RedBarn Studios

Here’s where my head is today…these last few weeks in fact.

Given the chance, that place inside will speak to each of us.” Mark Nepo

For the last few weeks I’ve been going thru a metamorphosis of sorts. I must be working toward that artistic ideal I so frequently seek….to do artwork that has meaning, has substance, calls into play the details of what I’m trying to express, technically, aesthetically and spiritually  and brings forth excellence….not perfection, just my excellence to create a piece that is my inner voice.

Nancy’s presentation last night has me thinking….thinking that I need to work more completely. I struggle sometimes getting what is in my mind’s eye, into a textile piece that conveys it’s meaning clearly and succinctly. So I’ve decided to go back to working with my sketchbook more often to hash out the details; the whys, the hows.

Lately, I start on a piece of artwork and then, at a certain point, stop. And because my message has not been fully sounded out beforehand, I am at a loss as to which direction to take. I am trying out new techniques with surface design and embellishments all the time so my repertoire of available techniques is always growing but which ones to use, when, and how is an ongoing issue of late.

So…I am waiting for that place inside to speak to me again. She has gotten me to this point so far and I know she will take me further. But in the meantime I trudge along, making the pieces that appeal to my eyes for now…and my soul again….soon.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: fiber art, my muse, ponderings by k grace howes
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My guild, Lake Norman Quilting Guild will be hosting Nancy Cook at our meeting this Tuesday, August 26th beginning at 7pm. Nancy is a prolific artist and a wonderful and insightful friend.

Her presentation entitled “From Art School Dropout to Art Quilter” will be a look at her life as a quilt artist.  Nancy will be letting us in on the secrets to her artwork and showing us some of her excellent pieces including 4 new ones, yummy!.

If you are in the area and have a night free please join us. Our meetings are held at the First Baptist Church in Mooresville with parking across the street. Refreshments will be served. See you there.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

UPDATE:Nancy gave a very good presentation. Her words resonated with me and a few others there last night. She’s given me food for thought and has put a few things a friend and I were mulling over recently into better perpective . Thanks Nancy!

Tags: community, fiber art by k grace howes
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Today is my 100th post. Who’da thunk it that I, Grace Howes, would have so much to say, far less write about?

It has been a wonderful 100 posts so far and I have to say I really love this format of writing. I had always wanted to keep a journal but always found the task of sitting down and manually writing words tedious to say the least. I have a few journals, scattered here and there, intermittently filled with writing but nothing as consistent as this has been for me.

Writing on a blog I find so very cool. Not only to do I get to tell about my artwork, show pictures of finished (and sometimes unfinished) pieces and reveal bits about my life but I also get to keep in touch with some wonderful people who I’ve only met in cyberspace.  Sometimes technology gets it right!

If you’ve reached your 100th post what did you do to celebrate?

if you haven’t gotten that far yet, what do you look forward to when you do reach this mark?

And if you haven’t yet started a blog…….what the heck are ya waiting for…join the revolution already!

Tags: ponderings by k grace howes
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I haven’t a thing to post about art….actually that’s not exactly true, it’s just not my art.

So a bit about today. I promised my son a trip to the new art store, Cheap Joes, so he could have a look see. He loves to draw and is working on his 5th sketchbook right now (I think he loves getting new paper like his Mum more though).

When we get to the store he walks around the whole place in awe then gets down to the task of finding the things he really wants me to buy for him. Whilst he’s doing that I stock up on a couple more Lumiere paints and some more pads for carving new designs for stamps (actually have a demo coming up next month that I’m getting ready for).

About 15 minutes later he comes to find me to show me all sorts of things. He NEEDS new Sharpie markers, but not the regular kind…..nooooooo, he’d rather have the retractable ones instead, “pleeeeease Mummy” he pleads. So three of those make it into the basket. He takes me throughout the store like this, dragging meby the hand, a bit like leading a lamb to the wolves cause I know those wolves are eyeing my wallet.

I finally had to put my foot down when he shows me the new markers he also NEEDS, all in shades of grey (huh?) at a whopping $30 for 10. Uh uh….no way hosea! But I convince him that he is happy with his purchases ($45 later) and he walks to the car smiling.

On the way home he starts his regular talking and talking and talking and breaks in to say to me “Mummy that was the best day ever, THANK YOU for my new…..and then he spiels off into the regular talk that permeates our drive home. So much for listening to the radio.

See ya next time, “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: family, life etc. by k grace howes
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Apparently I am a Question Mark. Way cool!

You Are a Question Mark

You seek knowledge and insight in every form possible. You love learning (yup). And while you know a lot, you don’t act like a know it all (egads, hope not!). You’re open to learning if you’re wrong. You ask a lot of questions, collect a lot of data, and always dig deep to find out more. You’re naturally curious and inquisitive (can ya dig it?). You jump to ask a question when the opportunity arises. Your friends see you as interesting, insightful, and thought provoking (friends…is this true?). But they’re not always up for the intense inquisitions that you love! (Uh-oh) You excel in: Higher education (you betcha!) You get along best with: The Comma

Which one of you is a comma? Come on over and lets have some fun.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: ponderings by k grace howes
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a little redecorating

Now that I’m fiinally here at Worpress I need to get to know the folks here a little better. So bear with me as I learn the ropes and  REE-DECORATE.

Yippee!

See you next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: down time, life etc., ponderings by k grace howes
2 Comments »

Last year as I was driving home I spotted a tree formation that I had not noticed before. The next time I passed by I was ready with camera at hand. I’ve continued to do this, taking quick photos (no focusing or anything of course) and love the pics that come from this way of photographing.

I promised the last bit of pics from our trip this past weekend. It’s a great way to document a ride that might otherwise be….(dare I say it)……boring. So here goes. Anything is fair game.

Fancy Gap

This first one is a pic of Fancy Gap, that awe inspiring view btwn NC and VA that I actually caught this time, thanks to insistence by the husband. Usually when we travel along here I’m crouching down in the chair, hands over my eyes cause I can’t stand see the drop over the side.

Bikers We Be

Next, we followed behind these guys for-ever! But they were cool cause they were booking it just as we were. (oh no, don’t call the cops on us). At one point they did some sort of sign language only bikers could understand and then they split and rode off separately. I couldn’t get over that the guy on the right had his feet sticking up for most of the time were watching them. Wouldn’t that be uncomfortable after a while??

Big Wheels Keep on Turning

As you know when you travel the highways and bi-ways of the American road you will encounter the large behemouth trucks. Coming from the Bahamas (Grand Bahama to be exact) where it only takes 5 minutes to get anywhere, there’s no need for them. This was a new site for me to get used to when we first moved here umpteen years ago. They’ve now become muses for my camera.

Runaway Trucks?? Oh my!

The next is a pic of the “runaway truck ramp” (that tan dirt area in the background of the pic) that you find every so often along the highway. For the longest time I wondered how/why/what… until I saw a truck (a while ago now) needing to use it. It’s scary to think that it works and the truck didn’t topple over (it’s got large built up ramps of firm dirt along its path). But it worked thank goodness.

In a Blur

This green blurb is a shot of the trees/bushes at the side of the highway traveling 70-ish (yeh right, hubby was driving). I think it’s so way cool. I’m gonna have to do something with this one but don’t know just yet.

Serenity

And I couldn’t finish without a pic of the beautiful sky we had (love to take these)…..just before we encountered a really bad thunderstorm. Look at the blues in there! One of these days I’m gonna dye a piece just like that.

Thanks for coming on my adventure on the highway. Hope you enjoyed the view.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: this 'n that by k grace howes
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Judy Coates Perez has posted a funny little clip on her blog. In this political age we live in it’s good to have a chuckle sometimes . Check it out here.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: pic of day, politics by k grace howes
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Yesterday we had our regular Pandora art group meeting. We decided that we need to have more “play dates” in amongst our regular meetings so, with the new Rayna Gilman book in hand, “Create Your Own Handprinted Cloth”, we went at it. If you have ever wanted to try some”deconstructed” stuff (or for that matter, to take out any latent frustrations) get this book!

Did you know that just letting loose is F-U-N?

I let all inhibitions float out the window and just painted with abandon. I had originally dyed a half yard of fab and then decided to add to it by dyeing again in blobs (who the heck knew why).

Well…….I ended up not liking the second round that much (1st pic) so I put it aside and eventually would have come back to it. I did name this piece “Potcake” after all for a reason.

When we decided to paint and experiment I thought, why not see what the third time will bring. I started by using the brayer to paint stamps then painted the image that I got on the brayer onto the fab. That wasn’t enough!! I then stamped a grid work all over…hand got real messy here…it was soooooo cool.

That wasn’t enough either! HA! So I decided to use some Lumiere Paints, Halo Gold and Pearl Blue. I pulled the seal, with included handle no less, off the dark blue that I had not opened yet and held it in my hands. Mmmh….

I screamed with wild joy cause (brainstorm here) I could use the jar seal as a painting tool (so don’t throw yours away next time, hee hee). So then, what else? How bout some splatter? Bring out the toothbrush. Started to splatter, took too long then just rubbed the brush in the paints and scratched it across the surface. VOILA!!!!

I LOVE IT! Don’t you?

BTW be sure to check out Susan’s post about our painting adventure here.

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Art, fiber art, pandoras, surface design by k grace howes
6 Comments »

My daughter was estatic cause we found 4 bead shops for her to peruse. Funny thing is she came away with only four items. Can you believe that???? Sadly we didn’t get to an art store for my son but…..I did find THE shop……yes, I got to shop…again…. in the The City Quilter. Wish I lived closer to it cause I’d be there all the time. It would be so cool to teach in too.

Tags: down time, family, vacation by k grace howes
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