addictive bookworms...

Are you ready to forget everything that has to be done in your home, at work or with your friends and family? Are you ready to be completly immersed in a book with no ability to escape it??? Are you sure... Well then you really should try these books by Stephanie Meyer. I have read the first three in a month and am on number 4 right now. I think they must put drugs in the binding.

stitching away

School finished two weeks ago, and work went right into full swing for the holidays... In the midst of everything I recieved my Praxis (art content knowledge) scores and am happy to say... I PASSED!!!! I have been busy making this quilt for christmas. It is a gift for my mother, that never reads this blog... so hopefully she will not decide to start now. I used the simple rolls of pre-cut strips due to the time I had to make it. It is the first "traditional" quilt that I have made. Which means that without fail there are things that will be done differently the next time that I make one. I am pleased with the design of the overall quilt, it was not made from a pattern just an idea that I had. I think that if I followed other people's instuctions this would have gone smoother. However I am me, and I learn by doing and doing it MY way. Which means a few seams had to be sewn and unraveled. In the end it was a great learning experience and a fun project. I hope that she loves it.

folio fun

I finally tore myself away from the vampire books to make this folio. For the past two weeks I have been making photograms in my photography class. It has not been an easy semester for me in that class, because I am not good at being told what to photograph or how to do it... However I have really enjoyed the photograms and I wanted to present them in an attractive way. The images that I choose to put in the folio represent different aspects of what the past used to look like. They are meant to evoke a sense of nostalgia in the viewer of a different time and place. I think that the folio turned out lovely, and is a clean simple way of presenting the images. I must admit it feels great to make something after a semester of dryness.

bookworkms

I held off for a long time, from reading this book. I am not usually interested in reading things that everyone else and their mother for that matter are reading. However I decided to pick it up, and low and behold... I am ADDICTED! I finished the first in the series in a few days and am well into the second book. I can see the appeal that so many are attracted to, not to mention it is light and fast to read. I also went to watch the movie last night. It was good, not as good as the book (not surprising). But definetly worth watching. If you are looking for something new to read check it out. Twilight by Stephanie Meyers.

the crisp in the air

The branches are almost completly bare and ready for the winter. The air is crisp and cold. And there is an extra blanket on my bed. It means that fall is definetly here, almost past, and winter is soon to come. This year the time has flown by. Between teaching in schools, working full time and trying to get my personal life together. Time has passed right by me. There has been too long of a gap in the making inside of my studio, which is sad. The time has finally come though where I can not take it anymore and must stich something or in some way shape or form touch textiles. The projects I make for school are fun but they do not fulfill my craving for textiles. I have a few things planned out and I hope that in the comming weeks I will be able to post some more intersting photos of things I MAKE!
For all of you that read this blog or stumble upon it, I appreciate your time, and promise that soon something better will be posted. Hope that all is well and that everyone has a great thanksgiving and enjoys the crisp cool air, that begs for hot tea and a blanket. -Ana

a study in a sewing box

This past semester I have been battling with photography class, which is ironic because I usually love taking pictures of things. This week I finally found something I LOVE in photography... I guess it is true, in art I can always find the brighter side. These are photograms, basically they are made in the dark room on light sensitive paper. They are a black and white, traditional, photo technique. It was hard to get used to working under the red lights, but once I was into it the time flew. Now that I know the right exposure time for lace, I am going to crank some of these out. I might assemble a book to catalogue my collection of lace. I find the simplicity of the black and the white so beautiful when looking at all the shapes on it. These are a few of the ones I made today.

interesting artist

Elsa Mora's papercuts are so intricut and beautifully made that it is hard to believe they are made from paper. Check out her new blog at http://elsita.typepad.com/allaboutpapercutting/

"When nothing is certain, anything is possible" -drabble

thoughts

I am not usually a follower of horoscopes, however this morning while checking my e-mail this one popped up for me and I take it as a sign.

"You are eager to take a risk for happiness now and could use these days to push through your own resistance to change. Even if you aren't one hundred percent certain, you know that forward movement is better than trying to return to the past. You probably should still move ahead, even if your friends tell you to be cautious. Take a deep breath and then trust your intuition to know which path to choose."

Risks for happiness can be scary. Really taking the time to learn what that means... Happiness. And then there is the all time scary.... change. It can be the best thing or the scariest thing, but in the end it is the most inevitable thing. So I am taking strides to change and find that happiness and using my intuition as my guide.

photo class

The past few weeks I have found out that photography is NOT my strong suit. However this week I took some that I was happy with, thought I would share.

"We want more than a mere photograph of nature. We do not want to paint pretty pictures to be hung on drawing room walls. We want to create, or at least lay the foundations of, an art that gives something to humanity. An art that arrests and engages. As art created of one's innermost heart." -Edvard Munch

things of interest...

