WOW! Creative Saskatchewan

Oh my.  Look at this!  I found these posters on Facebook.  The Saskatchewan Craft Council just 'released' their new posters that are in the Creative Saskatchewan offices in Regina, and also at the SK Craft Council Offices in Saskatoon.  Can you name all the featured artists?  I know about half... maybe more.

I'm not entirely sure, but I think all 19 images in the posters are from Dimensions Juried Exhibitions past and present.  (Correct me if I am wrong.)  Yes - that's my canola field at the bottom there (!), 'She's Blooming!' amongst many amazing and seasoned artisans.  I feel very honoured to be included.  THANK YOU SCC!!

SWEEEEEET.  I wonder if I can get one.  hmmm...

Commissions on the Go

Starting the year off with a BANG!

Friday night is the closing reception for the Dimensions 2013 show at the SK Craft Council.  I hope to attend that.  It will be nice to visit there.  I feel badly for missing the Boutique opening.  Gosh darn this cold snap.  UGH.

She's Blooming!, 2013.  on tour

Sunday, I'm teaching a Beginner Threadpainting Class at Bernie's.  It was postponed due to illnesses and emergencies from last November.  I look forward to that class!  I love going to Bernie's attic.

I'm also in process with four commissions.  One is a secret.  (Shhhhh.)  One is for a threadpainting of a photo I took at Blackstrap Lake in the fall.  (Thank you!)  Another is for Y. in Australia.  Her husband snapped a photo of these purple trees canopied over a roadway.  That will be fun!  I have never seen purple trees before.

I did a fast sketch to place the vanishing point over a bit.  I'm waiting back to see what she thinks before I start.  While they were having spring, we were in the middle of Autumn.  The Blackstrap commission is all oranges and yellows, so it will be nice to work on both of these at the same time.

That one is quite busy when you really look at it, so I'll have to think through it a bit to get it work and not look like a giant mash of threads.  I've condensed some things, and edited the length a bit.  I look forward to working on the deep shadows and bright sun in both these pieces.

The last one is this.  It might look simple, but it will be more challenging for me since it's not something I have done.  This is a paper pieced wall hanging that my friend J. made.  She would like me to add some bling - some texture, stitching, and embellishment.  It's hanging in my studio awaiting inspiration.

J. felt the yellow was too overpowering.  I will likely use some soft yellow fibre packs I got from Nells Embroidery out of Vancouver.  She does custom fibre packs.  She's awesome.  : )  For now, I began to remove the black threads from the yellow fabric.  They were bothering me.

The slope is odd.  Most farmland on the prairies aren't on steep hills like that.  I'm tempted to round it out a bit.  We shall see.  I have my ideas...  : )

That will be my January.  Stay warm!

Show Updates for 2013

There is so much going on in the next few months, it's unbelievable!  For those of you who don't see the blog heading / sign up via email I thought I would make a housekeeping post just for you.

9th Annual Members' Show & Sale

Crazy as it might sound, I have art hanging at The Mendel - our 'anchor' / historical gallery right on the river in Saskatoon.  It's a fundraiser where the commission taken by the gallery sales go to purchasing pieces for the permanent collection.  I put in my priciest piece - 'Make a Wish' - the one with 2000+ dandelions gone to seed, stitched out in French Knots.  I also have a piece with silk ribbon reeds & cattails called 'Good Night'.  It's the one with the yellow sky.  The show & sale runs from Friday, Sept 13th to Sunday, Oct 6th, 2013.

Make A Wish, 2013 (sideways photo of work in progress...)

There's another annual group show coming up VERY soon.  I've been hoping to be in this for three years now, but have never had enough work on hand to set up a booth.  My smaller work will be at this one including postcards.  It is in about ten days.  Unfortunately, my awesome painting friend Nicki Ault will not be around for this one.  She's been a recent 'regular' at this show.  Click to view larger...  driving directions from Saskatoon are on the poster.  There will be a range of different media there (Zentangle illustrations to pottery and everything in between!)

organized by Judy Wood each year

I've stocked more Prairie Postcards in the Craft Council's shop on Broadway in Saskatoon. 

Dimensions 2013 comes to the gallery there (Affinity Gallery) soon as well!  The dates are November 15, 2013 to January 4, 2014.  The reception is at the end of the show on January 3rd.  It's a juried provincial biennial touring group exhibit of fine craft.  Whew - that's a mouthful.  'She's Blooming!' is in that one.  I saw the show in Regina this summer - I can't wait for it to be here!  It all feels surreal and terribly exciting.

detail of 'She's Blooming!', 2013 ...yes, sideways again.  : )

November 25 to December 28 is my 4th Annual solo show at The Centre Galleries.  Each year I have about a dozen+ threadpaintings for sale there.  This year will be more of the same... only better!  ; )

Winter Turns to Spring, 2013

Finally, good news!  We landed a title for the recent commission that is going to Ontario.  The new owners suggested it and I love it.

