Great Links

Looking for places to explore try www.RenoOpenStudios.com and www.Bernie Rowell.com

Art Quilt Donation

Wild Woman Artist Chris Hansen has donated “Looking Forward” to the Studio Art Quilt Benefit Auction. This newest work from Chris is made from paint, ink, fabric and net. The internet auction begins Sept. 10 and the one–foot–square quilts can be viewed online at

http://www.saqa.com/newsebulletins/Squares09_1.aspx
Funds raised will support SAQA’s expanding marketing, outreach and education programs.

Chris Hansen at The Northern Nevada Museum

Wild Woman Chris Hansen is one of 17 artists with work juried into "Nevada: City Lights to Campfires." The show of fine art includes oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, pencil-charcoal, colored pencil, graphite, pen and ink, textiles, sculpture and photography. The show runs all summer till Sept.1 at the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko. There will be an artists' reception on June 11. Several of Chris' Nevada–themed art quilts will be displayed. Additonally, Chris will be teaching her self portrait art quilt class at the museum this fall.

Gail Rappa's Creative Journey to an Outrageous Belt

I had always wanted to try making a Concho belt, but had always felt intimidated by the time and material commitment involved. When the recession became more and more inevitable in the early fall of 2008, it was logically the worst time to consider making the most ambitious and expensive piece I had attempted to date. But I had some time between shows and it felt imperative to not succumb to the scarcity that was flooding us from every angle in the media. Taking on this project felt like my way of saying to all the fear mongers “you can’t scare me!”
I knew that I wanted to create a belt that told a story like my shadow box bracelets. The idea being that the depth of the shadow box would allow for more sculptural and dimensional elements, so that was where I started. I constructed the rectangle and square boxes out of heavy gauge sterling silver rectangle wire. That was the most challenging part for me; measuring things precisely does not come natural to me and these corners had to all be mitered perfectly! I had considered just making one and having it cast but I don’t normally work with cast elements and I was afraid I would loose some of the fresh crisp look that I love about hand fabrication work. Plus I wanted both a square and a rectangle and was afraid that if I had to wait for the whole process of mold making and casting, I would chicken out about following through with the project.
I knew that I would use the jet and the raven image that consumes my work so that was the simplest place to begin. I wanted to try cutting and polishing some rough sugilite I had been saving. So I sliced open a section from lump the size of a red potato and stared in disbelief at the smooth interior-a profile of a ravens head in the hematite that ran thought the deep purple stone- I actually laughed out loud at the synchronicity of it. That’s really what started the theme of raven finds home- it seemed so clear that the Raven was looking for something and since home is a recurring theme for me it seemed natural to go with that.
I wanted to limit the colors to keep the final piece from getting too busy. So I tried to stick with black, purple, and silver. The jet was of course the main element but the Amethyst and moonstones were a no brainier, two of my favorites, and I had just purchased some pinkish opals from a friend. I had been saving this fabulous piece of purple chalcedony and it screamed “clouds” so that went in there too along with some white and grey drusy that I cut and carved a bit.
My husband, also an artist, was totally in support of me working on this huge extravagant piece that might or might not sell in the current financial climate. He built an elegant 36 inch wooden shadowbox that hangs on the wall to display the belt when it is not being worn. Even thought this was a major art piece for me it was really important that it be wearable and comfortable. Even with the heaviness of the silver and all the elements it rests perfectly at the hips with a lovely weight to it. Putting the finished belt for the first time was thrilling! I danced in joy in front of the mirror at the reflection of me wearing this tangible talisman against fear and doubt.


Gail Rappa

Jimmie Benedict Featured Artist

Jimmie Benedict taught herself macramé out of a magazine in the late 60’s. She studied with Joan Michaels Paque, Virginia Harvey, and Joan Austin at Arrowmont School and played with the forms. For 10 years, Jimmie showed her work through several guilds and did commission work with large knotted forms. In 1980, after seeing a show with her mother, Jimmie was drawn back to sewing, which she had been surrounded by her whole life. She learned Seminole Patchwork and started a line of garments. She enjoyed working with clothing as they were pieces of sculpture that you could wear around.

Jimmie is a life member of Southern Highland Craft Guild, based in Asheville, NC where she showed her work from 1970 until moving from the southeast in 1992. She served on the board of trustees and the fair committee for many years. That is probably where she got the notion of bossing folks around when it came to setting up shows. When she moved to Reno she searched out like-minded women who worked in fine craft and found Mary Lee Fulkerson and Jill Altmann. Together they formed what would become Wild Women Artists.

Jimmie’s work today is about nice clothes. She likes to make wonderful garments that have style, lots of detail, lots of color, and are beautifully finished. She likes good color, piping the seams, and binding. Black and White checks and stripes are practically a signature. She is currently working toward a fashion show in Knoxville, TN (April) and an exhibition with her good friend, Bernie Rowell in Asheville, NC. The show will be at the Cloth Fiber Workshop in June. The show is titled “The Sewing Machine Queens: Too Much of a Good Thing Can Be Wonderful”. Jimmie will be teaching a class called “What If I Cut This Up” on June 13-14. She will be sharing her strip pieced strip-piecing techniques with students.

If Jimmie is not at her sewing machine, she may be out skiing if it is cold, biking with husband, Ron, if it is a bit warmer, or slaughtering the banjo with her murderous three finger technique. If lucky, she can hang out with her three grandchildren, Otter, Tucker Mac, and Wren.

Barbara Prodaniuk to display at Palo Alto Research Center

Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk will be one of 26 exhibiting  members of The Association Of Clay and Glass Artists Of California on display at the Palo Alto Research Center April 1- June 30, 2009. Artists Recption will be held Wednesday April 15 , 2009 , 4:30-6pm.Palo Alto Research Center, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto , Ca. or contact Lisa Fahey 650-812-4489 to arrange a visit Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

"Signs of Life 2009" at Facere Jewelry Art Gallery, Seattle

  

"Signs of Life 2009" at the Facere Jewelery Art Gallery of Seattle is a contemporary jewelry art show and companion jewelry art catalog/literary journal.The show features work by nine artists, our beloved Gail Rappa being one of them . The catalog/literary journal pairs these jewelry artists with nine writers in a unique publication that celebrates both literature and jewelry art . ( www.facerejewelryart.com/exhibit.php?id=26 )