Brainstorms and Eye Ooze

Here is another commission from Ashley!  

I hope she likes it.  The fabric sewn onto the felt is from old kimonos.  She gave me a list of colors she likes as well as two artists to look at (Julie Peppito and Kristaraak). I recently got a simple kit to attach snaps to any fabric as well as an easy grommet pincher (I don't think that's the real name...)  I think I am addicted to attaching metal to fabric.  I like the ease and the contrast of texture.  

My workshop on Sunday will center around beading cuffs.  I want to concentrate on learning through basic stitch guidance and experimentation, and I want to discuss and try out ways of brainstorming to find or clarify ideas for any project.  I will also talk about my use of an "idea book" (or sketch book) in my art practice and provide the class with booklets full of "how-to's", space for collecting ideas, and thoughts on beading.  Of course I will have lots of specific tips and techniques for beading, but in general, it is the creative process that I find most important, more than skills.  Through the creative process we acquire skills.  It is part of the creative process of my students that they are joining my class.

For now, I am attempting to load things onto my website through the e-mail tutorial of my lovely, computer-savvy husband.  I hope it doesn't make my eyeballs ooze out of my head.  At least it's Friday!!

Here's where I ate lunch on Wednesday in Nagano-Shi.

peas-owt!