tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62172494231715812442024-03-13T08:16:54.404-05:00Free Spirit Art StudioWelcome. All images are copyrighted and cannot be used without my expressed permission.Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-58158082794071004552018-03-12T14:36:00.003-05:002018-03-12T14:39:37.966-05:00Nakoma Warrior Princess<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Nakoma, Warrior Princess is a whole cloth painted quilt measuring 22"X 23" and was completed on March 12, 2018. She was inspired from curiosity of my own roots. While I have always thought that I was predominantly German and Spanish, a recent DNA test from my maternal aunt revealed that we also had a considerable amount of Central American Indian as well. Born and raised in New Mexico, I had only memories of the Hispanic culture in my family. This newfound knowledge made me wonder about the native american side thereby prompting me to create a commemorative piece of my long lost roots. Nakoma was based on a photo taken on a visit to the Ohkayawingeh tribe in Northern New Mexico during the celebration of the Feast of John the Baptist, their local patron saint. The original photo has been included at the bottom of this post for reference. I have taken several creative liberties in that I wanted<br />
her to have her own face and personality. When I first began sketching her, this little face emerged that would not be denied. I also opted to change her clothing style giving her a white leather shawl and a velvet turquoise top with a velvet red pleated skirt. In truth, the photo only served as a model. If this little girl was going to be born, she would have her own voice and identity. Once the sketch was completed, it was transferred onto fabric and painted with acrylic textile paints. Nakoma meaning Little Warrior was quilted with Glide thread on my new JUKI TL-2000Qi sewing machine. What a joy!!! This machine is a no frills, straight stitch and free motion only, industrialized quilting machine. I absolutely loved working on it. The background was quilted in a triangular pattern to symbolize a geometric native american style. As you can see, the two really are quite different and for that, I am truly happy! Thank you for stopping by. It is so good to be blogging again. For now, it's back to the studio for more fun. Who knows what will find its way into my next piece! Wishing you a happy and creative day!<br />
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-86418327021671234722017-06-29T11:47:00.000-05:002017-06-29T11:49:58.561-05:00Gypsy, A Study on Color and Balance <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wow, it has been a couple of years since I last posted on my blog. Despite having taken a hiatus from my artwork, I have created a couple of pieces. Gypsy is my latest creation that I am pleased to share with you. This piece represents my return to the studio after a long period of thoughtful inner reflection. The white horse often seen as a spirit animal symbolizes balance and spiritual awareness within oneself much like the proverbial yin/yang, the wild, playful, adventurous side vs the tame, responsible and loyal side of ourselves. My goal was to portray this concept on cloth by illustrating how the use of color can be balanced to attain a neutral white color. This piece began by using a white piece of cotton and an assorted palette of both paint and thread in various hues of pink and blue. For this study, I decided to illustrate how balance can be achieved by using color that tugs from pink to blue in order to create highlights and shadows that read as an overall neutral white. A very bright light pink was used as the brightest highlight on her left (right facing) eye and cheekbone. Duller shades of pinks were used for less intense highlights whereas the converse is true with regards to blue and its corresponding shadows.<br />
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Again, the idea was to neutralize pinks and blues to achieve a white color, a rather difficult task when starting off on an already white piece of cotton! This was a daunting idea that I really was not sure would work. The question remained: Would the horse read as a crazy, wild looking pink and blue horse or would the colors neutralize one another so as to appear white? I must admit that I have never worked in this palette before and I was rather nervous about the outcome. The background was painted black to further increase the contrast. What a fun and interesting study?! I really learned so much from experimenting with both thread and paint to illustrate this idea. I really feel that the use of pink and blue were quite effective at displaying balance and neutralizing color to portray the white horse. I also believe that this technique lends a somewhat surreal aspect to her as well. I am inspired to try other pieces that utilize colors to neutralize each other and see where that leads me. I hope you enjoyed reading about my experiment in color and balance. Please feel free to chime in and let me know your thoughts. Does Gypsy appear pink and blue or does she read as white? Do you agree about the surrealistic aspect this technique seems to impart? I hope to hear an array of thoughts on the matter and enter into a creative discussion.</div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-61324961636784953412015-11-10T12:26:00.000-06:002015-11-10T12:26:00.580-06:00International Quilt Festival World of Beauty and What's for Dinner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Welcome back! It's Day 4 of my blogging about the International Quilt Festival in Houston and I am jazzed to review some of the quilts at festival, this year. With so little time to checkout the quilts, I made my way to Innovative Applique in the World of Beauty judged show where I was blessed to have "Parrotise" accepted. This is one of my favorite pieces that I have created and it was so fun to see it in Houston. I have never entered anything into Innovative Applique and it was a pleasure to see how so many artists were using so many creative ideas to express themselves. What a treat?!!!! I have to say, I DID come up with the idea for my next quilt while at the show and I am itching to get started on it!!! Next, I meandered to the Group Quilts Division of the judged show where Mod 7 was being displayed. Mod 7 was named for it's modern look and the seven artists, Sherri Mc Cauley, Martha Tsihlas, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Kathy York, Frances Holliday Alford, Connie Hudson and myself who collaborated to create it. <br />
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Above left is a photo of Mod 7 and to the right is the title and description along with all the techniques that were used to create this piece. I absolutely love the bold graphics using mainly black and white with subtle touches of cobalt blue and chartreuse. I am so blessed to work with such fabulous artists!!! Finally, with only a few minutes to spare before my next class, I made my way to the "What's for Dinner" special exhibit. Wow, I love this exhibit and how each artist interprets their vision of food and fiber. There were so many creative pieces there and just looking at them was so much fun!!! This year, they also opted to have centerpieces and items for the table. My 3 dimensional fiber art flowers and vase were set along with a fabulous Alphabet Soup by Frances Holliday Alford. </div>
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I love this!!! I do hope they repeat this special exhibit again. I have so many ideas for next year!!! I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and tour of the show floor at festival. Please join me tomorrow as I have a surprise in store. Wishing you all a most tantalizing Tuesday, my friends!</div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-52514607883237575322015-11-09T18:10:00.000-06:002015-11-09T18:10:03.997-06:00Dinners with Dinner at Eight Artists and Fiber on a Whim<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Welcome back to Day 3 of blogging about my experiences at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. Today, I would like to focus on a very special Dinner at Eight Artists, exhibit, “Affinity” curated by Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal. This is always a very special show at festival and this year is perhaps my most favorite of all! Forty artists each created a 40X40 piece for the exhibit. My piece, “That’s Amore” is shown above. The show debuted at IQF for market and festival and it was met with great enthusiasm! Later we all gathered together on Friday evening to celebrate with a wonderful dinner at 8:00, naturally. After dinner, we discussed next year’s theme and played a game of spoons. I really have to practice more for this!</div>
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The photo above left are my good friends, Rachel Parris and Frances Holliday Alford doing a fabulous job of holding their own in the spoon game. I envy them! And you may notice the new “Affinity” book at the table which we all had copies of and circulated around for each other to sign. The photo above, right captures the lovely and fun spirited Susan Fletcher King and Linda Teddlie Minton. And I did not manage to get a photo of Pokey Bolton, our honored guest but she was there along with fellow honored guest, Lisa Ellis. So much talent under one roof, for sure and a good time was had by all! I am so blessed to be part of this fabulous group of women.<br />
