Porter Mill Show

A few weeks ago, Corbett and I each submitted a series of pieces to the juried Annual Holiday Small Works Exhibition at Porter Mill Gallery here in Beverly and we both got in! I'm so giddy - it's my first art show! Above are my embroidered pieces that will be included in the exhibition. These are a part of an ongoing series I've been working on for a couple of years, so it's very exciting/nerve wracking to have them leave my house and go out into the world. Corbett framed them all beautifully and I can't wait to see them up on the wall.

Porter Mill is having a day-long event tomorrow to celebrate the opening (complete with open studio tours and a lots of food), so if you're in the area, stop by! All of the work in the show is for sale so maybe you'll find a holiday gift in there. :)

Happy weekending!

Above: 

1- The Rays #1

2- The Rays #2

3- The Rays #3

Print of the Week: Harry Stooshinoff

Snow Clad by Harry Stooshinoff.

Millinery

Over the long weekend, my family and I went to see Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. An exhibition of hats! Just hats in all their pleated, feathered, woven, silken, sequined, and sculptural glory. There were around 250 of these creations and naturally I had a great time picturing them all on my head. Here are a handful of my favorites from the V&A collection, which sponsored the exhibition.

Above, from left to right: Ladies hat by Paulette (c. 1960); Goose feather hat by Phillip Treacy (1995); Silk and plastic hat by Hubert de Givenchy (1960s); Plush velvet with silk satin and feathers hat by Stephen Jones (1982); Kiss of Death bonnet by Jo Bennet (1994); Wedding bonnet by unknown (1870-75); Cloche by Miss Fox (1928-29); Plaited raffia and silk hat by Madame Suzy (c. 1937-1939); Suede and monal pheasant feather hat by Caroline Reboux (1946); Straw hat by Aage Thaarup (mid 1960s).

Paper Folding

Origami creatures by Britta Manger, available at her shop Birdtoldme. I talked a little about childhood nostalgia welling up from an unknown origin last week, but this time I know where my immediate fondness for paper folding comes from: Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Did you ever read that book in grade school? It's such a compelling story. I remember my entire grade level creating a thousand paper cranes after reading it and hanging them all up in the hallways. Origami seems like a simple art form at the outset, but some of the sculptures can be incredibly complex. That's why I like seeing Manger's designs in both their flat paper forms and as completed structures: you get an idea of the true intricacy involved.

Immediate Nostalgia

These posters by Vikki Chu have a style that seems plucked right out of my childhood memories, though I can't quite place where. A science poster in a classroom? A picture book I read while sprawled out on the floor? A coloring book? A scene from some PBS-produced educational cartoon? Ugh, what has happened to my memory? I also used to be able to list all of my teachers from kindergarten through high school. No more. Perhaps Ms. Chu will design some memory cards next.

Uncut & Unpolished

Naturally one-of-a-kind pieces by Mineralogy Design.

A Print For Your Weekend: Karin Lindeskov

Some of them look like they are wearing scarves! I approve. It's cold out.

Owlstreet by Karin Lindeskov.

Panels

Triptychs by Michael Broad.

From the top: Flower Girl With Beast and Hens; Nocturnal Birds with Golden Gown; Woodland Birds With Hog.

All Woolly

Great pieces from Pendleton at Frances May.

Hello Weekend

I am so glad it's Friday. What a week! I am hoping to recover this weekend with some simple things like embroidery, a good book, curry, and Bond. What are your plans?

Above: works by David Marmota.

Fall Wreathes

Wreathes by Twigs, Twine, and Thyme.

Election Day!

It's Election Day in the United States today. I'm proud to be able to vote and so thankful for the women who fought to secure that right. Please take part if you are able! Go vote!

Photographs from the Library of Congress, all part of the Women Striving Forward, 1910-1940s set.

October Movies Part II

I'm a bit late posting the conclusion to our October movie fest thanks to some last minute projects at work and those hurricane days, but let it not be thought that scary movies were not watched! For the second half of the month we maintained a blend of classic and new flicks, but this time added some humor. I can't help but watch Hocus Pocus around this time every year - it's just deliciously fun and sweet. Why isn't Thackery Binx a more popular name?

We also got Death Becomes Her, something neither of us had seen all the way through in a long time. Please people, put this in your Netflix queues! It is amaaazing. Over-the-top comedy gold. Goldie Hawn's commitment can not be beat. And it's so great to watch Meryl Streep be outright sexy and Bruce Willis play a wimpy schmuck. I know he's an action guy, but watching this really made me wish he'd play more nerds.

Besides the classics, most of our movies were middle of the road. My Little Eye had some interesting ideas and legitimate thrills, but left too much unexplained for my taste. Same goes for Silent House, though the real-time execution was cool. Ultimately, 28 Days Later remains one of my favorite contemporary horror movies. What's more terrifying - the zombies or the humans left behind? I can't believe it's almost 10 years old!

One can only take so many jumps and general ick, so we blended in a good helping of The Twilight Zone for some nostalgic, suspenseful relief. After so many devils and dates gone seriously wrong, it was rather nice to see William Shatner freaking out over some Magic 8 Ball-esque predictions.