Sewing an Installation Art Piece

I had a very unique opportunity back in Feb-March of 2016 to sew 35 painted portraits together for John Coleman, a local Portland, Maine artist. It was so incredibly difficult to be responsible for these works of art, but also, so humbling and exciting to be engaged in such a unique opportunity. If you are interested in reading the whole story he allowed me years ago to share the pics but I held on to it longer and just saw it in my drafts...so take a step back in time...don't mind the tense - I wrote this post later that year, but won't go back in and change the tense.

("The Funny Thing about Time" - 35 black and white portraits, 34 of which have their eyes closed, are all of John's family and closest friends, one of which has eyes opened, the artist.)

I actually knew John because my husband worked with him when my husband first moved to Maine many, many years ago. One random day I was flying home and saw John in the airport and happened to be sitting next to him on the flight home. We got to talking and the conversation led to an old sewing machine he inherited and John wanting to learn how to sew because of some art pieces he wanted to hang for a show. He didn't know what to do and was stuck. I offered to teach him and met him weeks later at A Gathering of Stitches in Portland, Maine (which has since closed). I figured if he had future projects, he would have a place to go the next time, because Samantha has tons of room for him to sew his large canvas pieces. When all was said and done, he was leaving with his artwork exactly as he wanted it.

Months later, John emailed with another project "The Funny Thing About Time". One that was too big for him to take on himself, and asked if I was willing to accept the challenge. We met and went over all the details of the project and next thing I know - I was helping him carry rolls of painted canvas to my car in the snow, more nervous than ever before. What if I dropped them in the muddy snow? What if I cracked the paint? I was a mess. Gratefully I got them home and laid them in the studio. Then I stared at them for a day or two - nervous again to do anything to them. As an artist myself with oil paintings from my college years - I couldn't imagine something happening to them while in the hands of another.

(This is the artist himself, John Coleman. The only portrait with eyes opened.)

First thing was first - I had to trim every single painting so each face was relatively in the vertical and horizontal centers. The only way to do this was to create a template. I trimmed each one and was supposed to leave the far left edge of the left column and far right edge of the right column alone, as well as the top edge for the hems, and the bottom edge of those respective rows to keep raw. All was going well until the last painting on the bottom. I cut off the edge. My heart sank knowing this was going to be the double rolled hem allowance I wanted and I just cut it off. Luckily I still allotted a 1" border for seam allowance on all sides of every piece so I sucked it up and kept going.

(Samantha had the best machines at A Gathering of Stitches in Portland, Maine!)

I finished cutting half of them and took them back to Samantha's place and used her TacSew machine to sew these pieces together. (This machine is a serious beast and I actually miss sewing with it - just saying.) I sewed a whole row together correctly.

(This was my first finished row.)

Then the second row I got two mixed up and had to take them apart. No harm no foul. Since those went together pretty easy, I went back home and finished trimming all the other paintings.

(This is the center row, with the artist's wife in the forefront, and his children if I recall correctly, above him.)

Eventually I had all of the columns sewn, and it was time to sew them all together. I asked John to meet me at AGOS knowing the columns were going to get too heavy for me to safely lift on my own, which worked out to be spot on. Even with the two of us - it was a serious workout.

(I'm pretty sure this is the largest "quilt" Samantha has ever seen in her studio space.)

John recently sent me pictures of the finished project hanging in all it's glory and I just had to share (with his permission of course).

(This is how you would see it if you were at the gallery walking around looking at all of the art.)

I hope to get a blurb from John about the meaning of this project. He told me - but it's been a while and I don't want to botch it. What I got from it was that we have to work really hard to maintain the relationships around us, money isn't everything, and time is fleeting. Eventually we will loose the people around us that we love dearly and we will be left alone.

(Money bags are attached to the top corners to make it even harder to pull open - just like trying to gain financial status can make it harder to keep the relationships around us)

It really was amazing and scary to work on such a HUGE installation piece, but I tried to be intentional with every single point and didn't royally mess anything up. As he helped with the larger sections - he said he didn't realize I was being so careful with lining things up, or that it needed to be. As all of the points and corners came together - he realized the benefit and importance of being precise. Thanks heaven's for the template to cut each one out, and the blue tape on the TacSew for seam guidance.

If you would like to see the video of John opening (and closing) the whole piece you can by clicking the link. Thanks for stopping by.

Giddy Up Friday: Snow People Chess Set, Crafts n' things

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When I was younger, I remember going to visit my Great-Grandmother at her house. (I was young - I thought it was her house, but many years later found out it was not her house but my mother's Aunt's house). For the sake of the memory, I still call it her house. I remember in the front room a little table, with a checker board painted right on it. It was a small round table, just big enough for the board and some chess pieces (again from memory). I've always had a love of chess since learning it, but honestly don't play it all that often. I can beat my husband any time while playing Othello, but he often check mates me in Chess! Regardless of wether I win or lose, I still love the game. I love the pieces and I love the challenge and strategies.

When I went to visit my dad in Utah one summer, I went to his office at BYU and saw some chess pieces made from steel. There they were, lined up along the top of a desk or windowsill. They struck me as simple and beautiful, and I have wanted them ever since.

I don't have a machine that can turn a bar of steel into amazing chess pieces, but I had a vision of creating a kingdom of winter chess pieces with the wooden trees and snowmen that you'd find in any hobby store. I will be the first to admit that painting and stamping is not my go to medium, but once in a while I am smitten with an idea and must tackle it head on! You can find all the information for this project in the current Feb 2012 Crafts 'n things Magazine! (You'll even see it on the front cover in the top corner!) I hope you enjoy making your own set! If you have children, invite them to help or let them make their own! Here's what you'll need!...I bought all of my own supplies and got all the wooden pieces from a place online called craftparts.com. (I was not paid to say that)! Since crafts parts is no longer selling the tiny snowmen, you can also try this other website.

