space frames

here's the latest and greatest....

this was an assignment for my 3 dimensional design class. the object was to make a 3-d form out of balsa wood with at least one side covered by a translucent membrane of some sort. then that form needed to be repeated 20 or more times. we were allowed one color (i used 2. what a rebel) and there could be slight variation in size. we then had to choose a place to install our project.

my cubes are interlocking. the yellow one has one leg that locks around a leg of the pink one. otherwise, they are not attached so they are able to be arranged in different ways depending on which corner they are hung from. i used two colors to differentiate the two cubes from each other.

the intention of our project was an 'architectural intervention', meaning it should cause the viewer to percieve the space in a new and different way. i chose this stairwell (in central classroom on auraria campus in denver) because it is very uninteresting. it is concrete and railing with no color. everytime i've ever used these stairs i don't give any attention to the space. it's just a place i have to go through in order to get where i am going. because of this i wanted to create something interesting and bright to add to the space. the frames also have a delicate look that contrasts the strong utlilitarian stairs.

i had some difficulty in the beginning trying to create some sort of genius work, with a terrific abstract shape and some profound meaning or interpretation. mostly this just lead to me procrastinating. a lot.

i found that sometimes simpler is better, and creating things/shapes that i relate to. once i gave up having to be spectacular, the process became really easy, and i found that i really loved the outcome.

i've never dealt with installation art before but it was a fun experience and i'm proud to walk by my work when i'm at school.

love yourself

this little sign is taped to the outside of someone's locker. i walk by it everyday and everyday it makes me smile.

it's great to have little reminders posted throughout my day....sometimes i need redirected out of my own funk.

"I now discover how wonderful I am. I choose to love and enjoy myself."

- Louise Hay

CSU visit

i was up at Colorado State University last week checking out the Fiber Arts program, and considering it for the remainder of my education. it was wonderful and i am very excited! more on that later when I have more news.

i did visit the Annual Flower Trial Garden that CSU has south of old town Fort Collins. the flowers were quite beautiful still. as i was taking pictures i noticed some movement among the daisy's. i knew it was too big to be a bug or the wind. as i looked closer.....i saw a mouse. i felt lucky to get a picture.

www.flowertrials.colostate.edu

the latest project...

my assignment for color class.... create something with color.

sounds great right? sometimes when the possibilities are endless it gets overwhelming though. you pray for inspiration to land on your shoulder.

so i decided to create a process, rather than an outcome. i selected several fabrics (some of my favorites, some i don't like, some i figured don't go and some solids) and cut them up into random pieces. i threw them into a paper bag and as i drew them out, i sewed them together. i do have to admit there was some editing though. same fabrics didn't get sewn together and sometimes i had size issues.

for the most part, it was very improvisational. and, it was fun! i like the result and i created something i might not have before with my brain engaged.

cute huh?

i am exploring the line between quilting as a craft and quilting as a fine art. i am pushing myself as a quilter to create modern and contemporary pieces and i am exploring my personal style as an artist.

my next step is to expand on this project. i have a sketch of an arrangement of several pieces. they will be made in a similar fashion and then displayed like the sketch shows. i'm hoping it helps create the feel of a modern art exhibit.

newspaper tower

this post qualifies as one of those random happenings....

i am in a 3-d design class at metro (it's one of the basic classes for an art degree) and our first assignment of the semester was to (in a group) build a 25 foot tower out of newspaper and masking tape. those were the only materials we were allowed to use and we were not allowed to use anything to assist us in setting it up, i.e. cranes, ropes, the side of the building, etc.

i do have to say that this entire process was super stressful for me, not to mention we we're in a mercury retrograde (ended september 12, by the way). my perfectionism and my pessimissim reared their ugly heads. but the rubber-meets-the-road reality of this project was that we needed lots of newspaper rolled up and taped together. we divided the tower into five 5' sections and built those. we used crossbraces to stabelize each section, and we built the base so it was signifigantly wider at the bottom than at the top to support the weight of the tower.

when we set it up we started with the very top section and set it on top of the second section and taped it together. then we set that unit on top of the third section, and so on. so essentially we set it up starting at the top. the plan worked great! we did get a little tipsy when we had four sections hooked together and were lifting that onto the base. it almost got away from us a couple times. it took all five group members holding onto it and willing it to stand.

it was a success and it stood until we knocked it over. yay! i have to say that it was very satisfying to have such a successful project, but i am very glad for it to be over.

here is a picture of the final tower.

and here are some 'artistic' photos of it.

turning 30 project - vol. IV (part 2)

yesterday i met lindsey at a fun restaurant in downtown littleton called merle's. it was quite fun and I think it might have been the first time ever that just the two of us sat down to lunch. there was plenty of talk about various life subjects: her boys, my school and other facinating tidbits.

and of course, she walked away with her fabulous birthday quilt.

i have had a blast with this project, and i am excited to finish and give away the next 5 quilts.

read the next installment here:
turning 30 project - vol. V

turning 30 project - vol. IV

ta da! here is the second quilt of this lovely series. one of the best things about this project is the different personalities that show up in each quilt. this one is for lindsey and it turned out beautifully.

lindsey's choice of fabric was a classic black and white floral with small roses. for the most part i kept with black and white compliments and threw in a splash of color. the border repeats the rose theme with a black background and a very delicate line drawing of roses in white. i used what was leftover from the border of summer's quilt to bind this one. the classic combo of black and white bordered with red looks awesome.

i found this great fabric for the back, white with black hummingbirds and green flowers. i used a green coordinate to border the section of squares. needless to say, i was thrilled when lindsey told me that she loved green!

here is the label. it reads:

Turning 30 Project

"Delight"

2 of 7

Made for: Lindsey DeJonge Lehman

October 14

Designed & Quilted by: Shawna Doering

Littleton CO USA

2010

i haven't given lindsey her quilt yet, but i just couldn't wait to get it posted. = ) i'll update with pictures of the happy recipient on a later date.

read the next installment here:
turning 30 project - vol. IV (part 2)