The Met on Your Screen, with Curators' Comments

The Met Museum in NYC has a website called 82 and 5th (which is their address in NYC).  In it they have a list of 100 little art history lessons--in each a curator talks for two minutes (well, that is the pitch, most run just under 3 minutes) about one artwork in various departments in the museum collection.  Very interesting and a lot of information in a little package. I watch these while waiting (if I have web connection) on the iPad. The only issue, no sound On some using the app! Though there are subtitles of the sound you should have.... Watching the original website seems more reliable. here's a great one from the fashion department: 

http://82nd-and-fifth.metmuseum.org/extreme-fashion

Check it out at http://82nd-and-fifth.metmuseum.org/

Organizing

I'm taking an Organizing Your Art Biz online course from Alyson Stanfield, a really good teacher who is on top of all this kind of thing. I struggle, and I have to recommit myself and restart the systems at least once a year. My favorite part, believe it or not, is the good-old physical clean-up. My "before" picture really isn't bad, but my after picture makes me really happy!

And the big basket is empty.

Kerr Arts and Cultural Center Starving Artist Show

Here are a few of ten journal pages at the exhibit in Kerrville. All are stitched collages using iPad drawings, photos, and/or collages.  

And 7 more

see a video gallery here:  

http://get-puppet.com/v/-SFKA1A9n0E?autoplay=true

FASA Exhibit

Shots from the opening

That's me with the First Place award!

Pomegranates Transformed!

I've been playing around with my iPad art apps, almost in a daze, as I create examples for an iBook intended for that long-promised iPad online course. Yes, I'm closer.

The problem is that the apps change so often, I am having a hard time deciding which ones to highlight, which ones to include or not, and how best to teach online -- with or without video, with or without me in person, with or without a kind of one-to-one interaction. I'd love your feedback!

This is an example of what a work flow can do. I painted a simple pomegranate in ProCreate (if I remember correctly), then transformed the image through about 3 other apps, ending up with the wonderful painterly effects available in iColorama.  This central image was printed on my Epson workhorse, then pieced and free-motion and hand stitched, stretched around a wooden frame and off it goes.  The middle ground fabric was a piece of "rainbow" printed fabric (that DVD is still available from Quilting Arts Workshop) and the background green leafy fabric was a digital print of a collage, altered and printed in Spoonflower.

In the Arena

It's easy to sit on the sidelines.

Make no mistake, putting yourself out in the arena of life, is not always comfortable. It's not always fun.

Being in the arena for me, means showing up at places like the International Quilt Festival in Houston. As a teacher. This is an arena that takes hours of preparation. I spend a couple weeks planning my classes, gathering my supplies, practicing my Keynotes. Secretly, I think I'd rather be at home making some art. But I know that I also need the exposure to this world, and I need to know what other people are doing and how they're thinking about what they're doing.

I'm always amazed at the talent, the skill of the people around me, interesting stories that workshop participants share with me. And teaching anything is really the best way to master it. 

I started teaching here relatively late, 2008. Relatively late compared to most of the teachers around me at any rate. I still feel like the new kid on the block. It's getting easier, and I have a few more friends, and I recognize people across the room. But, no matter how it looks from the outside, I think all of us have a few flutters when we have to sit down at a table with a bunch of people we don't know.

The most difficult part of doing this work, here in this arena, is getting back that little stack of critiques at the end of every workshop.

I don't know why it is, but it's human nature to focus on the two or three in the batch that have something really critical to say about what you did. in my case, it's always something about organization. I try, I really try, and I listen to the critiques (this next workshop is going to be better than the last). But it's very interesting that it's hard to give all of the wonderful comments as much weight as I do the two or three or four from people who weren't very happy.

So how do you grow that thick skin?

Collage of fabric designed with the iPad-- what I'm teaching today.

Dia de Los Muertos

I've been working on a small scale series that takes it's inspiration from Dia de los Muertos. The first couple of pieces were created in response to an exhibit call for the International Quilt Festival in Houston this year ( a sequel to the first successful tabletop exhibit last year) -- a show curated by Dinner @ Eight artists Leslie Jenison and Jamie Fingal. 

