Author: arlee

I am a Canadian textile artist in Calgary, Alberta. As textile artists, we connect and are connected to communities larger than our Selves, or our immediate environs. We encapsulate culture, technique, history and innovation every time we touch cloth.
Posted in Contextural Fibre Arts Co-operative, Moons

juice moon 1 done

Posted on by arlee

I may go blind doing these 🙂 , but a sale is a sale! And if i don’t have enough for the Contextural Christmas Artisan day to justify the fees, there won’t be any point being there…..

juice-moon-1

At the same time though, the ideas are flowing freely, as i jot down copious notes about these and the technique/colourways for future work, so WTH, go with it. After Nov 19th, i can go back to the winged figure, and develop new work for next year.

I’m also working on another “rabbit moon” (different pose than the first), and thinking about some moon “miniatures” too. I knew i bought those silly little 4×4 canvases for some reason!

Posted in Contextural Fibre Arts Co-operative, Moons

*this* is why i’m all “moony” right now

Posted on by arlee

original_3a6ff7contextural_sale_-_business_card_sizeOriginally, i wasn’t going to participate, as i don’t “do” “Christmas”—in product or at home as a “celebration”, but at the last Contextural meeting, was persuaded it might be to my benefit. No scarves, cushions or bags from me, as other members of the group have that amply covered (and no, that ain’t a kvetch, it’s what they do, for *their* bread and butter), but lots (i hope) of moons in various sizes, flavours and permutations.

So far, i have five….. I’m hoping for at least ten (hoofies crossed). Considering how many of these i have done this year, you’d think this is all i’m interested in, or capable of, but WTH, you do what sells. I had not planned on this being a Year of Moons!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this too:

The Weight She Carries, 2014, hand embroidery, natural and synthetic dyes, rust, 24x40"
The Weight She Carries, 2014, hand embroidery, natural and synthetic dyes, rust, 24×40″

Perhaps some collector will fall in love. (Have to find an easel though for display: our venue allows nothing on the walls.)

See you there????

Posted in embrilting, in progress, Moons

still juicing

Posted on by arlee

I’d have had more done by now, but yesterday i was elsewhere, and though i had brought this with me, the minute i opened the bag, the needle flew out and was lost! And since when have i ever poked only ONE needle in for use???? Only yesterday………..

Fortunately, we are working our way through Deadwood, and my brain and fingers can separate to get something done 🙂

juice-1

juice-2

By the end of day i should have enough components for three moons, with interesting bits left for other projects.

 

And for the record, though Deadwood is dirty and grit laden, with horrendous behaviours and the lowest of criminal intent, it has much historical basis, incredibly well developed characters, and the language, oh the language is so wonderfully Shakespearean! (Some of it will go right over the heads of most, but i know you intelligent readers will understand 🙂 )

 

Posted in Contextural Fibre Arts Co-operative, Moons

stash busting moons

Posted on by arlee

I had started a moon that is predominantly potassium permanganate dyed, but it felt forced, so that’s by the wayside. It’s hard to not repeat oneself sometimes, though it’s great for sampling ideas!

BUT.

cbThese have been sitting around since January 2012! I’ve been going through my stash of unfinished work, wondering what to get rid of, what to cannabalize and wondering why i did some of it 🙂 All hand dyed with “OTC” dyes (Rit and/or Dylon and/or Tintex), they have a lovely tactile quality already, being either “harem” cloth or cheesecloth, and a fair amount of machine done free motion.

I’ve always loved these pieces, but wasn’t sure where to take them beyond “add some hand stitch” scribbled on the back of one. Since i am currently working on a moon series specifically for an upcoming artisan sale with Contextural, what the hell? USE ‘EM! Maybe i can sneak in that hand work with the Skeevey Brights as well……

I won’t be cutting up *all* of my old unfinished work, but let’s just say, plans are afoot for other pieces that do not involve moons!

 

Posted in Jam Day, Moons

chasing rabbits

Posted on by arlee

One of those “OMG Where’s my camera???” moments the other day: Greyman and i were coming home from the grocery run and as we passed one of the fields by the distillery, i saw three sets of long white ears with black tips, peeking above the grass like auricular scopes–RABBITS. Jack rabbits [White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)] abound here (you should forgive the obvious pun), and often Nessie, the DogFaced Girl, winds up coil tight for a chase and has to sit abruptly when she is told to “WAIT”. (She’s not allowed to chase rabbits, deer, squirrels, cats, birds or cows.)

What more perfect for another moon series then? (Happily, all five of the “Leighton: Suite Blue” have gone to good homes!) Going through my stash turned up several small canvases, so the next little while will be spent on them. These new ones will be 8×10, in either a landscape or portrait orientation, depending on the rabbit that models.

This particular one was a bit picky to fit together, as i ‘d had to work around Cosmo, who was *not* going to give up the stoodio worktable! I have to completely re-work the right side of the moon as it turned out too large and more than a little wonky. Layouts with a pissed off kitty in the way are not the way to work, but my soft heart wouldn’t let me move him!

rabbit-moon-oct-10

I just adore this little guy, done on ecoprinted, rusted and potassium permanganate dyed cotton! I’m not sure though if this should be “Rocky Mountain Rabbit Moon” or “Rocky Mountain Moon Rabbit”!

He also reminds me of this one deer, from December 2013:

solstice-deer

deer

Which reminds me, i think i have two more of these deer all laid out ready to put together……..I’d like to do a bit of a menagerie i think! I haven’t done any ecoprinting in a long while, so am low on those components, but on a nice long snowy walk with Nessie today, around Pearce Estate Park, i collected osier, red currant and goldenrod leaves.

 

 

Posted in Indigo Dreams, Jam Day, Moons

lost on a moon

Posted on by arlee

moon-oct-4Only a little more to do, including adding that flash of gold from rhubarb root dyed thread. These silks glow on the indigo cotton, and my flower loving side (i *am* in the business after all 🙂 ) is very happy with the prettiness. I say “lost” too, as in i am quite taken with the look and the progress, though i can’t wait to start on the middle sections!

It being the week leading to Canadian Thanksgiving, i shall have to snatch five minutes at a time when and where i can, so into my purse it goes. We’re also expecting snow, so i’m not sure how much stitch will be added on bus and train benches!