Valerie Goodwin's Workshop

Last weekend I attended a workshop by Valerie Goodwin and created the above map piece.  Valerie had several templates printed out for us as well as the towers printed on fabric.  I'm not for one "doing a project" but I did have a great time.  The highlight of the whole weekend was Valerie's method of creating her background.  That in itself was worth the workshop fee.  I hope I can do justice to the process:  crinoline is used as the foundation (I've been using crinoline in my fabric portraits and love how it allows the finished quilt to be very flat with a straight edge) sew pieces of fabric down using the flip and sew method until the crinoline is covered - any fabric raw edges are machine or hand stitched down.  Next comes some fused pieces of transparent fabric like organza, which can be painted or dyed.  Then some painting - roughly and only in places.  That's the background.  I just love it.

So I came home and created the background to my "3 of Clubs" - oh, I know I did 3 turtles but they'll work for the playing card challenge of my fiber group FAN - Fiber Artists Network.  I followed Valerie's technique and added some stamping as well.

Also, one of the other members of FAN shared a technique of using fused transparent fabric like organza and tracing a motif (the tiny Pisa tower in the above piece and the turtles in this piece) and then fusing the motif to another fabric or to the background.  Cool!

Best of Show



So Many Memories  (c) Diane Hamburg  28x22"

I'm thrilled to no end!  My "So Many Memories" - a fabric portrait of my mother won "Best of Show" at my local Island Art Association's Nouveau Art Exhibit entitled "Cherished Memories."  Yeah!!!!!!  I took this photo of mom as she held her newest great grandson, Max, for the first time.  Max was the reason for the smile!

Fun Time teaching Stencil/screening

Pat's work

Charlie's screening

Sue's layering

Maureen's quite pleased with the added circles

Gail's quite busy

Some more of Charlie's screening



I've just begun teaching surface design on fabric at my local art association:  Island Art Association, Fernandina Beach, Florida.  Last month I shared some printmaking techniques:  making one's own stamps.  This month, it was making ones' own stencils and screen printing with them.  11 brave souls attended the morning workshop.  I learned from last month to just share a few techniques and then "let the people go."  The class was a mixture of folks:  some experienced fiber artists, some new to surface design, and those in between.  From all corners, it sounds like everyone learned something new.  I must say I enjoyed myself.  It's such a grand learning experience for me, the "teacher," to see what the folks come up with.  I think we all had fun!

Shrimpfest

The weather was just about perfect.  The traffic was steady but not as big as in the past.  Maybe the gas prices kept folks closer to home.  I had a great many compliments.  Quite a few folk were interested in commissioning me to do their dogs, dads, babies.  Time will tell.  My sales were low, which is disappointing to say the least.  Because this is my hometown, I got to see many former students (I taught 3 - 6 years for 15 years at the local Montessori School), friends and more friends.  So time passed by.

I'm off to see my daughter, grandson, son-in-law and grand dog.  I'm so looking forward to being with Max again.

Some small work

I created 11 note cards that feature sea turtles and my haiku.  They're for sale at the upcoming Shrimpfest and any left over will go to the Sea Turtle Show at First Street Gallery in Neptune Beach, Florida.

Awhile back I experimented using gel medium to transfer an image of baby Max to fabric.  I then did a little weaving.  I decided to make up a little quilted hanging.  Not too creative, but cute.  I have another one that I'm debating whether to quilt up the same.  Decisions, decisions.

Art Association Mosaic Project

My local Island Art Association has embarked on a mosaic project of decorating our new courtyard walls.  A group of member artists have begun.  I joined them for the fellowship along with the opportunity to learn something new - a tab different from fiber work yet similar.  The adding pieces and parts of ceramics, glass, tile is much like collaging bits and pieces of fabric.  I enjoyed it all - the laying of tile, etc. and the grouting.  The fellowship was the greatest!  No doubt about that.  The product is fantastic.  We tackled the inside walls to iron out the process, next the outside walls and the gallery building.  A great attraction to the gallery!

Latest Portrait Completed

I'm pretty pleased with this portrait of a friend of mine and his dog.  It's a commissioned piece.  I certainly struggled with this.  The first one did not turn out very well.  I think I didn't have a clear image to start with and my values of dyed fabric weren't distinctive enough.  So I went over to their abode and took dozens of photos myself.  I am not a photographer, but my camera has 10x.  At home, I played with a couple images in Photo Shop Elements and dyed some more fabric.  If the values of cloth and the image are good, the rest is fairly easy, though time consuming.  Through it all, I did enjoy the experience.  Working a commission is daunting at times.  I sometimes say I won't do them anymore but in the end I continue to offer the service.  Getting my art out there seems to be the driving force.   My "client" friends haven't seem it yet.  Keep your fingers crossed.