T-minus 5 days until I leave for the ever fun Craft and Hobby convention. Stress is high and there's still so much to do! Thanks for visiting, and it's almost time for that Anna Griffin pattern giveaway I mentioned last week! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that post!

Have a wonderful week and come find me if you are attending CHA, I'd love to meet you! You can tweet me @kidgiddy to find me!

(PS...have you seen what my twin sister Sue, has been up to lately? Here's her latest project featured in the beginning of the same issue! - it's only a sneak peak - so you'll have to get the copy and check it out!)

Our Sketchbook Projects: Part 1

My oldest daughter "Monkey" has been drawing since she was 14 months old. By the time she was 22 months old, she was drawing Sesame Street Characters with the understanding that Ernie's head went in a sideways oval, Bert's head went in a vertical oval, and Elmo and Cookie Monster had fuzzy edges! We worked with her because she was so interested in taking something to paper.

 When our second daughter "Elephant" came along, we were surprised she didn't care too much to draw like Monkey did when she was so little. But in her own due time, she too sat beside her sister and began to draw feverishly, producing pictures well beyond her years too (like this one of Daddy just before turning 2). Regardless of how much they draw, and what they draw, their skills still shock us. Their teachers quickly learn that they are right brained thinkers and the other parents quickly notice one self portrait more detailed and advanced than all the others. (they are currently 7.5 and almost 6)

We do not boast, we merely enjoy that Heavenly Father has blessed both of our girls with this amazing talent, that can be taken on the road, help them in times of sorrow or stress, and bless the lives of others.

About 6 months ago, Monkey decided she wanted to write a book to put in our local library. It was such a bummer to break the news to her, that she had to use her own characters (not Kit the American Girl), and that she had to have it published and all the unknown processes that go with publishing a book. She was devastated and stopped writing the book. Mommy of the year award - right?!

Well - back at the end of August I found a link for the 2011 Sketchbook Project, something I had never heard about. But what I found out, is that this was my daughter's chance to write a book - to draw a book - to do what ever with her book and to have it be a part of "a library"! I got through the first few weeks of school but kept feeling pressed to order the books. I finally ordered one for me and one for each of them (hubby doesn't have time)....and when they arrived the girls were elated and Monkey began to glow with joy!

So without further ado... I wish to present the first pages of theirs, and my poem, that has kick started our very own Sketchbooks that will be traveling along the east coast and coming to our own back yard next year! Whatever you do....PLEASE DO NOT copy anything here. My daughter's works are very precious to us and should not be duplicated in any way shape or form. (not to mention they are copyright protected!)!

Monkey's First page (Raining Cats & Dogs Theme):

 

 Elephant's First Page (Raining Cats & Dogs Theme):

Here is my Poem. The theme I chose was "In 5 Minutes". So the poem I wrote is going to have 1 line on each page. But my pages are doubled - you'll see why! I haven't started the actual pages....(secret still)!

"In 5 Minutes" by Kerry Goulder

In 5 minutes

my life will change

the winds will pass

and rearrange.

the clouds will come

and quickly fade

the birds will sing

and fly away.

In 5 minutes

my babies grow

their little hearts

I get to sew.

and every thread

will have it's limits

my life will change

in just 5 minutes.

So that's the start of our sketchbooks. I'll try to post every week and maybe even twice a week. It cost an extra $25 each, to have them digitized, so I passed on that since I can do it myself! That way I can digitize them little by little, and share this process with all of my readers too. Again - PLEASE DO NOT COPY! I will find it, I will find you and justice will be served (and I say that in the nicest/sweetest way possible)! ; )

Have a great day!

Busy Monday: Drawings by Monkey & Elephant

Since both of my girls were little, they had one thumb in their mouth as they used their other hand to draw. Monkey started drawing at the tender age of 13 months old. She always wanted to take our pens or pencils and do what we were doing. I bought her some washable crayons and discovered she was going to eat them down to the paper...so think quick - plan b. I ventured out to Target and found a large Magna Doodle board that became our saving grace...and hers. She drew everyday. Every minute - from sun up to sun down. And still does. Before she turned 2 she was drawing recognizable drawings of the Sesame Street Characters, that I began teaching her after she could draw circles and ovals. She's won tickets when she was 3 1/2 years old to see Sesame Street Live for coloring in a really good picture of the characters, and then drew on the entry envelope a picture of Annie her dog Sandie and herself. The girl Rachel that called with the good news of her winning was in shock with the drawings on the envelope and said that was what sealed the deal for her as the winner. 2 years ago she drew a picture of a dairy farm and entered it into the calendar contest at Daddy's work, and made it in there as August.

Elephant didn't begin drawing so early. She didn't try to take the writing implements from our own hands. She watched her big sister, but didn't take on the itch as Monkey did....until she was about 19 months old. We got her, her own Magna Doodle and they would sit side by side drawing endlessly. She has not entered a contest yet, but we haven't found one that we thought she could be a strong contender for (and most are for Kindergartener's or 1st Graders!)...

She to this day, carries her own. She drew Daddy with his spiky hair before she turned 2 years old, and is now drawing princesses and castles galore. She is just as advanced as her sister and looks forward to winning her own contest someday.

So for today's Busy Monday, I wanted to share a little bit of my girls with you. The art runs thick in their blood and thick in ours. It will forever be a part of our family, and for that I am eternally grateful!

If you'd like to see more of their fun drawings, please visit the Kid Giddy Facebook fan page. Enjoy! kg