Making the two was so much fun I've continued on the path with several more! (and even sold three more at my recent sale and show at the "cabin in the city!"

Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Latin America and Latino communities in the Southwest with graveside or home feasts and shrines, community events and altars that honor the dear departed of the family, community or church. These skeletal place settings answer the question :"Who's Coming to Dinner? with their abundance of marigolds, candles, photos and, in the case of this last one, the traditional still life images that are actually icons of death in a way -- what else is a "still life?"

One fabulous resource is this study resource site on the web:

http://illustrations.milliande-printables.com

I used one of their skeleton images, provided with free copyright, as long as my derivative work of art acknowledged the source on my website or blog, with a link back to the site.

these images are offered as"Linkware"meaning you MUSTprovide a link back towww.milliande-printables.com from your website, blog, art group etc before using these images

I'll also be hosting an art quilt workshop at El Cielo where we'll make more stitched altars and place settings, honoring the dead and departed of the participants. If you'd like to join me, here are the details:

OCTOBER 9-11

Dias de los Muertos Art Quilts

Design, dye and print fabrics, and fuse together a small art quilt "altar' or place setting in memory of someone departed  that you wish to honor, or using more generic images derived from the traditions of Dias de los Muertos. You'll take home a completed design ready for hand or machine stitching (how-to demos are part of the workshop). This workshop helps transform memory into celebration, artifacts in to art. I have a large selection of ethnic fabrics and antique laces to use, or you can bring your own. Bring photos and/or mementos of the person or people you wish to honor with your work.

Here is a small gallery of some of the other pieces in the series:

Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?

A smaller 12" by 12" momento piece. 

ItalyRoma

Can you follow the drift? Our first two days here, last Tuesday and Wednesday... More to come, soon.

The blanks and repeats seem to be software errors in my blog app!! Just have patience, please.  

The Road to Compostela

The exhibit is up on the main web gallery page, and here it is as well! I am not so sure I understand how Squarespace sets up this gallery here -- some of the images end up being cropped strangely, so you can also take a look at this link (the titles and prices show up there, too!) Many of the pieces are still available for sale. The prices on the website do not include shipping price, so be aware of that. I can send you a PayPal invoice to pay with your account or any credit card, if you are interested in purchase.

Click through the gallery to forward to the next photo. Hover over the image to get size and price information!

