Yvette Doss sent me a copy of her eBook Crunchy Granola Charm to review.
From her book:
“If, like me, you’re fascinated by the 1960s and the ideals that era embodied, you might be part of the way to crunchy.
Fueled by the most amazing soundtrack any era has ever produced, the 1960s had me from the moment I first heard the music and learned about Woodstock, the student rights movement at Berkeley, the Doors and their amazing musical run in L.A., and the scene on Haight Street in San Francisco.”
That applies to me. I’ve been fascinated with the 60’s since I was a little girl.
Also from the introduction:
“Making your own beaded jewelry fits right in with the 1960s aesthetic. It’s folksy, it’s creative, and it’s earthy. Plus, there’s no reason not to accessorize on your way to the protest rally. You’ve gotta look good while you do what’s right.”
I can agree with that.
This one is called Daydream Believer Bracelet:
Doss does a good job showing the jewelry details. Here’s the clasp from her Light My Fire necklace:
There’s seven projects total. Each lists materials used, tools needed, instructions and project resources.
This one is called One Love Bracelet:
It’s a cute ebook. The projects would be good for beginning jewelry makers. They’d also make quick gifts. You can get it for $5.95 here.
March 11th, 2010
Linda Berger will be in this year’s Beyond The Fringe show. Here she is posing by one of her pieces.
What drives you to create?
Creating is just inside of me and MUST come out. Mostly as an image in my mind, then drawn and incorporated into a fiber medium.
Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
My mother taught me to knit at age 9. Though out the years more and more fiber elements and techniques have come to me. Also I dye wool to hook with and spin fleece to yarn for knitting and crocheting etc…
What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art? Where do you find them?
There is always fiber from animals and plants in my hooking, knitting,
crocheting and spinning.
How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
Time is irreverent to me. When the piece reaches how I envisioned, then
it’s done.
What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
Usually I draw or paint my vision. Or sometime I will use a photo.
What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
There is not a special meaning or message to my work.
Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
I can’t say my work is for therapy, however I sure feel great after something is created and finished.
What artists do you admire most?
Doug West right here in Taos, NM
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere!! We are surrounded by beauty; one can find beauty in a rock or a hill etc…
Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
Yes, in December there will be a fiber show at the Harwood Museum. And my work will be there the whole month.
How can people contact you?
Anyone can contact me at love2bead @ kitcarson . net
March 10th, 2010
The postcards for this year’s Beyond The Fringe are here:
The artists listed on the front are:
Violette Alby
Linda Berger
Linda Michel-Cassidy
Connie Fernandez
Lois Fernandez
Kimberly Hamill
Carolyn Hinske
Jana Greiner
Twilight Kallisti
Mary K. Lyon
Merce Mitchell
Nina Silfverberg
Faith Welsh
Karen Wittwer
Abigail Z
The text on the back reads:
Beyond the Fringe
March 26-April 1, 2010
A fine fiber art exhibition
Opening reception
Friday, March 2, 5-8pm
Stables Gallery
133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte
Taos, NM 87571
575-758-2052
Visit arists at
craftingchaos.com/beyond-the-fringe
Fiber classes at
www.manosweavingschool.com
These cards are designed to be working postcards. I’ll be mailing some off to friends. Maybe I’ll see you at the opening reception?
March 8th, 2010
Here’s Faith standing by her piece at the opening of the new Taos Town Hall this year. It’s called Martin’s Song and is a 36″ x 36″ acrylic collage on clay panel. She was in last year’s Beyond The Fringe and will be in this year’s as well.
What drives you to create?
I create because I am enthralled with the process. Driven by the act of allowing my hands to create space for the unexpected to come through, my work develops from exploration. I am a painter with more than 25 years of experience in Fine Arts and have always done hand work for relaxation. One day in 2004, I had an epiphany, and it came to me, why not use fiber in the same way I use paint (?)… with the same attention to shape, form, color, composition. I started creating non functional pieces, more for myself, than for public viewing. In 2008, one of my pieces won the blue ribbon at the Taos Open and came to the attention of BTF curator Merce Mitchell. The BTF concept is perfect for stepping outside the box and letting the imagination run wild. The creative excitement generated by this show is highly contagious.
Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
The addition of using fiber in my repertoire has expanded my oeuvre considerably.
What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art?
Being a mixed media, collage person to begin with, I tend to mix my materials up, using thread, leather, beads, fabric, metal as well as yarn and roving.
Where do you find them?
I am always on the look out for interesting and unusual materials.
How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
My fiber pieces typically take a month or more to complete. My first piece was a year long on-going project.
What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
I usually just start somewhere and let the piece develop… each addition of different color and/or materials suggest the direction to go. I start with an idea or concept, rather than a plan. I do not use patterns.
What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
Each piece has it’s own message. The work for BTF 2010 is based on a poem by Veronica Golos. The poem led me into a deep exploration of the veil and its significance in different cultures. It reads: sky is everywhere; blue burqa sky
Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
Knitting and crocheting are very meditative for me but I don’t exactly think of it as therapy, but perhaps, it is.
What artists do you admire most?
In Fiber Arts, Jane Thornley is my muse.
Where do you find inspiration?
Absolutely everywhere!
Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
The poet, Veronica Golos and I are collaborating further on a fiber piece to be included in the next showing of THIS LAND IS ME. So, the exploration continues!
How can people contact you?
Faith Welsh
March 6th, 2010
I’ve made more leaves for the Green Man. This is some wool I bought at that sweet yarn sale I went to last year.
I’m planning on felting these.
