A busy week in Artlandia!
Getting things ready for the solo show at Tremaine Gallery in May (thumbs up!). This week the mission was to get Lady Sleep ready to hang. This became a little more involved than anticipated (of course it did, haha.) The borders had sustained some kitty-damage and I was looking to test out some hanging ideas. I ended up carving new blocks for the borders, a pattern block that I cut apart and interspersed with pattern/ color paper along the bottom edge, two bosses that I flipped and used to transition into the new bottom edge, and a tiny turret block that I used with pattern paper along the top. I also re-printed the finial block for the center top and tiny blocks for the bottom. So, yes, that "little bit of fixing" turned into 9 additional blocks, 4 of them new (haha).
new tiny turret block and
one of the bosses
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| proof of the new boss blocks |
I also added some additional adhesive film to the interior and then sewed the whole thing onto a mesh backing and used brads to affix the art to the mesh. This was part that made me nervous - because the sewing makes holes in the paper, it's important to do it once, correctly. For the most part, it turned out well. One area I had to redo because the paper got caught (This really is about the maximum paper size I can handle alone.) Overall though - it seems to have worked and it's up in the wall!
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| The bottom border - still getting used to the sewing a little bit |
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| But the top borders turned out better (whew!) |
In addition to getting piece ready to hang tapestry-style, I also have quite a bit of framing to do and I started with the Phoenix on light gray marbling. I think it turned out well - I kept the mat clean/ dust free and the archival hinging looks good. (That pattern across the glazing is a protective film that I'll leave on until it's ready to deliver.) 2 down, 8 to go (haha.)
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My friend took this candid of us - I'm taking nature photos
and Honey is so happy :) . |
Outside the studio, Honey and I had a chance to go hiking with human and dog friends. I expected patches of snow, but not inches of full coverage (doh.); on the up side, I was Honey's hero for "bringing back the snow for her." ;)
Some of the photos the human was taking...
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| One side of the mountain was snow covered while the other side looked like this?!? |
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This isn't from a hike, but I thought it was strange - the sun is bright red
even though it's not at the horizon. |
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"What do you mean you don't need my help sewing, Human?"
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Mini continues to hold down the fort as sole Feline Assistant until Jr. is ready to come home in a few weeks. She was an active helper this week (any studio activity that involves thread is high on her list of favorite things.) The sewing table is one of the very (very) few places that I don't allow her. So on the day I was sewing down the collage, where in the whole, entire house did she want to nap? - the sewing table, haha. Oh Mini - she's such a good helper that I don't think she can imagine her human doing anything without her (I love her skeptical expression here :).)
I also did something a little sad this week. I planted Sunny's final Christmas tree by her grave in the yard. Sunny Loooooved her "kitty toy tree." It was one of her favorite things, and from the time she was a kitten she looked forward to its return every year. I buy potted trees, and this was Sunny's last tree that I've been babying inside through the winter. I wanted it to be planted close to her so that far into the future her Christmas tree will be near her, and even if I ever move, there will be something beautiful to mark her grave. When the spring comes I'll add flowers nearby.
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| Little Sunny with her first tree |
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| I love this photo of Sunny, here with the now planted tree. |
Outside the studio, Honey and I had a chance to go hiking with human and dog friends. I expected patches of snow, but not inches of full coverage (doh.); on the up side, I was Honey's hero for "bringing back the snow for her." ;)
