Chicken Card 38

Bookbinding and Asparagus

I learned to bookbind yesterday at The Cocoonery, an art studio and community art space in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, run by artist, Katie Schofield.  I also created some more hand made business cards this week and some paper grass.

I have turned this old book about flowers titled, Bulbs for Beauty into a Wormfarm Cookbook where I will write in all the recipes I make while I am here.

Asparagus and sunny side up eggs for dinner.

Goodnight Moooooooon!

Crocus-Spring Arrives

Crocus-Spring Arrives, 26 x 26 inches, fabric, burlap, thread, 2013

Living in the Now

During the summer, the farmers and I harvested 1000 pounds of tomatoes in one day.  I took home 20 pounds of those tomatoes and made a gigantic batch of tomato sauce.  I froze the sauce so that I could eat it all winter.  Last night Jake and I finished the last batch.  I can't wait for tomato season so I can make some more!

This morning Jake and I took a walk around Rogers Park.  I enjoyed seeing the many Daffodils, Hyacinths and Tulips in the sunshine. 

I am a bundle of nerves.  So much is ending for me here.  Jake will be leaving for New York soon, I will be leaving for Wisconsin.  But with all the things that are ending, so many wonderful things are beginning.  For the past few years I have been working on how to live in the now and not in the future. So much joy is wasted when I worry about tomorrow everyday.  I struggle with wanting to control everything that happens in my life, but many things should be left to happen naturally.  It is a challenge but I am getting better and I am happier because of it.

Crocus-a work in progress

The ground is stirring.  Spring is on it's way!

Interactive Art Piece

I have been invited by curator, Anni Holm, to create an interactive piece for her show Earth to Table at the West Chicago City Museum.  I have had a lot of interest lately in making artwork that viewers can be involved in.  This was the first idea I have come up with.

The statement and question would be placed on the wall, "Each fruit and vegetable has a season when they grow in the Midwest and when they taste their best.  What vegetables and fruits do you like to eat during each season?"

There are 4 plates for each season and surrounding each plate are plushie vegetables and fruits grown during that season.  They are velcroed to the wall and attached to the wall with jute so that the viewer can't put a tomato on the winter plate.  There is also velcro on the plate.  

I want to create a piece that is educational, fun, and touchable.  Children really like my work and I'd like to pay more attention to that in the future.  

Welcome Spring!

Harvesting the Blue Potato will be on display at the Zhou B Art Center from April 20th to June 9th. The above image is a close-up of the piece, it's about 5 x 7 feet. The show is called Chicago's Twelve: Twelve Artists Mobilizing the Earth. I am super excited to be a part of this! The opening reception will be April 20th, 7-10pm, just in time for Earth Day.

I saw the wall I have to show my work and realized my piece would be swamped by white wall, so I am in the process of making it larger. At least 250 potatoes larger!

Here is 156 of them cut out.

After I am done painting them, I will connect them to the cycle with jute and wheat flour glue.

Jacob and I took a walk around our lovely home, Roger's Park. I looked up and in the trees was a spazzy little bird, a woodpecker!

He was on a pecking mission.

We stopped by Ruby garden because I wanted to see all the soil before the green comes. It is amazing how much one space can change in such a short amount of time. I can't wait!

This sort of flower was popping up in random places all over. It seems to be the only flower ready to bloom at the moment. *Anyone know what kind of flower it is? This lady was growing all alone in a 6 x 8 feet square of dirt.

*My friend Kristin let me know it is a crocus! "Usually the first to bloom in the spring!"