Lush Celebration

 

Celebration Circle is my spiritual home -- not a church, but church like, we are a group of seekers and path-finders who come from a diverse group of religious and spiritual backgrounds. This little piece is for the group's annual altar silent auction at the Bijou Theater at Crossroads shopping center in San Antonio. It's on a frame provided by Celebration that is the shared format for all the artists who participate. We donate our work, with the option of keeping a portion of the bid price received by Celebration Circle. I consider this gift part of my tithe to the community. Since moving to the country, we don't make the hour trek into the city often on Sunday mornings, but in my heart I know that all my friends there would be at my side if I needed them and I honor my connection to the group and to all my friends who are part of it.

This piece uses a little sample drawing/painting I made in one of the classes I taught last year -- it is mixed media, including craft dimensional paints, Shiva oil sticks, oil pastel, stitching and machine quilting. The outside strips are pieced from a scarf that didn't quite work out -- beautiful silk charmeuse with textile paint screen printed with my pomegranates. The title is "Lush," and it is an altar/offering and celebration of  the lush abundance of the universe, as juicy as a ripe pear, as full of jewels as a ripe pomegranate. Gratitude sounds like such a mushy topic, but I find it the key to equilibrium and preserverence. (Dispite my last whining post.)

 The auction and reception will run Tuesday, Oct. 4  through the month, and you can bid during any of those days. The closing reception, plus a special screening of a film will be Sunday, N0vember 4. You can see examples of last year's altars on the CC website and when the show opens, this year's altars will be featured. (I'll be sending a reminder  and details of the event out on this blog, but couldn't resist showing "Lush" in this little preview, since I worked on it yesterday after the FASA meeting.)

Texas Original

I'm back on line. And out on a line, too. Speaking metaphorically, at least. Seems that getting one's hard drive back in order, with scattered (or nonexistant) backup files is enough to tangle my very cockles. Good thing Real de Catorce was as wonderful a trip as I can imagine. (See the next post.)

Meanwhile, catching up with events in the etherworld and the real planet is the day's challenge -- and probably tomorrow's, too. And here's one of the happy notices in the inbox, an official notification and an accompanying press release that I have been selected as one of this year's 38 craft  artisans to be part of the Texas Original program. Check the website "SHOP" page for the others, last year's and this. Of the fiber artists, Kim Ritter is another quilt artist selected for 2006-07.

AUSTIN, Texas – Nov. 15, 2006 – The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) has selected 38 of Texas’ most talented craft artisans to be part of its Texas Original (TxO) program. The skilled artisans represent 22 different cities across the state and they work in a variety of mediums including glass, fiber, metal, wood and stone.

 

The 38 selected artisans were among nearly 1,500 craftsmen from across the state invited to participate in this year’s TxO program application process. TCA chose the artisans based not only on their ability to create high-quality, authentic and original works, but also on their high business and artistic standards.

“Each of these artists embodies what it means to be a Texas craft artisan and we are proud to promote their work,” said Rick Hernandez, executive director of TCA. “The TxO program taps into Texas’ flourishing industry of arts and crafts and we hope that, as the program grows, so does the visibility of the craft arts in Texas.”

The TxO program, in full swing after a successful pilot period, aims to preserve Texas’ unique arts and crafts heritage by promoting Texas craft artisans and their original works. To assist TxO artisans, the TxO Web site, www.txoriginal.com, functions as an opportunity for the artisans to successfully market their products, supporting each individuals’ career in the arts. Through the Web site customers can link to member artisan’s sites where they are able to purchase original pieces and learn about the cultural influences that shape each individual’s work. TCA will promote the TxO program with coordinated studio tours, through participation in existing craft festivals and galas and by organizing special events featuring TxO artisans.

 

Fabulous Fiber Arts Sale

 Want to see more fiber art work for sale ?--click here.

 

Fiber Artists of San Antonio held a first ever holiday sale on Saturday in a private home in Alamo Heights, one of San Antonio's distinctive bedroom cities. For a first-time effort, put together very nicely by secretary Carolene Zehner and other members on a short time line and tiny budget, funded by those members who participated, the event seemed very well received, with respectable sales for many, good conversation and exposure for all. I enjoyed being part of the event as much for the opportunity to see wonderful work by members of the group, as for the chance to show and sell.  In order of photos shown: Liz Napier and scarves (she arranged for the wonderful space); Amy Jones and her whimsical creatures; Stephanie Stokes' wearable, felted work; Rita Crosby's hats; Sherry Tolar's Wild Women; Lisa Mittler's art quilts (just 6 of the 20 plus artists who participated):