New Website

My new website:  www.vivianmilholenart.com is now up and ready for you to visit!  I am still trying to figure out how to edit my old blog posts.  I may move all to Word Press or ?  Many things have happened with my art since I was actively posting on this blog.

New Exhibit

My art quilt, Peace, was chosen for the Art Quilt Network exhibit, "Without A Word"! It is a selection of 35 quilts that express the power of imagery.  The opening reception is today, May 3, at the Zanesville Museum of Art in Zanesville, Ohio.  The show runs from May 3-July 24. Below is a picture of my work.

Peace

Back to Blogging again!

I haven't updated my blog in a long time.  I have been so busy that it fell to the wayside.  But having an art studio has made me realize I need to keep it going.  I won't bore you with all the other things I have been doing, (like showing you millions of pictures of our daughter's beautiful wedding), but I will add pictures that tell the story.  I now have a studio at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia.  I am a member of the Studio Fiber Artists!

This is a picture right after I moved in, tired but happy to be there!  You can see some of my art work on the back wall.  The cool thing about the building is that it use to be a DC prison. Lots of history to read about.  Here is a link to the arts center:  Workhouse Arts Center
The good news is that I have so many new pieces to post on my blog.  Working on that now!  Check back tomorrow for new work!

Landscape Quilts

Vineyard View #1

This is my Vineyard quilt that is traveling more than me lately.  It was first in an exhibit at the Philip Carter Winery in Hume, Virginia.  Next, it traveled to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt festival in Hampton, VA and onto the city of Luray, VA where it resided in an art exhibit for a month.  Now, it's on it's way to Blacksburg, VA for a special exhibit in the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival.  In August, it will travel to the Altimo Winery for an exhibit.  

Me, I'm just staying home this summer.  No plans to go anywhere exciting.  I do get to visit Vineyard View as it travels...makes a nice day trip.  : )

Purple Meadow Rue

Purple Meadow Rue

30" x 30"

Purple Meadow Rue is a wildflower that is used in the production of anticancer drugs.  I made this for a special cancer survivors exhibit at a local hospital.  It will also travel to Auburn for an exhibit later on.  This piece has special meaning for me as I lost my mom to cancer over 28 years ago.  If only a treatment were available then to help her.  It is my hope that the viewers of this quilt see the peace and hope that I want it to convey.  It is machine appliqued, machine quilted and I used fabric paints.  The Purple Meadow Rue is not an easy flower to depict in fabric.  It sometimes grows 6 feet tall with long, purple stalks.  

Still in Shock!

Landscape 11-1

My quilt, Landscape 11-1, was chosen for part of the permanent collection of the Art Museum at Michigan State University.  It is part of the SAQA "This is a Quilt" trunk show that is currently traveling.  It will travel until 2013 and then reside at the museum as part of their collection.  My artist statement is below:

A walk in the woods inspired me to create this art quilt.  I decided the best way to interpret my memory of the many earthy colors was by the use of paints on fabric combined with quilting stitches to give it definition.  The background fabric was the previous result of randomly painting, stamping and mono printing over a commercial fabric.  As I looked at the fabric, I could see a forest background with a stream running through it.  I painted a few more greens and added some brown grasses.  The trees are painted on white PFD fabric using acrylic mixed with fabric medium and appliqued to the background using raw applique and machine stitching. 

Doing cartwheels and happy dances.  : )

Vivian : )

9/11 Quilt

This is my 9/11 quilt, "Spirits Rising".  My online quilt group, Fiber Artists for Hope, decided to create quilts in remembrance of 9/11.  The size is appropriately 9"x11".  "Spirits Rising" is currently being exhibited in Chicago as part of the "Reflections on September 11, a Decade Later" exhibition.  Here is my artist statement:   

"As I watched television and saw the twin towers fall on September 11, 2001, my heart ached for the many lives lost.  The quilted, shiny lines on my quilt represent the spirits of the people who died that day.  Out of the debris, their spirits rose up in shining glory to be comforted by God.  The spirit of our country also rose up that day in unity."

The Sketchbook Project 2011 DC Tour

 What a wonderful time I had viewing my sketchbook and others at the 2011 DC Tour.  It was at the Hillyer Art Space on a very rainy Saturday afternoon.

I also happened to be very sick with an acute sinus infection, but my hubby dangled fabric and paint brushes in front of me and off we went to catch the metro for the event.  (Even though I felt so bad I am extremely glad I did not miss it.)  When we entered, I was given a bright blue sticker that said "Participating Artist".  The gallery was packed!  There was a waiting line for people acquiring the library cards (necessary to check out a sketchbook to view) and a waiting line for checking out the books.  All the books have a bar code on the back so they know who checks out what and how many times a book is checked out.  (As you see, they use Macbooks : )  

 Here is one of my favorite pictures...this is Susan Nash's book on the left and mine is the red one on the right.  Ahhhh, viewing Susan's book was like a visit with my bff!  She is so talented!  The pears on the front of mine is a picture of one of my quilts.
I also viewed Gerrie Congdon's book.  Her book was so inspiring...my hubby thinks the same muse visits us...we both like trees.
As you see below, the sketchbooks are in these carts.  We were so impressed how very organized and professional it all appeared.  It was a first class show!  Don't miss it if it comes to your area!

