Wherever We Go, There We Are

Summer's hot, sunny days are done and fall is especially brilliant as a result. Gone, too, are summer vacations and weekend getaways. Did you take some time away from home? Who were you when you went?

As fiber enthusiasts and artists, we travel with a particular frame of interest and experience. It's who we are. On some level everything we see or pack into our journey is processed through that screen of fiber and texture.  Are those memories and colors subtle or loud in our consciousness? The simple idea that we are what we pay attention to can lead to personal and artistic alchemy. Why not embrace influence and see where it takes us?

I spent a weekend in New York City this summer. Looking back on the trip and seeing how it came together as a fiber journey helped me appreciate and enjoy it beyond my return to MKE.

My short list for the trip: 

• See my son and his gal Esme 
• Walk the High Line
• Catch the Cindy Sherman exhibit at MOMA
• Eat dim sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor
• Visit Habu Fibers' studio and showroom

The High Line is an urban park above street level in Manhattan

It's built on an old railway line

For those cold NYC nights

In Chinatown Since 1920

Entrance to Cindy Sherman's Show at MOMA

Along the way I found and delighted in yarn-bombed statues, appreciated how fibers and colors in Cindy Sherman's photos are as much a part of the characters and caricatures she embodies as she is, and felt a strange mix of serenity and mind-blowing excitement from the beauty and creative potential of the fibers at Habu's studio showroom.

Habu Fibers Showroom

Though I didn't I know it at first, my trip was a fiber journey.

SDA Wisconsin member, maker, teacher and writer Donna Kallner has created a very intentional creativity quest to Ireland this April 19-30, 2013. If you book by Nov. 5, you can save $300! Follow this link: Local Colour trip to find out more.

Metal and Willow on Silk

After Donna Kallner's inspiring demo at our October meeting, Alison Gates and Alicia Engstrom dove right in with silk ... Here are their results!

Right and left: Alicia's experiments with willow tea, nails, screws and wire. Alison created the center one by rolling horse shoe nails up, binding with wire and dousing with vinegar.

Beautiful!!!

Wisconsin SDA meeting October 15, 2011

Professor Alison Gates, Alicia Engstrom, Dr. Heidi Sherman of UW- Green Bay
holding traditional tools used to make flax

Our meeting at UW-Green Bay was very enjoyable AND educational. We had an excellent presentation by Professor Alison Gates, student and Flax Team member Alicia Engstrom, and Dr. Heidi Sherman, an authority on medieval history. The ground-breaking Flax Team hopes to continue their seed-to-cloth flax growing project. The process was chronicled by student Alicia Engstrom whose special interest areas are spinning and weaving fibers.

One of the plots is located on top of a campus building. Its visibility has created a buzz within the campus community that reaches beyond the Art and History Departments. Members of the team have received advice and support from many who are helping keep an eye on their "babies".

The team plans to start a website to document the progress of the project-- stay tuned!

Alicia Engstrom shows flax growth

Artist, teacher, writer and SDA member Donna Kallner presented a willow and tannin printing demo at the meeting. Donna and other members discussed India Flint's presentation at the SDA Conference, and Donna showed how she uses a botanical dye that grows in abundance in Wisconsin. Donna also makes willow charcoal which can be used to make marks on silk. Needless to say, there was a lot of note-taking going on during her demo and her silk samples were gorgeous.

Donna Kallner (l) , Alison Gates (r)

raw materials for willow print process

willow printed silk scarf

By popular request, Donna is blogging about this process at donnakallner.blogspot.com.

We finished up the meeting with show and tell.  Laura Fisher-Bonvallet, weaver and designer of fine art wear, showed samples of her beautiful hand-woven wearables. Laura is a 2-time winner of the esteemed NICHE award and has her studio in Oneida, WI. See more of her work at:  www.LauraFisherBonvallet.com

Laura Fisher-Bonvallet w/ woven jacket

Thank you to all of our presenters and attendees-- it was a meeting full of beautiful art, enthusiasm and inspiration!