Spiraling

Gold foil spiral

I love spirals! I've been using them in my art almost from the beginning -- quilted spirals, stamped spirals, beaded, foiled and cutout spirals. The photos here are just a sampling of my art with spirals. 

 Gold foil center spiral, fused sheer spiral, and beaded spiral

The spiral is one of the oldest symbols used by humans, going back at least 10,000 years on rock art, pottery, baskets. Contemporary jewelry is filled with spirals.

Image of a spiraling hurricane as seen from space

Its meanings have been interpreted as symbolizing water, wind ...

 

Beaded spiral represents monsoon wind and energy 

Stamped with gold paint

... snakes and snails ...

Stamped with blue and iridescent paint

... migration, a journey, a search for one's center or moving outward ...

I quilted each of these two pieces with one big spiral

... evolution, eternity ...

... the cycle of growth and the seasons ...

I often use the spiral to symbolize the sun.

It also symbolizes fertility, which is why I bead spirals on the bellies of my female figures.

Some cultures consider it a powerful symbol of directed power.

I love sewing my fabric bowls with spirals, curving out and out until I feel it's done (or the rope runs out). It's a freeing, meditative sewing. My mind can be blank or can wander, but there are no questions that need to be answered.

Spirals are easy -- no corners or other abrupt changes. Wouldn't it be nice if life was always like that?

I could go on and on, like an enlarging spiral, but I'll stop here. I hope you've enjoyed the trip!

Have a colorful day

My creative mess

Welcome to my creative mess! When you step inside the front door, this is what you'll immediately see:

I've taken to closing the blinds on the window beside the door so that people won't think a hoarder lives here! The rest of the house is neat as a pin, but this is my happy, creative, messy room. I used to clean up at the end of each day, but this summer I decided that I could be more productive if I just left everything out and within easy reach. And seeing different pieces of fabric piled together gets the creative juices flowing.

I finished this piece yesterday and I'll mail it to its forever home tomorrow. 

And I just started the piece on the left today to replace the one on the right, which has been spoken for. I'm on a roll! And since it's still hitting triple digits outside, I'm spending most of the day in the studio.

While I sew, I've been watching the Weather Channel and worrying about everyone in Florida. Are any of you affected? If so, be safe.

Have a colorful day

Collages for sale!

These are the collages I've been working on all summer, and it's time to offer them up for sale! I hand-painted and stamped white fabric and then embellished with embroidery, beading, feathers, sticks, and whatever else caught my fancy. 

They're wrapped around 11x14-inch frames and ready to hang. I'm charging $75 plus $10 for shipping, but when I take them to the gallery I'll probably double that price. If interested, email me at sherriequilt@yahoo.com.

I'm also taking orders for commissions if you want something different. Maybe you have a special charm you'd like incorporated? I've had so much fun making them and I love every single one, but I'm ready to send them out into the world.

"Desert Monsoon"

 

When the torrential summer rains arrive in the Sonoran Desert, everyone comes out to celebrate. The petroglyph figures reference ancient and modern humans celebrating the rain.

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"Healing Rain"

The parched desert welcomes healing rain that brings nourishment and sustains life here.

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"Energy"

Inspired by the sun's energy that heats the desert to over 100 degrees. 

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"Photosynthesis"

Remember this from science class? It's the process by which green plants use sunlight to synthesize their food. It's what makes the Sonoran Desert green and lush.

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"Morning Light"

The colors remind me of a soft sunrise and a pleasant desert morning.

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"Protection"

The strong hand offers protection against all the craziness out there!

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"Celebration"

Two petroglyph-like figures celebrate! The green spiral represents the womb and its potential for new life. I use spirals a lot to symbolize unfurling life, wind, movement.

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"Protection" 

This one is 5x8 and I'm charging $50 plus $10 shipping. The hand says, "Bad things stop here!"

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The frames are half an inch deep and the fabric wraps around to the back.

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This is a commission for someone who liked "Morning Light" but wanted more saturated colors. I've been having fun working on it this week since I got back from my trip.

