Monday, May 27, 2013

Void and Matter have to be in Balance

Giuliana Salmaso co-founded1+1=1 in 2002 with Claudio Silvestrin
Bombarded by loud images, we want to refocus and bring back
the attention to the human being with the purpose of awakening a dormant sensibility.


At urban and architectural scale, we propose eco-sceneries with calm an rarefied atmosphere.

Claudio Silvestrin is Swiss born architect in San Francisco, USA.
He is considered one the contemporary masters of minimalism.

In this video, he says, "if you enter in a space like this with a busy mind, all of a sudden, the busyness slowly goes"


I say the same thing about why I stitch. It is to calm my mind. 




In Residence: Claudio Silvestrin on Nowness.com




"Calm spaces gives you this feeling of lightness and therefore you don't have the pressure of time. You don't look your watch. You feel like you're on a bubble."



My thoughts are this:

How is it that a completely minimal space such as the physical structures Claudio and Guiliana create and a heavily-stitched piece (as in my work)  evoke the same calming effect for me?

What calms your mind?
How do you balance yourself?
Making bread
Stitching
Walking
Eating 
Running
Sleeping
Daydreaming
Reading
Staring out a window
Meditation
Yoga
Nothing


I wonder what you think about how you calm yourself.

Feel free to share with me. 

C



Saturday, May 25, 2013

wool and silk love and a Coupon

85% Wool, 15% Silk Broadcloth
Available now online at Hank and Spool
Use Coupon Code
Memorial10

On Broadcloth orders only 
between now - May 25, 2013 and midnight, May 27, 2013

Go here to place order

I am grateful for how 2013 is an improvement over last year.

At this same time last year, my mom was in the last stage of her life;
I was frantically making artwork to be able to apply for grants;
I was also shoring-up details for India Flint's workshops in Cleveland.

All events passed and each was as one could hope for.
Mom went surrounded in love
I won 2 grants
India was here and it was magical
and
YOU
I met many new people and got to look into the eyes 
of each of the participants who attended the 4 workshops India taught.
I got to feed you 
and feel your energy.

thank you for watching, sharing, listening and responding and sending LOVE.

I am offering a Coupon for this Memorial Day Weekend in the USA.

xo
C





Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Blog moving soon

Heads up


I am going to move my blog 
to be connected with my website


Not yet, but in a few days

Meanwhile

I have just listed some fine wool gauze scarves 

only 6 available

2 sizes

Light and airy

Will take dye like a dream





My garden is on the move too!
this hosta loves its new home

and big grass is moved now too!

I brought this up from my Georges family home in southern ohio
My nephew Ken
had to yank it out using a rope and dragging it with his truck.


Monday, May 20, 2013

still


Still stitching on a black transparent blouse.
That rock is from my trip to Lake Superior last year

Slowly knitting this

The video shoot went well. 
The two videographers were calm and fellow artists themselves.
Ben and Paul asked really good questions
 and put me at ease 
and I hope I was able to be myself.
Did fumble a bit at odd moments, esp. when my mind 
interjected thoughts like "OMG, you are on camera, what are you saying??"

Still did not like my hair I decided to go natural and wild (i.e. no flatting hair dryer)
and minimized my look
 by wearing a grey Alabama Chanin organic cotton jersey 
pull over thingy (purchased at discount during their Mother's Day sale)
over a black shirt and skirt with very cool earrings made by Deborah Rosen
                  


And feeling happy for Hank and Spool shop 
Wish my mama could be here to be involved. She would be pleased.

I will be adding fine wool scarves, silk broadcloth, and other goodies later this week.



Thursday, May 16, 2013

Large Silk/Cotton Hanks

Detail, side view of large Hank. photo on top of one of my hand-stitched pieces

I have had a lovely response to Hank and Spool. 
Half of my spool inventory has been sold!
A warm and gracious thank you for your purchases


Large Hanks of 70% Silk/30% Cotton are now available at Hank and Spool
Limited Quantity
on 10 in stock
getting more soon!

This is the same thread I use in my hand-stitched works



Sample of how this thread looks on black linen
my stitching on black shirt 





Monday, May 13, 2013

Setting Up


is shooting a
 professional video of me in my studio.
Perk of being a 2013 fellow.
gulp.
Tomorrow 10 am.

Setting up this evening for tomorrow's events.
Regret my short hair cut...









P.S. Silk Broadcloth soon to be available in my little shop.
It is heaven and takes eco-dye like a dream. More later.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Christy Gray Echoes of Important Things

Huge Happy Congratulations to my friend, 

for the Award of Excellence 
At

echoes of important things
17.5″ x 45″
©2013 christy gray


Christy has a deep concern for the earth and the 
invasive and unhealthy land-use practices employed today.

She sheds light on the changes in contemporary farm landscapes including but not limited to oil drilling, chemical runoff from fertilizers and the unabashed abuse of our natural resources. 

Christy was raised in a farming community south of Cleveland. Her imagery supports her quest. At first glance, one might think that her work is vibrant and fresh, upon closer inspection, the viewer comes to realize her underlying message.

Congratulations Christy! Keep making more work.

p.s.  some of you might have met Christy if you were in Cleveland on Oct. 8-9 for the India Flint Eco-Dye class.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Hank and Spool Open and Tweeting

My sewing hands, Spool of thread
photo Kelly McKaig, photo C. Mauersberger


Hank and Spool  has received a steady flow of orders this week
I am a bit struck by this activity.
And feel gratitude.

Have started a twitter feed.

If you use Twitter and would like to follow
Terrific! I will follow you back


Onion skins, iron, and Natural color (left to right)

The silk/cotton thread dyes beautifully.

Pre-cut Hank
If any of you have attended one of India Flint's 
delicious workshop classes, you may have been 
given a few strands of this most-loved thread.

If you attended the Shapeshifter Class in Cleveland, you
will recall I had about 15 of these small pre-cut hanks
for sale.

Now I have more.

See here


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Stitching a Weekend

My hands photo by Kelly McKaig
Across state lines and bunked in the dearest small cottage 
Kelly, Lotta and I stitched, dyed, cooked, relaxed and it was

All good.

Lotta 
Kelly


Lotta, dandelion on the silk/cotton thread purchased from my
little shop here
 
My bundles

My bundles, opened


Silk Broadcloth, onions


Stop by my shop if you would like to
order a spool of my favorite thread.

70% Silk/30% Cotton
sold to you from Beautiful Silks via












Friday, May 3, 2013

Weekend

Off to meet up with Kelly McKaig and Lotta Helleberg
for a long weekend of stitching, eco-dyeing, cooking food and communion. 

See you next week!

check out my new website HERE

Let me know what you think.
Still adding some data and assets.

Haza!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Spools

Yesterday, I posted that Beth will receive 
a spool of silk/cotton thread

Here is what I placed in her package


Spools of this thread will be sold in my shop:

500 yard spool of 70% Silk/30% Cotton 
4 Ply

$11.00 per spool
plus shipping 

Available May 7, 2013

Preview my website here
I am still tweaking the site