In other knitting news, I’ve started a scarf for my friend Helen. I’m going to make her a version of my scarf hoodie.
I’m using my handspun three ply and the Mountain Colors yarn I bought in Seattle.
March 5th, 2010
Artist Linda Michel-Cassidy will be in this year’s Beyond The Fringe show. The pictures in this post are of her piece Residue. The installed dimensions are 10 ‘ high by 6′ wide and the pods are the pods are assorted wools, alpaca and yak.
What drives you to create?
I have come to believe that creating is inherent in my personality. It’s not an option; rather it is part of who I am.
Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
I work across media. I went to undergrad for metals, taught metalsmithing, but worked a lot in cast cement and fiber as well. In grad school, I was admitted in metals, but continued to work in fiber, plastics as well as metals and then did my thesis in paper, building materials and cookies. I try to choose the media that suits the piece rather than create a piece around my attachment to a particular material.
What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art? Where do you find them?
As above, I guess anything. I’ve used wallpaper, raw alpaca, discarded beakers….I’m open to anything. I like to use local animals for fiber, or small mills if it’s yarn. I spin myself, so I’ll do that where need be. When I use other types of things, I like to check out re-use centers and I love hardware stores.
How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
It depends. With conceptual pieces, I don’t think I can assign a time, because there is often research and writing along with…it’s not just the actual making. One of my pieces for this show….maybe 180 hours of physical work…maybe more. But I’m listening to podcasts, so is it really that much time? I also did some research around it, before it was ‘a piece’ in my head.
I have a paper installation I’ve been working on for a couple of years. Then there’s one piece (not in this show) that got a bit of play, that took all of an afternoon, but I’d been thinking about it for, what? My whole life, it seems.
What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
Making, of course. Writing along with it, always. I wouldn’t say that I have a finished vision at the start. That’s just not how I work things…particularly with fiber. I prefer to work more intuitively. So the process is the rhythm of making, be it knitting, forging, cutting, and letting that flow take control and dictate where the piece goes. The piece I am working on now is handspun, which allows for a lot of this, and then knit, which is a bit more controlled. Another piece is hooked, so it was very planned out.
What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
I used to do a lot of political work. The previous administration gave me a lot of material. It was maybe even a bit too didactic, but frankly I was pissed about what was going on.
Now I am more concerned with our detachment from really living and our loss of the ability to be ourselves. I still have the political concerns…maybe I’m just a little less frustrated. I used to do a lot of humor. Maybe my lack of anger will propel me back in that direction!
Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
No. Or I should say, my position on that is sure, go ahead, make that work, but it’s private. Making can be very therapeutic, absolutely, but using one’s pain to get attention, I’m not sure that helps anyone. If you’ve come out the other side, great, pass that on, but that would be the after effect.
What artists do you admire most?
Smithson, Tom Joyce, Louise Bourgeois, Wolfgang Laib, Eva Hesse; these folks I always love. I am very fickle with my Art crushes. Mark Thompson is great if not prolific. Linda Fleming’s work is fabulous, as well. I just met Ted Larsen skiing and took a look at his website; his work is very subtle and right on aesthetically.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere: the news, on a hike, on a road trip, in a fantastic novel. I don’t look for it; it usually smacks me upside the head when I’m not looking for it.
Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
I am doing a collaboration with a group of poets, which I am very excited about. I am supposed to have a solo show (metals) but it’s not at all written in stone at this point. I usually do something with The San Francisco Center for the Book, so I hope to do that again. I have one project that has been hanging over me for years, so I guess my big goal is to get that done. Put that beast to rest.
How can people contact you?
No.hum.here @ gmail.com
March 3rd, 2010
Beyond The Fringe artist Violette Alby sent me pictures of her quilts.
Untitled
2009
Yellow, colour of the middle
85″ x 75″
February 28th, 2010
Artist Carolyn Hinske will be in this year’s Beyond The Fringe. The picture above is of her art work space. I enjoy seeing where artists work. It’s a peak into their techniques and inspirations.
What drives you to create?
an internal force
Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
my grandmothers and mother all worked in different fibers so it was around me my entire life
What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art?
any and everything that makes me smile
Where do you find them?
anywhere I can
How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
I have no real response - it can vary dramatically from a day to months
What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
I usually just jump in and hope for the best
What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
I believe strongly in the Navajo blessing to “Walk in the Beauty Way”
Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
usually, except when there is a deadline that is fast approaching
What artists do you admire most?
Dorothy Irving (my grandmother), Frida Kahlo, Faith Welsh
Where do you find inspiration?
the mountains, the sky, friends, fiber
Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
J Fine Gallery in late March
How can people contact you?
chinske @ gmail . com
February 27th, 2010
Beyond The Fringe curator and artist Merce Mitchell sent me some pictures of her art.
Thrown
wool fleece, natural plant dyes, nylon thread, metallic acrylic paint
hand felted, hand stitched construction
construction 2009
Nigella
wool fleece, natural plant dyes, nylon thread, fiberfill
hand felted, hand stitched
construction 2009
Stellaria
wool fleece, natural plant dyes, lichen, nylon thread, fiberfill
hand felted, hand stitched
construction 2009
February 26th, 2010
I’ve been sewing, sewing, sewing leaves onto the Green Man. Prana has been helping:
I’ve been working on a new leaf. I found this pattern via Crafty Galore’s blog. This is acrylic boucle so I took Prana’s cat brush to fluff up the leaves.
Speaking of Prana, he wanted to help with the photoshoot:
This is one of my favorite photos of him. I call it “Prana in the wooly jungle”
February 25th, 2010
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