Trying Something New...

After reading the Spring 2005 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, I found an article by a fellow classmate of mine from way back 40+ years ago - in undergrad school. Back then, she was a home ec major while I was majoring in art. Now SHE is a well established, well-known textile designer and I’m teaching spirituality and healing arts. We’ve both come a long way!

So reading the Artist Profile on Marcy Tilton brought back many happy college memories & I even recalled Marcy as having one heck of a good sense of design. I don’t even recall which class we took together – probably Interior Design – but I remember her artistic flair. She, on the other hand, didn’t recognize her own giftedness in art and was amazed to think that I even remembered who she was. Interesting, isn’t it? How we think others do not notice us if we’re in another field of study. Marcy tells me her sister was a class or two behind us, and an art major. She figured I just got the names mixed up. But I don’t recall her sister. Only Marcy – I always loved her name & admired her flair. Never told her, though. Until I read the article & looked up her e-mail address...

And so I decided to try the technique this “textile adventuress” demonstrated in Quilting Arts Magazine: painting on fusible web. I spent a full day in the studio trying out her methods, mixing in some of my own ideas, and creating some interesting backgrounds for new art projects. It was a great day full of fun, as you can see from the accompanying photos!

Then it was off to Vermont to welcome our 16 year old granddaughter back from a month in Inner Mongolia as part of the VT Cultural Arts Exchange Program. She had transformed into a dramatic actress and confident singer while she was away – out little girl grew up very quickly! Now she and the other 23 students are presenting the program they wrote, created, designed, costumed, and performed throughout the state of Vermont. This after giving nearly a dozen performances in China and Inner Mongolia to as many as 2000 attendees! That’s Michelle in the photo below performing last Saturday at Leland & Gray High School in West Townshend, Vermont.

And now we’re moving into the final two weeks of graduate study so I’m listening to my students' presentations & grading. I’m looking forward to the summer “off” – from teaching. The summer brings each grandchild for at least one week of one-on-one Granny & GramPa time. They all are in their teens, but still love coming for their yearly visit. Yeah!!!!