And speaking of amazing women, the next evening, I was also blessed to dine out with Kristin Rodriguez and Jan Girod of Fiber on a Whim. They always know the best places to eat in Houston and Saturday night was no exception. We ate a wonderfully, delectable meal at Mannie’s. Because Kristin and I both LOVE hot and spicy food, Mexican Gulf seafood with an Asian influence, was on the menu for Saturday night. Wow, what a treat?!!! I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and that you will join me tomorrow when I continue my tour on the show floor to explore more exhibits and quilts. Wishing you a fabulous Monday, my friends!<br />
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-9815839856326443912015-11-08T15:38:00.001-06:002015-11-08T15:39:10.724-06:00Window Shopping at Houston International Quilt Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Welcome, I know I said I would blog about both the quilt festival show and the goodies I procured while at festival but I thought today would be better suited for some afternoon window shopping. As promised, here are some of the photos of goodies I managed to find while in Houston. Earlier this year, when I judged the quilt show in Kerrville, I came upon this thread that I absolutely LOVE!!!! It's called Glide and it has a beautiful sheen to it but best of all, it sews like butter!!!! There's about 47 spools of thread here and it is a good start to my collection. Eye candy for sure! I am so jazzed about this find! I also was introduced to Bunny Paper, a new product from Attached Inc. by Iris Karp that works so well with their Mistyfuse. Bunny Paper is amazing! You iron your Mistyfuse to the back of your fabric. Procure the design you would like to transfer onto your computer and print it out on Bunny Paper. When you iron the Bunny Paper onto the Mistyfuse (back side) of your fabric, it transfers the design. How cool is that?!!!! I will be playing with this and doing a blog post on it soon so feel free to check back for more information. And I just had to pick up some lovely hand dyed cotton and linen fabric from my good friends, Kristin Rodriguez and Jan Girod of Fiber on a Whim. Their hand dyed products are so wonderful to work with and have such beautiful sheen! The fabric all the way on the right just kept calling my name every time I walked by so I finally relented and purchased it! And a girl has to have a stiletto! <br />
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I also found some goodies for creating my 3Dimensional flowers, some cording, gorgeous hand dyed velvet ribbon, hand dyed silk cocoons and crocheted beads. They are scrumptious and I can't wait to play with them! Then to sooth, my mixed media side, I had to purchase lots of stencils, paint, Tsukineko ink, silk screens, blue foam moldable stamps, tiny daubers for fine dots, combs for gelatin monoprinting and best of all, two fabulous sets of paint brushes. These brushes are like gold! There are five brushes in each Aqualon Wisp set. Two years ago, when I was last in Houston, I came upon my first Aqualon brush set and they are to die for! There are four brush sets in all: the fan set which allows you to create shapes reminiscent of clams and fans, the filbert set which lends itself to painting feathers, the flat set which allows for easy panting of checkerboard surfaces and basket cross hatching, and finally, the angular set which is wonderful for painting trees and foliage. My mouth just waters when I think about playing with these! With so many goodies, it's hard to decide what to play with first!!! Though, I have to tell you, I am leaning towards the paints and brushes!<br />
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I hope you have enjoyed these product reviews and that you will check back with me tomorrow when I blog about the show at Houston International Quilt Festival. Wishing you a fabulous Sunday, my friends!<br />
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-35739239732065540922015-11-06T15:42:00.000-06:002015-11-06T15:44:43.581-06:00International Quilt Festival Workshops at Fiber on a Whim<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Blogpost-3.jpg"><img alt="Blogpost 3" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3847" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Blogpost-3-300x300.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a><br />I am back from Houston International Quilt Festival and am just now getting a chance to start blogging. Wow, what a ride?!!!! I arrived on Thursday in time to teach Artful Coloring, a one hour workshop for Fiber on a Whim on the festival floor. I love that booth! And I absolutely loved seeing the look on my students' faces as they created two pieces of painted art, one on black and one on white fabric using acrylic textile paints, gelatin printing, stamping and stenciling. We all got messy but had a blast! This class was repeated again on Saturday. In between painting classes, I taught 3 Dimensional Fiber Art Flowers and was blessed to have two of my peeps from Austin sit in my class, Beth Kennedy and Lois Moran. They are awesome artists! Each student created their own unique 3 D flower and were able to walk away with a finished flower lapel pin. How cool is that?!!!
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I had a blast teaching at Houston this year and got to connect with so many friends and make new friends as well. Love that! Tomorrow, I will post about the show and goodies that I managed to find while there. I hope you enjoyed this post and I look forward to sharing more of my experiences at festival with you. Wishing you a fabulous and creative day!</div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-47036285594033151782015-07-21T10:57:00.000-05:002015-07-21T11:03:22.227-05:00That's Amore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, I am so jazzed to finally get a chance to blog about "That's Amore." This piece was created for the upcoming Dinner @ 8 Artists exhibit, Affinity that was curated by Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison. The show is sponsored by Havel Sewing <br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">and will premiere at the International Quilt Market (Oct 24-26) and Festival (Oct 28-Nov 1) in Houston, Texas. The exhibit is comprised of 40 artists who will each contribute a 40X40 quilt. How cool is that?!!! That's Amore began as a white piece of muslin and took about four weeks to complete. I first sketched the bird and blew it up to size in order to transfer it to the white muslin. Usually, I begin by painting the bird first but this time around, I opted to do the background ahead of time in a gray color. <br />
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I then proceeded to paint the bird using some new paintbrushes that I had purchased on my last trip to Houston. I have to say that these new brushes are so cool! I learned so much when creating this piece. When the bird was completed, I decided that I no longer liked the gray background and so I began adding foliage to add interest and to try and cover the background. Still, I did not want to detract from the parrot. I then began quilting the bird and proceeded to quilt the foliage as well. Next, I got this hair brained idea that I should try and change the background color from gray to a muted green and so in the middle of quilting, I took out my paints and began sponge painting the background. Crazy, I know but it seems to somehow have worked. That's Amore was inspired bya true story of love in the Arenal Mountains of Costa Rica. Years ago, a woman from Brazil came to Costa Rica with her husband bearing a pair of fully grown blue and yellow macaw parrots, one male and one female. She allowed the parrots to roam freely around the area and one day, a tourist threw a rock at the male and killed him. Estephania, the female, was not there to witness the tragic event and the male was buried. Macaws mate for life and Estephania to this day continues to fly around the Arenal Volcano mountains in search for her lost mate, all the while hoping to reunite with her lover. Because she is the only blue macaw in the wild as the rest of the parrots that are native to the region are scarlet macaws, the likelihood that she will find another mate is very low. And such is the woeful tale of That's Amore, sad but true. Because I did not have a photo of a blue macaw, I opted to use a photo that I took of some macaws at the Dallas Zoo while I was there earlier this spring. Soon I will be going to the Arenal Volcano mountains where I hope to get a glimpse of Estephania who still resides in the forest. In the meantime, I hope you have enjoyed this story and this post. I would like to thank you for stopping by invite you to check back next week when I post about my next piece, Parrotise. </span></div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-73535439829102476332015-07-16T11:19:00.002-05:002015-07-16T11:19:52.101-05:00A Bit of Culture from The Land of Enchantment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, I have just returned from a trip to my native homeland in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. While there, I was blessed to tag along with my dear godfather and his lovely girlfriend who happens to be a member of the Ohkay Owingeh tribe. We gathered together to celebrate the Feast of John the Baptist on June 24th. Wow, what a treat! The tribe is a Pueblo Indian tribe which speaks Tewa and is located in the small town of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo near Espanola where I learned that in fact thei pueblo was the first capitol of New Mexico prior to Santa Fe. We arrived at the pueblo on Tuesday afternoon in time to do the mile walk/run race. I was told the significance of this event was to commemorate the time when the Indians would run from pueblo to pueblo to communicate news during the pueblo revolt. Under the oppression of the Spaniards, their legs were cut off to keep them from running and so to honor their ancestors, they keep the tradition alive as a reminder that while the Spaniards might cut their legs off, they could not break their spirit or keep them from running. <br />
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Following the race is the start of the dances, specifically, the Buffalo Dances consisting of three dancers, two men and a woman who emulate the Black Buffalo in the summer and the White Buffalo during the winter season. Above are photos of the Black Buffalo dance while below are photos showing the White Buffalo Dance. </div>
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These dancers dance seemingly, tirelessly throughout the festival alternating costumes from summer to winter and back again. But wow, aren't they beautiful?!!! And of course, I had to capture a few other dancers as well to further reflect the beauty of the tribe and its traditions.</div>
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As I mentioned earlier, this celebration is in honor of the Feast of Saint John the Baptist. and so to commemorate their patron saint of their local San Juan Bautista Church, (the oldest Catholic congregation in the United States), the newly appointed Archbishop John C Wester was there to preside over the occasion. On Wednesday morning at 7 am., the congregation met outside the church to begin the walking procession to the Rio Grande River where the Archbishop would bless the river and all of the people. Below are a few photos of the procession.</div>
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Following the blessing at the river, we returned to the church where the Archbishop said mass in honor of St. John the Baptist. This was his first visit to any of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos and was a treat for sure. The Ohkay Owingeh tribe welcomed him with open arms and the women of the tribe presented him with the most beautiful chasuble made of white buckskin with fringe. It was adorned by numerous seed beads that were meticulously sewn to reflect the native American style. I must say this was the most gorgeous chasuble I have ever seen and was truly a labor of love. This tribe is well known for its pottery and weaving and their most kind and welcoming ways. They welcomed me with open arms and gave me a glimpse of their beautiful culture and for that, I am most blessed. I am hoping that one day, I might be able to create a piece of artwork from all the inspiration and love that I received. I also hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed being a part of it. </div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-28466919388969041812015-05-10T05:00:00.000-05:002015-05-10T09:27:39.713-05:00Colorful Fabric Collage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, welcome to the Colorful Fabric Collage Blog Hop. This lovely 144 page book by Sue Bleiweiss features seven scrumptious chapters of awesome projects including design, dyeing, fusing, quilting, unusual embellishments and more. As I peruse through the book, I am just in awe of all the eye candy and wealth of information that Sue provides in this book. Wow!Congratulations, Sue! This book has been in the making for about a year at which time, nine artists were invited to create a piece for the Artist Spotlight sections throughout the publication. I am honored and tickled to be a part of it all along with Sue Bleiweiss, Jamie Fingal, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Terri Stegmiller, Deborah Boschert, Desiree Habicht, Kathy Sperino, Kathy York and Lyric Kinard. How cool is that?!!!! Below is my piece, Mystique, a 3 dimensional soft sculpted floral arrangement. <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mystique-Detail_BarbForrister.jpg"><img alt="Mystique Detail_BarbForrister" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3633" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mystique-Detail_BarbForrister-199x300.jpg" height="300" width="199" />
</a><a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mystique-by-Barb-Forrister_Full-2.jpg"><img alt="Mystique by Barb Forrister_Full (2)" class=" size-medium wp-image-3631 alignleft" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mystique-by-Barb-Forrister_Full-2-300x300.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/giveawaypack11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="giveawaypack1[1]" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3634" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/giveawaypack11-300x220.jpg" height="220" width="300" /></a>To order your copy, please visit <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620336928/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1620336928&linkCode=as2&tag=sueblei-20&linkId=42S67M5IAQBMG5QY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3fcad8;">Amazon</span></a> or <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/colorful-fabric-collage-grouped?utm_source=ls&utm_medium=affiliate&cid=affiliate&siteID=S4jnsg12Aa8-hlKom4RKT5Mql9z_AwE4Sw" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3fcad8;">Interweave</span></a>.
Also in order to celebrate the release of this wonderful book, Sue and all the artists are doing a blog hop. And that is not all. Sue has graciously put together a mouth watering prize consisting of the book, Colorful Fabric Collage, Sketch Fuse Quilt along with a stack of Sue's beautiful hand dyed 10 inch squares, a 2 1/2 yd package of Mistyfuse and some Aurifil threads. Please note, that international winners will receive an e copy of the book and not the hard copy. To be eligible for this drawing, please leave a comment on this post and/or any other of the blog posts. You may enter on each blog post along the blog hop to increase your chances of winning. I am posting here but you may notice
that to be eligible for this blog post, you must visit my website at <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/blog/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.barbforrister.com/<wbr></wbr>blog/</a>. Again, thank you so much for stopping by.<br />
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The schedule is as follows:</div>
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May 4: Sue Bleiweiss: <a href="http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.suebleiweiss.com/<wbr></wbr>blog/</a></div>
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May 4: Jamie Fingal :<a href="http://www.jamiefingaldesigns.com/" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>jamiefingaldesigns.com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958640" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 5</span></span>: Leslie Tucker Jenison: <a href="http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://leslietuckerjenison.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958641" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 6</span></span>: Terri Stegmiller : <a href="http://stegart.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://stegart.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958642" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 7</span></span>: Deborah Boschert : <a href="http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://deborahsjournal.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958643" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 8</span></span>: Desiree Habicht : <a href="http://myclothesline.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://myclothesline.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958644" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 9</span></span>: Kathy Sperino : <a href="http://finishinglinesbyksperino.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>finishinglinesbyksperino.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958645" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 10</span></span>: Barb Forrister : <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/blog/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.barbforrister.com/<wbr></wbr>blog/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958646" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 11</span></span> Kathy York : <a href="http://www.aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.aquamoonartquilts.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/</a><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1110958647" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 12</span></span>: Lyric Kinard : <a href="http://lyrickinard.com/lyric-kinard-blog/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://lyrickinard.com/lyric-<wbr></wbr>kinard-blog/</a></div>
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On Monday, May 18th, the winner will be announced on Sue's blog. Thank you for stopping by and good luck to you all!</div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-9452446701224034422015-05-08T09:20:00.002-05:002015-05-08T09:20:54.889-05:00What's Up Buttercup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, welcome back. This week, I have been frantically trying to reset my home and studio after a long month of creating and teaching. And I am thrilled that I have finally caught up with life; all except for blogging of course, so here goes! What's Up Buttercup was created for the In Full Bloom exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas. The background is a commercial fabric. The curly vine is composed of countless fiber etched leaves and bits of thread and fibers fused on top of a layer of Mistyfuse. The smalls violet flowers are created with ribbon and are appliqued to the vine. The very large leaves in the background are a mixture of both cotton and hand dyed batting. The large Calla Lilies are composed of two pieces of hand painted muslin that is layered together with Mistyfuse. I<br />
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really wanted to create 3 dimensional, life like flowers that could reach out and beckon to viewers so painting an blending was the key to achieving this goal. These blooms extend 2-3 inches from the background of the quilt. Their stamens are comprised of beads on floral wire to further add dimension. Leaves were made with individual sandwiched layers of cotton, batting and Mistyfuse that were fused and stitched in the shape of leaves, turned right side out and stitched with an array of contrasting threads including variegated, metallic and thicker heavier threads that were bobbin stitched to provide interest. The Calla Lilies and their leaves were both machine and hand appliqued to allow their 3 dimensional properties to come forward. The butterfly was hand painted and fused to the background. The entire quilt was machine quilted and the edges were finished with a facing. This piece was finished in a week's time however that does not include the making of the flowers and etched leaves that I had already made, months before. During times, when things are slow, I like to replenish my stock of both flowers and leaves so that when I need them, they are available. With that in mind, I need to work on rebuilding my stash once more! Ha! Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this post. As I close, I am getting ready to do some hand dyeing and get ready for the big blog hop that features Sue Bleiweiss' new book, Colorful Fabric Collage, Sketch, Fuse Quilt. Please be sure and stop by to check out the buzz on this latest book and register to win a prize. I will also be posting about my newest and favorite to date quilt that I have just finished and all about my dye results from today's adventure. Wow! 2015 is turning out to be a great year! Wishing you all a most happy and creative week.</div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-9707014950187494402015-05-03T13:05:00.000-05:002015-05-03T13:05:02.847-05:00Dyeing to Dye and Fabric Painting Workshops for AAQG<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMabbuNmzXk/VUZUbXH1RCI/AAAAAAAACns/ljGn1F7vuIk/s1600/Dye%2BWorkshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMabbuNmzXk/VUZUbXH1RCI/AAAAAAAACns/ljGn1F7vuIk/s1600/Dye%2BWorkshop.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Wow, it has been such a long time since I last posted. I truly hadn't realized it till now. Last year, I took a hiatus or a sabbatical if you will but I am finally back and cooking with gas! Yay!!!! These last few months have been spent producing two quilts which I will post about later this week and also giving a lecture for the Crossroads to Texas Quilt Guild in Killeen, followed by a double workshop in Austin. This weekend was spent teaching both Dyeing to Dye and Fabric Painting workshops for the Austin Area Quilt Guild. On Friday evening, students gathered together to learn low immersion dyeing techniques including parfait and ice dyeing, omber gradients and marbling. Students learned to prepare dye solutions, process their dyed fabric and a number of low immersion techniques in a mere three hour period. With more than ten colors to play with, I think they were quite happy! </div>
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On Saturday, I met up with students once again to learn some Fabric Painting techniques. How fun! Students were taught sponge, omber, and sun painting using both transparent and opaque paints on light and dark colored fabrics. We also worked with stencils and discussed how to make stencils and a lot of the current stencil manufacturers as well as the use of thermo screens. Additionally, we made our own stamps using wood blocks and puffy foam. Students were also introduced to other stamp making methods such as lino cutting and marshmallows, as well as vegetable stamping. Below are some of their lovely creations. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XCyReZrDdLc/VUZetj0nuZI/AAAAAAAACow/q6UIxYRalik/s1600/Stencilling%2Bin%2BFabric%2BPainting%2BWorkshop_Anita%2BMeister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XCyReZrDdLc/VUZetj0nuZI/AAAAAAAACow/q6UIxYRalik/s1600/Stencilling%2Bin%2BFabric%2BPainting%2BWorkshop_Anita%2BMeister.jpg" height="320" width="263" /></a> As I write this, I am recovering on a Sunday afternoon. I am exhausted but in a good way. My students enjoyed their classes and walked away with some quality pieces and a working knowledge of dyes and paints. They are equipped with a new set of tools and techniques to add to their repertoire and many walked away with a new found confidence. And for that, I am tickled. I hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Please feel free to chime in. I love hearing from you! I also invite you to stop by tomorrow when I post about one of the new pieces that I have created. <br />
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-36698339015100281012014-11-16T20:59:00.000-06:002014-11-16T21:11:52.622-06:00One Block, Six Designs, Modern Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Modern-Quilts_BarbForrister-004a.jpg"><img alt="Modern Quilts_BarbForrister 004a" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3490" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Modern-Quilts_BarbForrister-004a-300x300.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Hocus-Pocus_BarbForrister-001a.jpg"><img alt="Hocus Pocus_BarbForrister 001a" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3494" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Hocus-Pocus_BarbForrister-001a-255x300.jpg" height="300" width="255" /></a>
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Hello, I have been busy in the studio gearing up for the second modern Quilt Con coming to Austin in February. This year, I have decided to create variations of the Bow Tie traditional block with a modern twist. Hocus Pocus (seen above) is the first in this series and incorporates octagons to create a colorful dimensional quilt. Here, I have decided to punk up the design by adding three colored squares in three of the white octagons. The remaining octagons have been quilted with black thread to provide interest and depth, a scary undertaking but I am so happy I did it! The half hexagonal edge pieces have been quilted in white and an additional white border was added to give the illusion of a floating grid like lattice. To create the quilting lines, I first photographed the entire quilt and printed it on a plain sheet of copier paper. I then overlapped it with a clear transparency sheet and began drawing the quilting lines with a Pigma marker. Below are some d<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Barb-Forrister-007.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Barb Forrister 007" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3497" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Barb-Forrister-007-300x300.jpg" height="300" width="300" /></a>etailed views of Hocus Pocus.
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The second piece in this series is KodaChrome (seen below) and uses the same bow tie blocks but in a medallion style with playful colored piano keys on two edges while white borders making up the remaining two sides. I love the shift in design that is created by playing with these added borders in unexpected ways. How fun?!!! Again, I used the same technique as described above for determining the quilt lines.
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<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-004.jpg"><img alt="BarbForrister 004" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3491" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-004-300x293.jpg" height="293" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/KodaChrome_BarbForrister-001a.jpg"><img alt="KodaChrome_BarbForrister 001a" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3495" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/KodaChrome_BarbForrister-001a-300x296.jpg" height="296" width="300" /></a>
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Here, I opted to quilt the white areas in white while using fluorescent and very bright colorful threads for the colored areas. The entire quilt was bound with Moda Chartreuse binding as a finished edge. I think perhaps this is my favorite of the three. Below are a few detailed shots of KodaChrome.<br />
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The third piece in the series is called Entropy and features bow tie traditional blocks with added negative space to provide interest and give it a more modern feel. I love the playful design that this quilt invokes and the way it appeals to the viewer's imagination. I am still in the process of working out the quilt lines for this piece but I am thinking of adding a tree behind the floating lattice just to shake things up. I like the idea of adding <br />
organic elements to this piece.<br />
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<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-012.jpg"><img alt="BarbForrister 012" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3492" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-012-235x300.jpg" height="300" width="235" /></a> <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-001a.jpg"><img alt="BarbForrister 001a" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3496" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-001a-231x300.jpg" height="300" width="231" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/new-005.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="new 005" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3502" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/new-005-300x293.jpg" height="293" width="300" /></a>Although, I have opted not to make the following quilts, I have decided to include these mock ups as additional inspiration for Bow Tie quilts. The first one on the left is another version of a medallion style quilt though done in a very different style than KodaChrome. The photo below on the left plays on two different concepts. Here, the octagons are created in bold colors while the background is filled in with lighter colors. The blocks are set in a directional manner where the bow tie arrows point up and to the right. I think this is an interesting take on both color and design. The final design on the lower right shows how the addition of a simple narrow strip of colored fabric changes the whole feel of the quilt, especially when you rotate directionality. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I have enjoyed the design process itself. Please feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from you! Wishing you a fabulous and creative journey!<br />
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<a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-002.jpg"><img alt="BarbForrister 002" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3503" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BarbForrister-002-210x300.jpg" height="300" width="210" /></a> <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Quilt-Con-2015-006.jpg"><img alt="Quilt Con 2015 006" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3504" src="http://www.barbforrister.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Quilt-Con-2015-006-198x300.jpg" height="300" width="198" /></a>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-82720144284490895232014-10-31T11:30:00.000-05:002014-10-31T11:30:26.547-05:00Dinner at Eight Artists Rituals Exhibit Premieres at The International Quilt Festival in Houston 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am so tickled that Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon was chosen as one of the many inspiring quilts from Dinner at Eight Artists Gallery Reflections to be featured in the October/November Quilting Arts Issue 71. How cool is that?!!!! Wow, what an honor! The article displays seven of 33 artists work including Hollis Chatelain, Cynthia St. Charles, Terry Grant, Cindy Cooksey, Kristin La Flamme, Barb Forrister and Yvonne Porcella. I am humbled to be in such good company. This issue also features awesome thread sketching by Susan Brubaker Knapp. I love her work! <br />
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This year's theme for the new Dinner at Eight Artists exhibit is "Reflections. Consider the following: A mirror image, a response to a word, a memory, what glints back at us as we gaze upon the water, the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it, what your reflections reveal about you. This year's show is the sixth exhibit and I am thrilled to be a part of it! Each piece measures 60X24 and was inspired by the theme, Reflections. Groovin on a Sunday Afternoon is a whole cloth painted quilt with added giraffes hand appliqued with Mistyfuse in a trapunto style to give dimension. The entire piece was machine quilted with both fluorescent and highlight threads by Superior. Edges were finished with an envelope edge. This piece was dedicated to my mother, Kathleen Worland who passed away November 16, 1999. I am so blessed that Groovin on a Sunday Afternoon was received so well. This one's for you, Mom! I will always love you! <br />
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Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this post. The new Rituals exhibit by Dinner at Eight Artists was curated by Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison and is sponsored by Havel's Sewing. It will debut at the Houston International Quilt Market, October 25-27, 2014 and will continue on to the International Quilt Festival, October 30-November 2. If you are in the Houston area, I invite you to visit festival and check out the many amazing exhibits at the show. So much eye candy and shopping awaits you! Wishing you all a fabulous journey! </div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-73307295599503703732014-10-29T10:31:00.000-05:002014-10-29T10:31:23.048-05:00Austin Fiber Artists 2014 Exhibit at the Austin Bergstom International Airport<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As promised, I am still trying to catch up with news from last month. The Austin Fiber Artists were invited to exhibit at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport Special Exhibit from July 23-October 21, 2014. What a treat?!!!! I was one so tickled to be chosen as one of the exhibiting artists with Raspberry Delight. The exhibit was located on the other side of security at the airport and we were all given a special tour by Matt Coldwell, the Exhibit Coordinator, so that we might be able to see it before it came down. Matt was so gracious in giving us an extended tour of the airport exhibits. I never knew there were so many nooks and crannies there! So much eye candy! I'll have to be sure and check things out more carefully next time I am at the airport. Here are some photos of the Austin Fiber Artists Exhibit. <br />
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I hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you. Please be sure and visit on Friday when I will be delivering more exciting news about "Groovin on a Sunday Afternoon" that is opening at the Dinner at Eight Artists new "Rituals Exhibit" at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. Wishing you a fabulous fiesta!!!!</div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-15116725755251070252014-10-27T10:14:00.000-05:002014-10-27T10:15:50.750-05:00News from the Capital of Texas QuiltFest Fiesta 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, it is so good to be blogging again and I am so behind! September was a busy month here in Austin. The Austin Area Quilt Guild held their Capital of Texas QuiltFest Fiesta on September 12-14 at the Palmer Event Center located at 900 Barton Springs. Wow, what an honor to have been accepted as part of the show and to bring home ribbons to boot! This year, Shangrila, my 3 dimensional tryptich placed second in Embellished quilts and also received an award for Best Creativity for Small Quilts. How awesome is that?!!!! Our group called the Austin Art Bee also received many awards for our group quilts. Little Bird created by Kathy York, Sherri Mc Cauley, Connie Hudson and Barb Forrister received an Honorable Mention. While Balancing Act, a group collaboration with Susan Storey Lewis, Kathy York, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Connie Hudson, Sherri Mc Cauley, Frances Holliday Alford and Barb Forrister placed Second and was awarded Best Creativity for Large Quilts.<br />
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Additionally, I was so jazzed that Mod 7, a group collaboration with Sherri Mc Cauley, Martha Tshilas, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Kathy York, Connie Hudson, Frances Holliday Alford and Barb Forrister received a special Judges Choice award on it's first time out showing. How awesome is that?!!!! Wow, what an honor! As I mentioned earlier, September was a big month here in Austin. To try and catch up, I will be posting again on Wednesday with news from the Austin Bergstrom Airport. I hope you have enjoyed this post and I look forward to seeing you again, soon! Wishing you all a most creative week!</div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-5350460397838453452014-09-25T09:03:00.003-05:002014-09-25T09:08:54.357-05:003 Dimensional Soft Sculpted Blooms, Mixed Media Style in San Antonio, Texas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wow, this month has been a busy one, full of fun and creativity. I have just returned from San Antonio where I presented at the Fiber Artists of San Antonio monthly meeting. Have to say, these folks are wonderful, so inviting, engaging and oh so very talented! The presentation was on my work and how it has evolved from traditional quilts to art quilts and 3 dimensional soft sculpture. The lecture was followed by lunch and subsequently a workshop on 3 dimensional soft sculpted flowers. How fun! Folks were encouraged to work in a variety of mixed media to create one of a kind blooms. Thought I would share some of the lovely pieces that were created. These flowers were made from a pattern that I published in an article, "3D Soft Sculpted Flowers, Mixed Media Style" that can be found in the Quilting Arts Magazine December/January 2014 issue. <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/quilting-arts-dec-jan-2014" target="_blank" title="Quilting Arts ">http://www.interweavestore.com/quilting-arts-dec-jan-2014</a>. <br />
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I invite you to read more about it here <a href="http://www.barbforrister.com/3-d-soft-sculpted-flowers-mixed-media-style-quilting-arts-magazine/">http://www.barbforrister.com/3-d-soft-sculpted-flowers-mixed-media-style-quilting-arts-magazine/</a> . It was such a joy to watch these folks work and produce mixed media soft sculpted flowers in their own style. How fun?!!!! I hope you have enjoyed this post. I look forward to posting next week about the Capital of Texas 2014 Quilt Show, here in Austin. Wishing you all a most happy and creative day!</div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-6655777236774262042014-08-01T10:26:00.001-05:002014-08-01T10:31:29.675-05:00Fiddler on the Roof with Artwork by Artists<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It is so good to be blogging again. Last night, I just attended the Opening Reception of Fiddler on the Roof starring the Trinity Street Players. What a fantastic show!!! For the first time here in Austin, this musical was performed in conjunction with visual artists providing the set designs for the production. How cool is that?!! I am so jazzed to be among some of the artists chosen for this special treat along with set designer, Ann Marie Gordon and artists Clara Foster Newby, Lyle Adair, Hank Waddell, Melanie Lewis, Lydia Apelgren, Richard Ewen, and Tatiana Nikolova-Houston. I have four pieces in the show including Generation Y: Song of Hope, Contemplation, Amethyst Garden and El Tigre. <br />
