I can't believe how time has passed and no entries

I have been working, believe it or not.  I've been way too silent.

I'm on my laptop in my studio. A rainy, stormy day - but I still enjoy gazing out to the sea, though it's a bit turbulent.  The beach sunflowers are blowing this way and that.  The bird feeders are swinging back and forth as well.  The prickly pear cacti are pillars of strength - they are blooming big beautiful yellow flowers.

Me, I'm grateful to be inside, cocooned in my studio.

I've been taking an online class from Jude Hill - Sun, Moon, Stars - I'm learning so much.  I had started some hand stitching on the ice dyed fabrics my sister and I dyed awhile back.  This began my journey back to hand work.  The peaceful in abnd out of the needle and thread pleases me.  It's a relaxing and meditative activity.  Here's an image on the last piece I created.  I had the best time working on this one.  I have a couple more ice dyed pieces but the images are on the regular computer.  Melted Fusion I and II are on display at my Island Art Association.   I'll post the images soon.

Circle Play 21x6"  $185

Back to Jude Hill's class - I love her quiet, gentle way of sharing her love of creating through stitch.  Another class is in the horizon!   The following piece is influenced by her work.   I wove the fabrics and stitched them down before I started Jude's online class.  I have since learned an easier way to hand stitch pieces down.  I don't want to say how as I don't want to take anything away from Jude's teaching. Check out her classes!  It's a work in progress.  I've been stitching daily - using Jude's ideas and some from my research on stitching on the Internet - moon jellies and the sea star.



WIP

The next two are pieces I started in planning for a hand embroidery intro for children at Jacksonville's MOMA - my FAN group is displaying, demonstrating, and sharing fiber art to folks - young and old . Next Saturday is a program highlighting a fiber artist, Memphis Woods - who spent part of her life in Jacksonville and was an early supporter of the museum.  The project I've planned is simple applique on felt, using hand stitching.  These two pieces were part of my playtime.  My class with Jude has lengthened the fun.  Check in later for the finished products.

WIP

WIP

I'll be doing some hand stitching of this just created dry felted piece.

These two wonders were my take on a children's art project at my local art gallery - Island Art Association- led by my artist friend Anne Howden.  The fabrics are part of my collection of fabrics/ties/shirts from my father and father-in-law.  I wanted to pass on my love anb fond memories of both these men, especially my dad!  How he would have enjoyed these grandchildren of mine.  Max and Brenna will received these dolls when they visit as the end of the month!


Max and Brenna's dolls

The two next images are products of my raw edged applique and machine quilting.  A fun, relaxing time of creating.  I really ought to title these.

10x10 $85

6x6" $40

The following quilts are hanging at the Island Art Association for the Nouveau Art Exhibit entitled Wildlife.  The heron was awarded Honorable Mention!  Yeah!!!!!!  I don't have the titles/sizes/prizes.  They were last minute creations..........

On display at Island Art, 12x9"

On display at Island Art

This took awhile.  Maybe if I write more frequently,.........  There's always hoping.

Til later, Peace and joy be with you, Diane

Work Completed

Ancient Travelers 26 x 26"

Ancient Travelers was completed before Wandjina Revisited.  My organization is something to be improved.   This  was again inspired by petroglyphs - ones in the States.  Raw-edged applique over sponged painted hand masks.  Some machine stitching and lots of hand stitching.

The following is some of my leaf and stamp printing on hand dyed silk scarves.  I have these for sale at First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Florida.

 I created 10 composition covers for the same gallery.  I do sell the scarves and books at my local gallery as well - Island Art Association.

New Work

Full Moon

I was going through my discharged fabrics, should I say fondling them really, thinking I would like to create something new, simple, using minimal machine stitching and some hand stitching.   I love the process of discharging - taking the color out.  I've had this piece of fabric for a long time and have loved it.   I think it was one whole piece to begin with and I had used part of it elsewhere.  I designed the larger middle section and had the 2 narrow pieces just lying around - ended up using all three.  I have this wonder and awe about the moon ever since I moved to the beach and get such fantastic views of the moons, first coming up on the horizon and then traveling across the sky.  I even love the moon in the early morning sky.  So I cut out a circle.

