Shelter, a class, some writing, a workshop

While I work on constructing the black tier of shelter, I'm also doing some hand-sewing on the other tiers, doing final stitching and taking out basting. I've enjoyed looking at these pieces up close again as I sew.
And here's the black in progress. It's coming along quite well.

Progress is a little slowed by the start of a new term of teaching, with some other things on my plate as well. I'm taking a drawing class at the college, one that focuses on the legacy of minimalist, abstract drawing (like Eva Hesse, Agnes Martin, Sol Lewitt) rather than representational, figural drawing. I love these artists, and I think this kind of drawing will help my development in quilting. We'll see.

I'm also working on a presentation I'll be giving at the college in late April, "From Study to Studio," describing/explaining my turn from scholarship to art. I've talked about this to an audience of quilters before, but not to my colleagues at the college.

In June I'll be attending a workshop by Terry Jarrard-Dimond, "What If? Building Pathways to Creative Work." This is being offered at a new workshop venue in Ann Arbor, Michigan, modeled on the structure of workshops at Nancy Crow's Barn, but one day shorter (so a little less expensive), and with a greater variety of types of workshops: http://www.buddingartideas.com/workshops.html. There are a number of fiber arts workshops (including a Susan Shie workshop in October on “Diary Quilt Paintings" that I wish I could go to). There are also watercolor, pastel, oil, encaustic, and other things being taught. Anyway, you might take a look--they've asked participants to spread the word, to help them fill this inaugural set of workshops.