Flint Foreclosure Quilt

I finished the Flint Foreclosure Quilt a few weeks ago and shipped it off to it's new owner,  the Michigan State University Museum. They commissioned the quilt for their permanent collection.  They have a growing collection of quilts connected to human rights issues and thought one of the foreclosure quilts would be a wonderful addition. It was such an honor to make this for them. It will also be a part of the Quilt Index, which is a fabulous resource for any artist. It was a challenge determining just which neighborhood in Flint should be represented. Ultimately, the museum chose a neighborhood right in between two vacant GM plants. But really, there are so many other blighted neighborhoods in Flint that are suffering as well.

Flint Foreclosure Quilt, 2013. Cheesecloth, linen, cotton and quilting thread, 26" x 46"

What really inspired me while making this quilt was reading so many stories about residents who have gone through so much and are doing everything to rebuild their communities. It seems there has been outreach from the national and local governments, but I see so much more that could be done. The question is how and who? It's an overwhelming issue and there are so many other factors that come into play, economic, social, etc.

Flint Foreclosure Quilt detail, 2013. Cheesecloth, linen, cotton and quilting thread, 26" x 46"

The sad fact is even though foreclosure rates have fallen in the past year, there's a hidden story behind the lower numbers. In a lot of these neighborhoods where you look at a mapped list and see few listings, it's not because the neighborhood is bouncing back, it's often because the homes are just abandoned, or worse yet, demolished. That is the case with much of Flint.

Flint Foreclosure Quilt detail, 2013. Cheesecloth, linen, cotton and quilting thread, 26" x 46"

And I'm now discovering as I do more research using aerial imagery, there are plenty of these demolished homes all across the US. Some cities openly discuss it, like Cleveland and Detroit, but there are others where I can't find any written data to back up what I see from the air. I keep digging in the hopes I can share the next chapter with you. I plan two more quilts and I hope these will express the new reality. What a can of worms I've opened ...

From Japan with Love video by The Perennial Plate

So many posts to write about including a new finished quilt! But couldn't resist this quick little video which I instantly fell in love with - From Japan with Love by The Perennial Plate. Okay, so it's not technically craft but really, it is. In Japan, food is a craft. And they are really, really good at it.

The imagery had me from the start, stunning food shots all pulled together in such a way to get me so excited about visiting Japan next month. The food, oh boy, the food! And guess what? That entire video above was shot with my same camera! Yes, there is hope I can take some fun video while we're there to share with you.

Udon Miso n' Cheese recipe. Image from www.theperennialplate.com

When I went to The Perennial Plate's website though, I was really hooked. So many wonderful videos and great stories shared about eating sustainably. 114 of them at the last check. Uh oh ... there goes my evening. Good thing I finished that quilt the other night. Head on over for some inspiration and some really good recipes.

Japan!

I thought I'd kick off an early spring (it was 70 here in San Francisco yesterday!) with a few features on Japan. What does spring have to do with Japan? Well besides having a culture that celebrates spring like no other (life revolves around cherry blossom season), we're taking a two week trip there in late March! This will be my second trip to Japan. When we visited thirteen years ago, I was obsessed by photography (see my photos below) and carted around my vintage Leica that required a tripod for every shot. This time we'll have our eight year old daughter along with us which will make for a very different experience.

Cleaning person's sandals at a Kyoto shrine, 2000.

I know the best place in the world for textiles and ceramics is Japan, so I've got a lot to try to see while we're there, all the while trying to make this a relaxing family vacation. We will be staying in a traditional ryokan in Kyoto, hop over to balmy Okinawa to visit family and end in Tokyo, where we will stay at the Ritz Carlton for free (so there is an upside to my husband's countless business trips last year)!

Kyoto street scene (left), Tokyo street scene (right), 2000.

We're all so excited! In the meantime, I'm researching like crazy trying to figure out where to visit and what to see. It also helps that quite a few of my fellow students at the pottery studio I attend, Sharon Art Studio, are from Japan. I've been able to practice my rudimentary Japanese with them while they offer all sorts of advice on what to see and do.

Ladles at a Kyoto shrine, 2000.

