Trip to Los Angeles - Quilt Inspirations

Tonight was Quilt Guild night so the entry will be short.  Fortunately, this is the day the four of us went to Los Angeles to visit the LA County Museum.  That being the case, and also because I opted to use my phone rather than carry the heavier camera, there aren't as many pictures as usual.

We traveled to LA by train which was a pleasure and then used a taxi (Uber car)  instead of using public transportation which saved us time.  A lot of time!

Quilts are where you find them.

Once at the LA train station while waiting for our Uber car, I found the ceiling fascinating and took some pictures of it.  Wouldn't this make an amazing quilt?  Ultra modern with the colors and angles as shown, it's a winner. 

Here's a close up for those of you who want to draft it immediately.  Challenging?  Yes, but worth trying?  Yes, again.

For those of you who prefer a more traditional approach, here's the tile floor of the station. Because of kiosks and crowds I was unable to get a complete picture, but there's enough here to work with.  I can't wait to try it - first with the obvious Stonehenge fabrics, and then something less predictable.  Someday.

Can you figure out what this is (besides another idea for a quilt)?  It is more stunning than this photo conveys, and yes, it is a reflective surface.  Okay, you may read the museum card below.

Were you right?  Have you ever seen anything like this before?  I hadn't!  

Believe me, there are many photographs from our day at this museum complex, but I am tired so I will leave it at these few.  

San Diego - Day 3 PM

Fooled you, didn't I!  You thought you'd finished with Day 3 yesterday, but I was being kind.  In the afternoon of that day, we went to Balboa Park so we could visit both the rose garden and the cactus garden - and things in between, too.  Lots and lots of photos, but I will try not to overload your senses!

The rose garden first. It had been cool in San Diego so the roses weren't as far along as we hoped.  Also because it was breezy, the fragrance of the blossoms eluded us.  But here are my three favorites.

Such a beautiful dusty pink that opened to a very unusual color.

A glorious yellow that reminds me of the sun.  

Finally, a red with just a few streaks of white.

Now three from the koi pond.

This is a photo I really like: colors, shapes, textures.  They all came together in this one.

My koi photos surprised me a lot.  When I took the pictures of these fish in somewhat murky water, I expected little to nothing.  But a quick click on a Picasa button, and the water cleared to magically reveal these fish.

The colors of these fish are remarkable, and I can't wait to use them in a painting.  Wonder if  I'll have to "murk" up the water I paint?

The cactus garden was my favorite of the areas in Balboa Park we visited that day.  The sculptural quality of cactus plants is always amazing and sometimes even bizarre.

This cactus looks like wired ribbon with fuzzy buttons on the edges to me.  It's quite tall, and as you can probably tell, impressive against the blue, blue sky.

When I said "bizarre" this plant's flower illustrates what I mean.  But I have to admit that I not sure if it's technically a cactus.  It's an agave which I think is its own family, but I didn't check that out.  Sorry.

Its flower looks so soft and fluffy, doesn't it?  I behaved myself and didn't touch it so I can't tell you if it is or not.

Cactus adrift in a sea of flowers.

These little guys look like pouting hedgehogs to me.  But they're not that little and they're quite spiney so I will behave when around them!  The yellow blossoms were just beginning to open when we were there.

We can't forget the trees!

The eucalyptus trees have a very distinctive profile and bark.  Great for sketches!

Lovely ornamental tree against that California blue sky!

A very unique shape on this tree, and I should know what it is, but I can't remember it.  Can you make out the red blooms?  Like a magnolia, this tree appears to flower before the leaves appear.

And here's the blossom.

Back to the cactus garden for a moment to view my favorite photo - the seed head of a plant silhouetted against some gray agave leaves.

San Diego - Day 3

On our third full day in southern California, the sun came out and lit up the sky (and our spirits!).  this becomes obvious as you view the best photographs I took that day.  You will also see some of the reasons we are so enthusiastic about this part of our country.  Do other places have sun, sea, and sky?  Yes, but to my mind no place with which I am familiar has as a topography as gorgeous, plant life as beautiful, or wildlife as interesting.  However, and here is the caveat I have to keep in mind whenever I start speaking in superlatives about anything;  my experience is limited.  

Knowing that, and knowing that my readers have very different experiences and different tastes, I will show you some photographs that explain why, in my estimation, southern California rates so highly.

The third day all four of us walked up to the Torrey Pines Preserve where, even though the air wasn't crystal clear, the sunshine on the plants, ocean, and rocks, made for a memorable time together.  

