Hello!

Whew!  I know!  I know! It's been awhile since I last wrote anything to you so let me update you on some of the goings on in my life and that of Sapphire. We have both been very busy. 

I attended my last scheduled class at Pacific Northwest Art School at the end of July.  Jorie Johnson, of Japan, was our instructor.  Our assignment: Construct a complete garment without any seams.  I made...a full length dress!  I had already tackled a coat and a vest so the next thing was either a skirt, a longer coat or a dress.  I had been toying with ideas about a dress already, yet I was unsure of a few of the construction details...but Jorie had all the answers!

And while what we were creating was quite interesting...it was my fellow students that awed me.  I may have a few details slightly askew but essentially we had students from: from Israel, Kazakhstan (an artist with a thousand more artists from her country working under her in an artist cooperative), Canada and around the USA from CA, WY, ID, WA, and Ohio.  There were two college textile professors, a costume designer for a Repertory Theater in WA, a Past President of an Art School, a Immigration and Naturalization Officer, a budding artist/mom, a Rancher/Artist and several local Whidbey Island fiber artists. Wonderful discussions during breaks!

Toward the end of August we attended the second Artist's Reception in the POAC Sandpoint (Idaho) Art Walk 2012.  I took this opportunity to introduce some of the Art Walkers to sheer felting.

With September beginning we headed even further north to Priest Lake and Entree Gallery Trunk Show.  It was a lovely late summer day and we had a delightful place under the willow tree on the grounds...and I tried to demonstrate sheer felting for these folks but the wind was blowing enough that is was darn near impossible to get any of my fiber laid out.  I improvised by wetting out my surface before laying my fiber so it had something to stick to right away, but still it was too much for me. {Sigh}  That piece is headed for the recycle bin!

Then just two days ago we held Coeur d' Alene's first ever Studio Tour!!!  We had at least 150 people through Sapphire Studio in just 7 hours.  By all accounts it was a good turnout and hopefully will be funded again next year.  I enjoyed all the people that took the time to come by and see me explain and demonstrate just what it is that I do.  A bonus was the time spent meeting more artists living in this area.

I also took time to formulate and launch my Fall Class Schedule which you will find on a TAB at the top of my blog...just under the header picture.  Since opening my studio I have pretty much been busy creating or traveling.  Hopefully Fall and Winter will allow me to devote some time to teaching in my studio.

Oh!  Did I mention that I was invited to model my newly felted dress in a "Runway Show"?!  Never been down that kind of runway before...yikes!  This event is held each year as a fundraiser for Kootenai Environmental Alliance.

More to come...but for now I have to go get some sleep,
Janet

Christmas in October

I love Christmas! Really I do...especially when it comes two months early! Let me explain. There is a wonderful place called Pacific Northwest Art School.   http://www.pacificnorthwestartschool.org/  I have attended classes before. The instructors are top notch and the staff tremendously helpful. And on Tuesday this week they released their class registration for 2012. Today I got my verification that I am officially enrolled in two classes. Yea! So Merry Christmas to me...and happy birthday...happy anniversary....ground hog day... You get the picture. So read on and find who I will be working with this next year...


Jorie Johnson lives in Japan and will be here to teach us her art methods in making felt clothing. I have a book she co-authored with another great felter, Chad Alice Hagen, titled Fabulous Felted Scarves. Jorie has an exhibition of her work in Vancouver, BC, Canada which opened October 14 and goes through November 15th.  http://www.maiwa.com/home/workshops/111213.html  She is a part-time instructor in Japan's universities and also teaches in the USA, Europe and Asia. If your like me, and unlikely to make it to Vancouver to see her exhibit there, her works are in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, de Young Museum, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Bank of Boston, Nuno Corporation, and in tons of publications! For inspiration her website is http://www.joirae.com/ Check her out.

Sharon Costello was the first instructor I ever had in the world of felt and I enjoyed her teaching method a great deal. She only makes it over to the west coast from New York every other year or so. Next May she will be here to teach us how to make felt vessels. Sharon, like Jorie, has been in the world of felt for the past two to three decades. Sharon has studied in Turkey, Scandinavia and the USA and is now an expert who shares her knowledge with others. She is also the organizer of Felters' Fling, a week long fiber retreat and teaching school where she brings instructors from the world around to help American felters learn new techniques from other parts of the globe. She has published books, produced two teaching videos and had her work featured many times including on the Home and Garden Television Network. Her website is http://www.blacksheepdesigns.com/

So looking forward to working with these two wonderful people...can hardly wait!

Janet