bodner015

Mannie and I enjoyed the experience of the grand idea -a Community Information Centre, Museum and Gallery.  As this was a 150th Canada Birthday project for the town of Grand Valley funding ran out in December and was not renewed.  The Economic Development Committee will look at it further in relationship to its Tourism and Business potential. Hopefully Mannie and I along with our Riverbend Artists' group will be part of any new endeavour.

As Manuela and I get ready for the up coming art shows and sales, she is working on a set of smaller coil baskets.  Have a look.

Once Manuela started she just kept on going with making purses.  Note all her embroidery embellishments  -not unlike all those she puts into her "fabric paintings".  Also note the use of the quilted yo-yos -the new technique and addition for her.  The purses are in the 10" x 8" range. These would look great on the shoulders of our granddaughters.

Now Manuela had a plethora of Yo-Yos and began to look at how to use them in her work. As usual she used some of her hand dyed fabric, beading, embroidery, corked threads, found objects and now yo-yos to embellish some of her works. Book covers Purses and bags Now that she has this cache of yo-yos I am sure they will pop up in a variety of ways. I still have't figured out how she can make them so quickly -and watch tv.

Mannie makes many of her art/isan items while watching tv.  Quilting Yo-Yos became the latest endeavour. She started with a square-or a circle -or a hexagon piece of her own dyed material.  Then there is this folding, origami, quilting thing she does. And then, she adds a button, beads or thingamabob to the centre. voila!! Then she adds them to her other creations.  More later.

Minnie and I have been busy putting our work into Art Show and Sales all over the county.Here we are at the Orangeville Art Group Annual Art Show and Sale held at the Best Western Plus in Orangeville.  The show had diversity of media and techniques that has improved over the years. Mannie submitted a series of French dyed silk mandalas. I submitted my Ridge Rabbit and Gazebo Bunny Series which my granddaughters and I will make into a book. The day went well but artists continue to ask what has happened to the sales.  (Sales were made at this show but not in the numbers one had hoped for.)

I Start with a hand dyed background, then I gather lace, beads, embroidery thread and begin the process of arranging and manipulating the elements of the composition.  As I continue working the design becomes a happening, and this is a  completed work.

Manne just keeps on working.  Apparently inspiration is for amateurs  -you have to keep working each day to be a pro.  And so, Manuela has made a few more fabric flowers.

This week has been a time of gathering up art work from one venue and putting work into others.  Co-ordinating the changes is interesting -but do it we must.  These are the activities of artists that no one sees.  Our work just appears somewhere and a price affixed.  (We do have to pay for gas to move our work around and to participate in receptions, etc -all busy-ness.) The works in the Grand Valley Public Library will be taken out and a new venue found.   The works and our names will thus keep circulating -and that is a good thing. Mannie has now set up this cabinet in the Grand Valley Public Library for the next two months. Just as we are doing this, we removed works from the Orangeville Mill St. Public Library.    Now we are off to put a display of our work into the Main St. window space in Grand Valley.  Busy-ness, Busy-ness, Busy-ness!

Manne got out her gutta and French dyes for the first time in quite a while.  After working on these magnolias she noted an issue with the gutta. So... she cut out the magnolia pieces and will use them in a future work.  Me, I don't see the issue, but its her image. These magnolias are cut out and are lying on another cloth for background.