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This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Joseph Stein's, <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em> which first debuted on Broadway in 1964 earning nine Tony Awards and classic songs including “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” and “Matchmaker” written by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. This year's musical is directed by Adam Roberts, Austin Jewish Repertory Theater’s Artistic Director, and features a wonderful cast of actors, singers, dancers, and musicians. How fun!!!<br />
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Fiddler on the Roof focusses on Tevye and his daughters marrying outside the lines of traditions. It is a wonderful and heartfelt tale that reels you in and makes you feel their sorrow. Despite the tragedy of the story line, the musical also features comedy to lighten the mood and engage it's audience along with spectacular dancing, music and singing. The actors and cast have done a superb job in making their characters come alive in a way that reaches out to the audience. The show runs from August 2nd - August 31st. Thursdays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm at the Trinity Street Theater, located at 901 Trinity Street in downtown Austin. At this point, the show has already been sold out. How awesome is that?!!! This is a free show but keep checking back because you never know if someone might have to let go of their tickets. You may find yourself the lucky recipient. For more information, please visit <a href="http://trinitystreetplayers.com/2014/fiddler-on-the-roof">http://trinitystreetplayers.com/2014/fiddler-on-the-roof</a> . Oh and did you get a look at the antique Singer sewing machine in the first photo? Just warms my heart to see textiles represented!!!! I hope you have enjoyed this post and I look forward to blogging again soon. There is so much on the horizon that I would like to share with you! </div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-38979995985986444502014-05-13T16:56:00.002-05:002014-05-14T10:15:13.947-05:00Dinner@8Artists, Reflections: Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, I am so jazzed to be blogging again. Best of all, I am so tickled to at last reveal my latest creation, Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon that has been juried into Dinner @ 8 Artists new upcoming Reflections, exhibit. Wow, what an honor! This piece measures 24"X60" and was created on a painted background with trapuntoed giraffes that were appliqued and quilted on. I first began by creating the giraffe faces and necks by painting them on white muslin and then setting them on layers of batting to create dimension. They were hand basted to prepare them for applique. Next, I began painting the background. I really wanted to set them on a beautiful painted sunset but this was harder to do than I had thought. Having the sky range from various shades of rich blue, indigo and violet to the more warmer hues of red, orange and yellow was a challenge and took me a few days to just continue weaving from one color into the next to try and break up the sky.<br />
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Finally to ground them, I created a flowering bush among the grass. Here, I played with drawing the eye from the top of the sky back to the bottom. When the entire background was painted and heat set, I began hand appliqueing the giraffes to the main piece. At this point, I wanted stability so I placed the background on a layer of bamboo batting before attaching the giraffes. This was a real pain since the entire piece needed to be pin basted for this step, then hand appliqued. Once the giraffes were in place, I added the backing and repined the entire quilt to prepare it for quilting. The sky was quilted with the most fluorescent Highlight colors that Superior Thread has in their line of trilobal polyester thread. This was kind of scary since seeing each color on it's own was very overwhelming but set on this sunset background, the fluorescent pinks, oranges, yellows and reds really blended together and played well with each other and the background. Next, I began quilting the flowering bush in tiny circular almost meandering patterns to similate the flowers. The leaves were also quilted with varying shades and tints of green and brown to create visual appeal. Finally, I quilted the negative spaces within the bush and the remaining grass area. Whew! That was loads of thread! <br />
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Now, for the stars themselves, the giraffes were painted in various hues of browns, apricots, tans and cream colors. I really wanted to keep them as the main attraction and therefore they were quilted in slightly lighter and darker shades of the above mentioned colors. I also did not want to quilt them as heavily as the background because I worked so hard to give them dimension and yet, the weight still needed to be distributed evenly. What a quandary?! Finally, I decided to quilt them by studying the way their fur would lay and vary the space between lines of stitching so that their faces would have dimension. My friends who have seen this piece have commented that the fur looks like leather but it is simply paint and stitches that give the fur like illusion. I love the way their faces have dimension and I know that had this piece been created for judging, the quilt police probably would not have liked my decision to vary the space between stitch lines. Cest la vie! I am thrilled that this piece was juried into the new upcoming, Dinner @ 8 Artists, Reflections exhibit curated by Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal. It is an honor to be included amongst such wonderful artists. The exhibit will have 33 pieces by 33 different artists and is sponsored by Havel Sewing. For more information, I invite you to visit <a href="http://dinnerateightartists.blogspot.com/2014/05/reflections-2014-accepted-works.html#comment-form">http://dinnerateightartists.blogspot.com/2014/05/reflections-2014-accepted-works.html#comment-form</a> . Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this blog post. <br />
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Hello, I am finally back and blogging. I have been in the studio creating pieces for publication and invitational juried events and sadly have not been able to blog about them. Everything is so hush hush these days but I can tell you about the new Mixed Media Cloth class at the Dougherty Art Center that I will be teaching. It is a six week course that meets every Tuesday from April 15th through May 20th of this year. The class meets from 6-9 p.m. and covers a large variety of topics including dyeing, painting, monoprinting, foiling, beading, stitching, discharging, creating resists and much more. This is absolutely one of my favorite classes for sure! So many ideas, so many possibilities to be creative! The piece above is monoprinted with paint and overstamped. I love this piece and am thinking it would make a great jacket. <br />
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The second photo shows a monoprint with paint that has been overstamped with hand carved stamps and embellished with handmade beads. It is still a work in progress and I intend to further embellish it with yarns and fibers. It's final destiny will be a journal cover. How cool!!!! The third photo displays some embellishing with foil on a hand dyed, SHIVA paintstick piece. In one of the class sessions, we will work with foil, textiva and Angelina fibers, basically adding glitz to our work. <br />
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We cover a plethora of techniques for foiling and working with Angelina fibers to create unique pieces of cloth. And because the class is mixed media, we take time each class session to discuss the possibilities of layering one technique upon another to create sumptuous cloth. Here, the ideas are endless! <br />
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The designs can be enriched with stitching, trinkets, cloth and 3 dimensional paints to name a few as can be seen in the photo on the right. We will also learn how to make beautiful, one of a kind creations with Angelina fibers and Textiva to give your creations that little extra shine. These are great techniques for wall hangings and art work. The class also discusses design elements to give the students ideas for their individual projects. This is a small class setting of six people coming together to learn techniques and elements of design. Each student's creations are unique, one of a kind projects. <br />