I've purchased Hello Sandwiche's Tokyo Guides, read through DesignSponge's Tokyo Guide and have started compiling a list of cool places to visit and of course places to eat. When in Japan, it's also all about the food! It helps that my daughter's favorite food is Japanese, she gets excited when she sees a plate of masago.

Garden clogs in a Kyoto ryokan, 2000.

I plan to post a lot of the research I find on Pinterest this time, so be sure to follow my Japan board if you're planning a trip over there yourself.

work table : part two

Part two of the work table involves the foreclosure quilts. At some point, I thought I was finished with the quilts. The fact is, the crisis continues. But there's something new in the equation. What happens to the neighborhoods after the storm has passed over? It seems most cities are still grappling with this problem.

The research I've uncovered makes me realize that there needs to be more help at the federal level provided to these areas. Sure, the HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program Grants have helped. But there needs be more bigger picture thinking. Each city is certainly different and requires different solutions but I'm not seeing much communication happening between cities and states about next steps. We can learn from each other, we can share our mistakes to ensure other cities don't make the same ones.

I starting thinking about this when I started working on a museum commission of a Flint, MI neighborhood. An hour away, Detroit is rapidly encouraging urban gardening on abandoned lots to ensure good quality vegetables and fruits to local residents. Urban gardens encourage community building while decreasing crime as more eyes are on the street. It can bring income into communities as well. It seems in Flint, people are having to go to battle with the City to farm the vacant land. Flint River Farm's process was documented last year in this video. Here's a little clip below.

So I continue to make the quilts, hoping that I can make at least one that shows new thinking over the old abandoned lots. If you know of an area that has bounced back, I'd love to share it. The quilts will be shown all together this June at Gallery Nord in San Antonio, TX in conjunction with the Surface Design Conference, Interface.

In the meantime, the article in Surface Design Journal can be read in its' entirety here. It's always a great magazine, but everyone seems to agree this issue is particularly good so I'm excited to be a part of it.

work table : part one

I knew the first half of 2013 would be insanely busy and so far, it's rung very true. It's all good, it's just time management is not one of my strong points these days. I used to be a project manager for a 5,000 acre development and somehow it seemed effortless. I guess  calling yourself an 'artist' allows you to read a calendar more casually. So, what have I been up to?

Part one, the Land Grab Series ... I'm furiously working on the this series/installation. It's like pieces to a puzzle which hasn't been assembled yet except in my head. But here's some little tidbits. I'm making a series of white porcelain plates that will be part of a table setting or wall display. The plates depict actual farmland that has been land grabbed in various countries. These farms are so huge they're broken into these exact pieces by either rivers or man made roads. The blue is a map of the country that bleeds onto a table runner below. Pick up a plate, you've taken some land.

Upper left, Brazil. Upper right, Cambodia. Lower left, Cameroon.

These are sketches of how they'll be presented on a dark blue table runner which can also act as a wall panel. Lots of little white seed stitches ahead of me with the runners. And it will tie into the floor installations as well at some point. It's happening, just slowly! The plates are shaping up nicely and quickly, now that I understand the medium a little better. Of course they've just been bisque fired so you'll have to wait to see the finished product but here's a small scale test run I made in December.

A few Brazil plates in the making.

Here's my 'inspiration board' to give you an idea of the overall mood of the series. Yes, those are Paula Greif's charming little spoons in the upper left.

Since I've banned my computer in my studio, I had to print the images out for reference. To see them for yourself with wonderful links back to their makers, check out my Pinterest board "At the table ...". Part two is next and it's all about the Foreclosure quilts.

Foreclosure Quilts in Surface Design Journal

I'm thrilled to finally have the winter issue of Surface Design Journal in my hands. Writer and metalsmith, Gabriel Craig wrote a wonderful article on the Foreclosure Quilts.

Living in Detroit, Craig has seen what foreclosure can do to a city. His perspective comes through in his writing about the quilts. I couldn't have hoped for a better interview.

This June, the quilts will be on display at Gallery Nord in San Antonio, Texas in conjunction with the Surface Design Conference, Interface. I'll be at the conference this year so if you'd like to meet up, send me an email at kathryn(at)kathrynclark(dot)com. I look forward to meeting some of you in person!

