New Work

The Ties That Bind

Work in Paint, Thread, Silk & Wool

Image Size 5"x3"

Double Matted 8"x10"

$95.00

SOLD

Please contact me if your interested in purchasing

Things are well in my little corner of the world. Had a great meeting with Ellen yesterday from Ridge West Gallery and it looks like the show is a go for April. She is also doing a miniatures show next February and would like me to be a part of that also. Long time in the future but good to know ahead of time so I'll have work ready.

I've been playing around lately in the studio with a new technique that I'm not quite ready to reveal yet and which I'll explain in yet another post. I had a few of these pieces half completed when Ellen walked into my studio and she loved them which in turn made me very happy. Sometimes when I'm trying something new I'm never quite sure whether it's working or not. I mean I like it which I realize is the most important part of the puzzle but it's good to get someone else's feedback. So full steam ahead as I've got a lot to do between now and then.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dwelling

Dwelling

Work in Paint, Wool, Silk & Thread

Simplicity

Days Like These

Work in Paint, Thread, Wool & Silk

So yesterday was my 48th year on this planet. Yup, another birthday has come and gone. For as long as I can remember I've always spend some part of the day reflecting on where exactly I am in my life. This year I made a conscious decision to not do that. Instead I chose to just "be". Sounds easier than it is but I really wanted to spend an entire day just moving through it and living moment to moment.........appreciating how very lucky I am. I wanted to enjoy the simple things that often get neglected in everyday life.

John and I spent the morning getting the backyard ready for winter. Putting away outdoor furniture, dumping dead plants that I forgot to bring in before the frost came and raking some stray leaves. Kissed the girls "goodbye" as they left for a school conference which will last for a few days.......hugged them just a little bit tighter than usual. Spent a small amount of time in the studio finishing up "Days Like These". Did a bit of yoga. My friends Kelly and Joan came over and we shared a bit of wine and a lot of laughs....simple things.

All my friends on Facebook left "birthday greetings" and I received phone calls from close friends and friends who live further away. I have been thoroughly gifted in my life with wonderful, thoughtful, kind friends. At times I don't know where I would be without them. John made dinner again last night....delicious. Afterward we watched an old movie and wondered how the girls were doing..........simple things..........just simple things

Whispered

Whispered

Work in Acrylic Paint, Photo Transfer, Wool, Silk and Thread

Yesterday turned out better than I had originally thought it would. By lunch time I was back in the studio finishing up "Whispered".

A few years ago we were in Cuba and I happened to snap this picture of my daughter on the beach. I have always loved this photo mostly because it was so natural and I felt it really captured her essence perfectly. She is such a free spirit and has this unique ability to not only look on the bright side of life but to also just flow through it. Don't know where she got that from........most have skipped a generation. Anyway, instead of painting her I decided I really wanted to just the photo just as it was. After some research on how to transfer my photo onto cotton/canvas I ended up working with a transparency and some acrylic medium. I loved the result as the photo isn't perfect and in places it looks a touch worn which appeals to me. I decided to only use her image and paint the areas around her rather than use the photo of sand and water. I then layered my wools and silks in every rich blue and green I could find and voila................

Here's a few closeups

Up Close & Personal

The Path

Work in Paint & Thread

A few days ago someone I consider to be a good friend and whose judgement I value, suggested that I take a few good closeup shots of my work. She thought it would be helpful for people to really see my stitches up close which would then give them a better understanding of how my art comes together and what it takes to make that happen. She's right of course (thanks Tracy)which then had me helplessly trying to figure out how to take a better photo when I'm much more of a "point and shoot" kinda girl.


Lighting is a key issue in photograpy or so I've heard. The lighting in my bedroom is generally the best especially between 10:00a.m. to noon so I decided to start in there. Not direct sunlight but still nice and bright. So I set up my easel and my artwork and got down to it. The first little while things were rather frustrating but after a bit of time had passed my daughter walked in and clued me into the macro button which is meant to be used for closeups. Duh? Why I didn't read the damn manual when I bought the thing is beyond me. For a split second I considered going to find it but then decided I probably wouldn't undertstand it anyway. Best to take instruction from my fourteen year old who surprisingly enough seems to be smarter than me. So with the clock ticking and more time passing I think I got a few pretty good shots........for a beginner of course. I am and continue to be a work in progress.
So here is a closeup of the piece I posted entitled "The Path". I think it gives you a better understanding of how tiny the stitches are and how many of them it takes to complete a very small area.

Here's the piece Harvest Sky and below are two closeup shots. The ground cover is completed in both wool and silk which gives it a very textured look.

When I did the Purple Hills Tour last weekend I can't tell you how many people thought my work was a painting. It's not until you get up close that you realize the combination of paint and thread. I find the two mediums together quite exciting as texture is what I continue to explore in all of my work. The way in which the two fuse together keeps me in the studio day after day searching for new ways in which to play and to create. My boo hooing days are over and I'm back at work.