This is a Quilt--new work

Landscape 11-1

This is a new art quilt I made for the SAQA "This is a Quilt" traveling trunk show, 2011-2012.  It is painted, stamped and mono-printed.  The background was a piece that I had stamped, printed and painted for another piece.  When I looked at it, I decided it looked like a path in the woods, so I painted trees using acrylic paint and stitched them onto the background.  I did some light free motion quilting and sent it on it's way.  The edges did not have to be finished because it will be matted.

More Sketchbook Pages

Here are a few pages from my Sketchbook Project for the Brooklyn Art Library. It will become part of their permanent collection along with lots of other artists.  My sketchbook will be part of a traveling exhibit this year and one of the cities will be Washington DC!  Yippee!  I will get to see it again.  It was kind of hard to let it go.  My good friend, Susan, also participated.  The sketchbook is a moleskine sketchbook and the paper is too thin for wet media.  By the time I was finished, it looked like I had thrown it in the streets of DC to be run over by a few buses.  My theme was Inside/Outside.  I will post the entire sketchbook as soon as I learn how to add pages to my blog (if anyone knows, I'd appreciate the help.)  I'm on a learning mission to conquer all these electronic marvels at the moment.

Watercolors & Sketchbooks

on my work table

I'm taking a new class Sketchbook & Watercolor On Location taught by Jane LaFazio. It is so much fun! I know I haven't blogged in a while. I got a new Macbook Pro and I am trying to learn how to use it. Switching from a PC to a Mac isn't easy! But, hopefully, I have accomplished the pictures/PE/iPhoto problems so now I can get back to blogging. Back to this class...I love it! Our first assignment was to sketch keys and then paint them. I did this set of antique keys while I was in pain from a dental procedure...thus a little shakey when using the Pitt pen. But I'm trying to get over my perfectionism and just make more art.

New Work

Moonlight on the Snow

Moonlight on the Snow(detail)

I made this piece for the Fast Friday Challenge group. The challenge was to make a piece using Chiaroscuro, the contrast of light and dark to create depth. I really like this new piece and it was fun to make. I used fabric paints to achieve the light.

Old Work Revisited

I have been studying how to improve the piece below. I knew there was something missing that I just couldn't figure out. I decided it needed more depth. Since it was already quilted, I decided to use fabric paints to achieve the result I wanted. Although not a stark difference, it is improved to my satisfaction. I have other work I have completed this summer and will post it here on my blog in the next few days. I have been awfully absent this Summer due to travel, family visits and home improvement projects.

Ocean scene (Before)

Ocean scene (After)

Sometimes you have to look at old work with a new eye. Today, I painted lots of fabric and used Dynaflo to paint cotton pads and pull them apart. There is a new series in the works.

Another Landscape...

Ocean Scene 2

I just finished this one...well, almost...it still needs a facing. I am also deciding that I may crop some of the sky to make it a more balanced composition but the verdict is still out on that one. This piece has some "thread painting" that I added for the crest of the waves. I also did a bit of painting on this one. I like to keep the painting subtle so it blends with the fabrics. Since it's Summer, I must be thinking of the beach (as you can see in the previous post) ...I have a few unfinished pieces on my design wall that are trees that need to be finished. But, the ocean and beach have captured my creative muse at the moment.

Machine Stitching...new work

I have been remiss in posting my new work. I'm hoping to get back on track. This is one of my latest ocean scenes. I have been dreaming of going back to the beach lately, but it seems to be a busy time for us. I have my memories of the ocean and this art piece is composed of those memories. I always feel so refreshed after a trip to the beach. I love to watch the tide roll in and wash away the footprints in the sand.

This art quilt is raw edge applique and machine quilted. I painted the sky fabric using SetaColor paint.

I recently attended QSDS in Columbus, Ohio where I took a class taught by Rosalie Dace. She is an excellent teacher and I came away with lots of new ideas for creating texture. I don't usually use embellishments such as buttons, beads and hand embroidery in my art, but Rosalie also showed us how to use the sewing machine to get texture. We learned to use a twin needle for quilting and many more useful skills. I got to take the class with my good friend, Susan, who is so talented with her hand stitching and embellishments. Susan recently posted on her blog about staying true to your heart in creating our art. I must say that I have found that machine stitching and machine quilting is what I love. I did try to do hand stitching while at QSDS and knew I was going "against the grain". It just didn't feel right! I say if it doesn't feel right, then your heart isn't in it. It made me think of learning to sew when I was a little girl. My mother taught me and it wasn't hand stitching, she set me at the machine and taught me to sew. And when I think about it, I never saw her do any handwork...only machine work. She made her living by using the machine. It makes me feel good to realize that I am my mother's daughter after all.

