All righty--my new year's resolution is to post at least once a week. There--right out there where folks can see it.
Currently I'm on the last step (well, second to last if you include finishing the edges) of my all-by-hand commission. It has taken longer than I expected, but I am pretty pleased with the results. However, Sharon gets to see it first, so no spoilers here.
I'm also working on sketching an idea a day. Unfortunately, I sketched my first idea four days ago and my second idea two days ago, hence "working on." The sketches are very small (a little bigger than a trading card) and will eventually become whole-cloth quilts of various sizes. This will allow me to focus on the sculptural aspects of the quilting--and make a number of affordable works that will help me refine my technique even more.
I hope to offer Quilting Basics at Heavenly Stitches again this late winter/spring--I'm just having trouble finding a day of the week that I have free for 8 weeks (the duration of the class). I'm on it, though!
Next post: sketch photos and perhaps a little peek at the commission and, hopefully, class dates.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, November 11, 2011
What I Wish I'd Just Experienced
I wish I could say I've just visited this exhibit, but I haven't. However, they have a pretty good online trailer:
I love the internet--I can visit galleries even when I can't and get inspired at any hour of the day or night.
I love the internet--I can visit galleries even when I can't and get inspired at any hour of the day or night.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Progress (though outdated) on my commission
Well, I keep meaning to take and send photos right away, but something always happens. So these photos are a little out of date for me, but certainly progress for you.
And here's what it looked like when I first basted it. Right now I am adding dimension color, and secret messages all over it with the quilting. Soooooo much fun!
And here's what it looked like when I first basted it. Right now I am adding dimension color, and secret messages all over it with the quilting. Soooooo much fun!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Facing Ourselves
There's a really interesting exhibit at the Main Art Center in the Downtown Kingsport Association right now called "Facing Ourselves" Here are the artists who are involved:
And here is the description of the show:
But I don't do faces. I'm not good at them. They're hard and people get cranky when you portray them badly. So you might ask why on earth I committed to make a whole bunch of portraits. Well, you see, like most other things that are good for me, I lay the blame squarely at my mother's feet.
Eating my lima beans and Brussel sprouts. Her.
Cleaning my room. Her.
Taking a shower once a week as a kid whether I needed it or not. Well, OK, that was mostly Dad.
So, fine. My folks were all about bringing me up right and teaching me to do what was good for me whether I liked it or not.
And that's why I took on this crazy project. I learned a lot including that I can, indeed, do faces. I still find it to be a, shall we say, character-building exercise, however.
I also used conte crayon for the first time since elementary school and really enjoyed it and learned that I still have plenty of room for imporvement, but most folks weren't to cranky, so . . .
The installation is difficult to photograph due to the gloss sealer on some of the paintings and the plastic bags on some of the pastels and charcoals. However, you can visit the exhibit on the 2nd floor of the Downtown Kingsport Association (140 W. Main St., Kingsport, TN) through July 28 or see the rest of my portraits and the original photographs we all worked from on my website.
The Challenge: 15 photographs of 15 artists who create 15 portraits. Any media. Any style. Six by six inches. Period.
The Result:Facing Ourselves, an exhibit of nearly 225 portraits.
Viewing the Exhibit:
- The source photograph of each artist hangs by the portraits of that artist.
- Each position in a grid of portraits corresponds to the same artist in all grids.
- These positions correspond with the placement of the photos above.
(c) 2011 "Cindi Huss" by Cindi Huss
But I don't do faces. I'm not good at them. They're hard and people get cranky when you portray them badly. So you might ask why on earth I committed to make a whole bunch of portraits. Well, you see, like most other things that are good for me, I lay the blame squarely at my mother's feet.
Eating my lima beans and Brussel sprouts. Her.
Cleaning my room. Her.
Taking a shower once a week as a kid whether I needed it or not. Well, OK, that was mostly Dad.
So, fine. My folks were all about bringing me up right and teaching me to do what was good for me whether I liked it or not.
And that's why I took on this crazy project. I learned a lot including that I can, indeed, do faces. I still find it to be a, shall we say, character-building exercise, however.
I also used conte crayon for the first time since elementary school and really enjoyed it and learned that I still have plenty of room for imporvement, but most folks weren't to cranky, so . . .