And The Winner Is..............

Our Vanna White of the Moment

And The Winner Is.............Can you hear the drumroll?

Congratulations Jean, email me at melodymadden@rogers.com with your address.

Tune in tomorrow for some upclose and personal photos

Who Doesn't Love Free Art?

Direction Unknown

Work in Paint, Thread, Wool & Silk

As promised today I'm posting the piece that will be randomly drawn for on Monday night. Unfortunately the frame doesn't come with the artwork but it will be double matted and ready to be put into an 8"x10" frame. So what are the rules? All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post by 6:00 p.m. Monday night. Simple huh? Then I'll put each person's name on a piece of paper, fold it up and drop it into a bowl. My daughter will randomly pick the winner who will be announced here on Tuesday morning.

Have yourself a brilliant weekend !

Harvest Sky

Available For Purchase Here

Off To Creemore

The Wait

Work in Paint, Thread, Silk & Wool

The above example is how I sell all of my small pieces. They head to the framers and are double matted and ready for an 8"x10" frame. I prefer double matting than single as is gives a much more dimensional feel to the work which you can't really see here. I've been doing amazingly well with these small pieces as they are such a reasonable price...anywhere from $75.00 to $150.00. Pretty fair considering they are not prints but original art. Great for anyone who finds the larger pieces out of their price range as well as people who have just started collecting or just about anyone. Wish I could find a way to photo my work in which you would get a better feeling for the texture of it and the shimmer of the silks as they are interwoven with the wools. Oh well, I guess your just going to have to take my word for it unless you decide to head out to Creemore this weekend for the tour. Would love to see you!

Got to run........I'm off to Creemore to set up!

Direction Unknown

Direction Unknown

Work in Paint, Thread, Silk & Wool

It seems I've been working in the studio almost non stop when I've not been fulfilling my other role as nursemaid. Both of my girls are sick with a doozy of a cold and John is away for the day.....flyfishing. I continue to repeat my mantra of the day which is "I am strong and healthy" you know the whole mind over matter thing. I can't wrap my head around the idea of getting sick right now when I still have so much to do. I haven't even begun to go through my inventory list, make up my placecards, put together some new business cards no to mention I have two more pieces due at the framers on Tuesday. My inlaws are due to arrive tomorrow for the night but I can't complain there. If anything they are unbelievably helpful. They were here on Thursday night on their way to Toronto and my mother in law was making soup while my father in law was washing the windows. You gotta love a family like that!

Happy first day of Fall to All.

Over and out..........

Undercurrent in Red

Undercurrent in Red

Work in Paint, Thread, Wool & Silk

Still working away in the studio but I always seem to find time to read my three favourite blogs. Of course I do read many more but these are the three I check in with on a daily basis.

Ellen's birding adventure is hilarious and Andrea's clip of Ken Robinson speaking on Creativity and Education is an extremely worthwhile watch. Read Tracy Helgeson's post on ending her limbo........thanks Doug!

Check out Ellen's here and Andrea's here and Tracy's here

Harvest Sky

Work In Paint, Thread, Wool & Silk

Double Matted & Framed

Distant Rhythm

Work in Paint, Thread, Wool & Silk

New Work

Forsaken

Work in Paint, Thread, Wools & Silks

This morning the girls both headed out the door for their first day back at school. John exited right behind them and I headed into the studio. I feel really energized today which is surprising since the entire summer has not only been a blur but my creativity level has been way down. Perhaps I'll chalk it up to " being too nice outside to be inside." Yeah, that's what I'll say........

The piece above, Forsaken is brand spanking new and left this morning for the framers so they could work their magic. By the end of this week I am hoping to have a similar smaller piece to sell here on the blog. Anything that doesn't sell here will go to Etsy. I'm looking for a bigger market for my smaller pieces so my work can at least been seen by more people.

Copper Road

Work in Thread, Silks, Metallics and Wools

Back To The Studio

This morning I got into the studio.......finally, and started on a new piece. Since the show opened at the beginning of June I haven't spent that much productive time in there. Oh, I've been in there to tidy up a bit and fool around with some paint but as far as work goes....nada. After every show I almost always feel the burnout settling in.

So this new piece is going to be called "Copper Road". First time I can remember a name coming to me before the piece had been completed. Copper Road will be much longer than it will be wide as that is a shape that has always really appealed to me. The top 1/3 will be blue sky.......I'll use cobalt with a lot of white and the trees will be entirely worked in thread. The bottom 2/3 will be much more abstract. I'm planning on integrating a variety of wools (umbers, mahoganys, deep siennas and of course coppers). It will start almost brown/black at the bottom and lighten in colour from there. I think I may throw some silks in too just to add a tiny bit of shimmer.

Here are a few photos of some of my wools and silks