Ice sleet...and dangerous roads and sidewalks...OH MY!

This morning we experienced snow, sleet and an ice coverage on all the roads and sidewalks making travel very precarious.  Ken's school never usually closes ...but today the decision was made for safety sake...many of the students walk to and from school.  I rested in bed...drifted in and out of sleep and used the day to catch up on rest after my very busy week.  As Miss Morgan will tell you we all need a pajama day!  Ken graded research papers all day...but at least he did not have to go in with all the ice this morning.  I handled my Art world with the phone...the computer... and sorted the multitude of embellishments I am adding to my quilt.  Confession here...I did not make the deadline for the ODC Best of 2013 exhibit...I just could not see me submitting something I was not ready to let go.  There is always next season and I did make the correct decisions to work in other directions.  I just wanted you to know...no I am not perfect and my worktables and timetables  need to be more focused... a lesson I need to remember.  Ken ran out tonight and we had comfort food...Kentucky Fried Chicken's chicken pot pie with biscuits and honey.

I am sharing the wonderful photos from yesterday's drop in studio afternoon.  I walked the groups through the present exhibit...answered questions and compared and contrast the individual artist's techniques and how the collaboration works.  I invited them to discover the works that shared similar design elements and how each artist used footprints, hand prints and wave motions.  We then headed back to the big tables in the Glass Studios to make rubbings with individual plastic forms...then I asked them to trust me.  Take off your favorite shoe...yes we are going to print with our individual style of shoes.  Well this brought plenty of giggles and smiles...as we chose big stamp pads to count 1..2..3.. then roll a print on top of their individual backgrounds 1..2..3...  As you can plainly see the experience was well received and generous appreciation ws shared by all.  I made plans to visit the Sparks Studio and have lunch with each one of them. 

Now I am back to my quiet work...grateful for a quiet day to work here at home.  Have  a great weekend! 

 Chris Lang explains the life of the crab in Lisa Kelleher's photograph....she grew up in Maryland

 The Spark's artist were a very intuitive audience and curious about different collaborations...

 Wanda brought her special monkey to the exhibit...I shared how much I loved monkeys also...

 Chris explains this crab is sloughing her too small crustacean shell...yes this is a female crab...

 I enjoyed their inquisitive natures, eager smiles  and enthusiasm coming to The Works once a month...to make their own Art!

 This little lady loves to photograph as much as I do....evidence and inspirations...

 creating their texture backgrounds with texture rubbings...this young man is a real dear...Nick

 Hannah has a brother serving in the Navy over in Japan... her kind warmth radiates when she talks about her pride for his dedication to his life in the Navy...

 Sylvia listen as my friend Mark explains his designs and shares a joke or two...I told Mark I have  a baby brother named Mark... I could be his mother!!!

 Wanda and Craig love this process...there is no real right or wrong approach...you never know a person until you walk in their shoes...we all make footprints on this earth...

 I shared my tennis shoes with two of the gals...but she told me to put my shoes on as soon as possible...so I do not get a cold...her smile makes my heart smile!

 We put our designs together and made a paper quilt...I am going to visit them in their studio in Granville and they will print on fabrics...I will take them home and return them as their very own wall hanging...a real collaboration!

 No you will not have to sew...you get to make designs and I will sew for you all.......

 I am planning on some stencil work with each participant....

 Mark is excited I am going to have lunch at their studio....

 Three little brothers....Zachary...Avery... and Eli made different designs for their prints...

 then to clean their shoes...you stand on another paper and search for a squiggle design...Zach found a dragon...

 Avery made a circus elephant...Avery made a real cute kitten in his squiggle drawing...

 hard at work...he is only 4...

 this dragon in upside down...






See how Eli made his kitten ...so cute...
Have a great weekend.  And remember tomorrow is Stem Weekend at the Works...come on down!

Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart