... some thoughts in what is left of 2010

I guess this is going to be my last entry this year. It feels finally like South Florida again, all the orchids are out and happy again. I have reached my goal to finish Flower Power 4, yippeeeee , next will be remodeling my studio. I have lots of ideas, my drawings look promising, I hope to get started next week. And I am also looking forward to get a new sewing machine. It really sounds like a 'new year'!

Tallinn/ Estonia

Practicing my new passion 'water color'. An impression from our visit to Tallinn, the capitol of Estonia.

Sneak Preview

... working on Flower Power 4... lots do be done but it is a start!

Back to Work

Enough Art Basel, enough cleaning and rearranging of the studio, back to work. After 2 days of very intensive water color painting (does this ever get any easier, I am afraid not) I am going back to my sewing machine. ' Flower Power 4' is still in the works, I hope to finish it soon since I have great new ideas as always.

Art Basel

No blogging, it is ART BASEL time!

Tallahassee Workshops

.... some impressions of my workshop results. Of course the pieces are not finished but they are great to look at anyway. It was a great class with wonderful students. And we had a lot of fun.Enjoy!

... not an explosion

... no, you are not looking at an explosion, well wait maybe that is wrong. It is an explosion, an explosion of creativity.

Lugano

The new class sample for my Friday class in Tallahassee..... pretty soon it is time to start packing! Will be fun to pack the material for 2 workshops in one suit case!

Tallahassee visit

... WOW, what a great opening. Besides many quilts, plenty of politicians and many speeches, the guild provided simply the best food. Thank you all up there, I had a great time and I can tell my art work is in great company. A big thank you also to the museum staff Bonnie, Laura, Susan and many more who treated me like a princess.

And I am very much looking forward to traveling back next week (11/11. - 11/13) /for another talk and 2 workshops. For more info concerning the workshops contact http://www.quilttallahassee.com/

Tallahassee

I am ready to go North.... Tallahassee is waiting. On Thursday evening is the opening of the show 'Garden Party'. I hope I will have some nice 'fall' weather, I cannot wait to see all the pieces! I Know my 'Flower Power 1' and 'Dusting the Bottom' will be in great company!

Opening Night in Weston

...... images from a fun and busy night....

Weston Art Guld

Join me tonight for a fun celebration. I will have 4 pieces there!

Water Color

Finally I decided that Flower Power 2 in water color is finished. But then who knows, I might still add a few brush strokes here and there. But since I started a ned water color I think I am pretty safe in calling it DONE.

Flower Power2

Flower Power 2 travelled to Europe and found a great 'loving' new home in a private collection . It is currently hanging in a exhibition "open space - off space" in Basel Switzerland.

Mainzer Synagoge

I just visited the new synagogue in Mainz Germany and immediately fell in love with the building. Since this is my art blog I am not even trying to explain anything about the bulding itself, but I really would highly recommend to pay the synagogue a visit if you my blog reader visit Mainz. I t was a rainy dark day, if you are familiar with Mainz you know they have many of them, but even then the color of the tiles almost glow. But it is the shape of the building that really makes you stop. I simply wish I would have taken my camerad with me. Standing there also made me realize how much I miss my studio, how much I miss creating. Don't get me wrong I LOVE traveling, but I sure look forward to being back in my studio with my clutter, my fabrics and my paints.

Heliconia # 4

.. ..ok here we go again.... I am designing my next piece, another heliconia. They are just so beautiful.

Labor Day Weekend

The West coat in Florida: relaxing, good food, great friends, sunset cruise, art walk.... what else could I have wished for my perfect Labor Day weekend. And now I am getting ready fore my next piece, I have another heliconia in mind.

Flower Power 3

Another one finished. Flower Power 3 is on my wall, bright and happy. Photographed and ready to 'travel'.

