Monday, May 31, 2010

Some things around my studio...

A little doll my mother gave me. Amira really likes it and I find it in different areas when I am cleaning up at night. It was caught in the light of the setting sun tonight.
Some new yarn for a new idea.
Some wavy stripes I am practicing.
This is an old project I recently pulled out while cleaning. I have a whole series of wood cuts of us and objects from our old apartment that I printed in various combinations. The idea was to show the transition of time-we were in the same space for years, and had the same objects in it, but we and them moved around so much during that time. Without a press, printing is so labor intensive I kept putting the project down and never really finished it. I still like this print of Adrian with a cup of coffee in his hand. Some things never change.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

A trip to the Zoo!

My birthday occurred this week, and as a result, I got a few extra treats.
I was given some iris's to decorated my desk with.
I got to sleep until 7:30am (instead of waking at the usual 5:30 when Amira begins talking in her crib, da da, ne ne, la le, ma ma) and when I woke Adrian had made pancakes with peaches and bananas, and decorated the table with hot french pressed coffee, milk and sugar. We all enjoyed this!
And we took a day trip the Roger Williams Park and Zoo. It neared 90 degrees that day, so most animals were hiding in their caves. But we did see a few. Amira spotted some flamingos...
The bald eagles were so still-this one was just sitting in the grass looking around. He (or she) doesn't even seem real.

Birds were flying around the marshes.

We walked around some creeks.

Paused for pictures and a diaper change.

And then made our way through a park trail where the water and trees made the heat slightly more bearable.

Adrian drove for this trip, so I was able to join my blanket in the car. It is really taking shape, and feels so full and warm-especially on a hot day!

Pieces yet to be joined.

And some new yarn purchased for a new little blanket...

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Hexagons grow!

A little wine, hubby watching the game in another room, cat sleeping, baby sleeping, and time to work on the hexagon blanket, not a bad end to a Monday.


Adrian is working on a massive graphic novel. He's been working so far for 6 or 7 months. Lately we have both had a little more time in the evening to work on our projects since Amira is sleeping more consistently through the night.


Here is the layout of the blanket so far, I have started joining the smaller hexagons into larger flowers. I look forward to joining those soon to have a better feel of what this blanket will be like. This is the largest textile project I have done, and I have to say I am enjoying it quite a bit. I did some textiles in high school and the process drove me crazy, I felt it was too repetitive. I guess my temperament has changed as I find the process calming now. And I am looking forward to a sense of accomplishment.


Wednesday the cat laying in a patch of hexagon flowers.

Amira and Wednesday Tuesday morning.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Castle Island
A day with me, Adrian, and Amira! This comes only once every two weeks and it was such a nice day, despite being spring in New England. (I consider spring a tease-generally cold, but every once in a while exposing some summer heat.) So we went to our old neighborhood, and took a walk at the old fort.

We kicked off our shoes in the sun, and relaxed on the fresh cut grass.

We may have even fallen asleep for a few moments.


Some kids were flying kites on the hill. Adrian said he never did this as a child, and he thought it was weird that I had! What was entertaining about it? I always liked seeing how high I could make my kite go, it is such an interesting measure of how small we really are-though at the time I was mostly competing with my sister.

An overcast day.

My beautiful babe!

And some interesting textures and patterns I saw:

On a little bridge.

While the tide was down.

Where the birds leave their remains.

And some baby grass beginning to grow.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Rainy Day

It's a dreary day with misty rain in my neighborhood. Amira and I are off to an accordingly slow start but I don't need to be to work until 2, so we have the time to lounge.


I can't believe this plant made it through the winter! I certainly did not tend to is appropriately.


I don't think it will stop feeling like early morning today.



So we look through books: Below are a few Klimt landscapes, I love the patterns he makes.




The flowers on this Gaudi tower are like whimsical pinwheels! The fantasy of his buildings makes anything seem possible!


And work on projects: I am starting to seam my hexagons, so maybe this project will come to an end!


A pattern of a dress for Amira (on an old proof of a wood cut). I am experimenting with collars. I think some bright dresses with flowers at the collar will be so cute on her this summer! I can't wait it get to the final product!



And still working on those red flowers! But this blanket will be so warm, I'm in no hurry here. The summer should be warm...I guess that remains to be seen though!


So much to do inside on a rainy day!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Lunch Break

I decided to take a walk for lunch today and see what is in some of the galleries around me. I love the orange flowers in this arrangement-but I don't know what they are...?



I am always drawn to Japanese prints. I love the patterns, and the colors always seem so clear. The expressions on faces are so extreme too, they are very engaging.



This one I didn't get a good picture of, the background is dark, shades of black with white flowers, it made me feel the intimacy of night.


There is so much going on here!


I walked by this pitcher a few times, I know those should be leaves, but don't they look like lips? Like some just kissed all around the pitcher?


I don't often take time to look at ceramics in galleries, like so many I am drawn to the paintings, but there are some very whimisical drawing on so many pieces.


I am lucky to work surrounded by interesting items, but I have to admit, I miss my time at home on the couch with Amira and Wednesday!