Monday, April 5, 2010

My How Time Does Fly...

And BOY have I been BUSY!! OK, I know...what else is new? ;) Lots of irons in the fire over the last month and a half...a fun workshop with John Flynn, a visit from a dear friend and her daughter from Atlanta, I hosted my quit bee (my mostly traditional quilting buddies), attended a Beecassos meeting (my fiber art buddies), entered an art exhibit at First Christian Church (hanging thru April 16, Country Club Road in Winston-Salem) and two exhibits with the Cosmic Cow Society (read more about this at the end of the post!), went to a trunk show by Alex Anderson (her show Simply Quilts was a daily must have for me back in my beginning days of quilting...what a thrill to get to meet her in person!), have been prepping for my first go at a street festival...and it's baseball season for my boys!


Whew!


Oh yeah, and I've been finishing this:


Meet "Happy Scrappy Cat"...my piece for the Forsyth Humane Society's Art Unleashed 2010! She stands about 30" at her tail (including the base, which is on casters) and will be clear coated with an automotive grade finish, so she can be either an indoor kitty or an outdoor one. She is playful, and doesn't shed. And yes, she's covered in a gazillion tiny custom quilt 'stitches'. :)
The official event kick-off is May 15 at Tanglewood Park. After that the cats and dogs will be "fostered" at various businesses in downtown Winston-Salem and then be auctioned off at the end of the summer. For more details visit the FHS website (and yes, they will take proxy bids!)

She is being kept company for the moment by this guy:

This is a preliminary peek at "Hokie Pokie Dot II"...he stands about 5' tall and, well, he makes me feel skinny standing beside him! This is a private commission and is a variation of one I did for the Blacksburg Partnership for their "Gobble DeArt" event. They are coordinating this commission, so I haven't met the owner, but I hear it is a Virginia "official." (Cool!)

I've painted 3 coats of burgundy and 4 of the orange...now I have LOTS of dots to fill in. Thank goodness for blue painter's tape and my scrapbooking circle cutters! Oh, and of course I have to do the eyes too. He looks a little freaky at the moment. Scares us sometimes when we go out into the garage!
Back to the Cosmic Cow Society...we have an opening reception for our April/May exhibit this Sunday, April 11 from 2-5 at Bartlett and Mitchell on Friendly Avenue (down from Guilford College) in Greensboro. This exhibit is a benefit for the local Autism Society, with 20% of sales going to them AND Mitchell and Bartlett will match those funds. This is the piece I have submitted:

Titled "Rising", it is discharged, hand and machine quilted, hand beaded, and mounted on a copper metallic canvas. This picture is a bit wonky...I was running out the door with it when I remembered I hadn't photographed it...so it was shot in haste. What doesn't show is all of the black on black hand stitching on the mountains. I like the way it turned out...come see it in person!
So, that's what I've been up to, and why I've been absent in blogland. Thanks for stopping by and catching up!
That's what it's all about... :)

5 comments:

Nane said...

Happy Scrappy is very cool, hope he ends up at a good home! It has been a fun month of quilty dates, and the quilt show is just around the corner...yes I still have sleeves and labels to complete.

pcoxdesign said...

I love Happy Scrappy! Looks like you had a blast painting it! You have been busy but in a fun and creative way! Thanks for sharing.

Jackie said...

Oh I just love Rising! It makes me want to see more of it. Your cat is totally amazing as well.
Love your work.

Salem Stitcher said...

Your life is crazy busy. I don't see how you get everything done...and done well.

Rising is gorgeous.

Unknown said...

Ohhhh Karen......knock, knock.....you are on my blog!