While my studio is among my favorite places, ( and if you have been following since we first moved the building on the property you can see that it is beginning to look more worked in), the last couple of days I have been out and about in Guthrie and Tulsa.
On Friday I visited the new Guthrie Art Center. A group of hard working artists have completely transformed a downtown building into a haven for the arts in the middle of the historic downtown area. Weaver Donna Hilton, pictured here on the far left is one of the driving forces behind the project. In fact the first thing you will see through the front windows as you are walking down the street is the collection of looms owned by the center.
The building also houses workspace for jewelry making, pottery, spinning with further plans to expand upstairs for classes like pen and ink and possibly even tapestry weaving.
On the morning we visited the Friday morning spinners group were busy at their wheels.
Here are Janet and Donna having a consultation about yarns and fibers in the weaving area.
Donna is showing me her Mirrix loom with a tapestry in progress by Gail Davis. In addition to space to work and sell finished items the artists members also offer classes in all their areas of expertise.
Here is the entrance to the jewelry studio.
Two jewelry artists have work benches in the space. Here is the workbench of Fran Walker,
and some of her finished pieces.
This piece by another jewelry artist, John Cole really caught my eye.
A look at the pottery room. All ready for classes!
In the very back an area still being worked on has hosted some printmaking and a garage band. If you are in the Guthrie area chances are you already know about the new Guthrie Art Center but it makes a great day trip if coming from other points in Oklahoma and the drive is beautiful right now.
On Saturday I spent the day in Tulsa participating in an extended pose life drawing session sponsored by the University of Tulsa and Gilcrease Museum at the Zarrow building followed by a trip to 108 Contemporary Gallery. The current show, Here and Now: Contemporary Native American Art of Oklahoma is definitely one to see.
Back at the studio work continues on the 2014 daily diary as the end of the year fast approaches.
I am working on the top of the tapestry as I continue to weave the days and trying to make the end of the year mark the end of the tapestry as well.
Here are a couple of detail views
of the 2014 tapestry diary project in progress.
Finally, here is a sneak peak of the sketch that will probably be my next tapestry. The paint box will probably be the first tapestry to go on the new Fireside Loom when I receive it next Spring. My Mighty Wolf loom has moved to a new home where it will be used and cared for and that brings me even closer to my new 48 inch Cantilever Tapestry Loom. Exciting stuff around the studio these days. I am really looking forward to making a fairly large tapestry from this fairly tiny paint box and I think the abstract qualities of the project will make for interesting design.
