Of Flux and Flow....

This has been a diversionary year thus far.  Events such as selling my home, searching for a new space (that I think we have finally found.. including an amazing studio space) Generously shared housing that has given me the most wonderful opportunity to be close to my sister and brother in law.  Exploring new creative spaces, and playing.  Excited for what is to come, sharing a space with my sweetheart, creating together, forming our nest and having the space to grow creatively and in spirit.

Below are some of my more recent play in fiber and metal that have kept my spirit dancing during this exciting & slightly precarious transitional time.

Felted wall hanging with bead-work 3'X3'

I had so much fun rediscovering Shrinky Dinks!  Fun to play with in a small space.
I have shared this with young members of my family as well as a very exciting project to share.
They just love watching them in the oven curling up and taking shape.

Metal class was much fun as always (going to be fun to have a metal shop at home soon!)
I made this aprox 3' dragon fly with rocks, gears from a bicycle, nuts,
marbles and plasma cut steel wings

I found this amazing chair at a junk store near work. It needed some repair and cleanup. 
I felted the upholstery fabric from some richly colored hand dyed merino wool.

More fun with shirnky dinks

Most recently I just completed this pine needle basket with an agate base and beads. 

Metal Fiber Amalgamate

Truly enjoying mixing two of my loves.. Metal and Fiber.

During my metal class last year I put together a bench that I gave to my Daughter for Christmas. I am working on a design for another combination for this coming fall. The possibilities are mind spinning.  Both adventures have unique allures for me.  The soft, pliable, endless possibilities of the excitement of fiber.. the amazement at what can be created with sparks, incredible heat and noisy tools with metal. Very much a delight for whatever the maker mood.

On a even more personal note...Summer has started out lovely, shifting, adventurous, but in an odd state of limbo...  Excited for fall and new classes, a much anticipated move.. curiosity and excitement for where this life shift will take me...grateful for making, creative outlets and beauty in all of it's forms and forces.

Lexie's Bench

 Bench created in Metal Art Class, using steel angle iron and bar.
Finished with a Ferric Nitrate heat applied patina.
Upholstery fabric made of Wool and Alpaca roving base with pre-felted shapes of merino wool.

 Collaborations With Mark

My Sweetie and I have also collaborated on a few pieces as well.  He is an amazing metal artist/maker and being able to work together is a heart and soul feeding adventure, to be sure!

 For more of Mark's amazing work Mark Oldland Art

Fiber, Art and Love

Excited.. Thanks to my dear friend Glenn I have discovered Yolo Wool Mills in Woodland.  Jane took me on a tour of the facilities and the next time I head there I will be sure to take photos.  The wool from this place is luscious.  I discovered her potpourri batting,  that is a mixture of a variety of wools and alpaca.  I have been having so much fun making Cat Caves and other creations with this wonderful fiber.

Life has gotten (for lack of a better word) complicated of late.. So thankful for fiber, art and love!!

Octo-Pod Cat Cave

 

Hungry Fish Cat Cave

Clam Bake Cat Cave

 

Tentacle Topper Cat Cave

The Magic of Millenery

In 2012, the year of fiber and felting I have been having so much fun with hats. To take fluffy wool roving and shape it into any type of  hat that I fancy has been creatively challenging, exciting and joyous.

I have also been able to facilitate a few workshops on hat felting that have been very enjoyable!

2013, well, just getting started! Blessed to have a warm home to play in, employment that allows me to do so, a loving family (miss you Vera), supportive friends, and my Love who shines like the brightest star in the galaxy.. Wishing all joy in this coming year.

**photos of my recent hat creatures: (they went on the page a little wonky, best to click on one and view the lot as a slide show)

Frankenbike

My Art Bike is finally to the point that it can be ridden and enjoyed. I do foresee some fussing with in the future.  This started as part of a workshop for our Makerspace and has been backburnered for some time, only to be moved to the forefront by a request to join my friend and fellow maker Jeff in a parade this coming Sunday.

The bike is a Raleigh 26" bike front end and a kids coaster 20" bike at the back.  Bent steel tubing in the middle.  The handle bars are extended with some galvanized pipe I found in the dumpster at work.  The "head" is an old schwinn bike seat...hard to see but it's teeth are tiny skull beads.  I wrapped the handle bars in silver craft wire and also parts of the frame. 

Here is the progression of my frankenbike.

Pieces Parts

Together, only one peddle and two flat tires

Handles bars are bent and I trust it to sit on....

Pretty much complete, rides pretty well, not too squirrely.

A view from the front

The "hood ordainment"

Update: The parade was so much fun.  Afterwards we brought the bike and the derby racer to a local music festival that our Makerspace had a booth at (MannaFest).  The bike and racer were kid magnets.  We let them sit in the racer, and wheeled them around on the bike.  Enjoyed the entire day very much!

3D and other felting treks

Expanding my felt play into 3D work is so exciting.  My first with using a relief was a beret style hat and from there a bell cloche hat.

A few days ago I experimented with making a cat cave.  It came out as planned but in the future will be adding more fiber as it could be a little thicker thus holding its form against rubbing cats.  It seems to have met approval, though if you look carefully I did have to lure him in with a bit of catnip.




I am looking forward to experimenting more with the relief process.(placing a piece of tarp, or thin packing foam between two layers of roving)

Also this week I have not abandoned the wonder of merino wool scarves and tried something new from a fellow felters blog post.  The results fun and airy.

Poppies 15"X22"

Decided to work on a new wall hanging as well. Inspired by the poppies that were covering my yard like a blanket.  I am in the process of planning out another with nebula in mind.

Blacksmithing..

Spiral "flower" on rebar 

Ok, can't stand the snails in my garden,
but this one doesn't eat the veggies.

Cat tail made from pipe and metal rod.

I just finished my Art Metal class last Monday.  Brooks Collier is a patient and knowledgeable teacher and I cannot wait until the fall semester to continue with metals classes. There is something so exciting about turning metal to a pliable red in a forge, bending, hammering and shaping it. Sharing a few photos of some of the practice pieces from class.

Jellies...

This new piece is my favorite yet. Felting is like painting with wool and silk. It is fascinating, delightfully textural, and pure joy for me. This piece is 22" X 35". I will be making a bar hanger for it in my metal class on Monday evening, just picked up the flat bar to do so. Corriedale wool base, merino wool top, silk, mohair, wool yarn, hand dyed silk caps. The piece was inspired by the Jelly Fish exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Below are photos of part of the process.. laying out the layers, wetting, and rolling