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We also cover low immersion dyeing and how to remove color through discharge. This can be seen with the photo on the left. Here, the dye has been painted on and processed for discharging. I love this effect and I can truly say this is a favorite in the class for sure! So easy to do and once you learn, you can do it at home with very little mess. Speaking of mess, we get really messy with paints but that is the fun part! The photo below demonstrates how paint can be used to create designs. Here, we have a piece with painted peacock feathers that have been stitched and couched with fibers to create texture. Beads have been added for a little shine and 3 dimensional paints are used to provide further depth. The last two photos show how 3 dimensional soft sculpted elements can be added to painted and or dyed pieces to create an element of surprise. These pieces are just a sampling of what can be done in this class. And because it is limited to six students, you will receive quality one on one attention and most likely meet a new friend. Folks in here are just fabulous! Good company, fun and art are all awaiting you! Come join the fun and create breathtaking pieces this spring. For more information, please visit <a href="http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/Dougherty/registration/doughertyspringbrochure2014web.pdf"><span style="color: #888888;">http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/Dougherty/registration/doughertyspringbrochure2014web.pdf</span></a><a href="http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/Dougherty/textiles"></a><br />
But hurry, classes fill pretty quickly with only six to a class. Hope to see you there!!!!<br />
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-42892008950402523692014-02-04T20:06:00.003-06:002014-02-04T20:06:50.699-06:00Grayscale Studies: Painting with Acrylics and Thread on Black and White<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, I am finally emerging after spending most of January in the studio. It feels so good to be blogging again. I have been doing a study on black and white using both representational and abstract art. I had intended to add touches of blue and chartreuse green but only minimally as accent colors. These pieces all started off from muslin or black Kona cotton. The first two pieces were done using stencils with acrylic textile paints. By changing placement of the stencils, I have created two similar but unique compositions. The stitching on the white is done with varying shades of gray with the background filled in with white thread. It's opposite set on a black background, shows the bottom leaves that quilted with very dark gray thread and ending up with lighter gray leaves at the top. Here, the background is filled in with black vertical quilting patterns. The two<br />
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contrasting pieces evoke quite a different feel to them. The white appears more calmer while the black one has a more bold like appearance. I love the way the contrasting thread on each of the pieces creates an airy like pattern. A similar study using representational stencil patterns on black and white are shown below. The quilting on each piece is quite different. On the black background, I quilted a triangular pattern for the filler background with black thread. I wanted to keep the design, bold and not detract from the composition. Using black thread accomplished this mission however, it seemed like it was a lot of work that the viewer never really sees. To change the outcome of the white piece, I opted to quilt the background in a zentangular pattern with dark gray thread so that the quilting could actually be seen from a distance. Two very different feelings for sure! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnNHxoVy7T0/UvGOz_CnppI/AAAAAAAACb8/Q5jeV35MBrY/s1600/Black+and+White+009a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnNHxoVy7T0/UvGOz_CnppI/AAAAAAAACb8/Q5jeV35MBrY/s1600/Black+and+White+009a.jpg" height="320" width="157" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3pI9z7Bw98/UvGO78ANRDI/AAAAAAAACcE/agKlYeLLphM/s1600/B&W+Photos+001a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3pI9z7Bw98/UvGO78ANRDI/AAAAAAAACcE/agKlYeLLphM/s1600/B&W+Photos+001a.jpg" height="320" width="92" /></a></div>
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Next, I turned my attention to abstract designs. These studies are not quite as obvious as I had no stand alone abstract stencils. Here, I used both stencils and stamps in combination with one another creating an array of abstract art. The first piece is a simple stencilled sphere with no embellishments. Simple straight horizontal lines act as a background filler. The second piece is stamped and stenciled allowing for lots of white negative space which gives it a lighter feel. An array of straight lines that representing different geometric shapes are quilted using both white and </div>
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gray thread in an unobtrusive manner. Both evoke a very modern feeling.</div>
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Yet another piece was created with stamps and stencils on a black background where most of the piece is filled with design by using white and varying shades of gray acrylic paint on stamps and stencils. The final piece was created using a Gelli Monoprinting Plate on a white background with black paint. I absolutely love to play with this fun tool. Where you see a lot of the bold white curvy lines, I have used mark making tools to remove the black paint and create design elements. </div>
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Another layer was added by stamping with gray acrylic paint and adding accents of blue and chartreuse green. Here the idea was to create some unusual abstract patterns. This has been an interesting study using black and white acrylic paint and thread. I always find that I learn so much when I work in grayscale. If you would like to read more about my earlier black and white studies, I invite you to visit <a href="http://freespiritartstudio.blogspot.com/2009/10/naturescape-gray-scale-series-part-1.html">http://freespiritartstudio.blogspot.com/2009/10/naturescape-gray-scale-series-part-1.html</a>. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed visiting and I wish you much happiness in your creative journey. </div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-35238564368679720242013-12-05T12:54:00.001-06:002013-12-05T12:54:49.000-06:003-D Soft Sculpted Flowers, Mixed Media Style: Quilting Arts Magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am so jazzed that I have been chosen to be a contributor to the new December/January 2014 Quilting Arts Magazine. Issue number 66 features my article, "3-D Soft Sculpted Flowers, Mixed Media Style" in which I show how I make poppies from a variety of media including cloth, lutradur, paints and inks. How fun?!!!! The flowers consist of 3 tiers of petals made from both cloth and painted lutradur. Patterns are included for making the petals and leaves for these blossoms. The center stamen is composed of beaded floral wire to create shine and an element of surprise. Raspberry Delight, a finished 3 dimensional piece was created specifically for this article and displays three large poppies in full bloom against a hand painted background. I love the way the red blooms contrast against the beautiful shades of complementary green hues thus bringing out their full potential. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08zERI5msrk/UqC-0M2BNkI/AAAAAAAACYA/GBHdgV4b-nU/s1600/3D+Soft+Sculpted+Flowers+by+Barb+Forrister+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08zERI5msrk/UqC-0M2BNkI/AAAAAAAACYA/GBHdgV4b-nU/s320/3D+Soft+Sculpted+Flowers+by+Barb+Forrister+001.jpg" width="228" /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNBbgWd7eFQ/UqDBTERCPTI/AAAAAAAACYU/RvC2MFql2QA/s1600/3+D+Flowers+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yNBbgWd7eFQ/UqDBTERCPTI/AAAAAAAACYU/RvC2MFql2QA/s320/3+D+Flowers+008.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MmQbZLCQWxU/UqC_IxDLwJI/AAAAAAAACYI/YQ8u1kgjJec/s1600/Raspberry+Delight+by+Barb+Forrister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MmQbZLCQWxU/UqC_IxDLwJI/AAAAAAAACYI/YQ8u1kgjJec/s320/Raspberry+Delight+by+Barb+Forrister.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Combining cloth and lutradur with paints and inks provides interest, especially when textiles are heat distressed with a heat gun to impart texture. Alternating different colors on each side of both leaves and petals allows for more pronounced highlights and shading, therefore adding depth. Machine stitching affords further definition to the veins on the petals and leaves. These delightful flowers were a joy to make and I hope that readers will enjoy the article and venture out into creating 3 dimensional flowers of their own. To order your copy of this article in the Quilting Arts Magazine, please visit <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/quilting-arts-dec-jan-2014" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1386265080617_2295" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1386265299_1">http://www.interweavestore.com/quilting-arts-dec-jan-2014</span></a>
. I also offer workshops creating an array of different flowers including Irises, Tiger Lilies, Calla Lilies and many more. I invite you to read more about it at <a href="http://www.freespiritartstudio.blogspot.com/p/workshops.html">http://www.freespiritartstudio.blogspot.com/p/workshops.html</a> . Thank you for stopping by. I wish you much happiness and success in your creative journey. <br />
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-54211449448231565752013-11-24T20:39:00.002-06:002013-11-24T20:39:27.239-06:00Inspirations in Fiber Art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0M14TDAOSbg/UpKehzk-cmI/AAAAAAAACXA/9oBivPsPUfQ/s1600/inspirations_invitation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0M14TDAOSbg/UpKehzk-cmI/AAAAAAAACXA/9oBivPsPUfQ/s320/inspirations_invitation.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Hello, I am finally emerging from the studio where I have been creating some 3 dimensional soft sculpted pieces for the new upcoming Inspirations in Fiber Art show. The exhibit features work by myself and my good friend, Kathy York. It will be on display from November 25th through January 12th 2014 at the Gallery at the J at the Dell Jewish Community Center located at 7300 Hart Ln in Austin, Texas. The Opening Reception will take place on December 12th from 7-8:30 p.m. and is open to anyone who would like to attend. Appetizers and wine will be served and there will be a flutist playing a lovely array of music. How fun!!!! In the meantime, thought I might give you a sneak peak of some of the pieces that were created especially for the show. The first piece,</div>