The installation is difficult to photograph due to the gloss sealer on some of the paintings and the plastic bags on some of the pastels and charcoals. However, you can visit the exhibit on the 2nd floor of the Downtown Kingsport Association (140 W. Main St., Kingsport, TN) through July 28 or see the rest of my portraits and the original photographs we all worked from on my website.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Valley Fiber Life
So the next time you need a hit of fiber fabulousness or a little inspiration to shake of your creative block, drop by Valley Fiber Life.
No animals were harmed and no fiber artists (including me) were paid for the production of this post.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Life Rolls Along
My husband always says there aren't as many hours in the day as I think there are. I don't know if that's true--I think the hours just aren't as long as they should be! :-)
I've been working on a commission for a wall hanging. I'm combining traditional applique with shisha mirror embroidery and ralli quilting styles and including motifs that represent everyday life for the family it's going to (as they do in Afghani rugs and embroidery from around the world.
Now I'm sewing on the shisha mirrors. Had to check with the client to make sure she wasn't averse to the number 13 since that's how many mirrors my modified design requires.
I've also had a wonderful time teaching Quilting Basics at Heavenly Stitches Quilt Shoppe in Kingsport. By class this Saturday the students will have created all the main corner blocks in this sampler:
This Saturday we tackle the middle block and the fan blades.
I have a great, enthusiastic class and we're having a lot of fun. This is the first time I've used this format (two classes each Sat. with a half-hour lunch in between so the class is 10-2:30 for only four weeks) and it seems to be working out well. I'm glad because the older my kids get the harder it is to find eight consecutive weeks free on any given day of the week!
I believe the next classes on offer will be my Finishing School class and Paper Foundation Piecing, so keep your eyes peeled!
I've been working on a commission for a wall hanging. I'm combining traditional applique with shisha mirror embroidery and ralli quilting styles and including motifs that represent everyday life for the family it's going to (as they do in Afghani rugs and embroidery from around the world.
So far I've drafted the pattern:
dyed all the fabric and sorted and sanded the mirrors:
and finished the applique:
Now I'm sewing on the shisha mirrors. Had to check with the client to make sure she wasn't averse to the number 13 since that's how many mirrors my modified design requires.
I've also had a wonderful time teaching Quilting Basics at Heavenly Stitches Quilt Shoppe in Kingsport. By class this Saturday the students will have created all the main corner blocks in this sampler:
(c) Cindi Huss
I have a great, enthusiastic class and we're having a lot of fun. This is the first time I've used this format (two classes each Sat. with a half-hour lunch in between so the class is 10-2:30 for only four weeks) and it seems to be working out well. I'm glad because the older my kids get the harder it is to find eight consecutive weeks free on any given day of the week!
I believe the next classes on offer will be my Finishing School class and Paper Foundation Piecing, so keep your eyes peeled!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Quilting Basics Class
There's a new quilt shop in Kingsport, folks: Heavenly Stitches. They're new, but they've doubled their fabric selection since November and they have great variety, including orientals, batiks, country, kitsch, traditional, blenders, etc., and they sell and service sewing machines. They also are developing a great selection of notions and batting and I WANT one of their large free-standing design walls that folds up to fit in a 3" x 3" x 15" bag (dimensions from approx. memory, so don't shoot if I'm wrong).
Anyhow, as you can see I'm excited that Kingsport has what is shaping up to be a fabulous independent quilt shop. They also have an amazing classroom . . . where I'll be teaching. So . . .
Quilting Basics
April 16, 23, 30; May 7
10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (we'll take half an hour at noon for lunch)
The fee is $100 for all four 4-hour sessions, a total of 16 class hours
Boot camp for quilters—but so much more fun! Whether you’ve never quilted before or you want to become more accurate, this is the class for you. Get comfortable with hand and machine piecing and appliqué techniques, paper foundations, rotary cutting, mitered corners, drafting, and templates. Perhaps most important, learn how to troubleshoot and compensate for human error. Do your homework and you’ll leave class with a completed sampler top.
During the course of these four sessions we will cover:
Anyhow, as you can see I'm excited that Kingsport has what is shaping up to be a fabulous independent quilt shop. They also have an amazing classroom . . . where I'll be teaching. So . . .
