One Amazing Woman - a customer portrait

Busy week trying to restock the basics after the Ann Arbor show. Good problem to have.

Earlier this week one of my customers sent me a link to her blog where she is wearing the float she bought from me at the show. I love it when customers do that! (hint, hint)

But, Sue, really has honored me. You see, she has been through the chemo tunnel. and this is her first picture taken with no wig! I think she looks adorable. When I create a piece I always hope that it will bring joy to the wearer and make her feel wonderful. I am honored she chose my work for her 'coming out' party! When I went on to read a bit more about her life I found out that she is an amazing woman. Mother of 3, Grandmother of 1 she worked many years as a medicinal chemist. When she 'retired' she didn't just sit at home - no, this woman enrolled in an Italian immersion program and lived in an Italian monastery for 5 weeks in a hill town - Population: 310 . She has also traveled to France, Spain and England.

I am sure her blog has uplifted and inspired many.

Here is the link to her blog if you would like to read more: http://www.suzannekesten2.blogspot.com/ and the post that my work is in is titled "Waiting for guests".

Wordless Wednesday

Ann Arbor Art Fair

Well, another Ann Arbor Art Fair is over! And this one was wonderful! The weather could not have been any better- sunny and coolish every day with only one brief shower! That makes it SO much nicer for everyone!

And the best news - almost everyone I talked to had a good, solid show - no dancing in the aisles, but the show was as good or better than most thought it would be! And I am hearing more or less the same reports from friends doing shows around the country. Being an artist is truly in the economic trenches - it doesn't get much simpler than making something and having someone else buy it. So, I truly believe it when the media is reporting that we have bottomed out on the economy and are climbing back out - things are on the upswing!

I wish my camera hadn't died just before the show, but luckily nothing too out of the ordinary happened. Hopefully, I will be able to fix it in the next few weeks and have some pictures showing what I am working on! I am doing another loom shibori piece and working on some complex dye cloths. In the meantime I need to get another warp on the loom and start weaving.

WIN THIS SCARF!!!!!!

OK, I am jumping on the bandwagon in the blogging world and offering a giveaway! You could easily win this hand dyed scarf - I talked about how I made it in an earlier post- http://artweardesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-twist-on-shibori.html


So, what do you have to do? Not much, really. Leave a comment to this post counts as an entry. Subscribe to my blog and you can get another entry (if you are already a subscriber you have already entered once!). On August 30 I will have a random customer at a show pull a name and that person will be the winner. Stop by on August 31 to see if it is you!

Summer Art Fair in Ann Arbor

I want to apologize to everyone following my blog - I haven't been keeping it up very well lately. Partly due to life getting in the way, partly due to work getting in the way and partly due to my camera just flat out stopping. Arrrgghhhh! I really wanted to take some pictures of what I have been working on lately, but that will have to wait until next week.

This week I will be at the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair! It is 4 days long and runs Wednesday- Saturday. Over 1,000 artists will be there in 4 different fairs so, if you are an art lover it is well worth coming. Several people make it a mini vacation so they can cover as much as possible.
www.theguild.org/art_fair_summer.html

I have some new goodies that I think will just fly out of the booth, so be sure to shop early! My booth is on Main Street #D157. Stop by and say 'hi' if you are at the show!

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tip - Production Weaving

When I am making a coat or jacket type garment I will need to cut some sort of opening up the front of the handwoven cloth. I used to take a piece of contrasting yarn and mark where I wanted to cut. Now I add a warp thread of contrasting yarn where I will eventually cut. Since it doesn't have to be the entire piece, I will add the contrast yarn as if it is a broken warp. After washing and processing, I will measure the contrasting yarn and either add or subtract some to suit. Then I will cut and stabalize as usual. This little trick adds very little time at the loom, but saves in the processing time.

Monday Quote - Is this an Artist's Credo?

I love deadlines.

I especially like the wooshing sound they make

as they go flying by.

Douglas Adams

Wordless Wednesday