El Tigre shown below is a pair of 3 dimensional soft sculpted Tiger Lilies set on an abstract background and placed on a painted burgundy canvas.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QU0hM_NX6DA/UpKg47fPk0I/AAAAAAAACXQ/BDAT_D3Lr2M/s1600/El+Tigre_BarbForrister+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QU0hM_NX6DA/UpKg47fPk0I/AAAAAAAACXQ/BDAT_D3Lr2M/s320/El+Tigre_BarbForrister+001.jpg" width="258" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F5EfuXviMw8/UpKhBzqxw-I/AAAAAAAACXU/h2hzlbeQooc/s1600/Fleur+de+Lis+by+Barb+Forrister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; height: 299px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 222px;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F5EfuXviMw8/UpKhBzqxw-I/AAAAAAAACXU/h2hzlbeQooc/s320/Fleur+de+Lis+by+Barb+Forrister.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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The second piece, above on the right is Fleur de Lis and is comprised of three soft sculpted 3 dimensional irises, again set on an abstract background with long, graceful but wild leaves flowing in all directions. I love the way these pieces combine both representational and abstract manners all in one by integrating the foliage with the backgrounds. So much fun! And last but not least, I have included Raspberry Delight, a piece that was created for an article in the December/January 2014 Quilting Arts magazine. I love the way these 3 dimensional soft sculpted red poppies contrast against the painted green background offering a garden like feel. I will be blogging again soon about the article but for now, here is a sneak peak at this lovely piece. I hope you have enjoyed stopping by and I wish you much success on your creative journey!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TvDEho8xSc/UpKqROFAPuI/AAAAAAAACXk/_K7959A7oYY/s1600/Raspberry+Delight+by+Barb+Forrister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TvDEho8xSc/UpKqROFAPuI/AAAAAAAACXk/_K7959A7oYY/s320/Raspberry+Delight+by+Barb+Forrister.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-28595861084071895782013-10-29T11:03:00.002-05:002013-10-29T11:05:23.824-05:00Embellishing with Foil at Make It University at IQF 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Good Morning. Heading out to Houston for the International Quilt Festival, today. I will be teaching Embellishing with Foil at Make It University on Thursday, October 31, 2013 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and again on Saturday evening, November 2nd from 5:30-6:30 p.m. We will cover 4 different ways to embellish with foil including Misty Fuse, Jones Tones Foil Glue, BoNash and Foil Adhesive. So much fun and a great way to add glitz to your designs! If you have ever wanted to play and experiment with foil, come join me in the fun. I will also be participating in Open Studios sponsored by <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6fiqeSQh8G0/Um_agL9TQAI/AAAAAAAACWY/WRvPmxNSrbA/s1600/Bonash+Bonding+Agent_Barb+Forrister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6fiqeSQh8G0/Um_agL9TQAI/AAAAAAAACWY/WRvPmxNSrbA/s320/Bonash+Bonding+Agent_Barb+Forrister.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-87GGr6XvFxw/Um_a0nLtp6I/AAAAAAAACWg/FgJC22vi5B4/s1600/Foil+Transfer+Adhesive_barbForrister_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-87GGr6XvFxw/Um_a0nLtp6I/AAAAAAAACWg/FgJC22vi5B4/s320/Foil+Transfer+Adhesive_barbForrister_a.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-av3H8gf3FFc/Um_Z2S6vwSI/AAAAAAAACWI/drCOU0gsMCo/s1600/Mistyfuse_BarbForrister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-av3H8gf3FFc/Um_Z2S6vwSI/AAAAAAAACWI/drCOU0gsMCo/s200/Mistyfuse_BarbForrister.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IdHZ6Tj_aXs/Um_aBNLjmII/AAAAAAAACWQ/YuGyNT9POjk/s1600/Jones+Tones+Foil+Glue_BarbForristera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; height: 215px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 300px;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IdHZ6Tj_aXs/Um_aBNLjmII/AAAAAAAACWQ/YuGyNT9POjk/s320/Jones+Tones+Foil+Glue_BarbForristera.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Craftsy where I will be working on 3 Dimensional Flowers on Friday, November 1st from 10 a.m.-12p.m. If you are in the area, you will not want to miss it! Please stop by and say hello. Meeting folks at festival is always one of my highlights at Houston. I would love to see you! Until then, I will try to blog while I am at festival. Wishing you all a most happy day!</div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-10070060876700812052013-10-22T14:39:00.000-05:002013-10-22T14:39:34.327-05:003Dimensional Soft sculpted Flowers at Open Studios Sponsored by Craftsy at IQF<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello, I have been busy in the studio preparing for Open Studios at the International Quilt Festival coming up in Houston this month. But I am finally back and ready for the show. Well at least, almost ready. I have created a mix of Tiger Lilies, Irises and Calla Lilies which all started out from white muslin that I painted in graduating tones to simulate flowers. Hard to believe they all started off white and grew from there! These are some of my all time favorites. Made from an assortment of materials, they have been <br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1994154930" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ATk0D0F9pO0/UmbNrvC0-9I/AAAAAAAACUI/OyJ5u_d0GVs/s320/3D+Flowers_BarbForrister+023a.jpg" width="212" /><span id="goog_1994154931"></span></a><u><span style="color: #0066cc;"></span></u><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span id="goog_1994154932"></span><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oZmQF8zfzqk/UmbN3QZwo5I/AAAAAAAACUQ/RoCgWxSyACk/s320/3D+Flowers_BarbForrister+036a.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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painted and soft sculpted, stamens have been added and they are awaiting stems and a background. This is always the most fun part, seeing it all come together. But wait, there is still one more surprise flower in the making. In fact, look for an upcoming article in the Quilting Arts magazine in the next December/January issue where I show how to make my 3 Dimensional lutradur, mixed media poppies. In the meantime, I will be demonstrating some of my techniques at Open Studios at the International Quilt Festival on Friday, November 1, 2014 from 10-12 p.m. in the Embellishing Studio located at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Please stop by and say hello. I would love to see you. Wishing you much joy and success on your journey! </div>
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Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217249423171581244.post-84117401560350819052013-09-27T11:16:00.002-05:002013-09-27T11:20:24.919-05:003 Dimensional Flowers and Evoking Music<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Another week in the studio and I am thrilled to have completed three more pieces from my 3 Dimensional Mixed Media Flower Series. The first piece, "Have I Told You Lately...." is set on a hand dyed background that has been discharged to give a light airy touch of foliage. The leaves are made of lutradur and are bobbin stitched with heavy metallic threads to impart the veins. The flower is painted lutradur and has been stitched to give the petals definition. A touch of beads for the stamens sets it off. The entire background was free motion quilted with a lacy foliage motif and set on a wisteria painted canvas measuring 8X10. I love the way the simplicity of this piece is captured. <br />
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The second in the mini series is "Darlin, You Send Me" and measures 8X18. Here, I have opted to frame the piece in wood. Because the size was so unusual, I had to make the frames from scratch, sand and stain the wood and add a backing. I wanted to keep the dimensional aspects in tact so I decided to create this piece in a shadow box like manner. Fabric was adhered to the wood with Mistyfuse and the hand dyed, discharged piece was set on top. The leaves are composed of various materials, some stitched with heavy metallic threads to provide texture for the veins. The stem is composed of machine wrapped cording and the blooms have been painted and stitched. I love the way the rich background colors are set off against the deep chocolate fabric and wood. <br />
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The third piece in this mini series, "Crimson and Clover was created in the same style and measures 8X16. You may notice that all of these pieces were named after songs. That is because while creating these pieces, these are the songs that popped into my head: Have I Told You Lately That I Love You by Van Morrison, "You Send Me" by Sam Cooke and Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells. Funny, I know but it just seemed destined to be! I hope you enjoyed this post. Thank you for visiting. Please take a moment to check out other artists on Off the Wall Fridays at <a href="http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/">http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/</a></div>
Barb Forristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551999459953525006noreply@blogger.com2