Deep into Darkness Peering

If your recognize the title, it's because it's Poe's Raven

History of All Hallows Eve

Hal-low

to make holy, sanctify, consecrate

Let not the harmful spirits pass through the night of Samhain, ward them off with masks and costumes, and sweet treats.

Boo-tiful Day in the Neighbourhood

oil on wood

Yell-o-ween in Yellow Springs and lots of creepy stuff going on, wheeeeeeeeeeee!

FACES

Oil on wood

Still feeling a bit blue

but

working it out.

Doing arty things that don't require using my right hand and doing hand exercies.

The mysterious French artist JR

source: The Upshot

Why would an anonymous artist be awareded a $100,000, Liz Goodwin explains.

Gravestones: Contemplation

photography  by jafabrit

Cemeterio Maria Magadelena De Pazzis

 in Old San Juan Puerto Rico

No longer mourn for me when I am dead 

Then you shall hear the surly sullen bell

Give warning to the world that I am fled

From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell:

Nay, if you read this line, remember not

The hand that writ it; for I love you so

That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot

If thinking on me then should make you woe.

O, if, I say, you look upon this verse

When I perhaps compounded am with clay,

Do not so much as my poor name rehearse.

But let your love even with my life decay,

Lest the wise world should look into your moan

And mock you with me after I am gone.

william shakespeare

translation

Bunny Art

Since my right hand is out of commission this week I decided to draw with my left hand.

and

I helped jafapal nancy yarnbomb some rocks in town. I could manage to sew with my left hand since the stitching didn't have to  be fancy.

Meanwhile

source: Guardian UK photographer ROA

This LOVELY rabbit is under threat by a local council that deems it a blight to the sight.

Pain might turn me into a Witch

Yellow Springs Halloween decorations

I'm out of commission this week, no art, no sewing and I think before the week is over I may go bonkers. I know this because it's only been a few hours and I'm going starkers.

for and aft a'll be gannin daft 

HandMade

Long & Short Stitch is one of my favourite stitches, but I'm finding I need to be careful doing it. It seems to aggravate my tennis elbow/carpal tunnel (so flipping annoying) and I will have to take a break from it after I've finished this piece for the jafagirl flower power show at the Emporium.

Charity Shop Finds

Crochet Spread

I couldn't make this for the price I got it, 99 cents and in mint condition.  Whoever did it chose lovely soft yarn, so it's very snuggly.

Art Box: Pickles went Hunting

October Art Box on Corry Street,

 Yellow Springs, Ohio

 by the Jafagirls

View Jafagirls Art Yellow Springs, Ohio in a larger map

We removed the flower which got planted  very quickly nearby.

Exhibit: Your Documents Please in New York

Your Documents Please

opening Wednesday Nov. 3, 2010 in Chelsea, 601 West 26th St. 8th floor.

Here is my piece

and the backstory on it.


Wonderful Curiosities

What a joy to see this listed on the Huffington Posts Ten "Cabinets of Curiosities" and Unique Collections from around the World (PHOTOS) because my daughter and I saw one of these museum when it was located in Convent Garden.  It was one of the highlights to our trip back home and to this day I think we will always remember the man in the bathtub eating spaghetti :)

Gum Wall: Graffiti Alley Ann Arbor Michigan

March 18th 2010 photo by jafabrit

Someone asked why I didn't throw a pic of the gumwall into my video slide show on youtube. I guess I forgot since the focus was on jafagirl contributions to the alley, but why I forgot this one I don't know because I LOVED this photo.

There are a couple of side shots though.

Precursor

canvas, faux leather, lace, reverse painted plastic

I did a bunch of these about 5 years ago for a show and they didn't really garner much interest. I can see why. They're decorative but don't really showcase any skill. They did however serve a much larger purpose because I began exploring integrating media. So you could say this was the precursor that culminated in my current exhibit. 

Meanwhile

 I'm so glad my hand embroidered skelly (someone said I should have called it boner, ahem!) found a home.  It's kind of fun to walk past a house and know your work is hanging up in there somewhere. This one was a real challenge trying to figure out the direction of the stitches, particularly on the skull.

My Dreams are Telling Me Something

But First

Just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came to my reception. It was a great comfort to see familiar faces and a joy to see some new one's.  As I said I'm usually nervous before a reception but once I got there I just didn't have time because I was yakking so much lol! Almost lost my voice. A special thanks to those who bought my work ♥

It was lovely to meet again one of my regular blog readers Louise, who frequently sends me some cool links. Here is a recent one from BibliOdyssey  about these fabulous Day of the Dead papercuts.
AND

How lovely to find this fine Sunday morning my fave bloggy pal and crafter extraordinaire margot potter, who as guest curator, included me in CRESCENDOh online magazine. Happy to discover the website too. I really liked Margot's commentary about Fitting In Through Art. "even in the darkest moments the creative force is like a beacon" and how true. While I don't use art as therapy, it is lovely to have it as a way to express things that concern me.

Such as the time my son got shot in the eye accidently with a plastic pellet.  I call this embroidery Lead Belly and it's based on a painting I did at the time in my sketchbook.