More Trees! I see Trees!

Late Winter

Early Fall

More trees! I actually finished these on March 8, 2010. (I love that adobe photoshop elements includes the dates in the properties of each photo...helps me to remember!) But I didn't get them posted to my blog until today. I made these immediately after I made Autumn Woods. I needed to do a bit more uncomplicated creations for a rest. I have plans and fabric for Spring and Summer but haven't started on them. These are also based on my photos of the woods in Ohio and Virginia. I did have to paint some of the fabrics as the original colors didn't suit my palette. I think the thing I enjoyed most was the machine quilting. When I quilt, I put my ipod nano on the speaker dock and listen to a BOT...usually a murder mystery...keeps me on my toes. I download them free from our library and I'm currently listening to the author Mariah Stewart.

After my stay in Ohio, I had difficulty getting back to the studio. I plan to spend the rest of the day there, today. I just read an article in the new issue of Art Calendar magazine that addresses the issue of being persistent in making art. Also, I received the new article by Alyson Stanfield about getting back in the studio. Both excellent reading for motivation.

Early Fall Detail


Late Winter detail

Quilting on Late Winter

Thanks for reading and I appreciate your comments,

Vivian

New Work, New Direction

Autumn Woods I (Work-In-Progress)

It's been a while since I updated my blog. One reason is that I have been spending most days working in my studio on new designs. The new piece above is the new direction my art is taking me these days. I haven't quilted it, yet, but hopefully that will be soon. I have more designs of this type ready to create. These are all based on the photographs I took while hiking in the woods.

I just got home after three weeks in Ohio. I was babysitting our son's dog and house sitting while he was on military duty. I am still unpacking and doing laundry. I had to do yard work right away, it's like Summer here in Virginia and the grass was out of control.

I hope to post more soon.

Snow Dyeing & The Blizzard of 2010

Snow Dyed Fabric

After pouring the dye over the fabrics

As you know, we got blasted with the Blizzard of 2010 as they are calling it here in the DC area. I spent a lot of time just watching it snow, watching movies and snow dyeing (not to mention shoveling). I have posted some pictures of some of my fabrics. It was so much fun! The neighbors probably think I'm crazy, for sure...running out on the deck and scooping up snow in buckets. Here is how I did it: I soaked fabric in soda ash water (about 20 minutes) and then squeezed the liquid out as much as possible. I placed them in little white tubs, packed snow on top and poured the dye over the top. I just guessed on dye amounts...usually 1-2 teaspoons per cup of water. Then I placed a clear garbage bag on top (so I could watch it) and set them aside until the next day...about 24 hours. Then, I rinsed, washed, dried and ironed. No salt involved in the dye because I didn't want to use up the dye the first day so I could make another batch the next day. It was fun and if I want to try it again, I think the snow will be here for a while.

Emma looking out the garage and wondering how she can go out in that. This is after shoveling 3 times that day!

Vern shoveling snow below and a view of our street during the blizzard.

New work finished

Landscape #4

I've been fortunate enough to spend some time in the studio lately. This little landscape started with a small handful of fabric scraps given to each of us in my art group. The challenge was to create something using all the fabrics. We were allowed to add 1 or 2 fabrics. I had some of the blue which I used for the border, so that was one and then I added the dark blue water strip. It was tons of fun to create this. There was even a bit of blue lace which I added to the top of the mountains. A bit of green silk is in the foreground. This is just a quick snapshot of it while I propped it up on my fireplace mantle. I like it on the mantle, so it will probably stay there.

Landscape #4 (8" x 10")

Now, I'm thinking this would be such a fun idea to make sandwich baggie size bits of scraps to save for trips or those times when the creative muse is still sleeping.

I quilted the tops and bottom of the blue fabric with curving lines to emulate a feeling of a breeze. This piece is mounted on painted stretched canvas.

I so appreciate your comments!

Beach Landscape #2

#2 in the series

While landscape #1 is brewing on the design wall after being quilted, I am starting to think how I want to quilt landscape #2. At this point, I think I will quilt all three first and then add the shading by painting or extra applique. These three maintain the same value in color so I think it will be easier that way. My creative muse is reeling in my brain with new ideas but I must finish these before moving to the next quilt idea. I had a little setback in finishing these...sick family members consumed a lot of my time. But I'm so glad at least a couple of them are feeling better. I think the nurturing part of me takes over when someone is sick and my creative muse keeps peaking out to see if she can come out, yet. I keep pushing her back and saying, "not yet". I'm also behind in updating my SAQA Visioning project, so I will also try to work on that update today. I am keeping up with my Artbizcoach.com class with Alyson Stanfield. It is a fantastic class called "Blastoff". It gives you the necessary kick to get your art business off to a good start. Thanks for reading! Thank you for the comments!