Above and Below

36" by 50" Textile collage on wooden frame $1800

Above and Below, detail

When Santiago Was a Woman

48” by 72” by 1.5” Textile collage on wooden frame $3000

When Santiago Was a Woman, detail

Pomegranate Queen

19” by 21”      Textile collage wall hanging, 2014                SOLD

Pomegranate Woman

19” by 21”        Textile collage wall hanging, 2014         $300

Hands, First Fruit

18’” by 22”      Textile collage on wooden frame      $300

All is One

24” by 60” Textile collage wall hanging, 2013 SOLD

Recently shown in the 2013 Dinner@Eight exhibition, International Quilt Festival

All is One, detail

Reflections, Inside and Out

24" by 60"      Textile collage wall hanging, 2014     $600*

Refrlections, detail

Words on the Surface

24” by 60”    Textile collage wall hanging, 2013     $600

Words on the Surface, detail

The Road Ahead, #1

30” by 32” by 1.5” Textile on wooden frame SOLD

The Road Ahead, #1, detail

The Road Ahead, #1, detail

The Road Ahead, #2

30” by 32” by 1.5” Textile on wooden frame $900

The Road Ahead, detail

Conversation, Eucalyptus Forest

30” by 32” by 1.5” Textile on wooden frame $900

Conversation, detail

Camino Village, #1

30” by 32” by 1.5”, Textile on wooden frame $900

Camino Village, #1, detail

Falling

30” by 32” by 1.5” Textile on wooden frame SOLD

Falling, detail

Camino Village, #2

30” by 32” by 1.5”     Textile on wooden frame     $600

Camino Village, #2, detail

Queen of the Camino

30” by 32” by 1.5” Textile on wooden frame $800

Peaches, Farmers' Market

Textile, stitched print, framed 2013       8.5” by 11”     $200

Another Highway

Textile, stitched digital print, framed 2013     8.5” by 11”     SOLD

First Fruit

Textile, stitched digital print, framed 2013    8.5” by 11”     $200

Midnight Series

Two hand-stitched pieces in shadow box frames, 20 " by 20" 2014

Mystery, Midnight

Textile, hand stitched 9” by 9" SAVE

The Road, Midnight

Textile, hand stitch 9” by 9” SOLD

Kaleidoscope

40”  by 103”     Digitally printed textile     $130

Moonlight Sonata

40”  by 103”     Digitally printed textile     $130

Moonlight Sonata

Moonlight Sonata, detail

First Fruit

40”  by 103”     Digitally printed textile     SOLD

First Fruit, detail

Ione Palace

Salon d'Artiste is the exhibition gallery devoted to changing artist exhibits. Other galleries are home to the owners' collections, family archives and a chapel and dining room for art and cultural events.

On the Camino!

Robert Indiana

Run, don't walk, if you are in San Antonio, to see the Robert Indiana exhibit, "Beyond Love," at the McNay Art Institute, though May 25. It is stunning, thought provoking, fun, lively, colorful and will broaden your perspective on this "outlier" of the pop art movement. Indiana has a couple of interesting connections to San Antonio -- he designed the poster for HemisFair '68, which gave me my first "real" job in San Antonio, and Indiana was (briefly) at Lackland for basic training when he enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1947.

Indeed, Indiana never considered himself a pop artist, though his text and graphic works were created during the same time frame as Lichtenstein's and Warhol's works. Indiana's large paintings have an entirely different emotional quality to them, and indeed the artist worked in his characteristic style it seems, not so much to make a commentary on the commercialism and consumerism of Western modern life, but rather to explore the aspects, failures and successes of the American Dream in its most basic elements. In addition to the main exhibit the McNay also is showing a number of the stunning homage large scale prints in the series,  These pieces, reference Indiana's relationship with Ellsworth Kelly, and are also a direct homage to one of the artists who inspired him,  Marsden Hartley, whose symbol filled series honoring Karl von Freyburg, provide the visual and emotional framework for Indiana's serigraphs. (It's easy to see Hartley's influence in  his use of primary colors and simple shapes and the inclusion of text.)

"Fascinated that early American Modernist and Maine native Marsden Hartley had spent a summer on Vinalhaven, Indiana set out to pay homage to the older artist. In the “Hartley Elegies” Indiana played off Hartley’s colorful, symbol-filled series honoring Karl von Freyburg, a handsome German officer with whom Hartley was in love.

The 18 paintings in the series replicated Hartley’s compositions — the vivid palette and compressed military imagery — signs, symbols, letters, flags, medals, epaulettes — as a means to commemorate a lover. The “Hartley Elegies” are among the finest achievements of Indiana’s career."

There is also an exhibit of costumes (reproduced for a more recent performance) designed by Indiana for the opera The Mother of Us All, by Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thompson 1947 opera inspired by Susan B. Anthony. Any textile or fiber artist will find these all-felt costumes fascinating, and their relationship to the original costume designs enlightening. These are in the collection of the McNay's Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts.

My visit to the exhibit was enriched by reading this New York Times review from the exhibit launch at the Whitney Museum in New York. And even more interesting, this one, from the Wall Street Journal OnLine.

Trees and trees

I've been working on some tree forms in some of the work headed for my solo exhibit that opens Sunday May 4 (hit this link for more information), and in doing so today found this great site about art news. First up, this book about trees as information data communicators, from the Middle Ages and beyond.

 The Book of Trees: Visualizing Branches of Knowledge by Manuel Lima is available April 15 from Princeton Architectural Press. Lima will be at the Strand (828 Broadway, Manhattan) on April 24 and the 92nd Street Y on May 21 for book talks. 