If you look at the first two pictures, you will realize they were taken from almost the same spot.  I find the second one a more interesting picture because of the yucca plant spiky against the yellow flowers in the foreground, the bushy mounds in the mid-ground, the dark hill and then the ocean in the distance.

In this one, the distant hill is now in the middle distance, and the waves draw one's attention.

But again, this one is better and is on my "to paint, maybe" list. 

You know I don't usually do this, but here are my companions from that day.  E, my very dear sister-in-law, BD my middle brother and good friend, and D, my love.

Can't resist a bird who's willing to sit for a portrait!

The flowering plants give us all such a lift at this time of year!

This cactus may not be flowering, but it certainly has it's own beauty.  And don't you just love that little white flower snuggling up to its more formidable neighbor?

Painters viewed from above as they work en plein air looking toward the north

And isn't this a lovely plant to end the day with!

Even though each one of my readers has her or his own special "most beautiful, special place on earth" perhaps each one can see why I respond so positively to this one.

San Diego - Day 2

Day two in San Diego saw all of us walking on the beach.  It was when what is called "Maritime Mist" (do I have this right, E?) had yet to burn off.  Surprisingly enough, I found the almost monochromatic and one value photographs very seductive.  It's surprising because I tend to paint and quilt with strong, bright colors.  Anyway, let me show you the pictures that call to me.

Having said what I did about the monochromatic, value static pictures, the first two you see are two that underwent some considerable saturation enhancement at my hands.  I forgot about changing them back to their original grayer look.  They were enhanced so I could actually see (for painting purposes) both the clouds and the rock surfaces.

The sky in this photo is really lovely, and the colors and texture of the cliff surface is highly visible and would be a pleasure to work on.  The fact that directly ahead of E and me are BD and D is super as well as the spots of color in the clothing of the others on the beach.  Even if I chose to render this in a more subdued palette this one would be fun.

While I don't think (at this point) that I would paint this pelican, I couldn't resist sharing this photo with you.  See what I mean about the colors and values?  But there is texture in those wonderful waves.  Makes a fun photo though.

And this fisherman absolutely has to be in a painting someday - that plaid shirt, those shadows, and the waves (note the ones far out?) . . . oh my.

Here he is again.  For a painting, I would probably combine these two pictures.  I love the way the fisherman is standing and how he is looking out to sea (probably really looking up at the top of his pole, but I'd alter the angle of his head if need be) in the first photo.  In the second one, I'd probably omit the second pole on the right as an unnecessary distraction from the distant cliff.  

You didn't get to see pretty, pretty pictures today, but I hope reading about how I think about the pictures I take was interesting.  You know I will show you some lovely views from San Diego later in the week.

San Diego 1

It has been a month since I wrote last; that's a first for me and not something about which I am very proud.  We traveled three out of the four weeks of March, but I made no attempt to get caught up on those few days we were home.  Well, I am back and have lots and lots of photos to share (several of which are being kept in my "Paint Worthy" folder as possible future subjects.  Others are in reference folders for times when I need to check exactly what a bobcat or a great horned owl or a tree with Spanish moss looks like.

Our photo tour will begin with San Diego where we stayed with brother D and his wife E.  Actually we were in Del Mar just across a few roads - but within sight of - both the ocean and Torrey Pines Preserve.  (I recommend that you click on the first photograph and scroll through all of them to get a better look at these pictures).

Almost every day, husband D and I joined brother D (hence forth referred to as BD) on his daily walk.  That was a pleasure as BD is both very knowledgeable about this area and its flora and fauna and a lot of fun to be with.

The first day we walked on the beach for a bit.  These are two photographs of the waves and the local pigeons. The composition of first one pleases me.  It's a bit stark, but the action of the waves, the spit of land with gulls in a social group, the inlet where the ocean water flows into a marshy area, and the simple palette all appeal to me.  Paint worthy?  Probably not, but I like it anyway.

Here is a close up of those gulls above; it's a reference photo.  I hope to paint an ocean-side scene, and if I want seagulls, well, here they are.

You may notice in the days that follow that I was enamored of anything green that was in bloom.  No wonder given what the weather was like where we live!  This is not only a photo of the yucca in bloom, but it is also a view from Torrey Pines (only about half-way up the road) looking back towards the beach and the hillside where BD and E were staying.  

I should apologize for this photo as it isn't much to look at, but there is a reason I took it.  This is an example of a Torrey pine and is a decent reference photo.  You can see how the wind (which is a nearly constant force where these trees live) has shaped the tree.  You'll be seeing more of them in subsequent photos.  Unfortunately, like many other trees, these are in trouble.  There is a serious problem with the bark beetle that is causing serious damage to trees that are weakened by the changing climate.  I may not have this exactly correct, but if you are interested, I suggest you check this site:

 http://articles.latimes.com/1989-01-08/local/me-294_1_torrey-pine 

for a more accurate description of what is occurring.

"Should we go left or right?"

 The caption on this picture of BD and D says it all.

This is an opuntia, aka, prickly pear, which is getting ready to bloom.  Later in the San Diego series, you will see one with open blossoms.  

Here is a hummingbird perching on a palm frond.

Blue sky, sea, and sand.  What more could north-easterners want in March?

Oh, right, maybe a shrub in bloom.

Progress on an Art Quilt

Today I spent a lot of time working on the art quilt that I'm making for the upstairs bathroom.  I know that putting a quilt in a bathroom may sound strange, but the upstairs bathrooms were updated and are now very, very white.  That was deliberate because I wanted to be able to change colors whenever the mood strikes.  Paintings won't be happy in such an environment, but quilts rotated from time to time should be okay (which gives me an excuse to make several quilts for each bathroom!).

The last time I put a photo of this quilt in the blog I had just re-done the checkerboard road.  Did I mention at that time that no matter how hard I tried that road kept on showing up smack dab in the middle of the quilt?  I think it's trying to tell me something.  Today I pinned (and re-pinned, and re-pinned over and over) the trees that are another part of the background.  They aren't sewed down yet so you'll be able to see little yellow dots all over the place.  Those dots are the heads of the pins. Here's how it looks now:

As I look at it now in the photos, there are a few things I wonder about.  My original intention was to have the trees growing from the highest "hill" down to one of the lower levels.  Today I seem to have forgotten that completely, but it only looks way.  The "birch" trees will be pulled down and some other lighter colored trees and saplings will be there too.  Guess I should do that before I sew any trees down.  This, with only some of the pieces in place, isn't as helpful as I had hoped

This photo is different only in that I cropped the left-hand side to see if I could "move" the checkerboard road that way.  Don't know that it works very well.  Does it still seem to be in the middle or is that because the lower right-hand side ends abruptly?  I do know that the trees closest to the road aren't happy.  Originally there was only one, but it was too big so I cut it in half.  The severely straight side on each tree is awful.  Well, that's easily fixed.

Tomorrow I meet with the art quilt group, and I'll see what they have to say.

Knitting News

Today's news flash about the lace scarf:  The following will not surprise most of you.  Every time I have undertaken a lace pattern, I have had to tear it out three times before I was able to knit the entire item.  And I had a cat who liked to sit by me and play with my knitting needles - or at least that cat was with us during one or two lace projects.  NOT that I am blaming the cat; I can mess up very thoroughly all by myself, but he was more fun to watch than the knitting chart!

Today I tore out the knitting on the current lace pattern for the second time.

Overwhelmed with the Number of Unfinished Projects? Take Heart . . .

Today I had a wonderful time learning how to knit 8 very, very short rows of lace.  The lace will be the edging of a lovely spidery looking neck scarf. Knowing how things go with me, tonight I decided to knit another 8 rows to cement the new knowledge and create muscle memory. The first row went very well so I merrily started another, and as so often happens to all crafters, I made a mistake.  I thought I had corrected it so I knit on.  By the fourth row, I knew I had not corrected anything; instead I had simply made it worse and far more obvious.

I stared at it for while; there was no "gift" except the experience in knitting and the experience I will gain by re-knitting everything.  Ah well,so things go.  Tomorrow is a new day, albeit a busy one, and I will start this project again.

Which brings up another point.  How many projects do I now have "in progress"?  I don't even know.  At least I can count the number of knitting projects I've started (I will include the one I tore out completely today) - a grand total of 2 sweaters, one pair of mittens, and a lace scarf.

The number of quilts I have started that I do plan to finish?  I have no idea.  Suffice it to say, a lot.

Then there are the paintings.  Those are probably quantifiable, but I'm not sure of the number.  Let's just say 7 more or less.