Artist : Dana Barnes

Dana Barnes is already well known and respected as a fashion designer but her new line of felted objects is clearly her best yet. Barnes recently unveiled her Souled Objects line in a show entitled  Unspun at Ralph Pucci International, Gallery Nine, in late 2012.

 I had been hearing rumors and seeing little 'coming soon' images of her work for months. Yet, every time I hit the website, there was no data. At some point I gave up looking, so despondent.

And then, there it was, one day while reading my friend Lari's blog, images. Finally, images.

The work is gorgeous. Fat, knubby, natural fibers that twist and turn and lie beautifully on the floor. She clearly has a love of felt and natural fibers.

What really surprised me, though, was the story behind their creation. She made these felted pieces as a solution to complaints from downstairs neighbors about her daughters' loud footsteps on the wood floors.

What a gem of a solution for everyone, especially the kids. Can you imagine growing up with that? How cool they must think their mom is. If only mine thought the same.

You can see her pieces at her website, Souled Objects. Pour yourself a cup of tea before you sit down as it's a bit of a slow stroll through the work (I'm guessing that was on purpose). Read a wonderful article about the work in the New York Times here.

Current and Upcoming Shows

I feel as if I jumped into January headfirst this year. I knew I was going to be busy but had no idea just how much. While I've been busy in the studios, my work has been hanging quietly in galleries in the Bay area. Just a few days left to see my Riverside Foreclosure Quilt at the ProArts Gallery in Oakland as part of Naomi Beckwith's Dis/Order exhibition. The show ends this Friday, the 11th.

Riverside Foreclosure Quilt, 2012.

Opening this Friday, the 11th, my Cape Coral Foreclosure Quilt will be on display in a group show entitled Out of the Blue at Gallery Route One in Point Reyes Station, CA. Ruth Braunstein curated the show, she's one the grand dames of the San Francisco art world who has since retired but still gives a lot of passion to local artists. I'm honored that one of my quilts was chosen by her. It's also a full circle for me and my textile work as this was the first gallery to exhibit my Idiom Series. 

Cape Coral Foreclosure Quilt, 2011.

Out of the Blue runs from January 11th through February 3rd. The artists' reception will be this Sunday from 3-5. Click here for more information about the gallery.

Artist : Sergej Jensen revisited

I shared Danish artist, Sergej Jensen's work with you back in 2011. Coincidentally, last week, Joey Piziali, yet again mentioned I check out his new work at Anton Kern Gallery in New York. Oh my.

Untitled, 2011. 102" x 82" by Sergej Jensen. Image courtesy Anton Kern Gallery

Sergej continues his investigation into canvas. Literally, I mean the canvas. It's so funny how it takes just a gesture to remind you that a stretched canvas is really a work of fiber art. New directions are still to be had in painting.

Untitled, 2011. 114 3/16" x 94 1/2" by Sergej Jensen. Image courtesy Anton Kern Gallery

Jensen's new work includes some paint but displayed in an unusual way that once again reinforces the fact that you are looking at textiles, not just a painting. He found he liked the backside of the painting because of the way the paint seeped through randomly, without his control. He celebrates the surprise result by stretching the canvas backwards onto the frame.

Bat Girl Uschi, 2011. 47 1/4" x 59 1/16" by Sergej Jensen. Image courtesy Anton Kern Gallery

He has some more painterly pieces as well and a bit of wit. I wish I knew the story behind this one. My daughter is going through a Garfield addiction, she loves this one. I'd also love to know why the dimensions given are soooo exact, down to the 16th.

Untitled, 2011. 65" x 859 1/16" by Sergej Jensen. Image courtesy Anton Kern Gallery

And there's a little video of his latest show at Anton Kern, actually a lengthy one, eight minutes long, but worth watching. This is a chance to see the scale of these pieces, they are quite large, and some of the details up close (I wish he would have paused for more than a second on some of the details). It's the closest thing to being at the opening. I wish I were there.