Tampa tribune arts column

Tampa Tribune arts column

...here it is..... the article

Tampa Tribune arts column

Check out this weeks art column in the Tampa Tribune on Wednesday August 25 written by Esther Hammer. She is featuring me :-) and the exhibition in the Creative Native Gallery!

The Opening

What a great hot night we had (remember this is South Florida in August) , good friends, great art, wonderful food.... The Creative Native Gallery is a fun place to hang out.

The Creative Native Gallery Opening

Join us for a fun night at the Creative Native Gallery in Tampa.

Red Dragon Fruit

Our garden has produced another wonderful treasure. It is the first ripe and delicious dragon fruit that I have tasted. I am thinking of painting the fruit in water color....... which reminds me my water color lower Power 2 is finished, I should take a picture and post it.

SAQA Benefit Auction 2010

Check out the SAQA Auction . Great art work, it is an easy way to start your art quilt collection, and the pieces are small they fit EVERYWHERE. AND since they are small they are affordable :-) also, so what are you waiting for, go and check it out.

Flower Power3

It's done, my Flower Power 2 is finished, the design for # 3 is on the wall I can start painting fabrics tomorrow. It will be a pink flower, I think this is my very first art piece in pink, I am excited new paint, new fabrics, wow!

Exhibition: Simply Sublime

Directions to The Creative Native Gallery

Art Council Hillsborough County

Check out this blog for my upcoming opening and exhibition on August 13 at The Creative Native Gallery

Flower Power 2

.... almost done ...... check back for the finished piece SOON!!!!!

Summer Florida SAQA Meeting

What great fun we had at our mini SAQA meeting in Punta Gorda / Port Charlotte. It was great finally meeting SAQA members that I have been in contact via e-mail, face book or blogging for some time now. Laughing, eating, sharing..... Chef Lisa Gorski's dinner was simply divine, Patricia Turner' s exhibition at the Library was wonderful. All in all very happy hours we spent together.

Netherlands Spain

Well, now that the world cup is over my studio will be 'sport-less' again. Even though my favorite team did not win, I am not changing the colors of my 'Flower Power 2'. Back to work! BAck to reality, back to the sizzling Miami heat!

Judith Ryan Williams Nature & Wildlife Art Exhibition

Some of my favorite art work of Melani Kane Brewer is in the show. Check out the opening night. Sure looks like a fun night!

Alaska

Here are the promised pictures

Richeson Art Exhibit

Check out the new Richeson Art exhibition. My painter friend Clara Hada has 4 pieces in it go and look for her name.

Alaska

We are back from a most wonderful place. Taking a break from the Miami heat and sun we flew to Anchorage, picked up our car and started exploring. We were greeted by cool temperature and big time humidity called rain. That did not damper our joy (we have that sun at home all the time), actually I felt more energetic in the cooler climate. The more we drove inland the better the weather became and once we were in Denali, an absolutely gorgeous National Park, we had sun. As 'promised' by the parks information paper, the animals were there: we stopped counting grizzly bears after #13. Moose, foxes, golden and bold eagles and of course the mosquitos were all there parading for us. Even though the mosquitos were plentiful I did not get one bite, which makes me say that not only are the Alaskan very friendly but so are their mosquitos. I am very sorry to say I cannot claim that for our own mosquitos.

Hiking up the exit glacier towards the Harding Ice field we had our own personal close black bear encounter. Thank God he also behaved like all the rangers said they would or should, and the bear cleared the way once he saw my husband coming around the corner.In Seward we went aboard the Statendam to cruise South. More highlights were all the seals, birds and whales. Oh and all the glaciers, their 'moving' sound when they make their way into the ocean. Come back for a slide show. Once I have my pics sorted out I will post them.

Chocolate Art

Hand made chocolate ... no not from Switzerland but from Mexico. And I love the box they came in. Tin with mexican tile..... I am indulging them while working on 'Flower Power 2'. Or should I have started a piece 'the gulf after bp'!