And these are two that have sold:

"Web of Life"

"Strength"

(when it was in progress)

Have a colorful day

Gig Harbor friends, friends, friends!!!

 

I spent a few days in Gig Harbor on my way to visit Juniper, staying with Carol (above) and visiting old friends. Her very comfy guest room had a beautiful, soft antique quilt on the bed, and she's holding one of her in-progress modern quilts.

I got together with 22 friends and STILL had more who I wanted to see but ran out of time. So the hectic schedule called for good, strong coffee every morning!

The first morning, I hit the trail with Kandi and Joyce of the Feet & Forks. I had to be careful not to step on the Northwest's iconic slimy banana slugs.

After our hike we had lunch at one of our favorite waterfront spots, Devoted Kiss.

I got back to Carol's just in time for a meeting of STITCH, the art quilt group I founded about 13 years ago. It was so good to see them again and be inspired by their latest work.

Here are a few of the pieces they shared. 

Linda J.'s reindeer is from a Laura Heine pattern that I have but I haven't tackled it yet. Andrea also gave us big pieces of fabric from her studio cleanup. And there was a nice spread of snacks, including huckleberry muffins that Judy made from berries that she picked. It's huckleberry season in the Northwest.

After the meeting I was supposed to go out to dinner and a full-moon hike with Dawn, but something else came up for her and it didn't happen. I was bummed, but it was just as well because by evening I was exhausted and would've been too tired to hike.

The next morning we headed over to Starbucks to hang out with some of the Yoga Girls! You might remember that after yoga classes at the Y we always went to Starbucks for "javasana," or "coffee pose." We did that about three times a week, sometimes more, for many years and I sorely miss that ritual.

Lynn, bottom right, showed us her latest art project which is recycling election signs into happy heart signs. I especially like the Elect Love one.

Then it was another walk with Carol in the harbor ...

... through a majestic forest with carved animals snuggled into fallen trees.

Back at Carol's, I did a quick clothes change and then headed down to Lacey, WA, for dinner with dear friends Paula (above) and Duane. Paula is a chef and gardener extraordinaire -- she grew those peppers -- so I knew I was in for a really good dinner.

This is the view of her vegetable garden, and these are blooms from her flower gardens.

The dinner was the best meal I've had in ages. She rubbed thick pieces of salmon with succulent seasonings and grilled them on cedar planks alongside shishito peppers from her garden. She also stuffed the peppers from the first photo and made a light and lemony pearl couscous salad.

One of the other guests made a peach blueberry pie for dessert. Great company and great food! I sure do miss the good times with Paula and Duane since I moved.

The next morning we were off to another get together. This time it was with the Woolies, a wool appliqué group hosted by Pam. She showed her progress on a Sue Spargo Christmas tree pattern, which I think I have to make this year. So much inspiration in her colors and embroidery stitches, and so much fun catching up with these ladies.

And, of course, there was more food! It was a potluck and everything was delicious ...

... including a huckleberry cheesecake made by another Judy with berries she picked. 

After that, Carol and I walked in the harbor again with the goal of getting ice cream at a shop that opened after I moved. We deserved it after that walk. 

That evening I was exhausted again, but it was a happy exhaustion. We watched the news, had leftovers, and talked until bedtime. 

The next morning it was off again, this time for the Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour before meeting my sister and her husband for lunch. After chatting with three or four artists on the tour, we headed to Uptown for lunch. We met up at the HomeGoods store where it was all about Halloween, including this fun tarot booth.

After lunch at the Blazing Onion, another one of my favorite restaurants, they showed me the teardrop camper they had just bought in Boise and were towing home. They're looking forward to lots of traveling with it.

And then it was my last evening in Gig Harbor. We had more leftovers for dinner and then looked for a light movie to watch and found "Esio Trot" starring Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman, so we knew it would be good. The title is "tortoise" spelled backward and it was delightful.

After a good night's sleep and more of Carol's fortifying coffee, she dropped me off at SeaTac the next morning and I made the short flight to Spokane. It was a jam-packed visit full of good memories of good friends.

Have a colorful day