Steadfast, 2013.  Sold.

Much work to do to be ready for Agar's next week...  off & sewing!

The One That Got Away

Someone in Winnipeg counted how many pieces of my art there are on the walls of the Prairie Ink Restaurant.  "Twenty-three.  I thought there were supposed to be twenty-four?" she commented.  Yes, one didn't make it all the way to Winnipeg, but for good reason.  It's in Regina right now.  I'll tell you why.

detail of She's Blooming!, 2013

She's Blooming! was my mega-handstitched canola field that I thought I'd take a chance on entering into a provincially juried show.  ('Mega' as amount of time stitching, not size of work.)  Well lo & behold it was accepted!  It feels surreal still at this point, but I know it's a really significant achievement within out Craft Council that I need to make a big announcement about.  So here it is:

You know it's big when THEY use exclamation marks in their formal correspondence.  ; )

She's Blooming!  has been accepted into Dimensions 2013 - a Saskatchewan Craft Council touring exhibition of fine craft.  There were entries in all forms of fine craft (from woodworking to jewelery, sculpture to quilts, etc, etc..).  35 are juried in for this show every two years.  I was lucky enough one of them!  Dimensions is on the road now, touring galleries around the province and beyond.  I feel at a loss for words.  I'm thrilled but extremely taken back by this.  Maybe that's why I didn't make a huge post about it when I found out last month.  I'm such a newbie - and there are loads of people with decades of craft under their belt that my embroidery will be along side of.  My friend Elizabeth Cumming has her Motherwell Barn art quilt accepted into it to (YAY ELIZABETH!!!).  Maybe I'll hide behind her when we go to Regina for the reception & awards night next month.

So this is big news!  Yes - the wine has been cracked open.  From now until the end of August, Dimensions 2013 is on exhibit at the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan.  Click HERE for gallery info.  I'll keep a running tab at the top of locations as the show changes.

: )
Have a happy day.

Ready and Awaiting!

**Picture-heavy post**  These are all off to be framed today...  I've been working so hard on this Winnipeg show and I am gushing over some of these!  I hope you like them too.

that's right - I officially have a sketchbook.

The result:

High on the Banks, 2013 (6x6")

The details:

High on the Banks, 2013 (detail)

Personally, I love those plum colors!  Next, you guessed.  I must include a canola piece.  This one is BIG and it happens to be my very first piece that has an exclamation point in the title!  ; ) 

She's Blooming! 2013 (click photo to view larger)

The details:

lots of fine detail in this one... all hand stitched with thread.

This is done too.  I think I have a good shot of the sparkle.

Trees at the Turnaround, 2013

The details:

wind at the water...  wind in the young spring reeds...

You've seen this one but I took newer photos, so bear with me here...

Sunlit in Silverspring, 2013

The details down:

I'm gushing over this one.  Man I can not wait for spring!

The details up:

here's a terrific view of the grid-wire fencing I put in

I won't lie - I am entirely proud of myself.  This collection is absolutely my best work yet.  I really hope they put a huge shot of beauty and pretty into the restaurant where they will hang.  I hope people fall in love with some of them.  I hope it plucks at the heartstrings of prairie lovers in Manitoba.  : )))

Can you believe it?  I have eight more to complete in three weeks.  I don't know how I am going to do it, but I will.  I am working intensely for this next exhibit.  All these works will be for sale, but not until May.  See the ad below!

WINNIPEG ONLY - May 2013

That is the poster that the folks at McNally Robinson's in Manitoba made.  WOOO that's only a month away!  I am suddenly feeling the NERVES.  oh my.  I haven't felt it this bad since I had to speak & give a personal slide show to our Quilt guild a couple years ago.  THAT was terrifying (before hand, not during).  BREATHE.  I can do this.  I can. 

I have to say a big big thank you to my framer Donna @ Cindy Moleski's in Saskatoon
who is matting and framing this entire show (2 dozen pieces).  They look smashingly high class once she is done with them.  : )  For example, this next one...

Red Barn in Winter, 2013  Shipped with love to New York just this morning.  XO

Coincidentally, that is my first sale to the US.  THANK YOU C. !  TO celebrate, I put in a big order for more fibre art supplies.  I'm going to have a sweet summer (that is... if it ever arrives!).

Have a great week everyone! 
p.s.  Check your yards - I have daylilies poking up on the south side!