This looks like a lovely and visually interesting book -- hope to see it in person soon. I am always interested in the intersections of art and technology -- and this seems to be what was happening even there in the middle ages. I also recently read that TREE as a word has the root from its origin as "TRIUE," thus making the intersection of data and tree images even more interesting.

I found the site, Hyperallergic, Sensitive to Art and its Discontents, to be a thoughtful, wide-ranging collection of articles, news, commentary and reviews.

Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful and radical thinking about art in the world today. Founded in 2009, Hyperallergic is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.

Click on the image below to see a gallery of other trees in this textile collage painting that will be in the new exhibit, The Road to Compostela. 

MOOCs

I mentioned the Coursera course that I was enrolled in  -- 

California Institute of the Arts

Live!: A History of Art for Artists, Animators and Gamers

This is proving to be a wonderful experience -- and far more interesting and I suspect brain-buidling than Luminosity games. The professor is excellent, the exercises fun and interesting, the interaction between the global community rather amazing.

MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses.  Although there has been access to free online courses on the Internet for years, the quality and quantity of courses has changed. Access to free courses has allowed students to obtain a level of education that many only could dream of in the past.  This has changed the face of education.  In The New York Times article Instruction for Masses Knocked Down Campus Walls, author Tamar Lewin stated, “in the past few months hundreds of thousands of motivated students around the world who lack access to elite universities have been embracing them as a path toward sophisticated skills and high-paying jobs, without paying tuition or collecting a college degree.”

If you have not yet explored the free or very inexpensive college level and professional development courses that are available as MOOCs (Massive Open Onlive Courses),  I suggest you take a look. 

There are several providers: Coursera, EdX and Udemy are some of the major ones, but many universities are also offering their own courses. Udemy lets anyone write and publish a course and charge whatever fee they wish (some are expensive, others free); Coursera and EdX are totally free, and the providers are academic partners (former Yale president Richard Levin just took the helm of Coursera, a good sign that these are just going to get better.) No, you don't get credit, per se, though if it is important to you and your career path (it isn't to me) you can pay a small fee to get a certificate of completion. 

Here are just a few of the courses that I found today on some of these sites.

Art History Prehistory to the Renaissance on Udemy for $25

Figure Drawing from Life using the Reilly Technique, on Udemy for free

The Art and Architecture of Ancient Nubia, on Coursera for free, from Emory University

Tangible Things, Discovering History through Artworks, Artifacts, Scientific Specimens and the Stuff Around You at EdX from Harvard, free

MIT publishes an incredible amount of their courses online with videos and print material. Just a couple of courses that caught my eye: Sensing Place, Photography as Inquiry.; Introduction to Visual Media, Early Music--- generally these are course materials, without any grading, free back or actual requirements, but the teaching materials are there!

Open Yale Courses have video and audio materials on YouTube and iTunes and downloadable course materials. Roman Architecture is one course currently available. Listening to Music is a basic music course also at Open Yale.

I guess I know how my studio TV time will be spent now! I like having the sound and motion going when I am taking on repetitive tasks, hand stitching, printing, etc. It kind of keeps my critical inner witch at bay. MOOCs are a sure step up from Project Runway, believe me!

Influences: Here Be Dragons

I've been making a couple of collages of a few of the influences on my art for a Coursera course that I am enrolled in. Here's the link to the course -- which is fabulous, by the way!  

Live!: A History of Art for Artists, Animators and Gamers
by Jeannene Przyblyski, Ph.D.

"Here Be Dragons" was a notice put on Medieval maps of unknown territory, literally the edge of the world. My Mental Map of influences is similar -- it is still being explored and I find new ideas and images to feed my mind daily. There are, of course, some familiar territories, too -- artists and ideas whose color, line and shapes enthrall me. Since my work includes folk art influences, I often include some interesting dragons and unknown beasts as well!

