Let the Show Go On!

What a week! I put the finishing touches on three pieces for my upcoming show with Cathy. We hang it tomorrow! Today was the day to photograph all the new pieces, for both show entries and my website. First I had to move half a room to get to my photography wall, set up the tripod and remember where I put that little gadget that screws into the camera to connect it to the tripod. Then I had to set up the photography lights, find the extension cord, photograph some of the pieces on a white background and some on a black background (for my website). Then I realized one of my dowels was too long so I had to recut it. In the midst of all that I found a cat "accident" I had to clean up. How much easier it would be to be able to leave all this to a professional photographer, but then I'd actually have to get things finished well ahead of schedule wouldn't I?

So here is Red Stool, all finished. You can see a larger photograph on the home page of my website, which I updated today.

Let's just say that Red Stool stretched me and caused me anxiety. I flew by the seat of my pants the entire time I was creating it. In the end I decided to let the legs dangle and the top have an irregular edge. I had a moment of panic when it was all finished and I discovered that the top edge flops. Momentarily I thought that maybe this is a good thing? I mentioned it to my friend Deb, who is also a quilt artist, and was delighted and relieved when she felt the same way! The two upper leaves on the left side flop down a bit, kind of mirroring the dangling legs.

Here is "Curtain Call". This piece was made to replace "Exhale", the piece I sold this summer at the Haliburton faculty show. The piece that sold was supposed to be my entry to the SAQA Synthesis show, but since it sold I had to make another. The submission deadline is September 30, so this piece will hang in my show with Cathy until I need it for the Synthesis show (if I do). It is inspired by the same end-of-season Hosta leaf, but a slightly different composition. I think I prefer this composition and the fact that it seems to have more light. You can visit my website to view "Curtain Call" and "Exhale" (the piece that sold) side by side. This one isn't mounted on canvas or framed, but I do have a canvas waiting to mount it on in case I still decide to do that tonight.

"Curtain Call" and "Exhale" were both inspired by this photo of a hosta leaf that I took in Vermont in 2009.

I think I can still see even more inspiration in this photo.

Speaking of Vermont, one of the good things about living in Ottawa is that a trip to Vermont takes only four hours by car. In the last three years I have visited four times, all of them in autumn. I am, however, really nervous about going again. On the first of these trips I tripped and hit my head on my car door (a dent on the door is still visible). There was a lot of blood and paramedics tended to me! On the second visit (in which the above photo was taken) a mouse moved into the glove compartment of my car and travelled all the way back home to Ottawa with us. On the third I forgot my medication at home, and on the fourth (which was a teaching trip) I came down with positional vertigo that lasted two months. I still love Vermont but Italy has treated me better!

Finally, in preparation for my upcoming show, I mounted my triptych "Crotons" on one inch deep canvases. The quilts are flush to the edge, but the sides of the canvas have been painted green.

You may recall that I painted this piece with thickened dyes last year while I was teaching my Dye Happy class. I need all the new work I can summon for this show.

Tomorrow we hang the show, but tonight I still need to decide: mount/frame "Curtain Call" or not?