And after doing a little digging, I found there's a monograph available now. Uh oh, looks like I need to squeeze two more inches on my studio library shelves. That's going to be a challenge. See more of his work at Anton Kern Gallery here.

work table and a big thank you

I closed up the studio for the rest of 2012 on Friday. It feels weird to walk away from my studio for a week at a time, especially this week. I have a million projects flowing at the same time and I know that starting in January, things are going to be quite hectic. Here are a few shots of it as I walked through at the end of the week.

Planning new quilts and new pottery in 2013.

This past year has been an amazing one. So many friendships have flourished. My quilts traveled more than I did across the US. I took a giant leap of faith and jumped into a new series and a new medium. And you, readers, have been the most amazing of all. Being supportive, questioning ideas, and telling me your own stories. I love that the most about the internet. I can't believe how many wonderful friends I've made online and in person because of it. So a huge thank you to all of you.

I set up a separate sewing room this year. In the foreground is one of Doug Johnston's
imited edition bowls with a Skinny LaMinx tea towel covering my machine.

And now, next year. Yes, I love thinking ahead of the game. Do you have any big plans for next year? I'm busy this week developing long term plans. Something I do every five years or so. My problem is I have a hard time stepping away from particular series and seeing the broader picture. And then there's that pile of projects to tackle as soon as January hits.

Inspiration for the new pottery came from a list I made in 2010 when working on my Idiom series.

Writing this article for Handful of Salt about eating designer Marije Vogelzang reminded me to think beyond my comfort zone. Be sure to watch the video at the end of the article. It's worth every second. Is there an artist you look to for inspiration?

Sierra Leone floor installation underway.

Please share your goals, both short and long term, and let's help each other to keep them! I do hope you plan to push yourselves next year and really take some risks. That's what making art is all about, yes?

Artist : Tracy Potts

Recently, I received a lovely email from artist Tracy Potts. I immediately recognized her name from following her on Flikr over the years, and always loving her art. It had been awhile since I had been on Flikr so I was blown away by the images of her new work that I'd somehow missed.

Something Told Me It Was Over, 2012.
Mixed media on canvas, 94 cm x 64 cm.

Tracy was so kind to tell me my work and the blog had inspired her. By seeing other people use craft in their work, she gained the confidence to jump in and explore the medium. She clearly nails it, don't you think? Yes ...

I Want to Be Your Everything, 2012.
Mixed media on canvas, 94 cm x 64 cm.

Her work is intensely personal and highly charged. I think it's that rare ability to incorporate craft with painting that works so well here.

74 Brilliant Suggestions, 2012.
Mixed media on canvas, 94 cm x 64 cm.

And also that subtle hint, just a hint, of representational that grounds the highly charged crochet, knitting and sewing that she overlays onto canvas.

The Soft Wall, 2012.
Mixed media on canvas, 94 cm x 64 cm.

Her email couldn't have come at a better time. You know how all of us artists go through those highs and lows in our work. I was at a dull thud that week, feeling a little helpless and wishing I could do more for artists to share their work. Thinking about reaching out more: curating, writing more articles, pushing craft further into the mainstream art world.

I Am Your Exotic Bird, 2012.
Mixed media on canvas, 147 cm x 128 cm.

Well, this work truly would fit into the gallery scene and it does. She is represented by a wonderful gallery in Australia, Anita Traverso Gallery, in Melbourne. Her work inspires me and I hope it does you too.

INTERWOVEN :: make : thread : craft : art

Sometimes something happens on the internet that makes you so happy it exists. My friends Lisa Solomon and Katrina Rodabaugh will offer a textile based online class this spring called INTERWOVEN :: make : thread : craft : art.

I can think of no better teachers than Lisa and Katrina. Lisa has years of experience teaching at university and is one of the most talented stitchers I know, not to mention she has a fantastic book, Knot Thread Stitch, that is a must for anyone's craft library.

Lisa hiding

Katrina is a sewing extraordinaire with years of crafting under her belt (I mean that literally as she makes her own clothing among a million other things she creates).

Katrina in her studio

The class covers four techniques over four weeks: crochet, soft sculpture, embroidery and mini quilting. They've pretty much got you covered on all fiber related art and craft. The class is geared for novices as well as experienced crafters and artists. Each project features step by step tutorials, examples and ideas for further exploration. They will also feature interviews with professional artists who use the technique being studied (guess who's being interviewed for quilting!)

