woke up early, did not read novel, wrote that exhibition proposal, finally. 
packed for trip. Two suitcases, 50 pounds. Birkenstocks and hard covered journals weigh a lot. Oh well.
The manitoulin circle project continues to meet every Thursday at the Little Current United Church. The hours have changed slightly and I've started to call what I am doing there a residency. We have started the year with three new techniques. 
The first involves filling in the spaces of this factory embroidered piece of fabric with hand stitched dots. 
The hand made dots are unique and represent each of us. They are individuals. 
A second technique is to gather and heat process squares of blue rayon damask weave tablecloth. 
The third technique is perle cotton french knots or separated cross stitches on recycled wool blanket cloth. Those shown above are done with metallic thread. 
Heather likes to stack the wool squares like pancakes at the end of a day's work. 
The 4 inch squares are then layered onto a foundation square in a traditional nine patch format. 
They will form the main background area of the fourth meditation panel that we are working on. 
I replaced the blank paper on my pinwall with this vintage blanket. That feels better. The red stripes are woven and worn and I find them to be so lovely. 
The stripes make a horizon line when lined up like this. A red thread horizon line. 
I'm not sure what to do next, but blanket stitch seems right.
A new artwork should be a unique thing. A birth. Bringing a new face into the world through the human spirit. 
The artist should call forth all of her energy, her sincerity, and the greatest possible modesty 
in order to push aside the old cliches that come so readily 
and can suffocate the small flower which itself never turns out as one expected. 
I emptied my pin walls in the studio over the weekend. 
I need to begin a complete new body of work for my graduate exhibition in May 2012. I'm trying to let my heart lead me rather than my head. 
Today it was too cold to leave the fire so I replaced the zipper in Ned's fleece. It seemed easier than facing those white pieces of drawing paper. 
Tomorrow is another day.
We lived in Kenora, North Western Ontario for ten years. These photos were taken through the kitchen window. 
Our two youngest children were born in Kenora. Ned made a sand box and play structure for the back yard and I 'experimented' with quilting. Last night I was doing another big studio clean out and found this silk and photo wall piece. 
I can't believe the puff paint, but there it is.
I have finally figured out how to join the nine narrow couched panels of the third meditation panel together. The method involves both machine and hand sewing. 
I am pleased with the result. 
More difficult was the decision to take out some stitches and fabrics and then re-stitch them. I really struggled with removing this work. I hope that those who helped put those stitches in won't mind some re-sewing this coming Thursday. 
Designing is hard work. The colours we used intuitively in the smaller parts were too bright when seen altogether. If this was a painting, the area would need to be re-painted. And it's not a waste of time. It's time spent doing something well. Until it's right.
Q: How long have you been making these panels? 
Q: How many have you made? 
Q: How big is each panel?
Q: How do you know what colours to use?
Q: When will you be finished?
Just thought I'd post some photos of the Royal Ontario Museum. We have been in Toronto for the last few days and I walk by it every day. 
This addition was designed by Daniel Libeskind two years ago and people are still not used to it. I do find it a little scary, the way it hangs over the sidewalk and Bloor Street. Both of these images are from google and are from when the addition was new. 
"I wait for the accident to happen.
Hey. Look. 
paper, burn out, machine stitch 
Andrea Graham 
wool felt 
Kai Chan 
ephemera and thread 
Heather Goodchild 
inlaid wool patchwork, watercolour stained felt
Aino Kajaniemi lives in the central area of Finland, close to where my father was born. 
Aino Kajaniemi is one of the artists I profiled in my dissertation. I've posted what I wrote about her and some of the others in my other blog, modernist aesthetic. (in the side bar)