Renaming Art Work

I have decided to rename my piece 'Unterwasser'. I think it should be called ''the gulf before bp'. The pictures I have used in my piece have been taken in the south Florida area, and in the Florida Keys. So far this part of the world is still all right. But it is just more than heartbreaking to watch the damage the oil is doing to the gulf and the surrounding area.

'Lady Gaga'

Going 'Gaga' instead of stitching and painting!!!! I am STILL working on my new web site. And I am learning once more the hard way ' there is no such things as 'do quickly on the computer'. Furthermore it is much more involved then they make us believe when we buy this fancy programs. Still, hopefully one of these weeks I will have a new web site and will have forgotten all the headaches! I will keep you posted! Off I go painting and stitching, the web site has to wait.

Golden Retriever Rescue

One of the 'rescues', Nyoko, is relaxing, his way of enjoying memorial Day Weekend.... your eyes are not deceiving you, the 'golden' is black!

Museum of Art, Coral Springs Florida

Join me and lets walk through part of our exhibition at the museum of art in Coral Springs.

500 Art Quilts

Art Quilt lovers check out the following book . 500 Art Quilts, the first edition will soon be sold out. The book is available at Amazon.com and BN.com

Artists's Reception

We had a fun night at the Museum of Art in Coral Springs.

Artists Reception: Shadow and Light

Join us for the Artists reception in the Lobby of the Coral Springs Art Museum show.

Thursday May 13, 6 - 8.

My two pieces 'Yangtze 1' and 'In the Bog' are on display.

Garden and Art

I think I had the chance to visit what I would call a little paradise. It is a private garden located in Jensen Beach Florida. The garden is called "La Maison Fleurie" , the house of flowers. Entering the garden makes you forget the outside world, I for sure did not think about the oil spill during the time I enjoyed the little paradise. Every corner offers something beautiful, your mind can rest, your eyes enjoy beauty. The visit only adds to the inspiration of my new series 'flower power' my next 'flower' is well beyond its design stage.

Coral Springs Museum Show

Ready for another show????? Sure.... visit the Weston Art GUild Show at Coral Springs Museum of Art The official opening reception is May 13. Hope to see you there...... too bad I forgot my camera today while helping with the hanging, otherwise I would give you a sneak preview!

Continental Divide

A different kind of inspiration and a very strong contrast to my home surrounding in South Florida.

cool new shades

Nyoko cool......

Flower Power

... or still a work in progress!

Work in process

Another nice quiet day in my studio..... parts of my background for my new piece are close to being finished.

Bernina 1260

Due to special circumstances I had to pay my Bernina today a special very intimate visit. I guess always wanted to know how my sewing machine looks inside. Problem solved, I am satisfied, off I go to continue on my latest project.

And NO I do NOT recommend to open your sewing machine.

Golden Retriever Rescue

.... a different kind of art project kept us busy this weekend. Dog sitting, a first for us.Nyoko our black coated retriever (yes you are right he is not a pure breed, but still the most beautiful dog for us) and his best buddy and friend Ronny both of them rescues from the Golden Retriever Rescue South Florida. A lot of fun but my sewing machine and the brushes had to wait.

Xavier Cortada's Endangered World Installation

Xavier Cortada's Endangered World Installation at Biscayne National Park is up. Go and look for my "Asper' in the green section 8 degrees E.

Still Winter

Back from a wonderful and relaxing ski vacation. The Alps are just amazing, to me for sure a very special place.

Now it is back to creating......

Perfect Ending of a Day

.... is there anything better than to end a perfect art with a elegant desert? The first course of my 'desert' was a great demo at the Weston Art Guild and then a slice of delicious bread pudding topped with a wonderful warm rum vanilla cream ...... life does not get any better! Sorry no recipes this is an art blog!

Unterwasser

Take a dive with me......

Phalaenopsis

What a wonderful painting day I had.I just started my 3. watercolor class yesterday and now for the first time I am happy and confident about my result.

