Summer distractions and broken plates

It's been a distracting summer this year. My daughter has twelve weeks off from school, only two of them will be spent at camp. Needless to say, more than two hours in the studio every day is rare. The other distraction is my new garden, which is going strong. When the produce is ripe, you've got to jump into action. With twenty raised beds and nineteen fruit trees, I've had my hands full!

My brain, however, is longing and aching to spend time in the studio to catch up on all these ideas in my sketchbook around the landgrabbing series. My clay class is over and now I'm waiting for the call to pick up my glazed and fired pieces from the studio. Hopefully they turned out and I can share some of them with you soon. Trust me, they're elementary! But you have to start somewhere. Three years ago I didn't even know how to sew and I learned that medium in no time! In the meantime, I have other ideas flowing around the series. Here is one image I came across that I just can't get out of my mind. It was taken in China.

Image by Jennifer Ling Datchuk taken in China

I'm on the hunt for broken plates for the new series. I see lots of talk about broken plates on the internet, how you can find them on ebay. But every time I search, I come up empty handed. But seriously, if I could just get my hands on all of these, I'd be the happiest gal alive!

Image by Jennifer Ling Datchuk taken in China

I have a friend who plans to give me a box full next week to supplement my trips to local thrift stores. But I need a stash that looks like these.

Image by Jennifer Ling Datchuk taken in China

I wonder how many restaurants break plates every week? Any ideas on where to look would be wonderful! I feel like there's some obvious solution that I'm missing. If anyone can enlighten me, I would be thrilled!

Artist : Vicki Grima

Once again, Lari Washburn and Sophie Truong have spotted an artisan who I also admire. I came across Vicki Grima's 87 spoons project on Sophie's Pinterest board, spoon obsession. I, too, have an obsession with spoons, and Vicki's certainly push the envelope.

Vicki Grima, 87 Spoons, 2011. Cool Ice

It all began with a Culinary Clay workshop she attended in Bali in 2010. Returning to her native Australia, she continued exploring the subject in her own studio.

Vicki Grima, 87 Spoons, 2011. Cool Ice spoon BRT bowl

These are gorgeous, especially the ones that are paired with the contrasting textured bowls.

Vicki Grima, 87 Spoons, 2011. Cool Ice spoon BRT bowl

Functional sculpture is what these are. They almost look like something you would find lying in the bottom of the ocean in the rough brown sand.

Vicki Grima, 87 Spoons, 2011. Cool Ice spoon BRT bowl

See more of Vicki's 87 Spoons series and her other work on her website. If you head over to Lari and Sophie's websites, you'll see their own work with spoons over the past few weeks at Ingrid Bathe's workshop in Maine. I SO wish I could have been there working alongside them.

Upcoming Show : Disintegration and Repair at Warm Springs Gallery

Four of my foreclosure quilts will be included in the July exhibition "Disintegration and Repair" at Warm Springs Gallery in Charlottesville, VA.  I'm thrilled to be a part of a show with some talented fiber artists who I've come to know online and in person. See below to learn more about the other artists in the exhibition.

Barbara Wisnoski

Grey Rain Sea, 152 x 157 cm by Barbara Wisnoski.

Barbara and I spent an afternoon together with our mutual friend, Myrna Tatar, last year to see Barbara's pieces at the San Jose Quilt Museum. Her work was even more impressive in person.

Lotta Helleberg

Forest Floor by Lotta Helleberg. Leaf printed, plant dyed linen,
wool thread, hand stitched. 21" x 33"

I met Lotta online last year and we had an instant connection through our work. Lotta's work is inspired by nature and is stunningly beautiful. Be sure to read Lotta's blog if you're interested in the fiber process. It's an amazing resource.

Karen Henderson

Accept by Karen Henderson. Hand woven silk, paper, rayon paper w/silk; batik, dye paint, discharge,
layered with cotton fabric, with stitching, paint and silver foil.

30” x 61”. Photograph by John Sterling Ruth

Karen uses many traditional fiber techniques including weaving, dyeing, and stitching to reflect the cycles of nature.

Margarite Gignoux

Strings by Margarite Gignoux. Handmade cotton paper, machine stitched and
mounted on canvas. 46" x 70"

Margarite uses a diverse variety of fabrics, papers, buttons, beads and other recycled materials to make powerful quilts that push the boundaries of the medium.

The exhibition runs from July 1st through July 31st at Warm Springs Gallery in Charlottesville, VA. There is an artist reception on Friday, July 6th from 6-8 pm. I won't be able to make it in person but I hope those of you near are able to visit.