The class runs from February 4th through March 8th. There's a discount if you sign up before December 15th so head over to the INTERWOVEN website for lots more details and a wonderful video. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Work table : Land grab series

It's been too long since I wrote a work table post. I've been dividing my time between a clay studio and my main studio, so lots of things are packed up daily and moved around. I've also spent a lot of time on the computer (which I keep far away from my studio) pouring over satellite images and reading rather dry texts on land development. But I've also been sketching, so here's a peek at my work table this week.

The series is really starting to come together and I finally feel like I have some worthwhile progress to share. I have narrowed down the series to twelve countries where land grabbing is prevalent, each with a completely different story to tell. The choice of medium should be obvious: broken plates, broken food system. You've likely seen the floor installations progressing, with two down and ten more to go. The design evolves as I create them, you must make to learn. I just had an epiphany while working on Sierra Leone today. This is Brazil below.

Brazil, Land Grab Series, 2012. Broken plates 6'x 7'.

But I'm also developing a wall installation. I have no idea yet if these will go together with the floor pieces in one show, we shall see. I have always loved the weirdness of decorative plates on a wall, like this.

I never quite saw the point and always found it amusing. But, here I go, taking this idea and making it work for this series. I'm developing a series of plates that can be used but are displayed in the gallery or home as a wall hanging. The plates are in the shape of actual farmland in the countries I've chosen and are grouped exactly as they exist on land. I will provide GPS coordinates on each piece so the owner can look up the numbers and see the farm from satellite.

Plates in progress of farms in Brazil.

Each country has vastly different terrain and the crops are varied so each series of plates will look quite different. These are soy farms that will likely be handed over for cattle ranching in the near future. The way they will be glazed is an entire post alone, which I'll share with you in January.

Plates in progress of farms in Brazil.

What I love about these pieces is they are similar to the foreclosure quilts. Different subject matter but same translation of maps onto utilitarian objects. And, so far, I seem to be having a similar response from everyone about the series. People relate to the story. It seems to touch everyone, not just art lovers and gallery goers. I just read a great quote from eating designer, Marije Vogelzang, "Every day that you eat, you are deciding what the world looks like." And you do. Look down at the food you eat during your next meal. Do you know where it came from?

Upcoming Show : Selections by Naomi Beckwith at Pro Arts Gallery

This is coming up fast so for those of you in the Bay Area, I hope you can squeeze it into your already crazy holiday calendar! My Riverside Foreclosure Quilt was chosen to be in Selections by Naomi Beckwith at Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland, CA.

It is such an honor to have my work chosen by Ms. Beckwith, Curator at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. As soon as I know the other artists chosen, I'll update this post with links to their websites.

Riverside Foreclosure Quilt, 2012. 34" x 46"

The exhibition opens this Friday, December 7th with an Artists' Reception from 6-8 pm.  I will be there! The exhibit runs through January 11th. There will be an Artists' Talk on Friday, January 4th at 6:30 which I plan on attending as well. For more information on Pro Arts Gallery and the exhibit, see their website. They should be updating it with more info in the next few days so stay tuned. I hope to see some of you at the opening this Friday!

100 Acts of Sewing by Sonya Philip

I've got a new article up over at Handful of Salt on Sonya Philip's 100 Acts of Sewing. She set out to sew 100 dresses in the span of one year. Hop over to read the reason why. It's a good one.

Dresses 75 and 91 by Sonya Philip.

I was able to meet Sonya and see the dresses in person last Friday. We had a lot in common, especially the fundamental inspiration behind our artwork. Her art addresses the crazy consumption trap we've all fallen into, although hers is around clothing and mine is around food. And those dresses were stunning. All of them beautifully crafted with care and feeling.

Dress 80 by Sonya Philip.

The best part about the meeting was talking about what's next, how does one transition to the next series? I walked away inspired in my own work as well as eager to sew more of my own clothes. Check out the article here and see Sonya's dresses here. And don't forget to check out her website showing her other artwork.