Public Art: a Fantasy Fiber Garden

An urban construction site + a group of crafty women = a different kind of garden! 

A danger garden, of sorts...

Fantasy flowers and foliage grace a temporary construction fence.

Fabulous shadows!

This color saturated acrylic yarn is not something I would want to wear, but it's held up well here for several months now

It's different, it's colorful, and it's fun. Well done!

Next time you're near Denver's Union Station or Riverfront area, stop by and smell the roses.

Don't Forget!

Just a reminder: on Saturday, August 4, my garden will be featured in Denver Botanic Gardens’ Highlands Art Garden Tour. The tour is from 1-3 p.m. and is preceded by a lecture at 11 a.m. by Julie Moir Messervy. Messervy will discuss “Creating Inspired Gardens Through Art” as part of the Bonfils-Stanton lecture series.

The garden tour is an open studio tour of sorts as well. All of the gardens will feature sculpture, and several of the gardens are at artists’ residences and/or studios. I’ll have some of my fiber collages on display---several new pieces and a couple of older favorites too. This photo is from my latest series of mini-floral fiber collages that feature my own photographs and fabrics.

Tickets are required for this event. Please contact Denver Botanic Gardens at 720-865-3580.

Hope to see you here!

Exhibit News

I was recently contacted by Kelly Burns at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon and asked to participate in an art quilt exhibit titled "Nature of the West: Contemporary Quilts." According to Burns, "The exhibit will feature non-traditional quilts that depict the natural beauty of the West--glimpses of what might have been seen along the Oregon Trail--from awe-inspiring landscapes to the majesty of wildflowers. Oregon Trail pioneers often commented on the new and wonderful sights they encountered along the trail. This show continues the pioneer tradition of finding inspiration in natural surroundings. It will run July 1 through September 3, 2007 in our Flagstaff Gallery".

My art quilt, "Bark", is multi-layered reverse applique that also features hand embroidery and beading. It's one of my favorites, and I'm thrilled that it will be included in the exhibit.

For more information on the center, vist their website here.

Happy New Year!

One of the good things about being snowed in is the opportunity to finish up projects that have been on the work table for too long. I recently completed this small art quilt that I call "Do You See What I See?" that was started back in September. My hand painted and dyed fabrics look cloud-like to me, and reminded me of the game of shape searching in cloud formations. On another level, the beauty of clouds is in their illumination. Both "illumination" and "seeing" as synonyms for "understanding" give this small piece a greater depth of meaning.

Best wishes for a new year of understanding, peace, and joy!!!

Exciting News!

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited by Denver Botanic Gardens to participate in their "garden gallery" tour on August 4th, 2007. This will give you an opportunity to visit my garden and see my artwork as well. I'm pleased with the August date --- it will give my grass garden and container plantings a chance to really grow in---things should be looking great then!

My challenge will be to figure out a clever way to display my fiber pieces outdoors. All suggestions welcome!

Sneak preview: Photo above shows a detail of "Cultivation." Stay tuned for more information on this event!

Fall Fandango

I am still enjoying the Fall foliage, even though most of it is on the ground now. I move piles around from here to there, using them as a loose, light mulch. The artwork, pictured above, was inspired by the idea of layers of fallen leaves and their dancing journey to the ground.

To see more of my fiber art, please visit my website.

Don't Miss It!

Fiber Translations is an exhibit of fiber art by four Denver area artists (including yours truly!) that is now on view in the Radius Gallery at Lakewood's Heritage Center. The work includes both two and three dimensional pieces that reflect the artists' interpretations of the seen and unseen world around us. Each artist has a unique voice and a unique vision---individual translations, if you will. My work is inspired, of course, by both the natural and man-made landscape; colors, themes, and assemblage techniques all reflect the ever changing organic world in which we live.

The gallery is located in the Visitor Center at 801 S. Yarrow (Wadsworth and Ohio). Hours: 10 am to 4 pm, Mon-Fri, and noon to 4 pm Sat.

Art Imitates Life?

I live a circular life. From my previous post you can see that I use my understanding of the elements and principles of art to create and analyze landscape designs. But from my artwork pictured here, a detail from my fiber piece Summer Sojourn, You can see that my work as a landscape designer informs my art. I spend a lot of time looking at the world around me, and I work hard to really see it. The trick is to learn to then visualize things that may be hidden from view, or better yet, as they could be.

I live a circular life---not that there's anything wrong with that!