In the Studio...

A huge thank you to all of you who visited me on the Alamance Studio Tour.  It was a great weekend (minus the weather) with so many visitors making the trek to Pam Watts' beautiful farm.

And now, on to getting ready for the Chatham Studio Tour (first two weekends of December).  I'm experimenting with a technique called Joomchi using mulberry paper.

It may look a little like a mess in the photo, but I promise it will come together.  The technique is very much like wet felting and the white paper above even has some orange wool fibers and green silk pieces along with threads in between the layers.  I'll be using this to create elements for a new idea for a series of wire mobiles that I'm working on.  ...and did I mention I'm also working on two more pieces for my "Impression of an Impression" series?  Yikes!

Stop 26 on the Alamance Studio Tour - can't wait!

Watercolors, acrylics, mixed media, fiber, wearables, hangables - we've gotcha covered!  For directions, go here.  This weekend - Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th.  10am to 5pm both days. For more info on the Alamance Studio Tour, go here.  I hope to see you there :).

AAACCCKKK! Oh, it's just Halloween

Thought, in addition to Christmas ornaments at the Alamance Studio Tour this weekend, I would include some Halloween ornaments....

©Christie Minchew 2013

approx 5"-7"

wool, wire, hand felting

Three of Four: the beginning of a new series...

...or should that be "mini-series"? The first two will be at Stop #26 of the Alamance Studio Tour this coming weekend, October 12 and 13.  See here for directions.  The third one below is at the preview exhibit at the Graham Library, Graham, NC (next to the Alamance Arts Council).

 Impression of an Impression I

©Christie Minchew 2013

15" x 15"

wool, silk organza, paper, hand felting, hand dyeing

Frame of local walnut by Charles Minchew

  Impression of an Impression II

©Christie Minchew 2013

15" x 15"

wool, silk organza, paper, hand felting, hand dyeing

Frame of local walnut by Charles Minchew

   Impression of an Impression III

©Christie Minchew 2013

15" x 15"

wool, silk organza, dryer sheet, hand felting, hand dyeing

Frame of local walnut by Charles Minchew

Ta Daaa!

 No.3 Vessel is finished and mounted.  Here is a sneak preview...

 The Unique Effect

©Christie Minchew 2013

11" h x 9" w x 26" long

I think it's easier to really "see" it in person, but this give the idea.

Wool roving and black yarn are going in the left side...

©Christie Minchew 2013

detail

Handfelted objects are coming out the right side, close up of one below:

Come and see it from all angles this Saturday, August 24th, at Come Out and Play Sculpture and Art Show.

And take the shuttle bus from Storybook Farm (just 1 mile north on the same side) - it's free and easy!

Vessel Series no.2 is off the needles!

Vessel number 2 is finally off the (knitting) needles!  It's about 24" long.

(Vessel number 1, of copper wire, is crying out to be something different.

 And I was anxious to do this in silver-toned wire and make it bigger.)

As it doesn't sit on it's own, I put a hammered wire along the back center.  

After doing that, I realized I can hang it, too.   

There is still more to do to complete the concept.  So you'll see this at least once more.

I've started vessel number 3 which will resemble this one.  I am working on the shaping a bit. But, in general, I'm happy with how my idea is progressing :).

The knitted brow, I mean vessel

 I'm in the middle of knitting the first (and second, below) in my vessel series.  Stay tuned to see them progress from limp-ish messes to, hopefully, something closer to my vision :).

I added 2 colors of thread as I knitted part of the neck of the silver.  It drove me nuts as I tried to keep the thread from getting tangled up in the knitted wire, so I stopped using it. I like the effect but the aggravation, not so much.

Stay tuned!