taking stock

Today I'll be straightening my studio, putting up the clutter left from the mad dash to finish 'a masked ball' before the ODACA Day meeting and luncheon. I'll set up my newly-repaired sewing machine. I'm so glad she's in good operating condition again. I missed her a lot even though I don't sew every day.  She deserves a name, don't you think? Lucille ... she'll be Lucille from now on. She was my mom's machine before she came to me. Mother probably didn't name her. If she knew that I have named her now, Mother would look at me like I'm nuts. Maybe I am ... I still play with dolls.

That photo should be cropped.  I'll do better next time. Titled 'a masked ball,' he served as a centerpiece at the ODACA Day Luncheon on July 23 in New Orleans. He was won by one of ODACA's new artist members in a drawing to select winners of all the centerpieces. He has a fine new home. I am pleased.

I should talk a bit about this blog's title: shreds and tatters.  It's really just my philosophy, if you will, for costuming my figures. I love to see raw and frayed fabric edges in a figure's costume. They add texture and life and sometimes just a touch of the unexpected. I'm not opposed to hemmed or faced edges and I use them too, juxtaposing the frayed edges for effect. In recent years, 'shreds and tatters' has been descriptive of my life and emotions. Readers who are acquainted with me personally know why this is so. It is life. Life changes, life moves ahead. I promise not to dwell on this aspect here on the blog. I will resume my original intent here and bring you glimpses into the mind and heart of an artist, figurative assemblage and beyond. 

I'll talk more about 'figurative assemblage' soon. But for now, I'll leave you with a teaser: I.SEW.SCELES!