New Work - Flash Flood Warning

  Today I am debuting a quilt I made specifically for my upcoming exhibit, The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna. Flash Flood Warning is the newest in an ongoing series addressing the effect of climate change on weather events. A flash flood warning is issued when a flood is imminent or occurring, may necessitate fleeing and moving to higher ground, and can result in extensive damage and subsequent cleanup. I’ve witnessed several such events along the Susquehanna, beginning with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

 Flash Flood Warning

 The exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, will run through the spring semester, from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

The exhibit will feature 4 of my large-scale quilts I've made over time as my response to living near the  river. From my statement: "A major source of inspiration for my work, bordering on obsession, is the Susquehanna River. I grew up in a house on a hill overlooking the river and took its presence for granted. When I moved to Lancaster to attend Franklin and Marshall I began to explore the river hills in earnest, hiking the trails and learning about all the best overlooks. My enthusiasm was deepened during the decades I spent living near the Northeast Lancaster County River Trail and exploring it on my bike. I’ve enjoyed learning about the important historical impact of the river on the region. Most of all, I’ve come to appreciate how incredibly beautiful, and everchanging in its aspects, the Susquehanna is. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to spend time interpreting my impressions using the art quilt medium."

 Flash Flood Warning, detail 1

 Flash Flood Warning, detail 2

It features a needlefelted and extensively hand embroidered river panel, and wet cyanotype prints of two native Pennsylvania plants, snake root and Solomon's seal.

Flash Flood Warning, detail 3

It measures 59'h x 49'w.

Flash Flood Warning, detail 4

 About the Susquehanna: Archaeology of the Lower Susquehanna River reveals that American Indians had utilized its resources for thousands of years. Around 1550 AD, the people we know as the Susquehannock moved from higher up the river to the Lower Susquehanna Valley. The Susquehannock were Iroquoian speakers and shared many similarities with the Iroquois in New York. Learn more here.

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Franklin and Marshall exhibit - In Dreams I Saw the Rift

  I am honored to announce that I will have an invitational exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, for the spring semester. The exhibit, The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna River, will run from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift

The exhibit will feature 4 of my large-scale quilts I've made over time as my response to living near the  river. From my statement: "A major source of inspiration for my work, bordering on obsession, is the Susquehanna River. I grew up in a house on a hill overlooking the river and took its presence for granted. When I moved to Lancaster to attend Franklin and Marshall I began to explore the river hills in earnest, hiking the trails and learning about all the best overlooks. My enthusiasm was deepened during the decades I spent living near the Northeast Lancaster County River Trail and exploring it on my bike. I’ve enjoyed learning about the important historical impact of the river on the region. Most of all, I’ve come to appreciate how incredibly beautiful, and everchanging in its aspects, the Susquehanna is. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to spend time interpreting my impressions using the art quilt medium."

 In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 1

Today I am highlighting In Dreams I Saw the Rift. The different panels combine several of my current fiberart obsessions, with cyanotype prints of bamboo and ferns, a needlefelted and heavily embellished river panel, and hand stitched hexagons. I began working with the hexagons, which are a very traditional motif in quiltmaking, after first utilizing them to make the golden mirror in my James Webb Space Telescope quilt, Luminosity. (If you are new here, I invite you to visit Luminosity on my site and read about my amazing in-person experience with the telescope under construction.)

Luminosity

 In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 2

At the time I was working on the design and construction of this quilt, I was immersed in the perception that much of what I took for granted in the world was potentially being reshaped and reformed.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 3

There's a lot that can be swept away in the current.

 In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 4

However, I am congenitally unable to make a somber artwork, so this one is also brimming with color and a sort of guarded optimism. As always, I leave it to the viewer to draw what conclusions they will while viewing my work, and also as always, it really is best enjoyed in person. I hope some you of you are able to visit the Phillips Museum during the exhibit.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 5

This work measures 66"h x 59"w.

 About the Susquehanna: Archaeology of the Lower Susquehanna River reveals that American Indians had utilized its resources for thousands of years. Around 1550 AD, the people we know as the Susquehannock moved from higher up the river to the Lower Susquehanna Valley. The Susquehannock were Iroquoian speakers and shared many similarities with the Iroquois in New York. Learn more here.

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Franklin and Marshall exhibit - Ice Jam

Today the focus is on my artquilt Ice Jam.  It's part of my invitational exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna River will run from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

Ice Jam

The exhibit will feature 4 of my large-scale quilts I've made over time as my response to living near the  river. From my statement: "A major source of inspiration for my work, bordering on obsession, is the Susquehanna River. I grew up in a house on a hill overlooking the river and took its presence for granted. When I moved to Lancaster to attend Franklin and Marshall I began to explore the river hills in earnest, hiking the trails and learning about all the best overlooks. My enthusiasm was deepened during the decades I spent living near the Northeast Lancaster County River Trail and exploring it on my bike. I’ve enjoyed learning about the important historical impact of the river on the region. Most of all, I’ve come to appreciate how incredibly beautiful, and everchanging in its aspects, the Susquehanna is. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to spend time interpreting my impressions using the art quilt medium."

