Hi! I'm Beth Latture.

To Thine Own Self - fabric applique/bead embroidery

Working with FINE has been a great experience.  As you can see from the previous posts, there are wonderfully diverse talents here, each of us unique in our expressions.  In my work, I usually start with a theme and then let the materials dictate the process.  I am drawn to themes about spirituality and myth.  The picture above is one of many pieces that I have done that use my handprint.

Foundling - Willow - mixed media

Willow is one of my Foundling series.  This series of swaddled sleeping infants continues to occupy my imagination as relics of a yet undiscovered mythology.

Vision Tower - mixed media mosaic

The Vision Tower is one of the few "non-fiber" pieces that I have made.  It is mirror mosaic with many eye shaped designs embedded throughout.

It is inspired by the many mirror mosaics at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. If you haven't been there - GO!  It's amazing!

Currently, I work at Tai Sophia Institute in Laurel, Maryland.  It is a fabulous school that teaches acupuncture, herbal medicine, and other healing arts.  I am enrolled in the Transformative Leadership and Social Change program there.  I am challenged and inspired by the teachings and community there.  Much of the learning there is based in the Chinese wisdom traditions and Five Element Theory.  The five elements are Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire.

Wood - mixed media fiber

Wood is the element that corresponds with the Spring.  Here is a piece that represents some of the attributes of that element.

I made a piece for each of the elements and have them hanging in my house as a reminder of the gifts of each of the elements/seasons as we cycle through them.  It is a wonderful way to stay connected to the rhythms of nature.

If you'd like to see more of my work, check out my website: www.sparklingsoulstudio.com

Introducing Julie B. Booth

Hi. I'm Julie B. Booth. I've been creating 3-D fiber work since 1993. As time has gone on, my work has become increasingly stylized. I'm very influenced by the simple shapes found in the art and craft work of indigenous cultures. I also design and print the fabrics for my cloth figures. Many of the faces on my figures are formed from polymer clay. Here are some samples of my work.

Sister of the Four Directions

Warrior

Small Primitives

Janet's Icon

In addition to cloth wall figures. I've also created padded wire armature sculptures that I then wrap with fabric and stitch and add beads. I've done a series of chairs with faces. The faces are made from polymer clay.

Longing

Flow

 More recently, I've been spending a lot of time designing fabrics and teaching classes in surface design on fabric techniques. Designing fabrics takes me back to my years as a graphic designer and to my college days as a studio art major where I focused on printing techniques. Here are some samples I've made for some of the classes I teach.

In early 2010, I was approached by a Washington, D.C. gallery called Caos on F (www.caosonf.com). They asked me to design a number of fabrics for their home furnishings arm called Caos on Fabric. This was an exciting challenge. I had to create four different designs, two colorways of each design. The big challenge was, in fact, working BIG...each piece had to be 9 feet long! Below is one of the designs. If you want to know more about how I designed some of the pieces you can go to the Caos on F site and visit the Press section.There you will see a video of me explaining the process.

 Finally, I love teaching. I've just finished up the fall session of Exploring Surface Design, a class I teach at The Art League School in Alexandria, Virginia (www.theartleague.org). On the last class, I brought in gelatin "plates" that the students used to create a number of monoprints. They really had a great time printing on gelatin (who can resist that wiggly stuff?!). I was really pleased at the results from their "playtime." I'm always amazed at what my students produce in class. I've compiled a number of photos of student work on flickr. If you'd like to see the exciting things that they've created, you can see more at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/julieboothclasses/.

Introducing Anne Buchal

I have always been involved with the visual arts,  in my education and later commercially.  Working with fiber to create artwork is a distinct departure for me. I have maintained a Studio in the Torpedo Factory, located on Alexandria, VA, for many years. Being in the building offers one many opportunities to explore various media. During my time there I’ve learned lithography and etching, worked with silver and aluminum to make jewelry, and now devote most of my time to fiber sculpture.

The subject matter of this work derives from classic myths and children’s literature. One could say there are two narratives present: the one which is drawn upon to serve as subject and the other which reflects the thoughts of the artist. These stories are familiar to most people; it is gratifying to see that they often recognize the idea which prompted the work and find it easy to relate to.  The piece below is Mother Goose.