And you know what?  It doesn't bother me.  Oh maybe a little when I look around and feel momentarily overwhelmed, but it doesn't last.  This is one of those things with which I have an made an uneasy truce.  My explanation is that creativity isn't static; it keeps moving, searching, growing.  We are all constantly enticed by new ideas, new ways to do things, a new technique to master, a new craft to be mastered, a new representation of the pictures in our minds, and so much more.

It's the way it is, it's the way I am.

Using the "Gift" (aka What happened after the Mistake)

Yesterday I wrote about the mistake I made with the black batik, water, and the iron (aka the "checkerboard color bleed issue") . Then I realized that there was a good side to what could have (at least seemed like) disaster, and I made a new checkerboard.

Today I am a happy camper.  I accepted my mistake, realized it had a positive side, accepted that challenge, and moved ahead with my art quilt.  Is that a sign of maturity (I know; it's about time!)?  I am not the one who can answer that.  But I do know that it led to today's fun.

Here is a picture of the completed background:

Looks odd, doesn't it, and maybe even not very attractive?  Keep in mind, it's the background which in a finished work is rarely noticed.  And here is the new checkerboard.  

Even without the context, I imagine you can tell why the original checkerboard with the one-inch squares wouldn't work.

Now if I could be sure to find more time to work on this . . . 

Quilting Mistake Can Be a Gift

It almost seemed as though the making of a Japanese scroll just wore me out.  Actually, it's not far from the truth.  D finally managed to share one of his colds with me, and I went down for the count.  Yesterday I started feeling better so I decided to go back to working on my current art quilt project.

The first thing I needed to do was set the background so I went about getting those background pieces together.  One of those pieces was a checkerboard made of one-inch squares.  As I was pressing it, I forgot one of the basic tenets of working with batiks - especially dark ones.  Beware of water.  Yup, I spritzed that checkerboard, applied heat, and watched the dye spread from the charcoal batik square into the white square.  Showing it to D I said I thought I could cover the resulting ugly brownish stain with something or . . . He stopped me and said, "You'll do it over."

He was right.  Today, I decided that the ugly brown stain was a gift.  I hadn't been thrilled with that checkerboard though I still loved the idea.  Something had to be changed.  Today I spent all my time remaking that checkerboard.  It was the scale that didn't work for me so I changed the size.  Now that checkerboard is made up of half-inch squares.

It took all day because, as I discovered, that's no easy task.  Those tiny little pieces just skitter all over the place!  Okay, that's an exaggeration because one doesn't sew separate squares; one sews strips and prays that one is seeing the quarter-inch seam allowance accurately.  The new checkerboard is finished, and although not perfect, it is much better.

My next sewing day on this project will see me sewing the background to the batting and backing.  Then the fun of adding the details will begin!  So what started as a mistake turned out to be a gift.  

Making a Japanese Scroll

Now this was an extraordinary experience.  I had an inkling that making a scroll would be far more complex than one would think because I saw some bonsai friends working on making scrolls during a bonsai show a few years ago.  But it's one of those things - until one tries for oneself, one has no idea how many steps it takes to construct this kind thing.  Below is an example of one; the dark brown with the rods at top and bottom is an example of what we worked on today.  The light colored paper with a wonderful illustration was not a part of today's work.

Don't worry; I don't plan to try to explain it all.  Since I was involved in the project, I don't even have a thorough set of photographs to share, but I'll try to write down enough to give you a glimmer of what it was like.

All the pieces (the silk and all the layers of paper of which there were many)  had been cut for us, all the different glues had been prepared, the rods were cut and others were stained, the cords purchased, and odd or usual tools were ready for us.  Our teachers are good friends who had been through this themselves.

After marking and gluing the seam allowances on the sides, making the holes for the elastic cord that holds the piece of art, inserting the cord, more gluing, adding pieces to the seams, tops, and bottoms, another layer of paper on the back, we were ready to move on to the most unusual steps of all.

We took our glue-soaked scrolls to stick on a board and allow to dry face down!  Then to hasten the drying time, we used four hair dryers.

That wound up creating a possibly terminal problem.  The board was too rough and the glued scroll was almost permanently attached to it.  A razor blade and some steady hands managed to unstick the scrolls.  You can see the paper still adhered to the board below.

Eventually, after adding the rods, the eyelets on the top rod, the decorative cording to hide the eyelets, and the cording with which to hang the scroll, all was finished.  Below is one of the scrolls made today with a lovely piece of art.

And here is the group, each one with his or her scroll with or without art work included. Our talented and very patient teachers at at the head of the table; it wouldn't have been possible without them!