Ice Jam, detail 1

This is a good season to be thinking about ice jams on the Susquehanna. They don't occur every year, but when they do, they are momentous both in visual appeal and potentially deleterious effects. The river is deep, windy, and has swift currents. Ice can form on the surface in a series of freeze/thaw cycles, then be broken up and swept downriver, where it gets caught up and swept up on the shoreline in big chunks. The worst cause scenario is flooding in the river towns like Marietta, PA.
 

Ice Jam, detail 2

Here's a few photos of one of the events that inspired this quilt.

The challenge with this one was to keep to the subdued, largely monochromatic palette, while also including the details of the surrounding landscape. I enjoyed making collagraph prints to use in the borders.

Ice Jam, detail 3

 Ice Jam, detail 4

It measures at 43"h x 52"w.

 About the Susquehanna: Archaeology of the Lower Susquehanna River reveals that American Indians had utilized its resources for thousands of years. Around 1550 AD, the people we know as the Susquehannock moved from higher up the river to the Lower Susquehanna Valley. The Susquehannock were Iroquoian speakers and shared many similarities with the Iroquois in New York. Learn more here.

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Franklin and Marshall Exhibit - 52 Ways to Look at the River

 I am honored to announce that I will have an invitational exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, for the spring semester. The exhibit, The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna River, will run from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

52 Ways to Look at the River

The exhibit will showcase 4 of my large-scale quilts I've made over time as my response to living near the river. From my statement: "A major source of inspiration for my work, bordering on obsession, is the Susquehanna River. I grew up in a house on a hill overlooking the river and took its presence for granted. When I moved to Lancaster to attend Franklin and Marshall I began to explore the river hills in earnest, hiking the trails and learning about all the best overlooks. My enthusiasm was deepened during the decades I spent living near the Northeast Lancaster County River Trail and exploring it on my bike. I’ve enjoyed learning about the important historical impact of the river on the region. Most of all, I’ve come to appreciate how incredibly beautiful, and everchanging in its aspects, the Susquehanna is. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to spend time interpreting my impressions using the art quilt medium."

52 Way to Look at the River, detail 1

I'll be sharing these quilts here, over four posts, finishing with a new quilt I made specifically for the exhibit. Up first is my tour-de-force, 52 Ways to Look at the River. 

52 Way to Look at the River, detail 2

Beginning on the 2015 summer solstice and continuing uninterrupted for a year, each week I visited the Susquehanna River somewhere along its course and took pictures. Back in the studio, I chose an image and interpreted it in a 6” x 12” fiber art panel. The panels are on a wool/rayon felt base and are primarily needlefelted with wool and silk fiber, with some added applique, and were machine and hand stitched. I wrote about the process and illustrated it extensively here on my blog, click the "52 Ways" tab above to read more (in reverse chronological order).

 52 Way to Look at the River, detail 3

It took some schedule juggling, and braving some extreme weather, but I never missed a week. In the beginning my thought was to create a quick, impressionistic panel, but as the project progressed the panels became more and more detailed, and I greatly enjoying creating them.

 52 Way to Look at the River, detail 4

At the end of the 52 weeks, I began assembly of the panels. I handpainted fabric and quilted it to form a background. Each panel was appliqued onto black felt and then stitched on the quilt. I added hand beadwork with glass beads and semi-precious stones. The finished work measures 72”h x 82”w".

 52 Way to Look at the River, detail 5

Like a lot of my work, but especially with this one, the level of detail involves really invites a close, in person viewing. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share 52 Ways to Look at the River with the Lancaster community and visitors to the area.

 About the Susquehanna: Archaeology of the Lower Susquehanna River reveals that American Indians had utilized its resources for thousands of years. Around 1550 AD, the people we know as the Susquehannock moved from higher up the river to the Lower Susquehanna Valley. The Susquehannock were Iroquoian speakers and shared many similarities with the Iroquois in New York. Learn more here.

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Experiments in film photography - part 4

I've got more photos from the roll of Psych Blues #5 experimental film I shot with my vintage Minolta Maxxum 50. (See the first set here.) The effects this film produced are so very much up my alley, in my wheelhouse, and the very thing I enjoy. I'm always looking for alternative ways to view reality.

The central images are relatively accurate and intact, with a nice film glow to them, and then the edges are an absolute riot of color.

These first four images are from a visit to the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden.

This structured waterfall is from South Park, Allegheny County, PA.

