Great Weekend!

Even though I came home early Friday sick from work, went straight to bed for 17 hours sleep, and was shaky all Saturday, it was a blast!

First, performed at MacConnell Arts Center in Worthington with Honk, Wail, and Moan. We opened for Planet D NoNet from Detroit, another Sun Ra inspired group. At the end, both groups TOOK the stage, and played together, and THEN I joined them for the very last tune, Love in Outer Space!

After the applause, hubby & I dashed to the Short North and 83 Gallery to see the opening of this month's show, where I'm one of the featured artists. Lots of people, a blue grass band playing, and my work looked great, although there was a lot of really killer art there.



That's baby brother Mike and girlfriend Cathy checking out the exhibit, and Hubby on the bench, watching my coat!




A little more resting Sunday, then Monday I drive to Flint, Michigan to pick up art for the museum; we're switching shows again, people!

BAND SWAG!! or Screen Printing T shirts

I promised pictures, and I like to keep my promises! Last week while on break from my job at the museum, I spent some time screen printing T shirts for my brother's band, Honk, Wail and Moan. I combed the thrift stores for shirts and tees, washed everything, then Stephen helped me screen and heat-set everything.





I'm also making tote bags from T shirts that already have printing on them; I turned them inside out and printed on the plain insides, but you can still see the original writing on the insides! I'll do a very basic hem on the cut straps, sew across the bottom and make a box pleat, and voila! Recycling!










I got new labels, that say Band Swag, and proclaim them to be hand screen printed on recycled clothing. What can I say, my brother loves being green!

March Madness!

Whew! It's been a whirlwind this month, with my dear daughter home for 2 weeks on break from college, and the general insanity!

I've been busy creating new pieces for the Red Panty line of clothing....look for pictures in the next few days. I've also been screen printing t shirts and tote bags for my brother's band, Honk Wail and Moan...again, look for pictures in the next few days.

I attended the first 2 of 6 great workshops run by CCAD (columbus college of art and design) for artists...on networking and marketing. As a result, I've ordered fabulous new cards for the clothing line, and am very excited to be working hard on promoting it. I also joined Etsy Team Columbus, a group of people who all sell on Etsy.com, which is the site for hand made items of all sorts. To that end, I've added some new pieces to my own etsy shop,
quilt7metal

I created these back in 2007, when I had a huge burst of creative energy. I produced 12 large quilts, then about another 12 tiny quilts. These are the miniatures, that are matted for framing. I had them in the local gallery here for a bit, and sold a few, but I've been holding on to them lately. I guess they are almost like children, and I'm a bit sad to see them leave the nest at first. I guess now I want them to go out into the world and share themselves with everyone!

Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest - Me! Singing!

So, I've had a few requests for photos of me with Honk, Wail and Moan at the Columbus Jazz & Rib Festival. Of course I didn't take them, but my good friend Lydia did. I didn't post them earlier, because frankly I look ridiculous!! But hey, all in good fun, right??

Sun Ra Costumes at Columbus RibFest!!

So, I sing a little with the great local band Honk, Wail and Moan, which is a jazz band doing about half their own original compositions, and half Sun Ra compositions, with a few Mingus tunes thrown in for good measure. If you look up Sun Ra, he was a crazy composer, used a B3 organ, wrote poetry, totally cool!

Anyway, this time of year, HWM always does a birthday tribute at Dick's Den (local Bar) but the Columbus Jazz & RibFest was the night before. So, in honor of the event, I made psuedo-Egyptian collars for all the band members! I used a LOT of lovely trims, and finished them out with old CD's, they reflect the light in a beautiful way, and then added beads and stuff to embellish them.



I wasn't at all sure the guys would be into wearing them, but to my surprise, they were like little kids: "I want the blue one, I want the red one, no that one is mine"


Here they are on the big stage at Bicentennial Park; don't they look great?

Love to perform, hate to rehearse!

It's Tuesday, which means rehearsal. I hate to practice, always have. I can clearly remember taking piano lessons at age 5, and trying to fake my way thru because I didn't practice the week before!

I'm practicing this evening with a folk-ie, pop-ish, modern group. This isn't so bad, I'm just the back-up singer. That's always fun, a lot less pressure on me. I sing every weekend at church, and when I'm up front I do have to behave.

I also sing a little with Honk, Wail and Moan, a FAB jazz group influenced by Sun Ra and Charles Mingus. They write over 50% of their sets, then do great renditions of classics. The bass player (behind me singing) was part of the trio that won the International Blues competition last year in Memphis! He's got wicked licks! He plays acoutic bass normally, this pic is from a Tom Waits-a-thon where 12 different bands all did a 3-song set of Waits tunes. We totally rocked it, with the largest band, and the only one with girls!