Lovely watercolors by Al Woodford

Every month I look forward to seeing Al Woodford's latest watercolor on Bill Guffey's The Virtual Paintout blog. Looking at them gives me a feeling I can't describe, like rediscovering a hazily remembered favorite picture book from childhood. So charming and story-like...I can't help but imagine a tale to go with each one.

I can't find a website for Al, but if you want to give yourself a little treat, go to google, click on images, and enter "Al Woodford" in the search. Then click on each picture to enlarge it and enjoy!!

Sew busy with yet another hobby

I have been neglectful of my blog and clay for a while. Feeling in a rut lately so I decided to expand my horizons backwards -- I pulled the sewing machine out of mothballs. My grandmother sewed everything she ever wore and got me started on it with a sewing class when I was in 7th grade. I used to sew all the time. My closet was full of homemade short tight skirts back in the 80s.

So far I have completed one pair of simple pants, but mostly I succeeded in buying a boatload of fabric. I got gorgeous faux distressed leather. It looks totally real but is just very thin, very drape-y fabric. Easy to sew and irons beautifully. It is halfway to becoming a shell, a skirt, and a pair of pants.

Also got a nice knit in a crazy brown, gold, teal, and white pattern and a woven stripe in similar colors. These will end up as coordinating skirts, tops, and simple jackets.

But the wow-est of them all is an asymmetrical knit that goes from navy on one selvage edge to bright yellow on the other with wild feathery brushstrokes of every color in between. I may look like a giant pretty bird!
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While at Joann's on my fabric splurge I discovered an artist I have not seen before in the book section. Do you know Moy Mackay from Scotland? 

 

She makes gorgeous pictures out of felt and wool and stitches. Fantastic colors!! She has a book called Art in Felt and Stitch. 

 

Check out her work! Now!

Artist: Barb Fajardo

Check out some lovely work by my new friend Barb Fajardo, also known online as rubarb04. I have a pair of earrings similar to the set shown here; you can see other colors and designs on this page. Or you learn how to make her interesting designs in her Textured Tesselations class on CraftEdu.com.

I'm leaving in a few hours for the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild's weekend retreat. It's always fun to have a weekend with the ladies and see what everyone's been up to all summer.

Today is the official end of my Phase 2 fthe Dukan diet. Down 32 lbs, two more than my Dukan chart said I would be on this day. I don't plan to stop; aiming for 8 more pounds.

Artist: Tiffany Bender

I now wish I had a baby so Pittsburgh-based photographer Tiffany Bender could photograph it!
You must click over to look at her gorgeous photos!!! The light, the clarity, the fantastic styling!
Each child looks like a perfect angel. I'm sure they were not, but you wouldn't know from looking at the pics. A co-worker's adorable little girl is one of models.

If you have children, go make an appointment now! You'll have to wait because Tiffany is booked months in advance but you will understand why when you see the photos.

 Wander through her flickr pages.

 Here are some of my favorites...

The overhead bathtub shot. 

And snow pictures! 

The little boy who seems to be saying "I'm not convinced."

Find details about Tiffany here: http://munchkinsandmohawksphotography.com/blog/

Artist: Nathan Fowkes charcoal portraits

I've highlighted Nathan Fowkes' gorgeous charcoal portraits before but I have to share some more. You must go look!
I have no words for how incredible they are. Look at the light and shadow and how there's not much detail yet you see perfectly rendered hair, the edge of a nose, or draped fabric...sigh. If I ever created anything this good, I could hang up my art tools and die happy!
And start here to check out more of his recent work.

Artist: Tony Allain

I saw Tony Allain's pastels in a magazine a while ago and loved his work. I just now ran into his blog. Seriously, his work makes me swoon! Gorgeous Gorgeous Gorgeous! Minimalist and perfect. Some have a vaguely retro look about them...they'd look right at home in Don Draper's office!
Look at these...

Federation Square, Melbourne  (detail at left...I love the periwinkle blue that he uses a lot)

Red Umbrella       Don't Look Back    Waiting    Art Lovers  
Green Light at St. Kilda

St. Kilda Tram

Artist: Jeannie McGuire

After the pastel workshop (see post below), a few of us went to an open house at artist Jeannie McGuire's house. She works in watercolor and has a gorgeous, distinctive style. She does figures and uses strong cropping to add drama and put the focus on the subject. She was the featured artist in the Aug 2010 Watercolor Magazine.

And I am totally jealous of her attic studio. If I had such a room I would never leave it!

 Go look at her website!

 
At the open house I had this deeeeeeelicious white bean, rosemary,and lemon zest dip. Addictive and delicious!

Collaboration: The one-of-a-kind KatManDu necklace

I love opening my etsy site and finding a convo there for me. You never know what fun thing might be waiting for you there. Today's mail contained one I've been waiting for.

A while ago, Christine Damm of StoriesTheyTell, asked me if I was interested in participating in a collaboration (along with Claire Maunsell  of StillpointWorks). She had an idea for a necklace using beads created by all three of us. Today she wrote to say it was finished and posted on her blog.

Look how fun this is! The red-gold-gray-black combo is very striking and of course, the little KatManDo pendant just makes the whole thing! :o)   I feel some new beads in this color combo coming on...

In the post Christine gives her own thoughts about original works, and provides links to an interesting post by Leann Udell (whose site just sucked me in for about an hour!) about creating from your own point of view, and understanding why you create what you create. 

I've never really given any thought to why I create, other than that I know if I don't, I get antsy. I've always known I was going to have some sort of art-related career (graphic design is where I ended up as so many of us art-inclined kids did!) If you had met me at age seven many, many moons ago and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have told you "artist." I never considered any other path.

In college, what I liked best about my art classes was critique day. We were all given the same assignments, yet none of the final work was a copy of, or even very similar to, any other. It's also why I love Project Runway...you get to the see the process of criteria/creation/success or failure over and over. It's great to see those times when an idea comes to fruition, and perhaps even more interesting on all the occasions where it doesn't.

When I'm not making something I'm usually thinking about what I will make when I have time. I'll give some thought to the whole idea of my "story" to see what lurks under the surface.

Artist: Jen Evenhus

Click on the link so you can see the large version of this beautiful beautiful beautiful pastel painting by Jen Evenhus.

Artist: Tejae Floyde

Tejae liked my little colorful etched beads and commented on them at my flickr page. I liked her hearts and said they looked like a good match for mine. So we engineered a little trade. I have a cute little red heart pendant that needs some friends to hang with. It will be a while before I can get to it (the real world is intruding on my fantasy clay life -- worked three days until midnight and will spend all day there today!!!) so in the meantime, go check out Tejae's blog to see the heart she made for me, and below are some that stand up.They remind me of little chess pawns. Visit her etsy shop too while you're at it.

Artist: Lynda Moseley

Lynda Moseley, the divine SCDiva (aka DivaDesigns1 on flickr.com) used one one of my lions in an African inspired necklace. See it here...

Pittsburgh Neighbors: Cardamom Press

Hey current and former Pittsburgh residents, go check out the elegant Pittsburgh-themed letterpress notecards at Cardamom Press on Etsy. I bought some from shop owner Sarah today!

At right is the Smithfield Street bridge that I drive across to get to my office every day. She features 4 other landmarks in the $5 card set.





And for something not at all elegant, go look at my own Pittsburgh-themed pastel artwork!
It commemorates an actual sight I witnessed two years ago and snapped with my camera to capture in pastels later. I have a pile of these as 5x7 postcards so if anyone wants one, email your address to me (berecca [at] aol) and I will mail one to you!

Earrings: More from Nancy Jones of ByTheBead

Sonoran Sunset

Renatta

Purple Lace