New Amazon Store

Finally took the leap and added an Amazon Store to my blog. All of my recommends are geared towards fiber, mixed media, quilts and fabric manipulation. All but two of the first 35 selections are under twenty bucks in deference to artist's budgets.

I'll be reviewing these books along with photos of them. If you're a mixed media artist of any stripe or an artist that does ACEOs and ATCs, you just have to have "The Art of Manipulating Fabric" by Colette Wolff (Paperback - Oct 1, 1996). She teaches every possible combination of folding, pleating and manipulating fabric in the Universe and many techniques are transferable to paper for artists that use texture in their work.

My Copy is absolutely loved over, bent, written in stapled with cloth and shreds of paper. This is my fabric 'bible'.

I've almost finished the Geode piece. Some ends to tie up and then I'll do the finish work and frame it. Will share jpegs then.

Gala Press Night

So. I am recuperating from the last months frenzy of preparation. Still not settled back in my skin. I imagine that it will take me some time to regroup. But tonight was wonderful!! Gala held the private press party along with a private viewing for our site sponsors' circle of friends. Hard to tell who were the doctors and who was press. Most of the artists were recognizable. We have that certain elan, don't you know. Besides. I wore my high top PF Fliers.

I have found some kindred souls there. Their art is so cogent to me that I cannot ignore them. You already know that I'm in love with Martha Brooks Marshall's art and sally forth merrily anytime I can cheerlead her on. Her paintings are just flat world-class good.

Another artist I have a creative crush on is Apatx Latorre. Besides being a spiritually kindred soul, he has a painting called "The River" which is so close to my visual view of the universe, is so rich in metaphor and technique, that I would own it if I could! Oh for all the money in China!! Martha says he's Gustav Klimpt on steroids! I will ask his permission to show it here, but not before he says so. That you have not heard of him yet is just because he's been busy doing life and travel as he sees it. That he's exotically gorgeous AND loves his family devotedly has earned him heart space with me. I will shamelessly promote him as I do me some Martha. He's that good!

Steve Sperry is another artist just discovered. I like his quirky style that's so reminiscent of fractal art. He's got a fractured sense of humor and a boy-next-door charm in a craggy sort of way. You want to bake him cookies and slap him around when he does dumb stuff. And he cleans up nicely!

Cathey Conte follows the legacy of art in a dynasty started by her mother Margaret Conte. Cathey's photos are just microcosmic. And. I WILL own some of Candace Knapp's pieces!

There were several others at the show who awed me. I intend to cultivate them and just hang, hoping to absorb some of their goody. I am humbled to be counted among such incredibly talented people. If you're in the Tampa area, get your butt down to 3965 Henderson Blvd and partake. This is a huge happening and a movement. I love my place in the back of the wagon!

Opening is tomorrow night, Friday from 7 until 1:00 and they have an open bar, incredible fashion show/living sculpture, DJ's playing in 2 rooms, food, an enormous floor space and will also donate to the Humane Society. You really didn't want to go clubbing tomorrow anyway, did you??

(The picture is of me peeping behing Lotus Robe, one of 4 I installed in the show.)

Almost

Put some finishing touches on my 3 installations and one hanging for Gala Corina. The show this year is phenomenal !! I have already picked out my favorites and keep adding to the list. The venue is incredible, huge. The artists this year are pure cream! I've met some real sweeties!

So. Just a few more things to do before opening. I'm finishing up my series of Artists Trading Cards for the show. They're a phenom where artists created 2 1/2" by 3 1/2" mini art works and sell or trade them. This year, 40 plus of us are participating. We will trade each other for a set and the balance of the 96 we agreed to create will be sold to support the show. Go here to learn about them: http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html

My series is called 'Flasher'. Each features a coat or curtain that must be opened or moved aside to view. Some 'inner messages' are benign, others stare right back at you. Next time, I resolve to spend more time on them so they're more complex.

Forgot some of the little people I made for Swept Under to pin in falling out of pockets and from under the back train of the coat, but I'll take them with me tomorrow when I go to help sort and wrap the ATCs. Interested in doing your own ATCs??

So. I'm done. Almost.

(Ed. Note: Here's a short how-to video to get you started doing your own.

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1098982549&fr=yfp-t-471 )