Annalisa Bollini

Some things make you want to quit your job and do something totally different every day. Or at least take a break and dive into into a new medium. Annalisa Bollini’s work has that effect on me. Drawing with thread has always intrigued me and I need to get my grandmothers hoops out and start experimenting. The []…

Diana Beltran Herrera

(Left) Upupa, Paper Sculpture. 2014 (Right) European bee eater. Photo by Henrique Mangeon. 2013 Eastern Meadowlark. Paper Sculpture. 2014Greater Bird of Paradise, Paper Sculpture. 2013(Left) American Goldfinch, Paper Sculpture. 2014 (Right) Blue tit. Paper Sculpture. 2014Photos courtesy of Victoria HolguinWorking process in the studio. 2014(Left) Colombia. Bird stamps. 2015 (Right) Brasil. Bird stamps. 2014 I []…

Pinstripes

The Fox of Bloody Woman Island

One of my guilty pleasures is watching inspiring videos on the weekends while enjoying a cup of dark roasted coffee. I am drawn to short stories about life in remote places that are raw and beautiful. It seems that these remote places often cherish tradition and craft and I seek out those that carry forth []…

The Birds and the Bees Collection

Birds and the Bees Collection: Mother Nature’s designs humble and inspire us. They can be powerful or delicate. Simple or intricate. She’s a weaver, a sculptor, a painter, a musician. She has created spaces that feel more like home to us than any other. We imagine her living space: the forms, colors and textures that []…

Plaid

Our posts this week all have a Scottish theme, which is a great opportunity for us to learn a bit more about tartans and plaids. Tartans are actually what most of us consider plaids — a criss crossed pattern woven in wool. In Scotland, plaids are the textiles that were once slung over shoulders in []…

Marsden Hartley

Celebrating mountains and Maine in this weeks posts gives us the opportunity to learn more about one of Maine’s greatest modern painters, Marsden Hartley. Born in Lewiston in 1877, Marsden Hartley’s early years in Maine were a struggle. He left Maine and lived in Europe, New Mexico, New York, California, and Massachusetts. His life was full []…

Ruth Asawa

Ruth Asawa’s work is otherworldly. Her sculptures have a dreamy, cellular quality and create an atmosphere of meditation and peace. Born in California in the 1920’s, Ruth Asawa was sent to an internment camp with thousands of other Japanese Americans. While in the camp, she learned her craft from artists that were working there. It’s hard []…

Wild Plants: A Color Study

Very often, I find that colors aren’t what we think they are. I love creating a color study comparing wool poms, pantone or paint colors with natural leaves, flowers, mosses and plants. Testing myself, I will look at a leaf or berry and then go pull the pom or color swatch of what I think is the []…