Over the last few months I created 3 art quilts. I used the collage method to work intuitively with beautiful upcycled fabrics and a loose idea of a subject. As I worked with each piece the ideas became clear. This is a free style of creativity that keeps me telling myself to trust. This is the second in the series and is called Return of the sun.

 

She's Here

Winter is here. Time to get creative in the studio!

Holiday Blanket Making with Amber and Monya

Snuggle Blankets for Kids

This last couple weeks my girls, Amber and Monya, worked with me to create 16 beautiful Snuggle Blankets. They are 2 sided really cozy and really warm. My grandchildren have been using this same type of blanket for a couple of years and the blankets are testing well.  Amber and I did the construction and tag wording. The logo is a block print that we used for one of the girls baby shower invitations. Monya is the tag designer. Really pleased with how the blankets and the tags turned out. Amber is now taking them to her home and will be selling them locally. She is going to start making them at her place too. We also made a couple of matching bibs and baby cloths. Loved working with my ladies!

Fall 2012

Having a great art filled day did this image in the morning and just finished an art quilt now. I like working as an artist. My work is currently being shown at North Mercato in a couple of show rooms. I am working with a shop called "27 Stitches". When you get to North Mercato there is sign for "27 Stitches" then a new bike shop and just around an inside corner is my sign "Instinctive Art Gallery" that's me. "27" has many of my things on display too, and also the work of almost 30 other local artists. It is a darn sweet shop so if you're looking for some local art, clothing, hair clips, wooden benches and many more really fun items come and take a look at "The Commons" where North Mercato is located. I am also still showing at the "Traverse City Watershed Center" the show will be up about another week. They are open 9-5 during the week and people are welcome to stop by and see the show. All of the work in the show is for sale and it is a fundraiser for the Center. The people at the "Watershed Center" are doing a lot of projects that are Really helping our Grand Traverse Bay. Ok, there it is, I hope some of you read this and maybe go and take a look at what Traverse City area Artist and Crafts persons are up to. Thank you for buying local.

Rocks and Shops

Instinctiveartstudio.comthis is from Van's Beach in Leland almost 6 mths ago. It was really fun going from looking obsessively for stones and looking up and  seeing this sky. One of those really ahhh moments. I spent a lot of time in Leland this winter on the beach looking for pretty rocks and blue stone. I have looked for stones for so long that, I am happy to report that I have finished my first 2 batches of polished stones and am on to the third. They are lovely! I have just been asked to show a lot of my different styles of work at a shop in Leland that is opening July 1st. Gathering, pricing and doing inventory of  art  now but also keeping up with making fresh work on a daily basis. I am also currently showing work in Traverse City at a new shop called 27stitches at the Commons in the new area of the Mercato. It's a sweet little shop/studio run by my friend Robyn. All work has a elements or is made form 100% sustainable materials. There are some really fun items.

TCMQG

Last week was the first meeting of the newly formed "Traverse City Modern Quilt Guild"! We had 16 ladies come and explore the idea of getting involved with this group. Such a diverse group of artists and quilters. After sleeping on the idea of color schemes I woke early the next day and

Looking out the window I saw a beautiful color scheme, the blues of the sky, the crisp white of the fresh snow, dark greens of the pines. When looking at the world and all of the amazing colors it has to offer (even in winter) there are quilt color schemes everywhere. The color difference between a day with sun and one without is astounding. The fresh bright colors of the produce section of the grocery store is another amazing place to do research for a color palette. I love this light turquoise pitcher I have in my kitchen, which makes me imagine a quilt built around that color. So many ways to look at color. We are all constantly touched by colors in our own way. When thinking about our block for next month (colors suggested were tangerine and aqua) I started thinking of the taste and look of a beautiful tangerine and how it smells when you’re holding it, tearing away the peel, all those little juice sprays that pop up, and the beauty of the color. Living here in this area (Great Lakes) we just need to look to the bay for aqua inspiration; yesterday was a good day to look for aqua colors. Not so much today, but keep on the look out, we have had so much sunny weather this winter aqua is sure to come back soon accompanied by a lot of other beautiful blues/turquoise colors. For me the colors are the moving part of the project. Looking foward to our monthly sampler blocks. 

Watershed Photo Contest

Instinctive Art Studio I have been selected to show some of my Photography for the "Watershed Center of Grand Traverse Bay" !!!!!! I'm really excited to have my work in the show and looking forward to seeing the whole show. Which will be work of at least 12 photographers who entered the show with landscape photos of the Grand Traverse Watershed Area. So the pics will be from all over our beautiful area. I'm wondering if... any of the people showing are from other places? I do know that the group is mixed ages. There is going to be a calendar printed with many of the images and will be for sale at the watershed. I don't know if it will be ready by the shows opening on December 1st. I hope so! I am going to have a month in the calendar. This show will also be a fundraiser for the Watershed. I will put more info out closer to the show. Please consider coming and supporting the Watershed and the artist community.