Changes

The past month as been jam-packed with activity for me. And I've been loving every minute of it.

Last week, the landscape architect and I came to a final plan for my yard (as seen above) and I'm now getting bids on the project. This has been a long time coming, with just dirt and weeds for over a year. Having my home extend to the outdoors is going to be fabulous.

Much has also been going on in the art front. The Color Improvisations exhibit has been a big hit and you can now purchase catalogs from me. I've also been playing around with some different fabrics in my smaller artwork and finishing up some older pieces. See below for details.

Actually, my life has been very full this past month and I contemplate the busy-ness in my essay this month. Transition can often bring a lot of activity and I'm enjoying the ride.

Enjoy, and as usual, thank you for subscribing and supporting my art and sharing my journey.

---lisa

PS: If you'd like to keep in touch more than through my newsletter, please check out these locations:

• Lisa's Blog
• Lisa's Twitter Profile
• Lisa's Facebook Profile - life as an artist updates
• Lisa's Facebook Fan Page - art updates
• The MakeBigArt Blog
• MakeBigArt Facebook Fan Page

Dream #40
©2010 Lisa Call
Textile Painting (Fabric hand dyed by the artist, cotton batting, cotton thread)
24" x 24"
$1900
Purchase Here

This month I've continued my project to add additional texture to artwork from my solo show Dwelling, completing Dream #40, another of the textile paintings inspired by my trip to South Africa.

I've made hundreds of quilts and occasional one will strike me as one of my best. I love the warm earthy colors and irregular shapes creating movement across the surface. With the addition of the quilting lines for texture, it's one of my absolute favorites.

Detail Image:

Structures #111 and Structures #108
©2009 Lisa Call
77" x 76" – Structures #111
72" x 72" – Structures #108
Textile Painting (Fabric hand dyed by the artist, cotton batting, cotton thread)

Color Improvisations  
The above textile paintings are currently on display in the international invitational Color Improvisations exhibit in Stuttgart, Germany, which runs through August 25, 2010.

I was unable to attend the opening exhibit and I've been fortunately others have shared their experiences, such as Terry Jarrard-Dimond and Kathleen Loomis. There is a lovely set of photos on flick also: Color Improvisations Opening

Color Improvisations Catalog  
The 144-page catalog for the exhibit is stunning and includes bios, full color photos, details, studio shots and more for each artist. I was able to get some of the books shipped from Germany and they are available for purchase here: Color Improvisations Catalog .

Patchwork Professional  
Patchwork Professional, a European quilt magazine, printed a special edition dedicated to the Color Improvisations exhibition. Each artist has lovely article with images of additional artwork not included in the exhibit.

The 68-page, 2-language (English-German) magazine is distributed across several countries, available at newsstands and in special stores starting in June 2010. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find information on how to purchase this magazine in the US.

 
One evening this month, as I spent a few minutes cruising around the internet looking at artwork, I was particularly struck by several black and white paintings I came across. This inspired me to head to the studio, where I unearthed some hand painted and stamped black and white fabrics from years gone by.

Still thinking houses, as I contemplate my landscaping project, the obvious choice for motif was the home. The 6 small textile paintings below are the results of my exploration.

Working with the pattern in the hand painted fabric made for a new challenge, one that I'd like to explore further. I have some ideas for how to use these patterned fabrics in my Structures series and now as I write this, the Markings series. I have very little of this fabric left, so I either will be working small, or unpacking my box of rubber stamps and returning to a former technique I once loved.

These smaller works are a great way for those with a smaller art budget to own original artwork and this month I've worked in a variety of smaller sizes as I played with the texture.

	Home #59 ©2010 Lisa Call 3.5" x 2.5" Textile Painting $40 Purchase Here
	Home #57 ©2010 Lisa Call 2.5" x 3.5" Textile Painting $40 Purchase Here
	Home #58 ©2010 Lisa Call 3" x 3" Textile Painting $55 Purchase Here
	Home #56 ©2010 Lisa Call 4" x 4" Textile Painting $90 Purchase Here
	Home #54 ©2010 Lisa Call 8" x 8" Textile Painting $225 Purchase Here
	Home #55 ©2010 Lisa Call 6" x 6" Textile Painting $190 Purchase Here

Note from a Collector:

We just got home from 2 weeks away. What a pleasure to open the parcel from you. I love it. The tiniest most perfect quilt I have ever seen. I am auditioning spots for it in my studio right now. The colours, lines and shapes will bring me pleasure for years. Thanks so much.

 
For a complete view of all of my available art trading cards/ACEOs please see my art card webpage.

*ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. Also known as an ATC for Artist Trading Card. The primary rule for an ACEO or ATC is they measurer 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" - the size of a trading card. They are created in many different mediums and are collectible, trade able and affordable art for everyone.

My ACEOs are made using the same techniques as my larger textile paintings with my hand dyed fabric, batting and thread. In essence they are miniature quilts, although due to their size and the density of my stitching they are rigid like a trading card.

Transition

My life is undeniably busy. Right now, and very often, I'm thinking "How can I simplify my life". Pondering what I can remove to make it less complicated. I feel if I did fewer things my brain would feel more settled.

