Glimpses of Providence

From the plane, 

a billion glittering lights 

littered the ground.

Well, maybe that sounds a bit like a Thoreau-ish take on the scene, but littered or not, the night lights flying into Providence, RI were spectacular!  

An evening flight got even later due to plane delays, so my final arrival time was 1 am! 

 Luckily, I didn't start teaching at the Machine Quilters Exposition until the next afternoon. 

 And, what a fun time it was! 

 I want to thank all the wonderful ladies that attended my art quilt and beading classes!!!  Your enthusiasm was contagious.

So, it was a super week filled with a wonderful quilt and wearable show, vendors, and delicious food.  

In my time off, I took photos.... lots of them.

In the city, I am always struck by the geometry and abstract shapes that are everywhere I turn.  

These are a couple glimpses from within the convention center.

And looking out a convention center window.

More later, first I better finish unpacking!

Away From My Desk

I'm hanging with a different crowd these days - 

still out East teaching art quilt classes at MQX.

Catch you later!

It's Perfect!

When you were a kid, did you ever go to the circus and see one of those cute VW bugs pull into the center ring -
 then, the next thing you knew, an inordinate number of clowns piled out of it?  

Well, The Abby Tote by V & Co is kind of like that.  It's very cute and can hold an inordinate amount of stuff.
 Besides that it's a super easy pattern to sew - all around goodness!

So, my Abby Bag is packed along with an enormous suitcase and
 I'm off to Rhode Island to teach at the Machine Quilters Exposition for a week.
I have a photo or two that are scheduled to magically post while I'm away.
 Hope you enjoy your week!

P.S. Yesterday, I contributed an essay to The Inspiration Studio titled, Gift Without a Bow.  

It's about the power of the gift of Art.

Please check it out!

A Moment in Time

While sleuthing around the city of Milwaukee, I spied this interesting image. 

 It had all the qualities needed for good picture making - 

strong value contrasts, an interesting abstract composition, reflections,

 the juxtaposition of old and new architecture,

 and a great focal point -

 the window washing pair.

I studied the full range of gestures that were part of the washing and ladder moving,

looking for just the right moment......

the perfect instant.....

waiting to click!

In the end, patience and persistence rewarded me with a captured fleeting moment of time,

which is the wonder and beauty of photography.

ISO 100, 55mm, f/7.1, 1/100

I'm linking into Kat's, Exploring with a Camera: Waiting to Click.  

A Bead

a sphere ~ a hole ~ a bead

so simple,

and yet,

combine hundreds....

it's complex.

Friday Dreaming

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."  ~ Claude Monet

My summer flowers are on my mind -

their exuberant color,

sweet smell,

and

delicate form.

And that's no April Fool's joke!

Wishing you a happy weekend.

Vision

Photography can give any vision its voice.  

 By this I mean, any look you can imagine or envision, you can achieve with the medium of photography. 

 It may be soft impressionism, minute detail, minimalist design, vintage look, collage......

 dream it and it can be done.

Granted you may need a different lens, special technique, or editing software, but what an amazing medium!

These photos emulate the qualities that the French Impressionists captured in their paintings. 

 This look can be achieved with a hand-held shot taken in low light or by actually moving the camera while shooting. 

 Different movements - vertical, horizontal, circular - will create different looks. 

 Experiment and enjoy!

(And yes, we still have snow covering everything in northern Wisconsin. 

 I know, that's hard to believe!)

Process vs. Product

Today, I'm contributing an essay titled, Process vs. Product, to The Inspiration Studio.

It's all about how many artists are focused on the process of making art, 

while others have their hearts set on the finished piece.

Hope you can journey over there and 

check out the dimensional dragonfly that sports a pair of hand-sewn wings, 

like the ones above.

I'm also linking this photo into Kat's, Exploring with a Camera - Group of Three. 

 As always, she's got some great compositional information to share.