Light and Pattern

Lately, I've been chasing light and pattern around the house -

sometimes by design, sometimes by chance.

These two images are my favorites,

so far.

Happy creating to you!

Books!

I've mentioned before that I love books.

My earliest booky memory is of the floor to ceiling bookcases 

that lined a living room wall in the Dutch Colonial house that I grew up in.

These built-ins were white painted wood and flanked a window that faced the back yard.

The expanse of jumbled colored spines read as a modern art painting 

with your eye seeking pattern within the chaotic exuberance.

Shelves were arranged like a chronology of life,

with little kid picture books on the bottom,

then story books, fiction, biographies, and art tomes,

all the way up to the ceiling where the most valuable,

 or least read, pieces languished.

Furniture sat in front of this wall of books, 

while the space behind the furniture became a kid's "book fort" of sorts,

 a place to secret off to and read.

Such pleasant memories!

Although I read some ebooks, there is nothing like a printed book -

the weight in your hand, the touch of paper, 

and the turning of pages.

Hopefully, future generations will enjoy the pleasures of printed books, too.

How about you... are you an ebook reader, library user, or book collector?

Or maybe, you embrace books in any form :)

Happy reading to you!

City Heights

I'm off to the big city for business and fun,

or maybe just the business of fun.

Either way, I'm looking forward to good food without cooking, 

museum visits, and catching up with my favorite peeps!

Have a great week!

Comments are off.

VanDemark Designs

For some time, I've wanted to redesign my website so that it reflected

 all the different mediums that I enjoy working with.

Well, that has finally happened, thanks to lots of work on my husband's part!

Now, at VanDemark Designs you'll find beadwork, textiles, and photography.

We still have some things to tweak and a couple images to replace...

but, please take a moment to check out the new, improved

VanDemark Designs.

If you have an old link to my website homepage, replace it with this -

www.vandemarkdesigns.com/home.html
(blog remains - http://vandemarkdesigns.blogspot.com)

Wishing you a wonderful, creative week!

Bead Frenzy

There is a whole lot of beading going on in my studio

 as I'm working on an elaborate project for a show.

Since I want you to think I'm very neat and tidy,

there will be no studio photos today.

Instead, I'll tell you about what you'd see ~

a large Chinese Writing Stone Cabochon

from Gary B. Wilson Lapidary Design - it's a looker,

Swarovski crystals - the ultimate in bling,

Pyrite stone beads with an AB finish - subtle shimmer and texture,

seed beads - bags upon bags of them in a rainbow of colors,

drawings, tracing paper mock-ups, Ultra Suede,

 and the usual beading tools -

long beading needles, Nymo thread (size D), plus scissors.

If you're wondering what this amazing peacock street art mural

 has in common with my project....

well, they're both colorful,

both large (my necklace only in relative terms, of course),

and

both stop you in your tracks!

(hoping this necklace will when it's done - we'll see).

Wishing you a colorful, creative week!

Winter Dreamscapes

Reality = 20 below zero most mornings.

Sound appealing?

How about a dreamy winter wonderland instead?

That's my vote!

I hope you've got some marvelous plans and dreams for 2014,

and they all come true!

Enjoy this creative life -

it's the best!

Stillness

Outside the snow is gently falling,

cloaking the landscape in serene stillness and 

a monochromatic mantle.

Indoors, our home smells of freshly cut pine and 

sparkles with the colorful bokeh of holiday lights and ornaments.

It's looking like time to enjoy family, friends, fine food,

and the blessings of the season.

Wishing you joy and happiness

during the holidays!

I'm taking a holiday break.

See you back in the New Year.

Comments are off while I help Santa wrap  presents :)

Sightseeing

It's a mountaintop forest?  Maybe.

It's a miniature forest?  You're closer.

It's a miniature frost forest?  You're much closer.

It's a miniature frost forest on top of a Subaru?  You've got it!

I kinda love my macro lens

because it opens up a whole tiny, tiny visual world 

for me to explore.

Feeling a bit like Gulliver, today.

Hope your world is filled with wonders,

both big and small!

The Changeling

In my last post, I mentioned that while teaching at ISQSC

I had a free afternoon to walk around town with my camera.

I spent part of the time chasing reflections,

which is kind of like playing with a changeling ~

magical, elusive, dancing this way and that.

Should I shoot straight on or at an angle?

In full light or shadow?  Low POV or high?

High contrast or low?  

Look for vivid color harmonies or subdued?

Question after question arose, as I tried to find logic within the

light, angles, colors, and shifting shimmer.

Yes, indeed......like playing with a changeling!

Design Framework

Whether making a photograph, art quilt, or piece of elaborate beaded jewelry,

 I first seek out, or design, a solid framework for the artwork.

The framework is a combination of tonal values and lines.

This is the base that all other elements,

 such as mood, color, story, and meaning,

rest upon.

While teaching textile and beadwork at ISQSC in Fargo, ND,

I had one long afternoon to myself.

So, I walked the downtown streets and alleys with my camera.

I think the design framework is particularly apparent in the geometry

 that I found within the urban landscape.

Wishing you a creative week!

The Latest

A couple bits of goodness ~

Recently, I was featured in the Impossible Project's Analog Travelog Series.

This is the Polaroid version of my summer trip to the city,

 taken with Impossible film.

Hope you can check it out - here.

Secondly, I just got back from teaching at the 

Indian Summer Quilt Show & Conference.

Many thanks to Muriel, Marcia, the friendly guild members, and all

the enthusiastic students that I had the pleasure of working with.

It was a delightful week!!!

Wishing you joy in creating.....

it's a wonderful way to live.

Reflecting

I've mentioned that I have a thing for reflections.

Maybe it's because reflections toy with visual reality. 

They are like fact, fiction, and fantasy all woven together.

Oh, and throw in a little magic also.

Reflections are visual magic!

I'll be away teaching next week,

probably looking for reflections in my off hours.

Wishing you a creative week!

City Folks

On my trip to the city, I did a lot of people watching.

I spied a cell phone using couple...

the revolving door man,

a ghostly apparition wearing white tennis,

a resting man,

a wavy couple,

great legs,

and speed walking Docs.

All in all, quite a variety of characters!

I hope you're enjoying the last days of summer.

Comments are off.