Lately my days feel unusually busy with so much going on. While I love the activity and feel quite energized the past month, I'm starting to feel overloaded.

For example, this is what I have done/am doing this week:

• Finalizing bids for my landscape project
• Looking into home equity loans to fund the above project
• Completing artwork to include in my studio newsletter
• Writing my studio newsletter
• Processing orders for the color improvisations catalog, ordering boxes to ship the catalogs, keeping up with paypal as the inventory fluctuates (I have to prepay for the catalogs before I sell them so I can only buy a handful at a time), etc
• Working on new artwork to enter into Quilt National with the jury deadline in 5 weeks
• Working through a long todo list of items that must be done before my son goes off to college in 2 weeks and spending as much time with him as possible before he leaves
• Spending time with my daughter the last few weeks before she starts high school
• Setting up doctor appoints for the kids
• Setting up cat care for my upcoming vacation
• Reading the biography of Leo Castelli and participating in the online book club discussion on twitter
• Listening to the book on CD "The power of the positive No", which inspires me to think of things I should say NO to
• Running and doing yoga, each at least 3 times as week, as this is how I am staying in healthy and happy after my brush with depression earlier this year
• Spending time with my boyfriend
• Helping a friend pack and move into a new house
• Writing blog posts
• Keeping in touch on social media
• Trying to cook healthy meals with the organic fruits and vegetables that are delivered to my house each week
• Working full time as a project manager for a software team, on a very demanding project that keeps my head full of process and procedures, which are overly complicated and difficult to navigate for reasons no one can comprehend yet we all must follow. I love the people I work with, yet I don't much love the stress that such an environment creates.

All of that (minus the last entry) is excellent but it's a lot.

To prevent burn out from my schedule, last night I rebelled. I was going to write this newsletter but instead I went to a movie with my daughter, ate junk food and watched a few hours of trashy television on hulu. It was a much needed break.

I envision a simpler life where I wake up early, go for a run or do yoga or work in my garden. After a healthy, organic breakfast I spend 4 or 5 hours in my studio making art. After yet another healthy, organic meal I spend a few hours in the afternoon working on my art marketing, planning new projects, creating new workshop material to teach, etc.

Late afternoon is reserved for a hike, or maybe a massage or acupuncture. With my work completed, my evenings free to spend with friends and family or completely alone in a hammock reading and relaxing.

When I contemplate this life, I realize a few things

1) Even in my idealized life - I am doing many things. And most of those things I am already doing today. It is not that I want to do less; I just want more time to do the things I am doing. I'm extremely grateful to be doing exactly the things I love to do, already, right now.

2) My life is in a state of transition. My house is still not done as I am doing my landscaping and my son is on his way out the door to college. These are big changes. I must be patient with these changes as change takes energy and both of these a wonderful things that I welcome.

3) I really want to quit my job. If I could have those 40 hours a week back, I would have exactly the life I want. To make that happen, I need to stay focused on creating a way to support myself through my artwork.

This overlap, working a day job as I create income streams from my art, will not be forever. It too is transition. A very big transition. I won't always be this busy so I need to love it while I am as it is the process that matters. Not the destination.

So I'll keep doing things I love, learning to say no to thing I do not, and remembering how awesome it will be when I am working solely for myself. And even more importantly, how awesome it is right now.

Woodlands Sunrise
©2009 Joanie San Chirico
Each 50"h x 30"w x 1.5"d
acrylic, hand stitching, photos on linen

(reprinted with permission by the artist)

I've known Joanie for years as she is a of the original members of the online artist support group, Fiber Connection, that I started 13 years ago.

Back in those days, Joanie mostly created art quilts and I loved her catacombs series. (She is probably surprised I didn't select a catacombs piece for this feature.) Now Joanie paints, does photography, still does some fiber art, and mostly keeps herself busy with her amazing corporate and public commissions that combine many of these techniques together.

Joanie describes her almost abstract artwork as follows:

" My work is about preservation, whether it be natural resources or ancient artifacts. My art has a certain ambiguity to it, the viewer relates to the image and places it in his mind to a specific location. The actual original location most likely has nothing to do with the viewers’ preconception however, and may not physically exist anywhere except in my mind."

In keeping with her textile background, much of her unique work includes hand stitching on the painted or photographed surface. The results are simply stunning.

Joanie has a 2 person exhibit at Jadite Galleries, 410 W. 50th Street, New York, NY. The show runs August 2-7 2010 with the opening reception on August 3 from 6-8:30pm

In addition to her artwork, Joanie is also passionate about helping other artists connect with art consultants and collectors. To that end, she created PFAN - Professional Fine Art Network, an organization I highly recommend. I gave a teleconference on social media a few months back for members.

You can read of Joanie's art adventures on her blog: Joanie Gagnon San Chirico- Art for Public Spaces and purchase her artwork at artful home.

-- Each month I introduce my readers a new artist. I enjoy learning about new artists and also love sharing with my readers the talent of the amazing artists I know and admire.