Oil Pastel Vases, Bowls, and Bottles

We're nearing the end of Art Club for the year, and I'm way behind on posting their beautiful work. 

 We did a guided practice drawing together, starting with drawing a cylinder and then shaping it into an imagined vase, bottle, or bowl.  Vibrant oil pastels were blended with a brush and turpenoid to create a painterly result on our final paper.

(This artist really got into the blending…) :D

I alternated black and white for the thin matting, which added a bit of interest to the  display.

This project was a good example of starting with a clear framework that included some skill-building. But there was also room for lots of individual artistic decisions. (How will I shape my vase? Where is the imaginary light source? Warm or cool colors for the vase? Should I add details like stripes in the background?) Our young artists were very happy with the results, and so was I.


Make it a Wonderful Day!

Bedouin Textiles

We enjoyed another exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. I'm always impressed with beautiful objects that also serve practical purposes. In this case, Bedouin nomadic tents, rugs, cushions, clothing, along with camel ornamentation and saddlebags.

The show is just a small portion of the collection amassed by Joy and Robert Hilden.

 The pieces on display were made from the 1960s through the 1990s. The textiles are made from a variety of materials: cotton, sheepswool, goat hair, camel hair, and include synthetic yarns in the newest pieces.

Joy Hilden wrote a book in 2010 about their collection and her research. As cultures disappear, it's important for the artistic and creative arts of peoples to be preserved and shared.  There is no substitute for interacting with cultures firsthand, but seeing this collection is a small glimpse into the weaving done by the Bedouin women. And Joy's book,  Bedouin Weaving of Saudi Arabia and It's Neighbors is available in the museum store and online.

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Easter Table is Set...

The table is set for tomorrow's family Easter Brunch. Now it's time to get cooking...

 Happy Easter!

Kawandi Adventure: Quilts by Margaret Fabrizio

We visited this show of beautiful quilts at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. 

All so beautiful! And then something really fun happened- as we drove away from the museum, I saw a woman dressed in an artful way, and I recognized her from a short video of Margaret that was included in her show.

I had Dave stop the car so I could get out and tell her how much I enjoyed her quilts. (No photo of our meeting- I'd left my camera in the car and Dave had driven off to get gas.)

We walked back to the museum together, along with the two gentlemen who were with her. We chatted about art and quilts.

 I found out that it was Margaret's 85th birthday that day- so great to see all of this creative energy and beautiful current work. That inspires me.

Her quilts appeal to me on so many levels. I love the connection to the Indian quilting tradition. I love the vibrant, saturated colors. I love the spontaneous, seemingly haphazard compositions. The textures created by the rows and rows of hand stitching. And the use of every scrap and the attention that brings to the beauty around us, even in the bits others might just throw away.


Make it a Wonderful Day!