As an artist it is always a battle with time to make and do and have a life somewhere inbetween it all. The past few months have been an adjustment for me, going back to school, taking a studio that I am not perticularly good at, and inbetween all that and work, having fun. As fall begins to roll around, I have begun to think about bedding again, and why I have the desire to make bedding. Not to function on a bed, but as instalation work, as a reference to something bigger. I have to ponder this more, start making and I know the work will flow... one of these days I know it will come. I have been fighting with myself over a photography class that I am in this semester. It is one of only 2 studio classes that I put off my first time through college, and I know it is because it is not my best. Is it that I don't like enough as a medium or because I do not think that way? I can't decide but I just want to be done with it.

Yesterday I was lucky to be invited to an artist talk at VCU for Kate Kretz. She is a textile artist as well as a painter. She has worked with many materials, and consistently experiments with new ones. I was really interested in her strength as a woman artist and her self-exploration through her work. It spoke to me, often (almost ALWAYS) my own work is a self-exploration. Its scary how much of oneself can be put out to the world through ones artwork.


"Indivisuation dress" My favorite pshycological clothing piece that she showed us, and spoke about. Made me think of keeping it whole, while falling apart. (A consistent theme of my own work)


"Promise" drawing


embroidery with hair "dream" These are so maticulous that I fell in love with them!

If you want to look at her work, resumee and blog here are the sites:
www.katekretz.com and www.katekretz.blogspot.com

Hope everyone is well. I will try to post more often. Hopefully soon I will have some things that I have been making to show in addition to my venting!

september

September aproached like a fast moving wind, and it has not stopped since. For the past month I have been busy getting back into the swing of things with school, and work and my personal life. Sometimes finding that balance is a challenge, but once everything is in place the world moves at the right speed again.



This past weekend I headed back down to Nags Head with Amanda. It was beautiful, and calm. With children back in school the beach was quiet and relaxing. We saw man-rays which jump out of the water!!!! SO cool! And encountered some creepy crawly things when we stumbled upon a cottonmouth snake eating an eel- that was still alive!!! gross and cool all at once. After this weekend I think that I am ready to jump head on into the lesson plans and everything else that I must do this semester.

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a rainy walk on the sound

antique-ing in the OBX

Last week I went down to the OBX for a few days. It was lovely to escape to the ocean for a few days. While I was down there I went to a few antique shops with my family and I found some great things. The hats above were in a room in one of the stores, stocked from ceiling to floor. I thought they were beautifully composed.



I got this 1930's baby quilt at one of the stores, it is in great shape, the fabric is so soft it feels like soft cream. The colors are not fading which means that someone took care to keep it out of direct light. This is the kind of find that makes me excited!



All the pretty fabrics sewn in a crazy quilt motif.



The fabric on the back, sweet blue flowers on a creamy white background, so pretty and delicate.

It's finished!

"10,000 Stiches to Understanding"

After a year and two months this circle quilt is finished. I have sent my entry form into a quilt contest and will see what happens. I have decided that even if it does not get into this show I will not be upset, because it is the first thing I have sent into a show in a long time, and that is just as important to me. The artist statement that I wrote for this quilt entry is as follows:

This quilt is inspired by traditional "women's work." The history of quilting dates back hundreds of years in this country,
and with it comes a history of women sitting around stiching. Sometimes waiting for a loved one, other times waiting for a
wedding, a birth or a trip, etc. Women used the stiches as a way to pass moments until the next thing
in their life happened. With that in mind, I created "10,000 Stiches to Understanding", with the only tools to assist me
being a rotary cutter, circle templates, a needle and thread. My hand in the work is important and relates back
to the notion of "women's work". I worked on the quilt for a year, at a time that was full of change, and decision making.
With each stich I thought about life, the people in it and my goals. Now with its completion, I see that I am at a peaceful
place full of understanding about myself and my dreams. As in all of my work, this quilt is made with the past in mind
but looking at the future, while standing in the present.




I can't believe that it is finished, I am ready to start the next intoxicating project...

paper-maids

Every year it is a challenge to make a birthday card for one of the most creative people I know. One that is new and that I have not made before, and of course it has to rivel the ones she makes me, my friend Meri. This year, I decided that I wanted to do something with mermaids, since she loves them! I ended up making a mermaid paper doll chain. The initial idea involved adding decorative details to the mermaids and making them very intricute, however once they were completly cut out of paper I loved their silhouettes by themselves.





The other day I went out on the Potomac river with my family, we went to see the new National Harbour, in Washington DC. It was a nice evening out on the boat, and I could not help but share this picture of the eagle's nest next to the marina. If you look closely you can see the eagle mom in there. How cool is this HUGE nest! Wish I could have one to take home.

where is ana?