Several visitors to my exhibit wondered if there was any machine stitching in any of the work and the answer is no, it's all done by hand.

Now about those dreams

For several weeks I have had my FAVE house dreams. These are houses filled with bits & bobs and junk and I rummage with gay abandon. Last night I dreamed of a room with a HUGE table cluttered with leather articulated hands, large concrete noses, concrete ears etc. I was fascinated by the hands and woke up thinking, YES! I know what I have to do.

Dream Interpretation About Hands

reception tonight EEEEK!

My very first sewing at the age of 5 or 6 in Hetton-le-Hole. It's a needle case that my mum kept and used until now (thanks for sending ma).

I say eek because I'm nervous about doing receptions'.  I know I'll probably do fine, but it's like those minutes before you go on stage and you get the pre show flutters.

eeeeek!

Jojo Baby Documentary

One of my FAVE bloggy/flickr connections Zazoo & Satori from the Club Creatures is excited about a documentary about a friend of theirs, Jojo Baby, and so I wanted to share it. Looks incredibly cool.



I have been online pals with the Club Creatures since the day they came to Yellow Springs and took oodles of photos of our jafagirl knit graffiti and then just fell in love with their amazing costuming, and many wonderful photographs, particularly their street art sets.

Street Art Embroidery

I saw this painted wall in Ann Arbor and was so enamored of it and decided to do an embroidery version.  To give credit where credit is due, the painted wall is called "the garden" by ellen and leah rulf. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any information or links to share :(

Interview with Dave the Chimp on Positive Graffiti.  "For me, the important thing is the experience of making something. What happens to it after it’s made I’m not too bothered with". This is one of the hardest things for many artists.  I found doing street art, and Free art Fridays very freeing creatively.   The ephermal nature doesn't allow the focus to be on your work as a commodity, or sales worthiness.

   

Sketchbook: Me Bloody Ow

If any of you read Juxtapoz Magazine then you probably recognize the collaged pieces in my sketchbook.  Yesterday I played in my sketchbook a bit and  then started a new embroidery based on some street art I saw in Ann Arbor.

Talking about Ann Arbor, look what happened to my camo knit graff doll after just a week or two. She got all discombobulated and her face turned white with fright. Glad to see the knit it still up.

Sketchbook Thoughts

Sometimes people see what they want to see and opening the window to the soul is a waste of time for they've made their minds up despite truth staring at them.

dumpster diving

Was taking our dog for his early Sunday morning walk and found this face in the road.

woof! woof!

and then

Okay, I didn't really dive, it was just sticking out the dumpster. It beckoned me, it goaded me, it screamed, "take me home! you want me, I know you want me."

There was NO WAY I was going to leave this in the dumpster lol!

Press Release: Stitched Art Exhibit in Ohio

Spuggy Tweets

Stitch Gasp! Exhibit

 at

 "would you, could you" IN A FRAME.

Opening reception at 113 Corry Street, Yellow Springs, Ohio

October 15th at 6pm until 9pm. Call 767-2962 for more info.

Street Art Painting Finished

yes!!!!!!I finished my 2 foot by 4 foot painting for the alley and I'm really happy with it. It didn't take as long as thinking about it lol! I guess it was worth waiting, and letting the image develop in my mind before I got down to it.

Here is a video of one of my fave art critics Jerry Saltz talking about one of my fave artists Andy Warhol.

zombie dolls and jam tarts

Mad Hatter's Tea Party is coming up on Dayton Street by the Dayton Street Alliance, and I said I would make a few table decorations and jam tarts.  Can't have a tea party without jam tarts.If you want to try, cheat like me and just get the ready made pie crusts.  I fill mine with strawberry, cherry, apricot jam and also lemon curd.

Painting on Exterior Plywood

It seems like it takes forever for me to get around to starting a painting, but then I get the prep work done and BAM! I'm off like a mad woman. I am LOVING the process for this Pub Alley piece. 

 Work in Progress
acrylic on plywood

The wood has been covered with primer/sealer front/back/sides.

 Interview
When graffiti artists grow up-an interview with Chaz Bojórquez

A room of one's own

It makes a HUGE difference. I remember doing art in the dining room and yes I could manage it, BUT having a room to store supplies, hang works in progress and sit and work on projects changes the dynamics.

Routine informs the mind and having a routine in the studio is very helpful in kickstarting creative ideas and play.  One of my art teachers said he used to just spend 30 minutes sweeping the floor (he had a large studio). He said it was  meditative and prepared him for a day of painting, like he had conditioned himself.

I start with a cup of tea, doing a bit work on the computer, looking at my walls,

 and then I plan my art day.

Today I am starting to paint my pub alley panel.

Finding Odd Bits of Art Around Town

I am seeing more and more people leaving artwork around town and I am LOVING it. This little fella above is sti(c)kman in Keiths Alley. We have quite a few around town now.

There is the poetry wheatpaste on the side of Town Drug and quite a few Rod Serling posters too.

Me, I think I'm into skulls/zombies this month :)

BOO

from the Jafagirls