Gourd Update

Well the art opening at Main Street Arts was terrific. It was a beautiful day and four artists, including myself, set up outside to do onsite work and demonstrations. We put out a painting station for kids, and in the gallery new art was hung and refreshments were served. Quite a crowd was downtown becuase of the city wide yard sale, and overal it was a fun event.
Here is a photo of the gourd I worked on at the opening, and I finished it and planted herbs in it for my friend Frances. I really like the look of a gourd as a planter, and would like to make more. I like the very spare ornamentation because it lets the beauty of the gourd speak for itself. I am also excited to try a new technique of staining my gourds with homemade dyes and finishing them with a natural tree oil that should make them completely waterproof and safe for use holding food and drinks. I'll keep you posted:)

You Are Invited to an Art Opening!

This Saturday, May 17th, is a special opening at Main Street Arts. This is Pleasant View's very own artist co-op, feturing a gallery of local art, and a studio space for educational pursuits. It is located at the corner of Pleasant View Main Street, across from the Feed Mill, in the house that used to be Pleasant View Cafe. I am proud to be working, along with my cousin Monica O'Neil, as an education co-ordinator for this group. We are also known as the Tennessee Art Brigade.
I will be putting into the gallery the two gourds shown in the photos above. I also plan to offer a two session class on making a gourd bowl, and possibly a drawing for non-artists class. Monica will be teaching a number of children's classes, and there are also classes planned for jewelry making, pottery, and painting.
If you are in the Pleasant View area,come by on Saturday to see us! We are planning a painting area for children, and some of the artists will be at work on the site. I hope to be there working on a gourd project, with little Beatrice in tow. It is also the city-wide yard sale day, so Pleasant View Main Street should be the happenin place. Last year there were even food venders present. Hope to see you there!
p.s. If you can't make it this weekend, the gallery will be having regular hours several days a week from about 9 - 4.

Wooly Pants for Baby

Here is Beaatrice Rose at six months, sporting her new handknit wool diaper cover. Why use wool for a diaper cover? I use cloth diapers and that means I have to cover them with plastic pants or some other cover to prevent baby's clothes from getting soggy. Cloth diapers have come a long way in the past twenty years or so. Now you can choose from an enormous array of easy diapering options -- I use organic diapers made of cotton or bamboo, with velcro closures and fitted with elastic. Over this, I prefer to put a wool cover because it is a natural breatheable fiber. Wool is also naturally antibacterial, which means it resists odors. I treat my wool covers with lanolin, a natural oil that is widely used for nipple cream for breastfeeding mothers. The lanolin is derived from sheepskin, and basically it restores the natural water resistant quality to the wool fibers. It is sort of like conditioning it, and makes the wool softer. I wash my wool covers by hand with a special woolwash.
For me, cloth diapering is a hobby as well as an economical and environmental choice. I enjoy using the cloth diapers, and it is not hard to launder them. The wool covers are especially fun for me, and among the few people who diaper with wool, there is a bit of a subculture with its own vocabulary and designs. Wool covers may be "longies" (like wool pants, usually worn over the diaper as pants), "shorties", "skirties", or "soakers." Beatrice, in the photos above, is wearing what would be considered a wool "soaker." Soakers are the most versitile, in my opinion, becuase they can be worn underneath any type of outfit, or worn alone as a bloomer type bottom. The second is an especially good option when you have a very cute soaker like this one. Our aunt Y____ (shall remain nameless for security purposes:) knit these for Beatrice. It is such a treat to have a knitter in our family! I love the look of a knitted cover. (We also have the best knit bibs from Y______ that are works of art in themselves.)
If you do not knit or have a knitter in your family, wool sweaters can be recycled into very nice covers. I have made some from a double layer of cashmere, and they are super soft. Some people make these with appliques on the hiny -- really cute.
The way I see it is, if you are going to make a choice that requires more intentional thought and a little more time, you might as well have fun with it!

Photos of Elijah Painting

Elinjah sat with his watercolors and painted for about half an hour this morning. I was watching him paint, and he enjoyed commenting to me on his work. His hand dexterity has continued to develop and for the first time he was focused on painting objects in his picure rather than simply "scribbling." I noticed he can also paint in spirals now. He is really enjoying it now. We will have to do this more often.