Los Talleres - Day 8

I'm still enjoying my time here in Los Talleres, starting to really get used to the slow pace and the heat (it's in the 80's about every day..). Made a quick trip into San Miguel yesterday - which doesn't seem to be as indigenous as Oaxaca yet still very pretty: 

Otherwise, still swaddling and doing these mini weavings:

Still unsure where it's all going but working away...

Los Talleres - Day 2

So here I am in Los Talleres, an artist retreat just outside of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. "Retreat" is the key word here, since this is what you see when you turn left and right:

I'm sorry if the photos appear a bit weird (stripes?), they seem to not want to download properly.

Anyhow, once I got past the first "shock" that I was indeed going to be staying in such a remote place for a month (the urban dweller that I am realized I NEVER experienced that :), I find it exciting to finally have the time to do artwork. The last few months have been so busy making leather bags that I am really looking forward to just make art without having to think "product" (by the way, new bags were posted on Etsy last week and I will post a few more by tomorrow, so check it out here).

This is Harriet, one of the two dogs to keep me company (along a with a lovely couple who manages the place, Raleigh and Evan).

And here's the studio:

I a bit wish that I would have an art project already started and felt a bit intimidated at first, thinking of all the time that's available to me and no specific idea.. However,  before I left, I dreamt that I was going to swaddle some trees or bushes in pink yarn  so I started swaddling some thorny dead branches:

Who knows where that will go but it's a start..

Snapshots from London

Just got back to London late last night. We had a great time overthere, despite having very limited time to walk around the city, taking care of/ keeping company to some elderly relatives. So we stayed mainly in beautiful Islington where we still encountered a few treasures such as these bird houses:

Also went to the recently opened sewing store / cafe Ray Stitch, ran by some ex Selvedge employees:

Couldn't resist these strips of woven fabric which are in fact selvedges from the weaving shop Wallace + Sewell:

I'll probably turn them into pillow covers at some point.

Also got this postcard to post in my studio:

Voila... on these words, heading back to the studio!

Snow remedy

That's it. Every time we get snow from now on, I'll post something that evokes warmth and sun.



pics from misc trips to Oaxaca, Mexico (see them on flickr)



 Take that, Winter.. You are not the boss of me.

Sacred Hearts

Ok.. those are the closest things I have to Valentine's day... 

So there... All by me - during my last trip to beautiful Oaxaca.

Woodblock Printing in Rajasthan

Oh my, how lovely, lovely, lovely...  One of the many things I want to learn how to do.. and one of the many places I want to go to.. that I know I will go to..

 from West Elm via Once Upon a Tea Time

Inspiration: Raw Threads in Morocco

In this cold and snowy weather, I tend to long for heat and colors so I relooked at my pictures from Morrocco and -at last, uploaded them on Flickr..  Here are some of the things that make me hyperventilate:

Plenty of more picturesque photos here. Bon voyage!

Material World at Mass Moca

The exhibition "Material World" consisted of massive installations by seven artists that totally transformed the gallery space using huge quantities of materials such as ropes, paper, aluminum, etc.  The fact that some of the installations were a bit deja vues didn't make them less impressive:

Orly Genger (b.1979) - Big Boss - Rope & paint

Wade Kavanaugh and Stephen B. Nguyen (b. 1979 & 1976) - White Stag - Paper & wood:

Tobiah Putrih (b.1972), Re-projection: Hoosac, Monofilament & spotlights:

Alyson Shotz (b. 1974) - The Geometry of light- Plastic Fresnel lens sheets, silvered glass beads and stainless steel wire:



Read more about the exhibition and artists here.

There also was a great exhibition / installation of Petah Coyne's work but you couldn't take pictures so you'll have to go see for yourself.. Here's just a taste to give you an idea: