Fiber Art Exhibitions

Hard to believe almost a year has passed since my new granddaughter was born. In the midst of making baby clothes--Wow. I am fortunate to have been busy dropping off and picking up art works from multiple exhibits-even had to enlist my husband as driver during my immediate foot surgery recovery. I had 2 pieces each accepted into the holiday shows at the Hanover Area Art Guild and the York Art Assn--honorable mention award at HAAG and award of merit at YAA. I juried 2 pieces into the Maryland Federation of Art  members exhibit with an horrible mention and another 2 pieces into the MFA Lowes House exhibit, second place award. I also have a piece accepted into the Blackrock Fiber Show and am please to announce that my Quilt featuring the lyrics from Jimmy Buffett's "The Rocket that Grandpa Rode" into the FMTTM Apolo moon mission quilt selections. I also have 2 works in the current HAAG Farm theme show as well as 2 fiber pieces and 2 dog portraits in York Gallery Group venues (Janney Financial and Talus Salon).

HAAG Fall and Farm Show Thread paintings:
I Love York City

 Bobb Log House

 Two Horses

York Art Assn Juried Members Show:
French Window II

 In the Shadow of History I

FMTTM Apolo Mission Quilts; The Rocket that Grandpa Rode

Traveling CCC Exhibit at Echo Park, DC
Winter Cabbage

Blackrock Fiber Exhibit, Germantown, MD
Room with a View

MFA, Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD
Queen Anne's Lace

Lowes House, Annapolis, MD
Summer Stoop

5 day art posting challenge

I have accepted a 5 day art posting Facebook challenge where I am posting at least 3 art photos every day for 5 days on my Facebook page. I am up to day 4. I had a slight interruption as my daughter gave birth to a daughter on Thursday, 2 weeks earlier than predicted. So welcome to Riley at 8 lbs 3 oz , 20.5" long. Glad you didn't go another 2 weeks. So click to go to my Facebook page and see the challenge photos. Joanne

In Memory of Sharon Janda

Now on to the future. We have all lost the most creative person I believe I have ever known: Sharon Janda who died suddenly the end of December. Sharon was the leader of my felting group, a study subgroup of the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild, Washington DC area. Sharon opened her studio for our meetings and arranged for many wonderful teachers to come in and inspire us. Life is precious. Sharon has impacted a legacy on all of us.

Daughters of Genghis Khan: The best group of friends I have ever had.

I'm back, sort of

Wow, I see that it has been a year since my last blog post. Actually right before my knee replacement last November which was a real fiasco--not the knee replacement itself, but they ignored my request first not to be sedated during the surgery (no one even spoke to me, they just put me out even though the surgeon had agreed I didn't need to be sedated in addition to the spinal if I didn't want it) and second not to have any narcotics since I already knew I was hypersensitive to them. The evening after surgery Someone wrote down that I had level 9 pain when I had almost no pain at all (my surgeon infused the joint with long acting markane which was supposed to control pain for at least 3 days--and it did!!! I had refused previous surgery from a different surgeon who said I would have to have narcotics). The only thing I can think of is when an unidentified gal stood at the door to my room and asked how was I and I said I am fine--she must have thought I said I am nine--but she just left. If she thought I was in pain wouldn't she at least have entered the room and checked on me? No one asked me if I wanted pain meds and no one told me when they administered them to me (just phoned a resident who didn't even know me to get an order) and I had a respiratory arrest. Even if I had been in pain, it should still have been MY choice whether or not to take pain meds. I spent 2 days unconscious on a ventilator and another night with "nurse from hell" who I assume thought that I was trying to pull out the tube when all I wanted was to wipe the slobber off my chin and neck because she wasn't suctioning me enough. She tied me down, reclined the bed into a back searingly uncomfortable position, disconnected my controls so I had to endure her choice of position, refused to allow me to write my needs, put great big mitts on my hands, and finally when I tried to put out my arm just to tell her to stop ranting at me about how much HER back hurt from lifting my case of books to read, accused me of attacking her and sedated me for punishment while I shook my head NO NO NO. I still cry every time I think about it. I can't even walk though a hospital and look at those white uniforms without getting upset at being treated like such a nonentity and damn near killed to boot. And after the fact they won't even talk to me to tell me what happened.

OK enough of that. I know I need to get back to work but it is difficult when my mind still goes off into such anger. I just need to be thankful that I am still alive and that the sequellae of the experience-gums sliced to the jawbone, broken teeth, TMJ pain (asymptomatic for over 30 years), loss of hearing in the left ear, and over a year to regain bowel function among other things are no worse. I know that I was a difficult intubation and had jokingly warned my surgeon in advance that I needed pediatric dental tools not ever thinking that that would be important.

Diane Christian Landscape felting workshop

I just attended a felted landscape workshop by Diane Christian.  Here are 2 of Diane's felted landscapes:

I choose a simpler subject for my landscape: rows of cultivated plants backed by mountains.

First is laying out the dry wool roving.

Then wetting down the wool.

 The dried wet felted base.

Beginning the needle felting stage

 Finalizing with needle felting.

It was great fun and Diane had great insight into working with the development of distance. Coupled with an on line color course I recently took from Carol McIntyre, also very worth while, I feel I have expanded my ability to manipulate color in wool, thread and/or paint to enhance perspective and distance in my works. Joanne

Wedding Jewelry In Action

The wedding was Saturday Sept 14. 2013 on the beach in Pt Pleasant NJ. Enjoy!