A Stitchpaper Quilt - Student Work

STITCHPAPER QUILTING 

ala Kelli Nina Perkins

Advanced 3-D Art

This year is lonely for 3-D art student Karisma Dev.  She's the only student who could fit the Advanced 3-D class into her schedule.  But boy oh boy, she isn't letting that hold her back,  she is going to town.  She has just finished this exceptional piece in which she learned to work paper and fabric together, and to free motion quilt., then to turn it into an Art Quilt.  Plus she has brought in a really strong message.  Karisma has titled this piece "Co-Exist"  Look below a the close-up to see her intense visual, as well as all her stitching.  Also notice above the sweet little silver embellishments she had dangled from the bottom of the quilt.  

Fabulous Work Karisma!

Recycling at It's Best

Recycled Wool on the Drum Carder

Always during the Spinning Unit in the Beginning 3-D class, there is a lot waste roving as the kids struggle to learn how to spin.  And many times it lands on the floor, these little wisps that float around the floor.  so after the kids leave, I go around and collect it.  I also collected this year bits of lace and threads from our Nuno Felting Unit.  So I had my T.A. Josh Berger, of the Succulent Garden fame, use my drum carder and comb out all the bits and pieces into a cloudy mass.  

Here is the fluff after it came off the carder, and a close-up- below.

I treated the recycle as an art batt, and spun it thick and thin, then plied it on itself.

I crocheted it into two granny squares and trimmed it with a bit of my own handspun yarn, then gave the two squares to my most outstanding beginners thus far, Bianca Tolentino, and Kaili Hamada. 

January in My Shop Space

At the Trinket Trader up in Crestline, California.  I gave it a fresh new look, and looks like I'll have to change it up this weekend even more with Valentine's Day approaching.  Also starting to incorporate vintage items amongst the crafts.  Check out my mother's roller skates from the 30's.

Leftovers

This autumn bouquet, that I posted a week and a half ago, that I used to dye this silk top with still looked like it had some life left in it, so I experimented on a piece of wool/silk and the results were not as strong as the first time, but still quite lovely below. 

I had also dyed and spun up some 2-ply yarn with the same color palette, and they actually looked pretty good together.  So when Alumni Tiffany Lee (class of 13) stopped by last week for a visit and told me she hadn't done any fun crafty projects lately, I gave her both the fabric and the yarn with the hopes she will create something wonderful.  

Send me a pix when you get done Tiffany!

Porcelain Slab Wraps - Student Work

CERAMICS II

a review

This was their first assignment of the year, a review of slab building but for the first time, doing it in the more expensive porcelain clay.  So I kept the scale very small.  These pieces may look big here on the blog but in reality, they measure only about 3" by 1 1'2".  And they are lovely!

I believe this first one by senior Aditi Ramesh was an extra credit piece.  I really like how she pushed the walls out which creates movement and a pleasant flow for the eye.  I 

The kids were required to make two pieces for this assignment.  This was one of Aditi's above.  I asked them to show all the seams and that they be decorative for added interest.  Aditi used Pinking Shears to actually cut the edges of the clay with.  Very cool. 

Senior Carol Oh took advantage of a rubber stamp to texture her surface above, as did senior Shamara Mustafa below.  I also really like how she didn't allow her piece to close all the way up.

Most of  the kids stained their pieces with oxides, then applied transparent glaze over top to show off their surface designs.  

This is cool how Tahnee peeled her edges over.  Notice she is using the same stamp as Shamara but how different they look because of the finishing technique.

I'm loving the shaping of this little cutie above by Shamara.  Both she and senior Aman Patel (below) did some overlapping which adds even more interest to the form.

And lastly, Tahnee has created this sweet little vase form with holes so she can hang it on a wall and perhaps put flowers inside.  Notice the contrast she achieved by only staining the main structure but then putting a bit of glaze only on the flower.  Nice look!

Nuno Felting with Embellishments - Student Work

NUNO FELTMAKING

with Embedded Bits of Magic and Embellishments

BEGINNING 3-D ART

This was a really fun unit to teach and it was great seeing all the creative solutions.  I rarely show all the students pieces, but I really wanted you to see all the variety of solutions.

When my students turn in their work I always have then put their pieces on the board for the other classes and myself to enjoy.

So let's take a look at a few individual pieces.

This first one was done by 8th grader Annie Lin.  What a brilliant solution to the project.  She has also moved her colors really well and planned well with her embedded items.

