Setting Up Day at the Gallery Shop

This little piece (roughly 10" square) is one of my favorite pieces. I decided it needed to be highlighted in some way, so I found a wonderful hand-dyed print in the same color family, stretched it over a stretched canvas, and secured it in place. It now stands out beautifully and goes with it's title: Orange Delight.

Much of the past week has been spent preparing for my status as one of "two featured artists of the month" at the Gallery Shop in Lemont, PA. Accompanying my 2-d fiberart work is the wonderful pottery of Jason Bloom, also a Gallery Shop member. He's been experimenting with salt glazing and the results are wonderful. I'll stop by the shop during the week and take photos of the complete set-up. But for now, I'm done and ready to celebrate Superbowl Sunday with a chocolate coke and some popcorn! I've posted a bit about this gallery previously and you can read more about it here.

There is also a Raven Postcard Challenge issued by members of the Quiltart Yahoo Group. The challenge is in honor of Edgar Allen Poe's 200th birthday. The deadline was January 31, but has been extended to February 15 due to the dreadful weather throughout so much of the country in the past few weeks. When I read about this challenge, I knew I wanted to participate since Ravens/Crows/Jackdaws are such powerfully symbolic & incredibly talented & smart birds. When in Ireland in 2007 exploring ancestral grave sites, I took the "perfect picture" for this challenge. It is printed on my HP Photosmart C8180 on a EQ's Printable Premium Cotton Injet Fabric Sheet. Then, using heavy weight Lutradur as the batting layer, I simply folded the printed cotton sheet in half over the Lutradur and heat set it into place.

Using black thread to outline the Jackdaw on the Celtic Cross gives just enough accent to an already powerful design. The satin stitch lettering provides imperfectly "perfect" lettering for the all-important word: Nevermore.

I posted the card on the Yahoo/Google group page yesterday - I hope to do a few more on this theme in the next two weeks since the deadline was extended and I have lots more ideas running around in my head and numerous photos from which to work!

This piece is also being donated to Virginia Speigel's Fiberart for a Cause - a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. As in years past, I have donated pieces to this particular fundraiser and am happy to use and share my talents for this cause.

A few entries ago I shared some photos printed on fabric that were on their way to becoming free-hand machine stitched embroideries. I completed the first one yesterday - well, completed is too strong a word, since I've only done the embroidery thus far. I have no particular plan for actually finishing this piece as an artwork, but it will one day graduate to that status. I'll keep you posted!
This is my set-up with the colored threads gathered together, the embroidery hoop, the photo print on the wall above the machine so I can reference it easily as I sew.