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

You are Invited...

I'm working away!  I stopped for some turkey in Edmonton, St Alberta and Jackfish Lake... and now I'm back in the studio finishing up framing of my new embroideries.  I have a stack of new Prairie Postcards, postcard embellishments / supplies,  art print greeting cards, snow globes, a variety of framed threadpaintings in all sizes and price points including a dozen minis.  Saturday is my Open Studio!  If you are unable to attend, please know that I will be listing available art for sale next week online for the folks that live too far away.

You can click on the linked title below to go directly to the invite poster for details on the date, time and location.  : )

click: Open Studio & Art Sale Invite

Pass it on! : )

linking to WIP Wednesday @ TN&TN

Save the Date! There's Twice the Fun!

I am looking forward to Saturday, October 17th very much.  Check it out!

I am so there.  I love lining up in the morning and poking around through all the supplies there.  If you are unable to attend, you can donate a couple days before that.  It's great incentive to destash and help out a good cause.

Later that day...

YAY!  I am really excited to host another open studio.  It wasn't too busy but steady all day last year.  Again, I will have art for sale, from $ to $$$ and everything in between.  I will have cards, threadpaintings, snowglobes, hand embroidery, some prairie postcards too.  There's a good chance my children will greet you with their own handmade sale.  My 9 yr old makes earrings, and my 12 yr old makes leather crafts.  I'll be sure to leave out a guest comment book if you'd like to offer kind words in lieu of shopping.  We'll have munchies and bubbly, coffee and tea, smiles and hugs and music too.  You are welcome to pop in any time between 1pm and 8 pm.

We hope to see you!

Wrapping up September, Preparing for October

Woo!  What a weekend.  That was a long three days.  Friday, the artists set up at Solar Gardens.  Saturday and Sunday we sold our work.  I've never done a two day show before.  I'm totally exhausted both socially and physically.  : )  But it's a good kind of ache.  It means I was busy on my feet with a steady flow of people.  I was in the glass house, very hot I must say!  I drank and drank and drank water.  The weather was beautiful and the company of the other artists was wonderful.

@ Solar Gardens in the Glass House

That was my cell phone photo of part of my display area.  This shows three panel walls, but I had a fourth with another table.  It was a very good show for me in many ways.  I sold several threadpaintings including all three of the autumn ones I showed you last post!  That's pretty exciting.  One went to Regina, one to Davidson, and one in Saskatoon.  The art out there was fantastic - pottery, paintings, glass, illustrations, mixed media, metal...  It seemed like a much bigger group than when I was at Agar's 2 years ago.

I enjoyed quality time with a few painters after the first show day.  Well - quality time watching the painters critique each other after the show.  It was really great to witness.  With fibre, there's so much about technique, cleaning up loose threads, texture, what does the back look like?, to use glass or not to use glass...  The evening listening to painters was refreshing.  The particular group of women I was with spent their time talking about value and composition, line and contrast.  It was wonderful and gave me lots to reflect on later.  They do a lot of abstract, and it gave my some ideas on how to loosen up my work when stitching with yarns.

red winged black birds - photo from last autumn

I'm always awed by the comments of the people who come to look at the art.  Some get VERY happy, some are stopped in their tracks, some can't contain themselves.  They always have such incredible reactions and I wish I had a guest book for them to sign this past weekend.  I joked that I need a 'his' and 'hers' guest book.  The women offer beautiful, meaningful expressions of gratitude and awe.  The men often swear!  lol  I'm serious.  I don't know how many men said things like, 'ho#y Sh%t!  That's thread!?'  I was taken aback several times.  Why is that!?  I just giggled.  Maybe I need a swear jar.  ; )

All in all, I am grateful for all of the reactions from all of the folks.  There was never a dull moment.  And so, thank you to organizer Judy Wood, event host Solar Gardens, and all the artists and guests that came out.  It was a very fun weekend!

