Friday, May 29, 2009



Getting ready to take off for a week is so much work. All deadlines for the next week need to be done a week earlier. Everyone needs something now. Focusing on any one thing just doesn't happen. Everything is multi tasked. That said summer flowers are definitely here. These Japanese Irises are from my childhood. Every time I moved in the past I took these with me. A lot of my earlier wool pieces contained Japanese Irises. I think it's time to revisit them in sewing thread. The sun was so intense when I photographed these Irises the leaves and petals were almost transparent. It's amazing how washed out colours become in direct sunlight. These same irises by twilight will become a deep intense blue-purple. The yellows will glow. I will be out in a couple hours taking pictures with my new camera-a much more sophisticated slr digital camera then the small Nikon cool pix I have been using. Should make for some interesting comparisons.
Marking Progress for the Week
I am finally making progress on So Many Chances. I am about fourth done. I am going to need to do some speed weaving if I am going to finish this in time for the IWC conference in Durango at the end of July. I finally decided that I wanted my dice to be a little like the Mad Hatter's tea party. Just a little off. I decided that proper perspective wouldn't do them justice. The feather across the dark green blue mountains is being outlined in a glitzy grey black metallic sulkie thread. I was tempted to change the rib structure down to 10 to the inch to make the light reflect a little differently, but decided not two at the last minute because I thought it would look odd with only the feather being a different rib structure. I think I will be trying to weave the black feather again. I'd like to try some long jump soumack or brocading techniques to change the way the light is interflected and reflected just within the feather.
HOT DOG-Dog to hot for Demon Gnat behaviour
Should be a banner headline. It's a first.
Chine' and I both are finding the studio to warm to work in. Everything is dripping sweat. Of Course, if I wasn't leaving for Kona on Monday I would put the air conditioners in the windows.
Chine's vacation is to be with 6 year old Libby and run off tremendous amounts of energy playing tag and felony theft with her for the week.
I'll take a nap for a few hours and come work in the studio for a couple of hours in the middle of the night.

7 comments:

K Spoering said...

I have a few pieces in the IWC show, and my husband will be away in Honduras during conference time, so if I can get a pet sitter, I may come over and say Hi! to you there! IWC is one of my favorite organizations, not only because I live in the region, but because I was on their Board for 6 years. Nice conference to go to!

Jan said...

Kathe, I can't believe how realistic the lace looks on this tapestry, I can't convince myself that those aren't really holes! I think I entered the IWC show, but since I have not heard back I guess either I didn't do it after all or I didn't get in....

lyn said...

Hi Kathe!

Can't wait to see this tapestry at IWC... seeing your collage cartoon was really an inspiration for me. Two of my tapestries were accepted & with Kathy Spoering's works there also, tapestry will be well represented!

Janie Hoffman, Susan Lawson, & I will be "roomies" & taking your IWC workshop together. We promise to behave!
Lyn

Unknown said...

Hi Kathy. Please do come, sit and talk. It would be fun. There are going to be several list people in the class.
kathe

Jan said...

Well, just when I'd given up hope, I arrived home from Cape Cod today to find my IWC acceptance letter waiting for me. So even though I won't be there to hang out with all of you myself, at least my tapestries will be hanging!

Unknown said...

Hi Jan-One of the things happening is white soumack is floating on the surface because it is unbalanced and is pearl cotton as opposed to sewing thread.
two of the threads you sent me from your Mom,s stash are beiing used. Thier was a rather large spool of dark green silk and a small spool/quill of linen. The Linen went into the dice and the dark green is in the mountains-Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
kathe

Unknown said...

Hi Lynn- I am really looking forward to teaching the class at IWC. It's really exciting to teach colour theory and tapestry. The class is really full-16 students I think and a waiting list. I am not promising to behave any time soon. I refuse to go gently into old age!Sounds like it will be a nice exhibit.
k