Thursday with me young artists...

Today was a special day where my little artists stenciled and sprayed their CSI fabric to form their hand print as part of their evidence collection this week. earlier in the day they had been photographed by a patrol man with their vital information..height, weight, fingerprints, special needs etc. The YES club came down to participate so the room was literally hopping. Tomorrow they will visit the crime scene..a hit and run accident and the groups will collaborate to discover who the driver and criminal really is. It should be loud and busy but loads of fun.

My group was set to build layers onto their individual fabrics and add stitches in a simple running stitch manner. I watched in amazement and was so proud of them all...this is a new and difficult challenge for these young artists. Gab told me now he understands why my works are known as "slow Cloth". :O)! There were some adult visitors who were very excited about their planning for future programs for this upcoming Fall for school lesson plans. They were totally engrossed in their plans but their voices were a wee bit distracting because the students had trouble asking and hearing the answers when they needed to "thread my needle" or help me with this knot. I made waves I am sure when I asked them to move outside in the hall so we could hear each other and work in peace... I do not want to be a diva but I really enjoy these special quiet moments where we are engaged in the process. The collaboration and respectful interaction is just as important as the actual simple artistic process. I was very pleased with the finished projects so tomorrow we will create a scratch art project and collect the final design elements to mount onto matte board to display for the student's parents to view and celebrate in a small opening for the students. Each child has strengths and weaknesses...but slowing themselves down they soon discovered they could work this problem out and make their sacred marks.

Rosie received her summer buzz haircut at the groomers so I picked her up and we went home for a nap. The week is wonderful but I do recognize how difficult it is on my body's systems. I ate an half a sandwich and laid down to fall asleep...Thank God it is Thursday because I can be there tomorrow and make a successful week's contribution and collaboration. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Making art and sun prints...

For whatever reason I am really tired this evening...The students were totally awesome today and were engaged in the process design elements. We were in the hot glass lab today for the sun printing onto the treated papers. The students were involved with selecting their elements to lay onto the paper and take outside into the sunlight for exposure in the sunlight for about two minutes. When we returned into the lab we dip our papers into water until the images become a brilliant blue. Then we went back into the air conditioning meeting room to discuss the importance of our observation skills and I introduced the young ones to a favorite book of mine. The Invention of Hugo Cabernet written and illustrated by Brian Selznick. We discussed our drawings on Monday...then a cartoon on Tuesday...began the exploration of drawing a self portrait. Why is this often a difficult task for us to complete??? How did this author progress from a real boy's story to fantasy fiction and imagined ghosts and secret worlds known only to those who dare to see. Then we worked in pencil first and then added Crayola Crayons for fabric transfers onto our CSI fabric evidence sheets. The final and stinky step was a HOT iron pressure on top of the fabric and then the magic was made visible! Tomorrow we need to stencil our hand print and add our fingerprints and then stitch the outlines. Hopefully we will be able to complete this task and move forward to the identity of each young art's individuality. I am amazed with the interaction and the promotion of gentle acceptance of each person's process. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Tea for Tuesdays...on a hot humid afternoon

My students experienced folding and ironing their CSI evidence fabric and Seta transparent colors. They were meticulous in the application and placement of the brush strokes and special flashes of dots and splashes. The final affect was just beautiful. While some students were busy painting the remaining were working on a cartoon sketch character drawn with a permanent ink pen. With each exercise in their observation skills the student s become more empowered and comfortable with their endearing sketches. Tomorrow they will add another sketch to their repertoire and color them with specialized crayons to make color transfers to heat set onto their fabric evidence sheet. We also have another layer of evidence that we will spray onto the cloth and make sure to heat set as we prepare to make cyanotype sun prints...if the weather holds steady and sunny.

I had the large unsweetened tea from McDonald's today...my extra effort to keep hydrated and cool. Thank you McDonald's. I came home to hot dogs on the grill and corn on the cob and then a very quick quick nap :O). I had stopped over to visit my way faring grandchildren as they are getting rested from their vacation down in South Carolina. I love the sun kissed faces and enjoyed all the sweet hugs and kisses. I am grateful they had the chance to go and rest but even more grateful to have them home safe and sound. I need to get some prep work completed tonight before I get to bed for my young investigators. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Hot, humid and hazy!!! CSI forensic fiber arts and the air conditioning was not working in our studio space...

We began the investigation with a hand print and practice stitches ...three rows ...to then cut out for a hand print shape and a stencil to use as a design element for dry brushing. Then each workshop participant then paired up with another and made their preliminary pencil sketches. By then their bellies were rumbling and serious fatigue had set in...most students had been here since about 8:30 am and snack time was their primary focus. In the last half of an hour most of the 11 boys went out on the museum floor for movement and play. Two quiet little engineers...two of my girls decided to play with the engineering blocks and puzzles. This week I gave each one of them my postcard and sent them out on a scavenger hunt to locate each piece of work in my exhibit. They did an awesome job and their observation skills were impeccable.

I came home and washed white Kona cotton fabrics for the next steps in the process. They will be able to create a grid of sort by allowing the folded piece of fabrics into different colors of transparent Seta colors. Then we will head outside to allow them to dry in hopefully the sunshine. Then while they are drying we will work on cartoon characters of people in the workshop with a fine tip point permanent marker. Again this is another step in creating their own design elements to incorporate into their fiber layers. Lyn may lead another gallery activity until we return to the studio to add the next steps in rubbings and texture boards. I am really trying to keep them involved ...despite the high temperatures and humidity.

Be sure to check out the "Buried Treasure" post from Seth Apter's blog The Altered Page on Sunday July 18th. There is something there to inspire everyone and as the artists generously share their thoughts and inspirations we all can come away with a sense of intimate community.

Our daughter Miss Erin went into an early labor this afternoon but the maternity unit gave her some meds to slow down the pains ...they seem to think she needs a few more weeks for the baby to develop and grow. She called us in the evening and was heading home to kiss the little ones and hopefully go to bed. We will probably go over tomorrow afternoon to help out with Cole and Morgan.

Ken and I worked for a short time in the studio ..he washed the floor and put together a prefab book case while I washed the front windows. We came home and had rosemary chicken vegetable soup and had rice crispy treats for dessert. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart