Sunday, December 29, 2013

2013 - a visual review

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With the new year starting in a few days, I am taking time to review my accomplishments of 2013 and make plans for 2014. It has been a busy year full of new work and opportunities. 

I created a lot of new work and some pieces were exhibited in shows:  
Texture Intertwined, Live Coal Gallery, Detroit, April 2013
** Gallery representation and part of two-person inaugural exhibition for this new gallery in Detroit
** plus, I was commissioned to paint a mural for the side of the gallery building! (This was a great experience)

String Theory, DC3, Detroit, June 2013
*Invitational fiber art show with other local artists

National Fiber Show, Grosse Pointe Art Center, June 2013

Annual Members Show, Grosse Pointe Art Center, Sept. 2013

21st Annual Canton Fine Arts Exhibition, Canton Village Theater, October 2013

Holiday Sparks, Annual Members Show, Live Coal Gallery, Detroit, December 2013

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I created and published an ebook for iTunes - Daily Visual Journal
I created some workshops that are hosted on Fiber Arts and Mixed Media website (more information can be found on my website)

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I was also part of a team of expressive therapists that taught a master class workshop at this years Expressive Therapies Summit in New York

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I am looking forward to continuing this momentum through 2014 - some things in the works:
- New work (jewelry, wall pieces, and larger sculptural pieces)
- An updated website with shopping cart system
- Central location for online workshops 
- A new website for Daily Visual Journal - look forward to interviews, inspiration, and more!
- I might possibly start an affiliate/commission program because I would really like to have some people test my jewelry, showcase it, and help sell it (let me know if you're interested).

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So, what about you? What did you accomplish in 2013 and what will 2014 look like for you?
 
Happy New Year!

Friday, December 13, 2013

Finished stitching and sewing this scarf

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This scarf is all cotton,16 inches wide and 80 inches long, with some of my embroidery stitching in a few areas. 





Friday, December 06, 2013

Holiday Sparks opening tonight!

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Annual member show at Live Coal Gallery opening tonight, December 6th, from 6pm - 10pm. Lot of great gift ideas - hope to see you there!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

scarf project - starting over

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Do you ever start working on a project and realize half way through that it's not turning out the way you had hoped? And then you start to figure out ways to make it work, while ignoring that voice in your head that says "just start over, this is the wrong direction" because it would take a long time to turn around? Well, I'm there... turning around now and headed in the right direction with this scarf.


picking out all those machine stitches - fun! This is why I have several seam rippers at hand.

Monday, November 25, 2013

new scarf project... but I may have to take these stitches out...

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I've been working on a scarf with lots of my stitching on it. The base fabric is from a vintage sheet and super soft, however now that I've been machine stitching the two sides together, it is loosing its softness. I guess I knew the texture would change, but I machine stitching is faster and I want to finish this. I think I already know I'll have to pull those stitches out and try a different approach... hand-stitching will take too long, the scarf is at least 70 inches long and 24 inches wide. Time to think.





Wednesday, November 06, 2013

New embroidery work series

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I'm working in a new series of highly textured abstract embroidery pieces. I plan to use these in a research project that I'm developing. 





Sunday, October 27, 2013

thoughts on resistance and getting things done

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Do you ever have these great creative ideas that you are so excited to start working on, and then after a little bit of progress you stop? You think it's not that great of an idea after all... or maybe no one else will think it's cool... or you just put it aside and find it under a pile of papers on your desk a month later.

So, what is the deal with this resistance? I started this post 4 weeks ago and haven't posted anything since then. I've really been trying to get work done. I've been reading books, blog posts, articles... still, it just happens - I leave things undone. Sometimes for a long time. I occasionally rationalize it with ideas like: 'if the idea was meant to happen, then I would have finished it', or 'I've been so busy, I had to put that project on hold'. Everyone is busy. I saw a quote recently that said, "you can have results or excuses, not both". Can't remember where I saw that, probably Pinterest. I'm beginning to wonder if the best and most important ideas that we have (by we, I mean me) are put on hold because of fear. Fear of putting myself out there. Fear of being judged or failing at the project. I makes some sense to me because I don't ever remember being a big procrastinator... I know I always finished things by the deadline - maybe the problem is that I don't have deadlines for my art or my writing anymore. Maybe it's time to set some deadlines. 

Either way, I've compiled a short list of things that I have found inspirational lately:
James Victore Burning Questions videos on YouTube
Danielle LaPorte
Art21 Magazine
My Inspiration board on Pinterest



Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Fall online workshops through Fiber Arts and Mixed Media website

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UPDATED:
I am excited to be offering two three Fall workshops through Fiber Arts and Mixed Media and sign up begins now and the first workshop starts October 7th, 2013 and the last day to sign up is December 30, 2013. When you sign up for the workshop you will receive more information sent to the email you provided through Paypal. The workshops will be hosted on the FAMM website. The summer session of Stitch Therapy workshop was very enjoyable for me to teach and one participant said this:
"I enjoyed the Stitch Therapy workshop very much and learned especially how wonderful gesso can be to hold threads and items in place till I sew them! Kelly's teaching is sensitive and empowering. She fosters community in her workshops. She is very creative and brings that creativity to the workshop process, even facilitating an impromptu supply exchange among members who were interested."
The three workshops I am offering are:
Stitch Therapy - starts October 7th, 2013
Developing Your Stitching Voice (creating a series) - starts October 21st, 2013
Daily Visual Journal - starts November 11, 2013

Stitch Therapy

$40

description: Using fiber art as a method for personal awareness and healing. I will show you my process and techniques for creating a fiber art painting using new and recycled materials. The idea for this series of work began with a combination of my passion for fiber art and my practice of art therapy. As a therapist, it is important for me to remember that every person I meet has their own life experiences and processes those experiences differently. I never know exactly where someone is coming from. I have also learned through my art therapy (and personal) experience that what we present to the world is not always consistent with how we are feeling. I use this process to create some order from the chaos. To put together scraps and bits of everyday life. Repairing, healing, layering - slowing down, enjoying the relaxing and meditative process - to feel the materials and hear them as I pierce the fabric with a needle and pull thread through. It's about taking time, listening, feeling, and healing.



Developing Your Stitching Voice




$40
Description:
I have been working in fibers almost exclusively since 2008. I initially trained in painting and metals when I studied for my bachelor of fine arts at Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan. It is interesting to look back and notice that so much of my work in metals involved textile techniques and often combined weaving and crocheting with wire. I was also knitting all the time and developing quite a stash of yarn and string - ironically, I collected yarn and string before I even knew how to knit or crochet, so fiber art was apparently calling me.

I have created work for a lot of different gallery shows over the past few years and some were not as successful as others. The first show solo show I had was a one night event that didn't go very well. I had a handful of pieces to fill the small space, but they weren't all related. I did not manage my time well enough to properly promote the event or prepare anything for the reception. Jump ahead a few years to my most recent solo show in December 2012 and it was a much different story. I had a cohesive collection of work all around a theme, had a great reception, sold 30% of the work, and two interviews.

So, through the experiences I've had over the past few years I learned a lot about creating a series of work around a theme and how to manage my time to get it done. I developed this workshop to help you create a successful series of work whether for a show or just for your own portfolio.

This workshop is self-paced but will include check lists and check-ins to discuss progress.
Sections of the workshop are:
Choosing your theme
Managing time
Working through doubts and sticking to it!
Finishing and preparing your textile work for display
Individual critique and discussion of your work and progress on public discussion board and/or privately through email.


Daily Visual Journal




was $50 now $25!
Description: Daily Visual Journal provides five techniques to learn and many images for inspiration for you to create your own art journal. Being creative everyday is simple and fun.

The idea of my daily visual journal began as a challenge to myself to create art everyday and generate my own inspiration. This workshop illustrates five techniques used to create your own daily visual journal pages as well as three ideas for preparing your pages before creating your art.

In addition, each technique is followed by a self reflection prompt for you to think about and write about on the backside of your visual journal entry.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

21st Annual Canton Fine Arts Exhibition

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I'm excited to announce that my fiber/painting piece, Growth, was accepted into the Canton Fine Arts Exhibition Oct 3 - 26

The 21st Annual Canton Fine Arts Exhibition
October 3rd - October 26th
Opening reception is 6:30

The theater gallery is open Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., by appointment, and during all public performances. The exhibition is free and open to the public.


Questions? call 734-394-5300


Canton Village Theater
50400 Cherry Hill Rd.
Canton, MI 48187




Friday, September 20, 2013

what is your process?

2 comments:
I finished this work and started the next one. I'm really enjoying the texture of these pieces and the meditative quality of the stitching. I've been asked how I stitch my pieces - do I just lay threads down and stitch over them; do I sketch out a design; do the pieces evolve intuitively? Yes, yes, and yes, although not always all three directions with each piece. Sometimes I have an idea of the finished piece, like how much texture or how much paint, and then I choose the colors I want to use and lay them down and start stitching. Rearranging as necessary to get the right composition. Sometimes I sketch out an idea and get very specific about what stitch I will use, what type of fiber, and whether it will be painted over or not. Sometimes it is completely an intuitive process and it develops as I work on it. Regardless of how the piece evolves, my main intention is to create a sense of comfort with each piece. I always want to know how you feel when you look at my art - in person or online, so if you want to let me know, mention it in the comments - thanks :)


the finished piece followed by in progress picture with detail shots:



Thursday, September 19, 2013

new work - almost finished

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The start of a new series - I'm focusing on texture with these and heavily stitching different threads down on cotton. They will be finished on 12x12 inch canvas. This one has all the stitching done and will be mounted on stretcher bars later today...


Saturday, September 14, 2013

Collaborative drawing with my son

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One day over the summer my kids and I were going to a gallery to drop off some work. We were early and they weren't open yet, so we went into the coffee shop next door to get a snack and hang out until the gallery opened. My son suggested that he and I do a collaborative drawing, while my daughter designed clothes in her notebook. I'm not sure how the image started, but it grew as we each drew two things then passed the book to the other person. There is a giant figure, some tiny figures, birds, a house, a painting on the wall, cupboards, a boy reading a book in his room with a black fuzzy cat.

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