Phalaenopsis Olympion Yard

Shuttel Endeavour

14 years ago we moved to South Florida. Since then every time a shuttle flew into space and I was able to watch the lift off I would do so. If it is at night I will set my alarm clock, get up turn on the TV and watch CNN. They always show it live. About a minute after lift off, the shuttle appears on 'my' horizon. And every time I am amazed at the sight, it simply takes my breath away. By now I know exactly where to watch out for the shuttle, the two palm trees where I get the first glimpse of it. And then as it gets higher I can see the separation between the booster rocket and the shuttle and then if it is night I can watch it disappear towards the north east....

I agree the picture I am posting is not great, but still it is my shuttle and my inspiration. To this day I regret that I did not try to take a picture when the international space station and the shuttle were visible together by eye from our beautiful backyard.

My two pieces 'Brain-E-Scape' were inspired by my love and respect for space.

Blowing Rocks Preserve

'Turning the TIde' officially opened yesterday at the Blowing Rocks Preserve in Jupiter.

Exhibiting artists are.

Kuki Alves (painting)

Werner Boeglin (painting)

Melani Brewer (fiber, jewelry)

Robin Duke Rodgers (ceramics)

Maya Schonenberger (mixed media / fiber, jewelry)

Nature Conservancy 2010

Once more we have a great show up at the Blowing Rocks Preserve in Jupiter Florida. The ceramic pieces were still missing today, but they will be added tomorrow. The exhibition 'Turning the Tide' will open Friday February 6.

Crunch Time for 'Unterwasser'

... the 'beast' is finished, the baby born, the 'crew' is working, the piece is hanging...

Golden Retriever Rescue Reunion

A different kind of art inspiration. Nyoko and I had a great day at the reunion. So many dogs almost a little overwhelming. It almost felt like a big quilt show with way too many vendors... if there is such a thing as too many vendors. Thank you Golden Retriever Rescue for a great and inspirational day.

Help for Haiti

While finishing up my big project 'Hope for Haiti' is my companion. I am once more at a loss of words.....

Unterwasser: Pillar Coral (detail)

Ft. Meyers Class

I had the most wonderful time in Ft. Meyers teaching two classes. Learning, talking, laughing, have a look at some of the results from the therapeutic back ground class.

Miami Zoo

..... please God let it be Florida weather again, and if possible soon, very soon!

Art Quilters Unlimited Ft. Meyers

I am packing since I will travel to the west coast to teach 2 workshops for the Art Quilters Unlimited in Ft. Meyers. It looks like I am traveling with my whole studio, thank God I am not flying. As always I am looking very much forward to my workshops. The weather shows some improvements also, it is daily getting warmer. Traveling will be fu!!!!

Still Winter in Miami....

... more days to go

not an actual picture

but it sure as hell feels like it.

Xavier Cortada Art Project

A different kind of art project. I participate in Xavier Cortada's "Endangered World" project. My adopted animal from his 'endangered species list is the 'Zingel Apser' . I chose that particular fish because of the longitude the animals lives in, which is 7 degrees East. One of the habitats of the fish is the 'Doubs' a river close to where I grew up.

If you would like the get more information about the art project go to Endangered World, Biscayne National Park Installation

Winter in Miami

A winter inspiration... it is cold, yes for Miami standards. Almost freezing at night, all the orchids are protected. My amaryllis is in full bloom 4 blossom more to come.

Happy New Year to all of you

I started my new year with a big art decision.... the decision to finish my big piece with 13 inch squares and not 14 inch ones. The back ground will be black and not matching the color of the squares. Black makes the piece pop, now all I have to do is order 80 stretcher bars, gesso and paint several yards of canvas black etc cetera ed cetera. I am sure you have the picture. So hang in there with me! 20 new pieces brought together into one will soon be here to see. And since the exhibition deadline is looming over my head (February 5), soon means soon.