It's Up!

Flora: A Show in Fibre is up now at Hues.  There's fifteen pieces and I may add a few more.  We shall see.  This one below is from a sketch I did at my friend Tanya's in Calgary.   It's in a 10x10 charcoal wood frame, no glass, no mat.

Irises in the Morning 2016

This next one is weeds: simple little flowers that were growing near a parking pad out in the middle of nowhere.  It's so pretty though, so I gave it a 'fancy' name to help pretty it up.  haha  It's 'wayside flowers' in French.

fleurs en bordure de voie. 2016

This next one is 'A View from Shelby's Garden'.  Shelby was the woman I stayed with when I was speaking in Regina.  I LOVE how this one worked out.  It was from the point of looking under some hanging branches and out into the open space filled with sun.  I really should have spent more time in her yard.  One thing for certain - I adore this style and knowing I pulled it off once, I can't wait to do similar work again, even larger and in different colours.

A View from Shelby's Garden, 2016

This next one uses rougher Noro yarns and again, full of layers that I really liked stitching.

Prairie Flora, 2016

That one is also bigger in a 10x10" frame.  Welll, you know, 'big' for embroidery.  Each piece of hand work took about 10 to 16 hours to stitch (some are only 5x7").  That translates one stupid-long day and night with breaks, upwards to a couple of days.  Often I'd go to bed very late and finish the piece the next day.  Now, that doesn't count the time spent looking for and capturing photos, pouring over images on the computer, editing and cropping, sketching different crops and versions of my favourites, and then tidying them up, mounting the work, photographing the finished art, and framing at the end.  So, when people ask, 'How long did that take!?' - I always point out the entire process. It's a long process that can turn 15 hours of stitching into a 3 or 4 day event per piece.

I have ways to save time.  I load up all my backing fabric onto a scroll frame ONCE.  then as I finish a piece, I just roll the fabric to a clear spot, and start another.  I also frame in batches because it feels faster as well.

NICE feedback - the owner of Hues commented, 'WHO does you framing!?' with some serious validation in his voice as we flipped all the work over. I was pretty proud to say, "ME."  He was impressed.  Then he later inquired about the backs, relaying how he heard that formal embroidery must be neat and perfect on the backsides.  I hesitated.  I smirked.  I stared at him with wide eyes, biting my tongue.  I couldn't speak for a bit.  lol  Then I replied, 'this isn't formal embroidery.  This is art.'  And so Paul, just for you, I loaded some images of backs onto my Flickr page here.  ; )

A Garden Impression #1, 2016

As for framing, these are all stretched on foam core and framed without matting or glass.  I can hardly believe how LIGHT the entire load of art is.  WOW.  After hauling and lugging heavy glass frames around for 5 or 6 years, this is QUITE a treat!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The reception for 'Flora' is

Saturday, July 9th

2 to 4 pm.  

There will be coffee, tea, and GF loaf.

1818 Lorne Avenue, 

at corner of Lorne and Taylor / free street parking

I'll be there around 1:30.  If you head on over before hand, please remember to check out my process book.  It's a binder full of notes, photos, sketches, and supply samples.  Grab a business card and sign the guest book. : )

Thanks so much to everyone at Hues, and to all the folks who tell me, 'yes!  keep doing that!  more!'  I think this collection is a good start to greater things.