Julie B Booth: 60th Anniversary Project

A selection of print blocks.

 I'm just back from Savannah having celebrated my parents' 60th Anniversary. To commemorate this auspicious event, I organized an art project. The results will be turned into a wall hanging,

I really enjoy doing fiber art projects with my 11-year-old niece, Ivy and 6-year-old niece and nephew, Poppy and Kai. We usually get together in August but this summer they are moving to a new home. The anniversary get-together seemed like a great time to get in a bit of art.

Poppy working on a print block.

We spent one day making blocks from adhesive craft foam as well as moldable foam blocks which you heat to emboss textures.

Kai getting ready to print.

The next day we printed outside in the garage.

Ivy working on an anniversary wish.

One of Judy's prints.

One of Kai's prints

One of Poppy's prints.

It was great fun. Even Poppy's feet got printed!

If you are interested in learning the specifics of this project, I will be featuring a how-to in the July issue of Julie B Booth Surface Design News. You can sign up for this free monthly on-line newsletter at my blog (upper right hand column).

Layout of the printed squares that will be turned into a wall hanging for my parents.

Dilemma/Decisions by Anne Buchal

I last wrote about the mess in my studio; the fact that I went public with that disorder prompted the decision to vacate that studio where I had “lived” for the past 10 years. The Torpedo Factory has been a second home for more than 30 years. It has provided me with a place to indulge myself experimenting with a variety of media and it is where I met the women who form our group of fiber artists.

Although I kept a sewing machine and a cabinet of threads, cloth and notions in the studio, I also made space for paint, paper, metal etc. I took classes held in the building that provided the inspiration to experiment and broadened my appreciation of other visual arts.

Life at home seems another world away. It is a solitary life and though artists are thought to be people who must create in solitude in order to be considered "serious," I find that this is probably not true – a stimulus is needed. There has to be an effort to go downtown to a museum, look at books, read poetry. There are no pubs in my neighborhood – or any place to go to engage in spirited conversation. I’m completely incompetent using a computer in spite of the fact that it has become a fact of life and may be the only means open for me to continue to express myself! Proof of this is the fact that this piece must be posted by a friend.

Stripes revisited by Ann Liddle

Last year, I made a series of large striped, brightly colored pieces for my featured artist show at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. (See and earlier blog for images.) This year, the deadline is looming - it's August - and I'm just beginning to make the new work.  For another project, I have to make a black and white piece that is no larger than 12" x 12".  So I thought I'd combine it with the effort and make all black and white striped pieces.

I will start with 12" x 12" squares of stripes - painted canvas, cut and sewn into striped squares.  Then I'll make the final pieces by cutting shapes and rearranging them and resewing.  I'll do it all on paper first to be sure I like the results.  I've designed 4 square pieces so far and have cut and resewn one of them.  Here are the remaining squares (the lower right is not the same as the others and will be for a different purpose).  You can't see the black edges against the black background.

Here is the first reassembled piece.  It now measures about 30" x 12" so it's kind of amazing that is came from only a 12" x 12" square.

These are much smaller than last year's strips so I may make more of them.  I also plan to make some clothing that relates to the pieces for the same exhibit. Maybe some interesting angles and some stripes.  No photos of those yet because they are still in my head.

Meanwhile, I need to make  3 or 4 new clothing pieces for a fashion show at the workhouse NEXT WEEK. I've painted some fabric in squiggles with textile paint.  I hope to do a couple more colors.  And then sew like crazy.  No photos right now but I will post them when they are done.