Paper and Threads

When Raena (from Every Day Matters Yahoo Group) and I met for the second time at the Quilt Festival in Houston, we took a few minutes to draw art dolls, as we did last year.  These dolls are probably 20-24 inches and are AMAZING!  We each chose one to draw, and then I sketched a second one while Raena looked at the whole exhibit.

This is my first journal page - note the little bird on the woman's hand.  It is called "Fine Feathered Friend and was made by Nancie Roach.

 I sketched the same doll as Raena for my second journal page - a fabulous doll entitled "Leo Was Allergic to Dogs" by Neva Waldt.

Here are photos that I took of the Dolls so I could remember the colors for painting them at home.  I thought you might enjoy seeing them.

               "Fine Feathered Friends" by Nancie Roach.

               "Leo Was Allergic to Dogs" by Neva Waldt.

Posted by Shirley at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I just returned from the International Quilt Festival which is held in Houston, Texas annually.  It is a wonderful mixture of classes, exhibits, and vendors.  This year, my Everyday Matters friend Raena joined me, for the second year, for part of a day.  She doesn't quilt, but the doll exhibit gives us something fun to sketch together.  My doll sketches aren't painted yet, so they won't be posted until later this week.

Instead, I'm posting a bug I painted on fabric with Tsukineko inks in my class with Judy Coates Perez, and two continuous line contour drawings which I'm still loving for quick, slightly wonky images.

The first is drawn on tinted paper - my pencil case contents.  The second are the tools that I used for my second Quilt Festival class - soy wax resist and instant dyes on silk with Ginny Eckley. 

Posted by Shirley at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

My dear friend Bunny lent me 12 DVDs to watch the 34 episodes of the BBC program "The House of Eliott."  I'm not sure why I never knew about this series that was set in London in the 1920s.  But she knew I would love it - and was right.  The clothes from the haute couture fashion house were amazing.  I grew to love (or hate) the characters and was so sorry for it to end. 

I quickly sketched the two main characters in my sketchbook, from the opening scene on the screen, so I wouldn't forget these many enjoyable hours.  On the left is Beatrice Eliott and on the right Evangeline Eliott.  The resemblance to the actresses is only fair!

Posted by Shirley at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)