Ann Liddle, continued

I've managed to upload all the images I needed at once so I don't have to go back into browse except to select what I want for a particular location.  That seems to work OK.  Whew.

This piece is called Face II.  It's hand-stitched on sheer poly organza.  When the lighting is right, the shadows created by the stitching adds a lot to the work.

This piece is a virtual vessel - it has no bottom.  It's hand stitched (the feet on canvas) and colored with colored pencil.  It's called On the Beach.

Two recent pieces are papier mache.  I did a lot of figurative sculpture in papier mache several years ago but returned to it to make decorative plates and vases.  These are Pointed Shadow and Red Shadow.



Lastly, I've been working on some hand needled felted jewelery.  This piece is Turquoise.  It's backed with linen and the "cord" is also linen.

Introducing Ann Liddle

Each week for the next six weeks one of the group will introduce herself. We'll talk a little about our backgrounds and experience. But mostly we'll show examples of our work.

My name is Ann Liddle. I've been working as a studio artist for the past 15 years. Before that I had worked for the federal government for 25 years. I have not had formal art education except for occasional classes and workshops but I have been artistic my whole life. My parents were artists and seeing and doing art was part of growing up. During my working life, I was always sketching (usually not at work!). I also did a lot of sewing and made most of my clothes. My first plan upon retirement was to design and make clothes. I did that exclusively for a short period and still design and make clothes for sale when the spirit moves me. But I very quickly became interested in sculpture using fiber materials and techniques. I've used many techniques and materials over the years. I try something for a while and then move onto something else. I frequently come back to an earlier material or technique but in a different way.

Some of my favorite pieces were from the Body Part Series. The piece below is from 2007. The Conversation is crocheted, stiffened, and painted. I also sometimes added encaustic and oil paint.

Another series is embroidered pieces.  Shapes and Shadows is hand stitched "shadows" on painted canvas.

Body is another of my embroidered pieces.  For it, I windowed different parts of the body and embroidered small squares.  These can be displayed as they would appear in a  body (as shown) or in a line - and let people guess what the body is like.

As a group we decided to work on a them called "Personal Demons".  I did six pieces, one of which is Who will get my things?  Who will Care?

I have more recent images to post but right now I am totally frustrated with Blogger.  It won't let me easily insert images.  I have to sign out and then sign in to insert each image.  It's a mess!  I had no problem when I started the blog and did the post on Nov 2.  It was a piece of cake!  I have no idea what has happened since then.  I will try again tomorrow.

 

More about FINE

My cat is safely outside so I am free to type.  I should add the our work is usually called "mixed media" though we do have an emphasis on using fiber is some form or another.  And, although we are primarily sculptors - that is we work in 3-D, many of us also work in 2-D or wall pieces.  We do a lot of different things!

I'm going to show some examples of our work.  Right now I only have images old pieces for the others, but I do have some new ones for me.  This one my piece "Gold Stripe Vessel."  It's papier mache and can be used simple as a decorative object or a vase for dried flowers or branches.  No water, please!

This is "Foundling Moss" by Beth Latture.  It is heavily beaded on fabric and is part of her Foundling Series.

This is by Julie Booth and is called "Black Chair." It's made of a wire frame with multiple layers of fabric, stitching and beads.

Ann Citron made this piece - called "Ezechial."  It's wire, steel, fabric and enamelling on copper.  Also beads.

Anne Buchal made this - "Bremertown" - Wire armature wrapped with fabric and stitched.

This is "Folksong" by Maria Simonsson.  It consists of a wire armature, covers with fabric and stitched with wire and bead embellishments.

Thanks for your attention!  Ann Liddle

New at this

I'm new to blogging.  I'm trying to set one up for my art group called Fiber in Nearly Everything - FINE.  We are a group of six artists who work mainly in three dimensions and use fiber as part of our art.  We've been together since 1999.  We show together as a group - and individually.  The members are me, Julie Booth, Anne Buchal, Ann Citron, Beth Latture and Maria Simonsson.  This is all for now - my cat is about the "help" me with my typing.