Quilting Basics
April 16, 23, 30; May 7
10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (we'll take half an hour at noon for lunch)
The fee is $100 for all four 4-hour sessions, a total of 16 class hours
Boot camp for quilters—but so much more fun! Whether you’ve never quilted before or you want to become more accurate, this is the class for you. Get comfortable with hand and machine piecing and appliqué techniques, paper foundations, rotary cutting, mitered corners, drafting, and templates. Perhaps most important, learn how to troubleshoot and compensate for human error. Do your homework and you’ll leave class with a completed sampler top.
- Hand piecing.
- Machine piecing.
- Basic applique.
- Paper foundation piecing.
- Set-in pieces—and how to avoid them.
- Mitered corners/sashing.
- Lapped borders/sashing.
- Block-corner borders/sashing.
- Triangles and bias.
- Rotary cutting.
- Templates—hand vs. machine.
- Tying vs. quilting.
- Easing in.
- Drafting designs, drafting templates.
- Pinning—when, where, how often.
- Butting seams.
- The “swirly.”
Friday, December 10, 2010
The Art of Education
I volunteered for the Ellis island simulation at my youngest's elementary school yesterday. This simulation was for the 4th and 5th grade classes.
For a week they have been doing in-class simulations of a European immigrant's journey to the United States in the late 1800s - early 1900s. A small group of 5 students per class (15 total) were randomly selected to be 1st class, another 5 second class, and the rest were steerage passengers.
During the simulation the teachers were wonderfully solicitous of the 1st class passengers, helping them move their things, allowing them to talk as much as they wanted while everyone was moving in to place, etc. 2nd class passengers were allowed to whisper quietly among themselves if necessary and had to move their own things and got slightly less comfy chairs. The teachers gruffly told the steerage passengers to hurry up and sit on the floor with no talking at all. My youngest said, "all the steerage passengers hate us because of our privileges." Pretty real, but luckily the "hate" ended with the simulation.
Of course they spoke about this all beforehand so the students knew not to take it personally.
Well, after a week of dealing with fake illness and death, money and food shortages, etc., they "arrived" at "Ellis Island" yesterday to be processed. Their documents all had to be in order, then they had to pass a number of tests. If they didn't walk a straight line or jump rope they got a dot rather than a star. Or perhaps the "medical examiner" detected a rash or a cough--off to quarantine they went. They had to present letters of recommendation, be able to sign their names, have their spelling homework completed to show they would be good workers, etc.
Today they find out who got enough stars to enter America.
The kids have been learning that ships were required to take back rejected immigrants to their original ports, but not anyone else in their family. As a result, a sick child might be sent on the ship while the parent stayed in America because he or she could not afford the return fare, or vice versa. They also heard about the sometimes arbitrary nature of judgments pronounced on hopeful immigrants.
However, they didn't really feel it until yesterday.
This school, Washington Elementary in Kingsport, TN, also has run simulations of colonial settlers that involved students making a list of their 20 favorite people then finding out that those people might be "injured" or "sick" or might even "die" during the course of the simulation as they strove against time limits to "build" houses, "plant" crops, and "survive" the voyage and their first winter. My youngest lost an uncle and an adult friend.
The Underground Railroad simulation earlier this year involved groups with a leader physically trying to sneak by "bounty hunters" from safe house to safe house (some of which had been raided and were no longer safe) and, at the end, trying to run through the remaining hunters to reach "Canada." Only 7 children out of 65 made it, and they really felt the unfairness of it all.
This is education as art. These teachers literally bring history to life and help the children feel empathy for those who struggled in difficult situations.
And this is why standardized testing is not the answer to our education woes.
Standardized testing has led to our teachers being given less and less freedom to creatively engage their students. It has led to minute-by-minute structuring of the school day.
If we retain excellent teachers and retrain or let go indifferent or uninspired teachers, we bring up children who are engaged and curious and actively seek learning opportunities.
The current environment leads to spoon-fed students with little inclination or training for independent study. That loss of initiative and independence is detrimental to their future success, to their ability to innovate and advance when they are adults.
I'm just saying . . .
