Author: JP Dawes Artist

Why you should just DO something

| JP Dawes Artist

 I’m going through some major life changes right now. It would be super easy to just sit back and do nothing. Unfortunately that isn’t in my nature. Maybe it would be good to be able to disconnect for a while, but it isn’t something I’ve ever learned to do. I’ve never seen the point of it…..can you tell I’m a type “A” personality?

While destashing and going through the huge pile of supplies that came back to Arkansas from Texas when my place sold there, I came across this basket of cotton yarns. Lots and lots of little pieces and nothing with enough to make a planned anything.

It would have been easy to pitch this stuff and not have to deal with it. Unfortunately, pitching stuff in the trash isn’t in my nature either. There will be a monstrous pile of donated things before I”m done, too.

I got out some of my pattern books thinking I would just start something, but there wasn’t enough of anything for any patterns. So, I just started crocheting.  Odd that with RA I can do the motions needed for this.  I think I’m going to call it free-style crochet and I think it will look a lot like a crazy quilt when it gets done. I guess if it serves the purpose of keeping my mind quiet in the evenings and gives me something creative to do, it is a good thing.

Today’s Estate Find

| JP Dawes Artist

Today’s estate sale find was $3 for a plastic bag with these items in it. The set of oil pastels is unused and new. The Shading Powder is also new and unopened. These are vintage and I haven’t a clue how to use the powder. since there are no instructions. The box says “For delicate shading from light to dark. Gives professional looking results. Fun for figurine painting and all crafts.” on another part of the box it says “Non-firing” and “Just Buff on with Cotton”.  So it looks like these are simply what we would call today pigment powders that can be used in stamping and embossing and used like the Jacquard powders.

They will be fun to play with. I’ll try mixing them with water to see if they mix and I’ll brush some on painted whole cloth pieces dry.  

If you have ever seen these I would love to hear from you!

Swamp Hoe Down for Tristan

| JP Dawes Artist

 I have a new grandson who is going to make an appearance soon. His due date is Easter but he is going to be a big boy and they think he may have to come a little bit early.

I needed a baby quilt for him. His mommy, my DD, is the display manager for Anthropologie in The Woodlands, TX. so she usually appreciates my wonky art and sense of humor. Because of that I decided to use a piece that I painted in a Susan “Lucky” Shie workshop at Arrowmont Craft School in TN a couple of years ago.

  I don’t remember exactly what our theme was for the day I painted this piece.  I do remember that I was perplexed that I did something that was more cartoonish than my normal work. I put the pieces aside when I returned home and had done nothing with them. I guess I just needed the final inspiration to use this.

The baby’s nursery is being done in a woodland kind of motif. I haven’t seen it and I don’t know for sure how swamp creatures will fit in but I suspect the quilt will be appreciated and loved.

The borders I added are dark and swampy and the firefly trails are folded bias fabrics. I think babies like to have textures to run their little fingers over. I like to add something like this to their quilts.  I also don’t think baby quilts have to be pastel and cutesy…that should be obvious here.

One part of fiber art that I don’t like is putting labels on the backs.
It seems they are never permanent enough and can be ripped off and lost.  I decided to paint a square on the back of the quilt and add a little more of the story that goes along with it. I used India Ink for the text and put a coat of acrylic varnish over it. It should hold up under lots of washings.

As a further nod to Lucky’s workshop, I quilted this with her wonky grid style of quilting. A wonderful, freeing way to make this quilt sturdy and finished!