The piece is simplistic with minimal stitching.  How I love the hand stitching, the holding of the fabrics, the in and out rhythmic motion of the mark making.  I started with a few machine lines, then the hand couching on black yarn, the ladder stitching in black floss, the larger red ladder stitches and quilting - lastly the red beads around the moon.  I'm pleased with the result.

Heart Felt

Heart Felt is a technique I remember seeing elsewhere and wanted to try.  It took a bit of work but I did like the process and will pursue it further.  Small pieces of fabrics placed on batting and fused.  I played around with the "zentangle" line drawing using the machine.  Lots of machine work in this one.

These two I entered into a juried show at St. Augustine Art Association in the themed show "Red."  I guess they've been accepted as I haven't gotten a call to pick them up.  I do like themed shows if something pops into my head right away. 

I'm working on a quilt for the grandson - a more modern one - using some scraps plus new fabrics - mostly blue and red.  I've sewn a crazy patched piece for a focus.  We'll see how the design progresses.  I'll be stitching this up in between other projects.

Finished two more

I'm on a roll.  I've quilted and binded the floating pelican and the larger sea turtle.  I'm pleased with both of them.  In the beginning stitching of a flying pelican.  I hope to get that done before making the trip up North to see my grandson - leaving Tuesday for the week.  I just can't wait to hold that child again.  He's grown so much in such a short while.  Here's the images.  I haven't title the pelican yet......

Pelican by Diane Hamburg 18x20" $200

Extinct is Forever by Diane Hamburg 18x23" $230

Two new Pieces featuring the octopus

You may remember that in September I printed these guys/gals up at the Nature Printing Society's Workshop in Oregon.  I  am finally getting around to quilting the prints up.

The first piece is called "Octopus" - very original title, I might say.  It was a practice piece that turned out just fine.  It's a small one - 10 x 10."
 
The second images: the whole piece and a detail - is called "Strange Beauty" measuring 39 x 16.5."  The free motion stitching is part of a poem by Algernon Charles Sin-Burn.  I've sewn a pocket in the back that holds the whole poem.

New Sea bird pieces

This is another pose of the Blue heron that visits the beach.

These are Royal Terns, very stately gulls, I believe.

Both these pieces are done using the same technique I did with the other gull and heron pieces.  I played in Photoshop Elements with my own images to come up with the pattern to applique.  Obviously, I'm enjoying myself.

Some work done, yeah

The first two images began as monotypes on fabric. I added the borders and machine quilted them.

This is the end result of the brayer work I uploaded the other day. The quilting on this may not be evident but it's there. I'm hoping the last two get accepted in an upcoming art exhibit titled "Reflections." I'll let you know.

Needle Felting in progress

Machine needle felted roving, cheesecloth onto acrylic felt, machine stitched, cut apart and wove. I'll machine quilt the backing fabric and attach the felted piece. Shells, driftwood and beads will finish it up.

Ribbon of Silver Done!

I did struggle with this one. It needed to be completed and delivered to my local Art Association. The theme of the show was "Capturing Light." I machine needle felted my own hand dyed silk and some ribbon down onto another of my hand dyed cotton fabric. Then I machine quilted using my trusty home sewing machine. I machine needle felted a dyed (Not my own) silk hankie onto water soluable sheet and machine embroidered. I also machine embroidered a netting as well to stuff into the center. I ended up reshaping the piece and stretched it onto a 12x12" frame. Done!

Some Monoprints Completed

I've completed some pieces using the monoprints I printed up awhile back. I added borders and free motion machine quilted.

Some Finished Work

I've been wanting to finish up some Gyotaku (fish rubbings) I had printed up ages ago. When I do fish rubbings, I use my fish numerous times. I just love the process of putting the paint on the fish, laying the cloth over and gently rubbing the fish from head to tail. There's something magical that happens. I do get into a meditative state. So here's some finished pieces: I've added borders and free motion machine quilted.