sunsets

 This week has had some beautiful sunsets. The trees are starting to show bare limbs, making lacy silhouettes against the sky. October skies are brilliant blue. The air is crisp and it makes me feel alive and nostalgic. Everything is changing so quickly. My daughter celebrates her 14th birthday this week, and I don't know how all that time has passed.

We went to Linvilla Orchards in Media this afternoon and picked apples. I wish I could freeze those moments as the three of us walked through the rows of trees, reaching in between branches for ripe Granny Smith with the sun sparkling gold in our hair and the edges of the leaves. Don't grow old! Don't change! Stay here forever with your warm hand in mine with the crisp snap of apple on our tongues....

But the windfalls are already fermenting
and the earth keeps turning
and the sun keeps setting

Precious

So satisfying to make something small after all this giant stuff. This is all variegated threads on shibori-dyed silk, and it just shimmers. It's a special little piece. I will always keep this one.

Sewing in the dark

 After a long day of high school open house visits for the teenager of the house, and teaching printmaking at Fleisher to some more teenagers, I was ready to escape to the studio. I got there around 5 but the Fall light is fading fast. By 6:30 I looked around and found myself in the shadows. I've been slowly quilting panels of grids following the patchwork on Big Blue. I've also been indulging myself with a small doodle in silk and linen inspired by a friend.

Happy Philly Photo Day!

This is my day in pictures in honor of Philly Photo Day sponsored by the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center. They host an annual project where anyone can submit one photo taken on October 18th within Philadelphia city limits, and it will be printed out and displayed in an exhibition at the Crane Arts building. Additionally, about 40 of the photos will be blown up on murals and billboards around the city. Of course, I took a whole lot more than one photo and it was hard to make the cut. These are all the ones I did NOT submit. If you want to see the one I did, you'll just have to come to the opening in a few weeks! Voila, le salon des refuses:

Drive in on I95, saw Leger's "The CITY", in front of my city.

my favorite stretch of I-95 is going under all the ramps and Ben Franklin bridge

No parking anywhere

trash day in South Philly

accidental photo outside Sabrina's cafe

the view through the music teacher's window. we are serenaded by chimes all day

the view through my classroom window

here come the kids!

Frankford Ave and Columbus Blvd. Loved the Bull sculpture and graffiti contrast

empty chairs at Rocket Cat cafe

The rest of these pictures were all taken at Rocket Cat by my daughter- I let her submit one too. She has a great eye for composition- ever since she was a 4 year old and I'd let her use my point and shoot digital camera to keep her busy at events. She's taken a few digital photo classes in the past year and is able to talk about her compositions quite eloquently.

If you want to learn more about Philly Photo Day visit here.

In my happy place

 Today I finally finished the endless sea of green straight stitch in the wall piece. Now it simply awaits trimming and binding. But that can wait. The blue monster awaits. I've decided to start it off by quilting  grids over the patchworked areas before I impose the tile pattern. I thought the tension and integrity of the fabric would be better if it was more securely stitched to the backing cloth. I have spools and spools of light blue Perle, perfect for this project. Grids are frequent motifs in my work. I see them as basic maps, centering me in space, helping me find my bearings.

 On this huge piece I need to lay down my cardinal directions.

We sort of had an open studio weekend, so I hung some more artwork around the studio and in the hall. People who come visit are always so pleasantly surprised at how homey and cozy it looks. This afternoon was stormy outside, but my lights were warm, the monster quilt in my standing hoop was warm, and a studio mate came by for a long chat while I stitched. It's my happy place.