.Because I've been weaving since the 2nd grade, I really gravitate to woven art pieces.  I love how senior Vinisha Kothari cut her piece up, wove it back together in a very pleasing way, then hooked on all types of embellishments.  How Fun!! 

Then look at senior Jinnie Choi go in this highly developed work, WOW!  So much handwork was added after the felting.  I'm thinking she probably had to take this home everyday to make it happen.

Next is this very delicate and lovely piece by junior Payal Morri.  How clever to turn her piece into a dimensional work.  Very pretty Payal!

And then junior Clarrisa Bloemhof is really thinking outside the box.  She has taken her adorable little sister's shoe/socks and made then a part of the piece.  She also took advantage of our Eco-Dye unit and colored her four squares with plant pigments.  Great critical thinking!  

Everyone loved senior Sam Kim's "Starry Night" on the left.  And I was really impressed with junior Jon Madamba's piece on the right, how he took his felt and turned it into a pouch. 

Check out the complex design of this next one by senior Rebecca Tjahja.  She really rummaged thru my treasure chest and found a wooden key from Fossil, and a soldered work from last school year.  Who would have thought to put the two together, but somehow she has made it work.

And this next one is amazing by super star student, junior Bianca Tolentino.  Two-sides with lots of embedded items then tons of embellishments.  LOVE IT!!!

And our last one that I want to show off was created by another junior, Kaili Hamada.  She is also proving to be a go-getter, coming in everyday at lunch to have extra time to spend on her incredibly beautiful work.  I took a close-up so that you can appreciate all the time she has put into this piece.  

Featured Artist of the Month - CARLA TRUJILLO

Just a little sneak peek at the work of Mixed media Artist Carla Trujillo.  

Go to the tab bar to Featured Artist of the Month to see more.

Enjoy!

Branching Out

TREASURES & "TIQUES

So excited to share that I've been invited to show and sell my crafts at two new venues up in our local mountain community.  In the tiny town of Sky Forest, population 400, I'm now in Treasures and "Tiques, a brand new Antique and Gallery shop.  It's located between Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs on the main drag, Hwy 138.  While you are there, make sure you check out Lou and Eddie's Pizza, with the most delicious hand tossed pizzas that feature really unique topping choices and an incredible view.

Inside Treasures and "Tiques.

Shop owners, Lenore and Mike, have a real knack for arranging the art with 

the furniture and other finds.

What's hard for me is not leaving without spending some 

dollars on all the great pieces there.

ANTIQUES & ATELIER

Besides having my work at Trinket Traders in Crestline, I will also be showing my things in Crestline's "Top Town", at Antiques and Atelier, the sweetest new store that owner Sara and her companion Buster, started up this past year.  Sara is a crafter herself and makes a lot of the pieces in her store.  Notice Buster's collar, I bought one for Sophie for Xmas.  Too cute. 

Sara has a wonderful work space where you can often find her sewing away on one of her adorable bags.  So if you ever get a chance to drive up, please stop by for a look-see.

7th Grade Charcoal Cones - Third Quarter

I'm finding that these 7th graders are coming to me with lots of great art skills already in place, or that they just take direction really well  :)  Whichever it is, I'm thankful, because these cones just keep getting better, especially the compositions around them.  So let's check them out!

In this first one Manishka Ranjit really has turned this triangle shape into a beautiful, full cone form.  I also really like what she's done with the swirling backdrop, it adds so much movement to the piece.

In this sweet next one by Dinithi Senanayake, she has really used her imagination and filled the page.

Ellya Gholmer has created a really peaceful landscape with her rolling hills, and below Minh Dinh has turned his composition into a letter from Santa.  Clever children  :)

Meet My Ceramics I Students

 ABSTRACT FIGURE SCULPTURES

"Moonbabies"

Every year I start off my beginning clay students with this assignment because it only involves  pushing and pulling the clay, no added on parts.   And it always amazes me the creativity and expressive quality that they manage to bring into their pieces.

This first one by senior Anne Allen really caught my attention because of the stamped areas that add interest and also the asymmetry of the form.

And check out the super expressive quality of this next one by senior Megan Yeu.  To finish these pieces after bisque firing, I have the kids stain them with oxides.  

And then how cool is this next one made by Cindy Ryoo.  I really like the elongated form.

And look at how much junior Kyung Yi was able to stretch out her clay.  Love it!