing, mess--but things are turning around a looking up. I have 5 art quilts nearing completion, and I feel like I'll be strong enough in a few weeks to safely lift dye buckets.
Meanwhile, wonderful things have been happening for the Art Cloth Network. Our exhibit team has landed some outstanding venues this year, the most recent of which is the terminal gallery at Miami International Airport. The gallery is part of Miami-Dade County Division of Arts & Cultural Affairs, and they've been fantastic to work with. They even produced a stunning color brochure to accompany the show. The show is in a gallery that's inside the security perimeter, but if your travels happen to take you through MIA, check out the "Material View" exhibit.
That's my piece hanging at the entrance to the show--BIG SMILE. (Photo: Daniel Portnoy)
Photo: Daniel Portnoy
Recent sales!
I'm delighted to say that my ongoing relationship with Peg Leg Vintage in College Park is proving to be both pleasant and rewarding. Their super-cool midcentury vibe fits perfectly with my own aesthetic, and their enthusiasm and support for my work is just great. The piece above, "Emerge" is an older work from 2009 that just sold last month! They've also carrying smaller framed works. Now, if could just stop buying furniture perhaps I could make a genuine profit!
You can read more about "Emerge" in the portfolio section.
Yearend perspective
"Nuclear Family," exhibited at the Schweinfurth Art Center in the summer of 2016.
Forget the super moon. The big thing now looming large on the horizon is the end of 2016, a year that will, for a host of reasons, be remembered, analyzed, and discussed ad nauseam for years to come.
From a more personal perspective, this year has been one of significant change: leaving a job I loved (not entirely by choice), working independently in a new field, and learning a bit more about the kind of work that I like doing.
Here are a few things I've learned with year:
- At the very top of the list: Be careful what you wish for. I've long said that I'd love to try working as a full-time artist. This year I've had the great good fortune to have been given just that opportunity, but it's sort of like the universe called my bluff.
- Working alone, even for an introvert, can get lonely. It's really important to build social and professional connections and to interact with people. I miss the daily collegial conversations that naturally come as part of a corporate job. I know that this is something that I need to attend to in the coming year.
- I miss the leading, teaching, and helping aspects of my former career. I expect that most any artist would say that there's a delicate balance between working studio time, quiet thinking time, and other pursuits. I'm looking for ways to scratch the itch for teaching and leading, but still guard that precious studio time.
- I'm still trying to figure it out what it means to be a “working artist.” In western culture in particular, work equates to a JOB (i.e., nothing that could ever be misconstrued as a hobby), progressive responsibility, earned income, financial independence, etc. Very few artists produce artwork that fits this description. Fame and fortune are not the objectives, and if they come at all, it's only after years of hard work—or after you're dead. This year I've been fortunate to have had my income supplemented by severance pay from my last job. That being said, I also sold enough work to be in the black for the year, but you can hardly call my net earning a living wage. I have artist friends who make money by teaching, publishing books, and doing TV appearances. Although I'm interested in teaching, I don't see myself becoming a traveling teacher or doing super-sized craft shows all over the country. Now I've got to figure out where that leaves me. I also know that, lofty as it might sound, one of my top priorities has to be growing as an artist and producing the best work of which I'm capable. Again, I have the great good fortune that Dan and I have arranged our finances in a way that allows me to continue on this journey next year.
- Finally, although it should be obvious, I've had to remind myself more times than I can count that changing careers is starting over—going back to the bottom and working your way up again. You don't get to step out of a mid-career, peak earning job into a similar situation in a completely different field with a different pay structure and expect all things to remain the same. Again, obvious. Knew it before I started. Still need to remind myself not to compare apples and oranges.
Now, I have to say that writing those five bullet points has put me in a bit of funk. What am I doing? Is this all a mistake? But I know that this just another aspect of being your own boss. I don't have a boss to give me a good yearend review, and no teammates to offer positive feedback. Depending on your personality, when you work alone, it can be easy to lose sight of your accomplishments when you're focused on big questions and the future. So, for the record, I am proud of what I've accomplished this year--more sales, more commissions, more inventory, and more artwork being exhibited out in the world. I aimed high and applied for some very selective art competitions and craft shows, but didn't get accepted to most. Hey, aim high, fall far, get up and try again. To be honest, not getting into a huge, 4-day, very expensive craft show is not the worst thing that could happen!
So, here's my closing thought: 2016 has been a real adventure, full of learning and growth, and I can't recall ever uttering the words, “I'm bored.” I'm looking forward to more of the same in 2017. And to all of you who congratulated me on my “early retirement,” please know that I appreciate the good wishes, but I'll be continuing in my not-so-secret identity as the Owner and Principal Artist at russlittlefiberartist, LLC for the foreseeable future. I'll figure out the retirement thing when I get there.
Art Cloth Network's "Anything Goes" opens at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
"Focal Point" on display at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles through Jan 15, 2017
Hey folks, if you find yourself in the Bay Area between now and Jan 15, 2017 consider a trip to the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles to see the Art Cloth Network show titled, "Anything Goes."
This is our second exhibit at the museum, and we're delighted to have an opportunity to show our work in such a distinguished venue for fiber. I'm delighted to have my piece "Focal Point" included.
http://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/current-exhibitions-sjmqt-museum-art-downtown-sanjose