Thread Paintings for Gardenscape 2015

AAAH!!!  Isn't it truly amazing out there?  It is spring in Saskatchewan.  Before you know it, Gardenscape will be here!  March 27, 28, 29 at Prairieland park.  This year I understand that the art will be in Hall E (not A as it has been in the past).  I think Hall E is the first entrance you see when you arrive into the parking lot.  You might recall that last year's attraction was the butterflies.  This year, it's Orchids!  That will be wonderful to see.  I have six threadpaintings completed for sale and a few more in the works of varying sizes.  Here's a couple of  sneak peeks of what I've been working on.

Above the Creek Bed, 2015 (work in progress)

It's mostly done.  I need to go back in and add some tree trunks by had and then sign the art as well with my stitches.

I'm working on this large, long piece.  It's from a cell phone capture while driving home from Pike Lake on the last hot day in September.  Here's how I start - photo nearby, and some batiks to block the main colours in place.  For big pieces, I sometimes sketch out some general shapes with coloured pencils.  It gives me a chance to move things if I need to.

I love this one so much!  I have the perfect frame for it.  It's ready for the hand stitching now. I'll be adding in the fence posts, wires, and lush blooms down in the foreground.  I love the way the evening light is working in this.  : )

work in progress - home from the lake

Mmmm.  I'm enjoying all the green. I have some Canola fields and a few Autumn scenes as well.  I'm actually quite SHOCKED at how quick and effortless threadpainting feels after months of hand stitching.  * I have a new appreciation for hand work. *  Now that we are fully resettled into our home, I have been so productive.  That feels GOOD!  I'll have a full display at Gardenscape and some new pieces for the MacKenzie Art Gallery shop as well.  I'm hoping to drop new work off there this weekend when I head through Regina.  I'll keep you posted with what goes where.

Have a lovely week!  Linking to WIP Wednesday @ TN&TN  

Friday Finishes - minis

I put together some mini threadpaintings of a couple of my favorite pieces.  One is of Cranberry Flats in September.  I plan to fill empty spots on the gallery wall with these...

Cranberry Flats mini  3.5 x 3.5" framed without glass

And one is from 2011.  The first larger piece was called 'Cattails at Sunset'.

Cattails at Sunset 2, 2012  3.5x3.5"

VERY BIG SIGH.  Would you believe my new camera jumped right out of my arms and did a face plant on concrete driveway!?  :(((  I'm not posting a lot here until I get it replaced.  I'm having trouble getting it to focus properly on macro mode.  These photos will have to do for now.  Those boxing day sales cannot come fast enough. 

The good news is that all my snowglobes sold out locally and I just delivered a half dozen more.

A Very Merry My Sweet Prairie 2012 @ SaskMade Marketplace, Saskatoon

'Home from the Lake' is now sold from the gallery (whoopee!), and I have a new commission for another winter piece.  That is all very happy news.

Home from the Lake, 2012 7x9" framed & matted (sold)

I'm not sure if I mentioned it on the blog, but I called the gallery and had them reduced all my prices by $100 per piece.  Merry Christmas!  If you want to see what's available, you can click on the FIBRE ART tab at the top of this page.  You can scroll to the bottom to see the newest threadpaintings.  I'm not sure if all of them are there.  If you have questions, just ask.  : )

hmmm... I wonder if they make cameras that bounce?

Linking to Friday Felicities.

Have a good weekend everyone.  

Home from the Lake

I know.  There was no Things I Love Thursdays post this week.  Yesterday was cold and windy and rainy and dark, and my littlest and I were up so much on Wednesday from the stormy winds in the night.  Things were rolling around on the deck and banging into the house.  It took all of Thursday to recover - which included two naps.  I even kept her home from school to catch up on sleep.

So...  Thursday - I was exhausted and didn't have the heart to lie to you and blog about fluffy happy things because I did not feel fluffy nor happy.  lol

I continued to sew.  Things began to look up.  I nearly completed another new piece.  This one is based on a photo I took from the truck window while our family headed home after our last day at Pike Lake.

in progress for my December exhibit:  Home from the Lake

The sun was getting low and every west-facing slope of the ground was lit up.  It was so pretty.   This scene brings back many happy memories... not only from that day, but from every summer that ever ended.  The blooms in the front are wild mustard.

wild mustard

Late Thursday also brought a delivery!  I forgot I had ordered a couple second hand books online.  I love to read the words of both of these men.  They are so heartwarming.  Their paintings and photographs are so nostalgic for me.  It was just what I needed - some soul inspiration.

Books by the late Courtney Milne (signed by the author), and the work of Allen Sapp.

I loved reading through these.  They are like blogs.  There are lots of photos, and little blurbs from each man describing the scenes and the situations.  Heartwarming.

To top it all off, I got a badly needed therapeutic massage for my sore arms & shoulders this morning (thank you Joyce!!!).  I then spent a quiet afternoon stitching with Margot.  I feel pretty blessed to be doing that.  She loves to share what she learned from Jan Beaney.  I delight in seeing Margot's work up close and personal.  Oh my.  Oh my.  I was embarrassed to show her my thread art!  She sent me home with a bag of yummies too -  a luscious assortment of yarns and fibres.  So for today, I have Things I Love - many.

Now the dark sky is clearing to let the low sun shine through through my house.  FINALLY!  : )  The rain is done.  I'm linking to Friday Felicities : )  See you soon!