For a week they have been doing in-class simulations of a European immigrant's journey to the United States in the late 1800s - early 1900s. A small group of 5 students per class (15 total) were randomly selected to be 1st class, another 5 second class, and the rest were steerage passengers.
During the simulation the teachers were wonderfully solicitous of the 1st class passengers, helping them move their things, allowing them to talk as much as they wanted while everyone was moving in to place, etc. 2nd class passengers were allowed to whisper quietly among themselves if necessary and had to move their own things and got slightly less comfy chairs. The teachers gruffly told the steerage passengers to hurry up and sit on the floor with no talking at all. My youngest said, "all the steerage passengers hate us because of our privileges." Pretty real, but luckily the "hate" ended with the simulation.
Of course they spoke about this all beforehand so the students knew not to take it personally.
Well, after a week of dealing with fake illness and death, money and food shortages, etc., they "arrived" at "Ellis Island" yesterday to be processed. Their documents all had to be in order, then they had to pass a number of tests. If they didn't walk a straight line or jump rope they got a dot rather than a star. Or perhaps the "medical examiner" detected a rash or a cough--off to quarantine they went. They had to present letters of recommendation, be able to sign their names, have their spelling homework completed to show they would be good workers, etc.
Today they find out who got enough stars to enter America.
The kids have been learning that ships were required to take back rejected immigrants to their original ports, but not anyone else in their family. As a result, a sick child might be sent on the ship while the parent stayed in America because he or she could not afford the return fare, or vice versa. They also heard about the sometimes arbitrary nature of judgments pronounced on hopeful immigrants.
However, they didn't really feel it until yesterday.
This school, Washington Elementary in Kingsport, TN, also has run simulations of colonial settlers that involved students making a list of their 20 favorite people then finding out that those people might be "injured" or "sick" or might even "die" during the course of the simulation as they strove against time limits to "build" houses, "plant" crops, and "survive" the voyage and their first winter. My youngest lost an uncle and an adult friend.
The Underground Railroad simulation earlier this year involved groups with a leader physically trying to sneak by "bounty hunters" from safe house to safe house (some of which had been raided and were no longer safe) and, at the end, trying to run through the remaining hunters to reach "Canada." Only 7 children out of 65 made it, and they really felt the unfairness of it all.
This is education as art. These teachers literally bring history to life and help the children feel empathy for those who struggled in difficult situations.
And this is why standardized testing is not the answer to our education woes.
Standardized testing has led to our teachers being given less and less freedom to creatively engage their students. It has led to minute-by-minute structuring of the school day.
If we retain excellent teachers and retrain or let go indifferent or uninspired teachers, we bring up children who are engaged and curious and actively seek learning opportunities.
The current environment leads to spoon-fed students with little inclination or training for independent study. That loss of initiative and independence is detrimental to their future success, to their ability to innovate and advance when they are adults.
I'm just saying . . .
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
I'm on TV!
I joined Morgan King in the studio of Johnson City (TN) channel 11's Daytime Tri-Cities today this morning and had a great time. I met P. Buckley Moss, savored some exquisite truffles from Jan Charles the Thrillbilly Gourmet, listened to the dulcet tones of a barbershop quartet from Appalachian Express (they couldn't have chosen a better song), and gave an interview re: my artwork.
It was good fun, particularly since Morgan gave himself a chocolate handlebar mustache partway through the show (after he had touched the quilts, thankfully!). Everyone was very friendly and helpful and next time I'll remember not to turn completely sideways! :-) Oops, there I go being sideways again! :-) Dang--did it again!
Sushi with a friend for lunch afterwards, and looking forward to collaborating on a piece with P. Buckley Moss, and then doing a little more quilting on the piece I'm working on topped off this fabulous day
It was good fun, particularly since Morgan gave himself a chocolate handlebar mustache partway through the show (after he had touched the quilts, thankfully!). Everyone was very friendly and helpful and next time I'll remember not to turn completely sideways! :-) Oops, there I go being sideways again! :-) Dang--did it again!