Where is Ana?? Looking at Mayan ruins..? Sitting on the beach with a book and a limeade? Touring the Mediterranian in a smart car with only the horizon as the guide? NO NO NO silly... Ana is working and finishing the quilt that has taken over her life!! I just wanted to drop by and tell anyone that may read this, that while I wish I was off doing all those things, I have actually been sewing billions of circles together to finish my quilt in time to send it off to be juried for a show. The deadline is approaching and since I do not have a house elf to help me, I have been working vigorously to finish. I will return to more intersting new posts once I am finished with it. There are a lot of projects that I have lined up, once the quilt is done.
At this point I feel as thouh I should call it a "quilt" not a quilt... Because it is so abstact from the traditional. We will see in the end. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

my mothers favorite place

I went to my mothers house last night to see how the renovation was coming along, and I could not help but notice the small but beautiful details in her garden. The stone path that is slowly being covered in vines and plants, looks as if it has always been there, and the lettuce in her vegtable garden. The color of fresh lettuce is the most beautiful green, and tastes delicious as well.

change for a ten.

Finally I sat in front of my sewing machine again. With my favorite nude shades of thread, and a rainy afternoon outside. I was asked to make a piece for a local art organization in honor of their tenth year. It is for ART 180 an organization that brings artists and the community together. They are looking for 1000 artists for this, so if you are interested check out www.art180.org/ten or call 804.233.4180.



The show is called change for a ten. You have to design something the size of a dollar bill and submit it with a ten dollar donation to the organization. The pieces will be sold in october at an opening at the art 180 building on hull street.



This is my piece... "Acceptance without Judgement"

advice

I do not often try to give out advice.... On my own free will anyways. However I am taking a moment on this blog to let anyone that is remotely interested in teaching, anywhere in the United States, to pay attention to the math they teach you between 6th and 9th grade. YOU NEED IT FOR THE PRAXIS. I am taking this test again in the morning and it has been a battle since november with it, so I hope the third time is a charm.
Other than studying I have been working on my quilt so that I may enter it in the competition this summer, and enjoying the lovely weather of summer, along with the casual attitude. I love this time of year when school lets out and there seems to be a calmness in everyone, even the ones that have been out of school for years. I hope to post more interesting things soon. After I kick this exam in the ass! Think good thoughts everyone.

post number 100!

It seems appropriate that in my 100th post I tell you about the progression of my circle, mad hatter, quilt. At this point it is the mad hatter as well because it is making me a little nutty at times. I almost at the top of the bed in one area of the quilt and need to even out the borders to finish it. While working on it the other night, I finally broke down and stopped the randomness of it all. This whole time I have been working mostly on instinct, never labeling the bottom or top, just making. Well it has come to the point where I needed to have a top and a bottom so that I could work on the finishing touches. I am entering this quilt into a contest later this summer which means I need to kick my butt into high gear and finish it! I also noticed that while I still have some circles made to attach to finish this thing, the colors were beginning to not be as random and diverse, so I had to cut more circles which means now I have to make them too. One day this will be finished and it will feel great- can't wait!



I went to see the SEX AND THE CITY movie twice this weekend, with two differnt groups of people. I must say that it was great both times and that I caught differnt things each time. There were some really amazing and beautiful ensembles of clothing. The wedding dresses were simply worth the price of the movie ticket to see on the big screen. I definetly recomend it.

where does the time go.

This month seems to have flown by so quickly, I can't believe there is only one other post for May. Between the end of school, my trip to the OH and work the time has come and gone quickly. Today I had a day off from work, and it was a nice day spent alone. I finished reading the last Harry Potter book, for the second time, and again was thrown into reading page after page. Before I knew it half the day had passed and I was finished. They are a bunch of charcters that I need to go back to every once in a while, for my sanity.
This afternoon I went to the quilt man store, in Ashland, and purchased some of the fabric above. He has a wide selection of the reproduction feedsacks, which is what I was after today. The sweet, soft, colors and the delicate florals of the feedsacks are so beautiful I do not know how to contain my excitement.
Then it was off to the antique store, where I purchased tin goods, something differnt for me. Overall I was really happy with my finds and enjoyed an afternoon with my thoughts.


Last week I made this little address box. It was time for a new address book, and I was having trouble finding something new that suited my needs. So I made my own. I used differnt scraps of paper that I had around and used stickers for the letters. Overall I think it is pretty and useful. I do not have to cross out names and addresses anymore, just throw away the old card and make a new one.





Last week I got to see the movie, P.S I love you, which I expected to be alright but ended up being really sweet and great. It is the second movie that I have seen this month with images of Ireland in it, the first being, Made of honor, (also great!) I think that it might be time to go to Ireland, I think I could be captivated, maybe even enough to buy some sheep, plant some flax and have a textile farm.... Any thoughts?
SEX AND THE CITY movie, this friday don't forget! Hope that everyone gets a chance to go and see it.