Excitement in the Air

I'm still buzzing from a fun-filled Open Studio, topped off with the fact that my space is all tidied up... you can't get much more happy than that.  This week I've been working on filling orders and will be loading a whole bunch of new work over to the Sask Craft Council Boutique.  I keep meaning to start up a selection of available art online, but it goes pretty quickly.  So, if you are ever interested in my art to purchase, please just ask.  I ship worldwide and often have a few pieces at home just waiting.

And this!!  Last week, I got some mail.  I got some VERY exciting mail.  I posted on facebook and then (shame on me) I failed to post it on my blog.  My only excuse is that I've been busy cleaning and preparing... and then was a bit under the weather when I finally did take a day off because that is how things work, right?

So here it is.  Here's my mail!!

US publication  November/December 2015 issue

This is my first major US magazine article, and so I am very thrilled with this as a milestone.  I've been published a dozen times in Canada and 4 times in the UK.  THANK YOU Machine Quilting Unlimited!  Prior to being contacted by them, I had never heard of this magazine before.  Unfortunately, it is not in Canadian bookstores (that would be why it's new to me).  However, you can subscribe or order back issues from their website here.  I'll get right on that!  I have this one issue that came in the mail, but a couple more would be nice indeed!  : )

I was reluctant to say yes since I am not a machine quilter, but the editor reassured me that my work is appropriate for the 'art studio' section where they profile fibre artists who use sewing machines.  And so, there are five pages in this issue, along with my name on the cover.  That's exciting!  : )

As for our recent changing of the guard, our new Prime Minister and his young family are pretty much the French Canadian version of Brangelina, are they not!?  A warm welcome to our second Prime Minister Trudeau, wife Sophie and their 3 children.  That's no doubt making a lot of headlines as Trudeaumania starts up once again in Canada.  Red - Blue - Red - Blue - Red and so the cycle continues.

And now that elections are over, we can get back to this - MARK YOUR CALENDARS.  The big BIG Saskatoon Quilt Show and Market is in a matter of days!  Friday and Saturday - check out the poster!

I'll be there on Friday afternoon with my red shopping cart! : )

It's a little more expensive than what I remember, but so is everything including the rent for the space I'd imagine.  Plus, I'll regret not going so I'm happy to dig deeper.

See you around!
linking to WIP Wednesday at TN&TN

Learning Deeper, Expressing Canada

I'm self taught at pretty-much everything.  That is my lifelong goal.  I've never gone to art school... or sewing school for that matter.  But I'm always learning.  And I am always looking.  Yesterday, we were at the library.  Here are some books I picked up instead of quilting books.  There's some great creativity boosters in that pile!

A quilter's trip to the library.

One thing that strikes me is the style of art & quilts & art quilts from around the world.  Australians have a definite style all to their own.  They stand out.  And the works of Norwegian and Welsch artists and sewists really catch my eye.  Some day I need to go there and see if I can feel it in the air.

incidentally, my first fibre art set was purchased by a stained glass artist.
 

 

I was asked the other day, "what is Canadian Style?" in a rather pessimistic tone... like we have none.  I stopped to think.  I'm not sure.  I think you see Canada when you see bold colors, definite lines, rugged nature, red & white, humanness, and humor.

from : The Art of Tile

Our land is so diverse - glaciers, igloos, lighthouses, grainfields, rivers, mountain ranges, giant ancient forests, cottage country, three distinctly differing coastlines, tundra, sand dunes, hoodoos, vineyards, rocky cliffs, and the Okanagan.  

Then there's the skies - sun up, sun down, the moon, and the astronomical  

Aurora Borealis or The Northern Lights.  

(CLICK - these are REAL).  

Our place on the earth gives us four distinct seasons as well.  Those I cannot live without.  Add to that the fact that any Canadian child's classroom will be filled with faces and freckles of every color imaginable... Not many people in Canada are from Canada.

from the book: The McMichael Canadian Art Collection

So, what is our style?  We are like a loaded pizza.  Actually, we are more like the entire smorgasbord!  As for me - who knows.  There are several people down my family line who were adopted, so the bloodlines are unknown.  All I know is that I was born here and my heart is tied to the land.

My goal with my fibre art is to express what I love about the land and sky here.  I love Canada.  I have this gorgeous image brewing in my head of how I feel about the 'true north', and the depths of life force if you look deep into life here.  First, I'm enjoying these books.  I love the inspiration they offer.  Then I will start expressing that piece in my head/heart with my fabric & fibres and glass beads.

THAT is my favorite tip.

Here's to a creative weekend!  

~Monika K.

October Sun

It's October and it's still hot outside!  There will be snow by the end of the month.  The leaves are about 50% fallen, and probably 75%  by the end of the day.  We are spending as much time outside as we possibly can.  Yesterday, we went to Meewasin Park.  Meewasin means "beautiful valley".  I took some handquilting with me to work on.

 

Here's where I got to sit while my children played in the giant sandbox!  It overlooks the South Saskatchewan River.  It was hot enough that my boy got to run around barefoot without a shirt on.

Gee, the leaves look really gone here!  Depending on the tree, some are still fully green.  My newly homeschooled 7 year old was begging me for my camera.  So I passed it to him.  Here's some really great photos he took!

There's so much action in that picture!  I love it!  ; )  here's more...  I'm stitching spirals on my Mama Bear quilt.

He got closer and closer until the camera lens was right on the quilt!  lol  SO I asked him to back up a little.  I love how these are all tilted.  ; )

 

This one in particular is a great "action" shot!  lol

I hope you enjoyed Liam's photos.  : )

Today is another gorgeous repeat of yesterday.  It's Saturday and the kids are home.  I have a lot of projects I want to try to complete, so I think we'll get to the parks after supper.  It's getting darker and darker at an earlier time each night, so playing at 7 pm means bringing our flashlights.  I love taking my kids out to play in the dark.  It makes for such great memories!  That's probably why I like winter.  We are far north enough that by 5 pm, it's pitch black outside!  If it's a mild night, then we all go play in the snow.  When the moon is out, everything glows & shines & sparkles, and you don't even need lights.  It's so great!

sigh

loving all the seasons always

~Monika