A Bird, A Book, A Show

 I'm thinking about birds a lot. It's the season for that. On our recent trip, my husband took some bird photos that I love. This one - a Red-winged Blackbird - really grabbed me.

Then there's the annual Bird Art exhibit that is part of the Great Adirondack Birding Festival at the Paul Smith's College VIC the first weekend in June.

Mix those things up with Jean Wells' book - Journey to Inspired Art Quilting - that I have been exploring, and I have something to push me along with a new piece.

Stay tuned for how the bird fits in.









I also have to tell all my Adirondack buddies that we now have a greatly expanded selection of beautiful fabrics right here in Saranac Lake, at Beth Gallagher's Piece by Piece Studio. Go see for yourself!

Finding My Birds

April 2
Thinking about Birds for some fiber collage pieces. I found a photo of a Scarlet Tanager from a birding trip brochure, then I found some drawings I made for a Partners in Flight brochure some years ago, in black & white for the printing process we used. Colored with watercolor pencils and blended with my waterbrush. Love that red and black.














April 3

Here is the tanager with my fabric selection. Might work.

Little Fiber Collages

March 31

Today I played with some fragments that seemed happy together. A little fiber collage series, perhaps.  But I feel a little stuck now. My sweetie put an old necktie in the discard pile, and it sat around for awhile until I decided to put  in  my stash because I love the birds on that black background (below). Then he decided he might wear it again, at just about the time I decided those birds would be perfect additions to my collages.

What would YOU do?! He IS retired now .....

One of the charming birds on the disputed necktie

April 1

Since I first looked at the book Quilting: Line + Color by Yoshiko Jinzenji I have been itching to try some of the beautiful and simple designs - reserved bursts of color on white cotton.
This is my initial attempt at the "fracture" line on white made by reverse applique. Another piece of white fabric to be laid over this, basted over the red line, and cut to reveal the color. A bit challenging.