Wordless Wednesday

Studio Tour- This weekend!

My Big News

It's been a busier than usual few weeks at Casa Del Edwina. I have been catching up on my costume and bridal work in the studio after my vacation. Then there is the West End Studio Tour to prepare for. I am busy with Paverpol today. Hope I don't run out! The last bit of Big News comes later! Read on...

Studio Tour

The West End Studio Tour begins September 22 and continues on the 23rd and the next weekend, September 29 and 30th. The Tour is a neighbourhood happening here in Ottawa. This year I am one of 16 artists who open their studios and their home to the public for a show and sale. I will be showing with Paula Zoubec at 502 Piccadilly Avenue, Ottawa. You are all invited to come!

This Saturday is the Taste of Wellington  and we artists will be out on the street, enjoying the fun and promoting the tour. Now where's my official Studio Tour T-shirt gone? I need it for tomorrow!

Despite my Big News, I will still be working on my art and offering online classes. My Needle Felt a Pet class just started. You can still sign up!

My BIG NEWS

Is that I am now the proud owner/ operator of Doll Street Dreamers! I have taken over from Judi Wellnitz, who ran it for 5 years. Doll Street is actually 15 years young this year! I have been a member of this fun online doll club for a least 10 years!

Yes, you too, can become a member of the club, which hosts an online daily journal just for members. We also have challenges and swaps from time to time, which are featured on the site.

The other fun thing about Doll Street is the learning that comes from online classes with fabulous teachers and e-patterns available for instant download. No waiting for the mail! How cool is that?

There's even a newsletter. Won't you join us?

So you can tell I have had no time to miss my kids, now they are both away at school! (Well, just a bit) But I'm loving every minute of all this!

Using your head

Today and all weekend, I'm working on finishing some stuff. I do have an art show coming up next month, you know! (The West End Studio Tour)

So I took a look around the studio and saw all these heads. One has a body begun, this guy above. I love his snooty look, so he may be destined to be another Marquis. He's needle felted.

This guy I made for a joke. You may recognise him. He's Gru, from the movie "Despicable Me." He may not get a body, perhaps just becoming a pin or brooch. Then he'll be a pin head! I like him though. He's been on my felting foam for a long time keeping me company.

This is a hobbit head. The first picture is the before. He's been sitting here, not quite pleasing me.

So, I grabbed him and adjusted the expression of his mouth. I'm happier with him now. So then, while using picmonkey to add my name to the photos, I saw this new game. How does he look now??

So I'd better get to work on making some bodies!! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Edwina Sutherland on youtube!

Studio Tour on You tube!

A visit to my Studio

I was honoured this week with a group of visiotrs to my studio. They were friends of the National Gallery here in Ottawa, a study group, who visit artists studios.

I spent the afternoon before getting my studio tidied up , all my sewing projects put away and the art spread out on all surfaces, for easy viewing. It looked pretty respectable once finished!

There were about 14 people in the group, which was quite a crowd in my studio. I gave a little presentation, explaining my artist's methodology, that I was part of the West End Studio Tour and my background. Then I let them ask questions. I think the most difficult medium to explain to people is needle felting. Quite a few people have tried knitting and felting things, which is not like needle felting at all. I gave a little demo on how it works, but I could not see the light bulbs going on.

Horatio and Dame Edith are prime examples. Completely made with wool fiber, every detail is wool, all the face shading and colour is wool fiber. perhaps the mystery of the process helps its cachet!

The group was very appreciative, and I was certainly grateful for their visit and many flattering comments. It's a great boost with what I am doing to share my work in this way to such a warm audience.



Dame Edith

Thanks for coming, everyone!!



Horatio



West End Studio Tour launches

Last night was the launch party for the tour. The artists work was beautifully hung at Wall space gallery on Richmond Road, there was food, beer and cake, to celebrate 15 years of the tour. I had so much fun chatting with everyone. All we artists work hard to make the tour a fabulous event, but rarely get the chance to just socialise. The talk was of framing challenges, paint and new media and how much tidying up needed to be done before Saturday, when the tour starts. Somehow, we'll all be ready.

Here you can see most of us, plus what I wore (red and blue).

This morning I am packing up to move my work over to Paula Zoubec's, who has some great paintings lined up for the tour. I gave a last dab of paint to the Paverpol piece I am working on and glued it to the base. This had suffered a couple of knocks, which I tried to fix with shoe polish. That didn't work, so now it has a gold glaze to it, which goes with the figure.

I wore my upcycled dress, which you can see on my other blog http://www.edwinarichardsstudio.blogspot.com/ I had many compliments on it and encouragement to craete more art to wear.

West End Studio Tour

To celebrate our 15th year of the studio tour, we are having a treasure hunt! Yes, we are giving away art. Many of our artists have produced some wonderful prizes for the treasure hunt. Starting today, September 6th, a clue a day will be posted on the web site http://www.westendstudiotour.ca/

Solve the clue and enter your name to win. All the details are there. This is so exciting! The artists of the tour have been working hard to make this a success. Please join us for the fun and come to our opening party at Wall Space Gallery.

I have also been working hard to finish some pieces for the tour. I had a great show at the Stone School Gallery last month. It got me producing. I am so inspired right now, several things are evolving from the studio. I spent all weekend working on a felted sculpture while we were on a road trip. I came home and started on two Paverpol pieces. The juices are pumping!