Here are two collages, and the sources of images, of works and artists who influence me right now (top left to right):
 

Rudolfo Morales, Mexican painter and collage artist
David Hockney, English painter and artist of new media
Mexican folk art paintings
Huichol yarn paintings
Jane Dunnewold, art cloth and art quilts

Henri Matisse, especially his cut paper work
Joan Miro, Barcelona Catalan painter
Norman Laliberte, artist, illustrator, graphic designer
Sister Corita Kent, graphic artist and activist
Sue Benner, art quilts

And the March Gritty Newsletter

Likewise, here's the lead story of the March edition of my newsletter -- the whole is a little mix of inspiration, how-to and upcoming events. If you want to see more or subscribe click the button at the top of the sidebar. Or download this month's entire issue here.

Spring Grit

View fullsize

Will Spring ever arrive? Usually by this time of year, our Texas Hill Country is blanketed with flowers and sprouting green grass. Some years we're even seeing the tomato plants starting to blossom. This year, between prolonged gusts of wintry weather every couple of days and the drought (we've had less than an inch of rain since January 1) the land looks as bleak as midwinter.

So, like other artists I know, I've had to make spring time happen in the studio, on the iPad and on the design table. I hope you are doing the same!

My inspirations: photos from previous trips and at-home excursions. The files of flowers I've shot over the years. And, at least here this year, I can look out the window and enjoy the rosemary blooms filled with bees and the bright chartreuse of the hardy euphorbia that has naturalized in the garden.

This plant is a botanical example of true grit. It endures ice storms and no water for weeks, and each spring the stalks from last year erupt in this riot of amazing color. Then, just in the hottest part of the year, tiny blue-grey spikes poke up around the mother plants and take over another territory. From a single spiky stalk bought at a roadside sale, I now celebrate early spring with about 10 hardy plants, and I have given dozens away to friends as well. What grit!

True grit for me as an artist embodies a notion about success, achievement and learning -- and one that is attracting attention in research and educational settings these days. The idea is probably one familiar to most of those my age: just keep trying. Persistence, and a belief that intelligence or success or mastery is something acquired by hard work is more important than any innate talent, intellectual gift or "smartness."

As I come into the studio after a week filled with family meals, parries, conversations, a day of poking around in the antique shops of Comfort and Boerne, I sit again sending out this newsletter, my own true test of grit. In January of 2013 I vowed to make a monthly post to communicate with friends, students, family and blog readers in a more formal and scheduled manner. I haven't always succeeded. But, as I look back over my file of entries, I have managed to post 14 editions, in an almost regular fashion. Believe me, it would not have happened without two important components: intention and grit.

So what is on your gritty list today?

Workshops in San Antonio and Pipe Creek

In case you aren't on my mailing list, or prefer to read here on the blog, here is the March edition of my workshop brochure. You can also find updated information at any time of the year on the workshop link on this website.

 Nurture your creativity and explore new materials and techniques in surface design applicable to fiber, ceramics, jewelry, painting and mixed media work. Susie Monday leads artists’ retreats and workshops at her studio near Pipe Creek, Texas and in San Antonio at her new “cabin inthe city.” The San Antonio workshops this season and next will highlight iPad (and other tablet) based painting, design, journaling and drawing skills applicable to fiber and mixed media art. The fee for the day-long workshops in San Antonio is $85.

In Pipe Creek, spend the weekend and enjoy the 25- mile vistas from the deck and strolls down the country roads. You are welcome to bring projects in process for Susie’s critique and peer feedback. We’ll share meals, poetry and stories, music and advice for living an artist’s life. Each weekend retreat is $185 with discounts for early enrollment. Comfortable accommodations are available from $15 - $30. Pipe Creek workshops offer a Friday night potluck option. Limited enrollment. Most sup- plies included. For more info, see www.susiemonday.com.