Sushi with a friend for lunch afterwards, and looking forward to collaborating on a piece with P. Buckley Moss, and then doing a little more quilting on the piece I'm working on topped off this fabulous day
Monday, November 22, 2010
Work as Art
Well, I've completed two weeks of working in the gallery at the Downtown Kingsport Association as part of my exhibit and I like it. A lot! As I wrote to a friend, "You (or at least I) get a lot more done and slack a lot less if you (or I) know someone could walk in and witness either your remarkable industriousness or your deplorable sloth at any moment!"
I got addicted to my 8' high, 12' wide black felt design wall VERY quickly. Currently I have my newest finished piece (based on the Quebecor/Press area of downtown Kingsport that currently is being demolished) hanging on the wall:
as well as a work in progress that I started about a year before we moved (that'd be 2007):
The opening went well Nov. 4, but I was too busy hanging out with folks to take pictures. There were never so many people that I couldn't chat with everyone, but there were no breaks either. Thanks so much everyone who attended. And for those of you who couldn't attend, here's what the gallery looks like:
At the end of the room you can see my workspace. The right-hand wall is the main display wall (the left-hand wall is primarily windows, but I'll have photos hanging there by the Dec. 2 reception), with "The Truth As I See It," my new "Further Up and Further In" (photo coming soon), "After the Storm II," silk art fabric entitled "Dichotomy," "Contemplating Madness," another new piece called "A Matter of Perspective" (photo below), and a grouping of small work (also below).
The DKA has asked to extend the exhibit until the week of Jan. 3, which I am happy to do.
Jessica Fischer of the Kingsport Times-News wrote a lovely article on me and the exhibit. Thanks, Jessica! And I'll appear on Channel 11's live Daytime Tri-Cities on Dec. 7 (show begins at 10 a.m.)
I got addicted to my 8' high, 12' wide black felt design wall VERY quickly. Currently I have my newest finished piece (based on the Quebecor/Press area of downtown Kingsport that currently is being demolished) hanging on the wall:
 |
| Structural Artifacts: The Press I (detail below) |
 |
| This was the first "After the Storm" quilt I started. Since then I've completed three others. |
The opening went well Nov. 4, but I was too busy hanging out with folks to take pictures. There were never so many people that I couldn't chat with everyone, but there were no breaks either. Thanks so much everyone who attended. And for those of you who couldn't attend, here's what the gallery looks like:
At the end of the room you can see my workspace. The right-hand wall is the main display wall (the left-hand wall is primarily windows, but I'll have photos hanging there by the Dec. 2 reception), with "The Truth As I See It," my new "Further Up and Further In" (photo coming soon), "After the Storm II," silk art fabric entitled "Dichotomy," "Contemplating Madness," another new piece called "A Matter of Perspective" (photo below), and a grouping of small work (also below).
I will host another reception on Dec. 2 and should have made significant progress on the "After the Storm" piece by then,
The DKA has asked to extend the exhibit until the week of Jan. 3, which I am happy to do.
Jessica Fischer of the Kingsport Times-News wrote a lovely article on me and the exhibit. Thanks, Jessica! And I'll appear on Channel 11's live Daytime Tri-Cities on Dec. 7 (show begins at 10 a.m.)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Beautiful, interesting, and unfortunate
I was in DC this weekend and on Sunday went to the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. We came in the back door, so one of the first things I saw was this:
This is part of the hyperbolic reef project. You can see more about it at the Smithsonian's site, including a video of the project's founder giving a presentation for TED.
It's hard to tell since I went in tight with the photos, but this installation rises well over my head.
Absolutely gorgeous. Also visited the Human Reunion exhibit. It was a wonderful exhibit, and despite a few occasions of theory being presented as fact, I learned lots of new things I didn't know before, and got to visit a gallery of reproduction prehistoric art,
 |
| This looks like a study to me, with the artist working progressively on form and detail. |
 |
| I love the abstractness of this one, but I'm going to do what all abstract novices do and say that if I let my brain relax it looks a little like the prehistoric Venus form. |
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| Not my favorite, probably simply because the poor kangaroo's been shot in the bum. |
 |
| The signage said this was swimming elk or deer (don't remember which), but again, this looks more like a study to me. |
And rendered myself as a Neanderthal.
I'm warning you, it's not pretty--although maybe another Neanderthal might thing otherwise.
Oh, and don't mind the glasses.
They did get the grey hairs right, though. :-)
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