As for available art, four more of my threadpaintings are now relocated for sale at the Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique.  I delivered them the next morning.  I'm caught up my commissions and so now I work on filling my sewing room with art in anticipation of next month's Open Studio.  !!  Yes, it's that time again.  I'm excited about this and a bit surprised to think it's been a whole year since I had my first studio show/gathering.  Save the date!  

Saturday, October 17th from 1pm to 8 pm

Have a lovely week!  Happy Autumn Equinox : )

Openings and Opportunities

Saturday was awesome.  There weren't more than a half dozen people at any given time, but a steady flow came all day without a break.  It was so great to see familiar and new faces.  Pretty much everyone who came bought art - it was an incredibly successful day that way!  I don't feel guilt anymore about giving up the December show.  So, thank you for that!  : )  And thank you also to all those who sent a sweet message with regrets.  You all made me smile and I appreciate you so much.

Monika & Verna - she's only drinking pink ginger ale : )

I personally love the smurks on our faces.  : )

The interesting parts of Saturday were when two guests were really interested in purchasing some of my stash!  lol  I had some of my Etsy shop stock and so they had fun picking their favourites.  I had someone fall in love with a handstitched piece I had on the display table.  I hadn't planned for it to be for sale because I didn't have it finished / mounted.  So, we talked about how she would like it displayed in a wrapped canvas style with no framed.  I'll show you a photo once I have it all put together.  That was a nice surprise!  I'm glad she asked for the piece she really loved the best.  Another woman spied a prairie rug hooking on a lower shelf in the room and ended up going home with that one.  : )

On Monday, I ran a 4 hr Beginner Threadpainting Class.  There were 5 in the classroom.  I had capped it at 4, but I got an email from a woman in Manitoba who happened to be coming this way.  Of course I added her too!  What great timing.  I have a friend name Lauren from my mom's group who came to try it out.  She had never free motioned before - 110% beginner.  SHE DID SO AWESOME!  So I have to show her off just to prove that I don't need my students to have any experience whatsoever, and you really will amaze yourself.

There she is on my machine.  We had some issues with jamming on hers and so I wanted to get her going.  (p.s. Lauren, your manual was left behind here.)

And then I spent some time refilling stock for the Etsy shop as well.  The postcard supplies were dwindling.  I have yet to upload those pics but I'll do that next.

OKAY - on with the BIG commissions.  I have one more going to Australia, the USA, a couple for Canada, and even one headed to Africa.  WOWEE.  But for the moment, I think I am quite exhausted and will take today off.  I don't remember the last time I had a good rest and me-day.  Talk soon folks!  Thanks for everything,

My Open Studio & Art Sale Saturday

It's official.

I already announced it on Facebook and now people will come.  

Save the date!  My 'Studio Warming' (like a house warming) will be this weekend!

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~ Studio Warming ~

&

Art Sale

at the home of Monika Kinner-Whalen

351 Crean Crescent in Saskatoon

* Saturday October 25th, 2014 *

11am - 4pm  &  6pm to 8 pm

** We will be closing from 4-6pm for our family's suppertime **

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I'm thinking if you want art, you might want to come earlier.  If you want to catch up and drink wine, you could come later.  I really have no idea how busy it will be.  I suppose it depends on the weather.

Please be aware that my new space is down one flight of stairs.  I know that's an issue for two important people in my life.  Also, we have a dog in the house, but he is terrified of stairs and has never been in my studio.  The studio is pet free.

I need to announce here as well that this weekend's Art Sale at my home will replace my December Solo Show & Sale at the Centre Mall Galleries.  It would have been my 5th annual exhibit.  That's a big deal and a little bittersweet.  However, with building the studio over the summer and having stacks of commissioned art to complete before the holidays, I felt this was the right decision.  It's all good though.  I have handed over my December booking at the Centre Gallery to my friend Elizabeth Cuming.  She is an award winning established quilt artist who focuses on historical buildings around the province.  I am sure you will enjoy her work very much.

See you on Saturday - I guess I had better get prepared!