View fullsize

Workshops in Kerrville

Live in the Hill Country? Or in San Antonio and looking for a good excuse with some friends for a day trip or short overnight jaunt to Kerrville? I'll be teaching full day and half-day workshops there this spring, so you can combine creative play with the delights of the beautiful countryside and the charm of this small Texas town -- there a lots of activities to enjoy, besides my workshops!

The Kerr Arts and Cultural Center is hosting the three events, as part of their educational outreach programs. The Center has beautiful gallery space, too, and an active exhibition program. A textile arts exhibit is coming up in May, too. 

Here's my teaching schedule (you'll note that the center is offering these with very  affordable fees.)

View fullsize

Poppin with great color

I don't often just paste a link to products here -- and this is neither a review or endorsement or paid advertisement - just a lovely surprise in the inbox today. I LOVE THESE COLORs and I am going to place an order. I will let you know if the almost too-good-to-be-true prices are an indication of poor quality -- at least I know the design is fab!

And while I am posting some endorsements, here's a link to Clic's eyeglasses, since many of my friends and sister artists have asked me about them!

Say Si!

I've donated a piece here! One of my Text series. 

Event Details

This March, SAY Sí, San Antonio's premiere youth arts organization, will celebrate it's 20 years of service to San Antonio's youth with its largest annual fundraiser, Small Scale Works for a Larger Cause. Since 1994, SAY Sí has helped students grow as learners, leaders and artists. The organization's reach has grown from 12 students from one high school to 200 students of middle and high school age from all of San Antonio’s districts.

The celebration begins on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at the 3rd Annual Youth Arts Education Advocacy Awards and Small Scale preview, where SAY Sí will party in style with live music, appetizing cuisine and quenching cocktails from some of San Antonio’s premier restaurants, chefs and mixologists.

SAY Sí will also present its 2nd Annual Youth Arts Education Advocacy Awards to Rose Mary Fry (individual recipient) and Insite Architects (organizational recipient). The award is presented annually to noted arts advocates with a track record of contributing to the advancement of the arts and arts education in San Antonio, Texas.

The silent auction does not take place until Friday, March 21, 2014. However, at the awards ceremony, patrons can begin bidding on artwork and even purchase pieces at the “buy it now” price ("Buy it now" option ends 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 19).

Small Scale showcases the best artworks from San Antonio’s most esteemed artists, all boasting their own unique creative vision. Walking through the SAY Sí gallery, patrons can expect to experience a spectrum of one-of-a-kind art pieces ranging from abstract sculptures to hyper-realistic portraits and photography.

Small Scale continues to be SAY Sí’s single largest money-raising campaign, with all money raised going to SAY Sí student programming. The exhibit and silent auction culminates on Friday, March 21, 2014. 

Small Scale Private Preview & Awards Ceremony

Thursday, March 6 | 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

$40 Presale | $50 at the door

A limited number of $80 Presale tickets are available to attend both the preview and final auction events, but please note that option ends 11 p.m. Wednesday, February 27, 2014.

FREE public preview [part of First Friday]

Friday, March 7, 2014 | 6 - 9 p.m.

Open for public viewing until Thursday, March, 21, 2014

Gallery Hours: Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Small Scale Auction

Friday, March 21 | 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. [Bid closing times: 8:30 p.m. & 9:15 p.m.]

$50 Presale | $65 at the door

Tracking Studio and Artmaking

it seems that I get to the end of a week and think, "where did it all go?" Even with my new consistent calendar planning, I find that I lose track of the art time I actually do spend -- and that my intention to do something creative on paper, iPad or fabric very day is easy to lose track of. So about a week ago I started a journal devoted only to creative art time and products thus created, be they ever so large or small. 

I'm using an app called Ordinary Days, very clean, simple and lovely to look at. I'm not making this as complete or at thoughtful as my blog, which I still regard more as a private record than a public forum.. But I do put more of a public face here. The Ordinary Days journal is really keeping me on track with making art every day.

Spring Fever

it's time to clean up the studio, but I keep looking outside at springtime greens.

so I am longingly considering a stack of green hand dyes!

P.S. Can you tell I've just fallen for a new (to me) collage frame app?