Sunset Over the Glades

This basket was created from Muhly Grass, grown and harvested by the artist, and sewn with waxed linen thread.  The stone on the bottom is called Bloodstone.  It has rich dark forest greens of varying hues together with golds and red.  This one looks like a picture from the Everglades at sunset so my doctor said and so its name.  The colors of the stone are repeated with the wrapping of waxed linen thread and accented with Russian Jade pendants. 

 

Approximate Size:  10 X 9 X 3.5 in

 Gifts from the Sea

This piece will hang on a wall .  The darker shades viewed are coiled Florida Long Leaf pine needles and the lighter shade is Muhly Grass, grown and harvested by the artist.   The center is a half Nautilus Shell with the interior of the shell visible from the back side.  It was tricking getting the shell to fit into a sewn on jacket!  I was afraid it was going to break at any time!.  The pearly sheen of the shell is so vibrant!  It is meant to appear that the pearls are coming from the interior of the shell.  The pearls are randomly placed and are of variable sizes because they are from a recycled (vintage 19020s) pearl necklace of my Grandmother Lena.  What better way to allow her to live on in a piece of art.  

 Approximate Size: 14 X 14 X 1 in.

 Entangled

This basket named Entangled has won another award, Honorable Mention. The present site is at the Florida Craft Art Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL located at 501 Central Avenue.  The exhibit called Beautiful Bountiful Bowls drew over 30 artists with one hundred entries.  A show worth seeing.  It will be on display until June 26. 2021. 

One of a Kind

 This is a mirror base so it will hang on the wall.  The coiled material is Muhly Grass that I grow in Florida.  It is a frass that is used as a bedding material in roadways because it does not need a lot of water to grow.  I put it in a flower bed and it grows inches overnight!! I used to harvest 2X a year but now I only cut once.  It['s back braking work in 90 degree heat.  This little item is unique because of the beads.  Each bead is different.  They are clay so they were formed, painted, and fired uniquely. No I didn't know the clay artist of the beads.  They were given to me. 

Approximate Size:

10 x10 inches

Jade Jubillee

 This basket is made from coiled Muhly Grass which grows in my flower beds.  I harvest it in the heat of August and set it on racks to air dry in the dark.  Luckily I have a barn where my husband gives me a small corner. The grass making this basket is from last year so it still has a green hue since it has been in the dark for a year.  I add Florida Long Leaf pine needles and coil them with Irish waxed linen thread. This design is on an agate slice base and this pine needle basket nests inside the Muhly Grass basket. The pendants are African Green Opal, the beads are from my mothers Jade necklace. This basket within a basket design is unpredictable.  I never really know exactly it's outer image.  It just evolves. 

Appoxomite Size:

12 x10 x4 inches

Demonstration at Wild Child Gallery, Dec 10, 2020

            It's demo time at the Wild child Gallery on December 10, 2020. 

Look who will be joining us! His name is Riley and he was born Nov 23.  He is feeding from a bottle because Mom has two other babies to feed.  Riley somehow got isolated and now she won't accept him as hers.  Oh well, Nature. I'll be bringing extra baskets other than those in the gallery.  Stop by at 4625 Pine Island Road, Matlacha, FL .  Riley and I will be there from 10-3:30PM.

 

Exhibit time

 The Common Threads Exhibit at the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda, FL is about to close on Dec 7  It was a happy time for all of us that have social distanced for so long. We didn't know how many of our members would be able to exhibit in November for many members had not returned to Florida for the winter, so we each took a spot and set up our pieces.  Some had several, like me, and others had two or three. 

The month of December will be an exhibit by the Southwest Florida Fine Craft Guild in this same gallery. The Guild is another group, but has very accomplished artists in jewelry, wood craving, clay, mixed media, photography, glass, and fiber.  All the artist work in 3-D art so expect to see some unusual pieces. The Exhibit runs until December 23, 2020.  A shorter time than usual for an exhibit but Covid again changes the schedule.