We finish strong with imagery from my fall garden, featuring milkweed pods with milkweed beetles.

Here's a fading display of Montauk daisies. They are not native, but I keep them because they bloom very late and the bees appreciate them.

I really love the way the color shift worked out on these oak leaf hydrangea leaves,

A perennial favorite, Ligularia ‘Desdomona’.

And Cephalanthus occidentalis ‘Red moon rising’ buttonbush  in its shiny end-of-season glory.

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2024 Winter Solstice Pinhole Camera Pics

Happy winter solstice to one and all! From here on in the light increases daily, which brings me much joy and increased functionality. 

Here's the latest in my ongoing collection of pinhole camera pictures. They are made with sheet film in repurposed beer cans, with a literal pinhole, that were set in place on the summer solstice. Each band of light represents the path of the sun on a particular day. 

They are by their nature and extremely low tech and imperfect, but for me they are a perfect way to mark the slow but inexorable passage of time. In an age of instant gratification photography (which I also love), they are a lesson in patience and embracing the serendipitous.  

 These are the best of a lot that were all slightly overexposed. Pittsburgh had long stretches of sunny, dry weather this summer--usually we see much more rain--so I'm chalking it up to that. I've just set up the next crop of cameras, so we will check in with the meteorological universe on the summer solstice.

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

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New Work - In Dreams I Started Walking

In Dreams I Started Walking

I am delighted to share with you my newest work, In Dreams I Started Walking. It's part of my ongoing series The River.

In Dreams I Started Walking, detail 1

I have a long-standing fascination with the streams and rivers of western Pennsylvania and the surrounding landscapes, to the point where they literally appear vividly in my dreams. There’s always something new to discover and appreciate in any season, and the best way to explore and experience the vibe is to put one foot in front of the other.

In Dreams I Started Walking, detail 2

Materials used are silk, wool, and mylar fibers; silk, wool, and cotton fabric. 

Techniques include needlefelting, cyanotype, hand stitched hexagons, hand embroidery and beadwork.

It measures 68"h x 53"w.

In Dreams I Started Walking, detail 3

I am equally delighted, and honored, that In Dreams I Started Walking has been selected for the Women of Appalachia Project Fine Art Exhibition at The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, OH. The exhibit will start on January 17, 2025  with an Opening Reception at The Dairy Barn from 6-8 pm, and run through March 16, 2025.

In Dreams I Went Fishing

To add to my good fortune, In Dreams I Went Fishing has also been accepted to Women in Appalachia.

In Dreams I Went Fishing, detail 1

 Inspired by a move to Pittsburgh, I’ve been exploring the landscapes of the three rivers. Imagery in this quilt reflects my thoughts on the past use of the resources of the rivers by indigenous peoples, changes wrought by industrialization, and post-industrialization restoration efforts.

Materials used are wool, silk, and mylar fibers; artist-painted and commercial cotton, silk, and wool fabric; embroidery thread, glass seed beads

Techniques include wet process cyanotype/solar dye prints, needlefelting with hand embroidery and beadwork, hand stitched patchwork, stitching

Size: 49”h x 77”w

In Dreams I Went Fishing, detail 2

These are both large, complex, and very idiosyncratic quilts, and it's not always easy to find exhibit space for work of this nature. I am very grateful to the venue for this opportunity to share my artwork.

In Dreams I Went Fishing, detail 3

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Experiments in film photography - part 3

This experiment worked out really well. I shot a roll of Psychedelic Blues experimental 35mm film, specifically the Psych Blues #5. The camera was my vintage Minolta Maxxum 50.

The film is described as hand-fogged through a proprietary process. From the website: "The color blows-out the edges of the negative and fades into the center of the frame, causing the image to look framed. Throughout the roll you will find a few vertical streaks of light and areas that look a bit like a galaxy, but most of the light is kept off the center of the frame to help retain your exposure's color."

I love a lot of color, which is obvious if you look at my fiberart work. I especially love it when it doesn't come across as gimmicky, but as an alternative way to look at and process the world around me. This film fits the bill. The first three images above were shot at Samuel S. Lewis State Park in York County, PA, which has a great overlook view of the Susquehanna River. 

These next three are of the historic Veterans Memorial Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge, which connects York and Lancaster Counties. I used to live near this bridge and have a gazillion images of it; it was fun to capture a new perspective.

This one with the snag rising out of the water is from Lake Grubb, in Lancaster County, PA, another perennial favorite of mine captured in a sparkling new interpretation.

This last set of four photos is from a former Catholic retreat center in Northampton County, PA. I'm not Catholic; I attended an event there, and did my best to treat the subjects with the proper gravitas.

There's so many good pictures from this roll I've got a part two coming up. And I've already ordered another roll of #5.

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