Artists Talk

I will be participating in the Artists' Talk for the Cutting Edge show at the Textile Arts Center. Date: Friday October 8th at 7PM.

Link:

http://textileartscenter.com/modules/news/newsitem.php?ItemId=23

Presentation solutions

During a critique of my work the idea of how to display them in a gallery environment had arisen. I realized that the small frames I made were not strong enough to present them in such a situation.
Something else was needed to get a viewers attention from across a room, and also to instruct them on how to view and perceive the work.
I got a lot of ideas at the critique. What I wanted was a simple, contemporary solution. I also wanted to simplify because I want all the 'action' to be happening in the embroidery itself. Truth is I hate doing anything but the actual work, so it was a bit of a chore.
I ended up stitching the embroideries to black velvet, and then wrapping them around thick matte board, then attaching that to a larger thick matte board (also wrapped in black velvet) which was then placed into a black wooden frame with no glass. The frame became a bit like a shadowbox since the edges stick out a bit and 'protect' the embroidery.
The black velvet does play into the religious overtones (undertones?) in the work, but I chose it because it made the work 'pop' better than other fabrics.
I was thinking that much, much larger frames might even be better, but this is what I ended up with and I think it works pretty good. Now, if placed in a gallery setting (which will actually be happening within a week or so), the viewer will (hopefully) be drawn to the work even from a far distance since the isolation inside the black area makes it more curious, and then with the black velvet and frame around to block out distractions, can concentrate and contemplate the details.

Group show

I will be exhibiting two pieces (this one and this one) in an upcoming Fiber Artists group show - "Cutting Edge: A Celebration of Fibers" at the newly opening Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn. The show is part of the grand opening of the center. It is located at 505 Carroll Street (Park Slope/Gowanus area), Brooklyn, New York City. Read more about the center at their web site.

The show runs from September 17th to October 11th. There will be an opening gala on Friday the 17th from 8 -11 PM.
Also, an artists talk is scheduled in October, actual date to be announced.
I will be attending the opening gala and artist talk, and I hope to see many (any) of you there!

Finished

The Black Fabric Hoop finished.
There are some French knots, my first time doing them. There is invisible floss and also transparent/translucent fishing line, plus some new varieties of metallic floss. I did a lot of experimenting on this one.
Size is about 6 1/2" inches diameter.

Group

I recently joined a Fiber Artists Collective right here in Brooklyn. So far it has been a great experience - meeting other fiber artists, seeing each others work, sharing information about shows, etc. A few days ago I had a critique with them. It was a good experience. Basically the major point was in regards to my presentation (frames, mountings and such), which I immediately started working on and will post images of soon. Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to Joetta Maue, the group's founder and accomplished Fiber artist, for starting the group!
She left a mention of the critique on her blog.

The Unfinished

I started doing embroidery as a result of using stitches to compliment my collages. But the thread took over so fiercely that I abandoned a few of them in favor of full-on fabric embroidery. I kept some of them close though, small ones that I had mounted onto card stock, in the same bag as my metallic and invisible thread, spare poly bags and other odds and ends. I thought I would go back to them and eventually stitch them to completion. At first I was doing this, but soon my hoop work dominated my mind and they became pretty much forgotten. I'm always fumbling through this bag to retrieve one thing or another, brushing past the collages like they were forgotten people.


Recently I fished them all out and placed them in front of me. I remember distinctly stitching gold onto one while I was watching the Summer Olympics. That was two years ago. And they are still in my bag? What for? Maybe it's time to finally finish them. After I finish the current hoop I'm on of course. Maybe.........

Featured on Hand Embroidery Network

Link:
http://handembroiderynetwork.blogspot.com/2010/04/mythological-beasts-tod-hensley.html

Thanks Sarah!

Featured on Additions Style blog

I was asked to guest-blog. Thanks Additions Style!

http://additionsstyle.blogspot.com/2010/03/artist-to-inspire-flying-haystacks.html

Black in Progress

Ahh, black fabric. I been waitin' for this!.....

Ah yes, the majesty of black fabric.....

(can't make up my mind how to start this post).....

How about -

Black fabric - it doesn't suck...... metallic thread will pop on this......the contrast, the glistening, the joy! The continuing problem of difficulty photographing, hurrah!.....

Some time back I was coveting a book of African peoples who had their faces and bodies adorned with beautiful pigments and leaves, etc. A friend bought it for me (thanks friend!). I used that book as a reference for some of the faces (I think they are more than obvious).

To the far left (when looking at the entire hoop) is the Fertility Goddess, or Idol (not sure which exactly). I was trying to make an overtly sexual female image, but the 'Goddess/Idol' came out instead, putting me in my place, as if to teach me not to take the concept of human female sexuality so frivolously. I'm humbled.

The 'ghost-like' face in the middle was sewn on top of other stitches. I wanted to have an even more transparent, layered effect than what resulted. Maybe next time, if possible. Hey - can I get transparent floss anywhere?

The rule to this hoop was 'if I feel trapped, stop and do something else'. Now I feel so free, I'm losing my momentum. Well, I wanted to play more with cutting and re-assembling sections together. I think that's what I'll do next, or maybe just make a bunch of smaller images like I did with the other large hoop.

The face on the far right, made with lots of tiny metallic stitches looks like its made of shiny beads. Its not very 'sharp', even when looking at it up close and in person. The facial features do not clearly define themselves. Of course, the photograph is even more muddled. Sometimes I feel like giving the ole' heave-ho to this blog because the images don't come close to the experience of the originals. But alas, that's the problem lots of artists have. did I just call myself an artist? Oops!

Red and Brains and....

This is sort of a follow up on the self portrait. It continues the theme of certain problems which emanate from the quality and workings of the brain. We don't get to choose our brain. What would happen if we had a better model?

I wanted to work on a colored surface. I almost chose black but the red won out instead. I also wanted to use all metallic threads.
For the first time I didn't fill every inch of my working space with stitches. For much of it, I let the fabric exist as it was. I was planning to leave much more alone but then I fell upon the glorious accident which I described in the previous post.
The figure was supposed to be me. But when I did the head I knew it couldn't be. It looked too much like one of those zombie-type things found on heavy metal posters in some adolescents room. I wasn't happy with it, but what could I do? It stayed.

This is the largest thing I've done. it measures about 7 inches diameter.

I left it round, left it flat. I just sewed up the edges and left the back exposed, which may or may not look as interesting as the front.