Mandalas in Maryland

El Salvador pride

Community hands

Placing out the people

I am recently back from a week long residency in Chevy Chase MD at Rock Creek Forest Elementary. With a student body of nearly 600 plus staff and teachers, we created a large all school Mandala Community Weaving that will be stunning when fully assembled. The parent volunteers and organizers were amazing – and even with the large workshop sessions we cruised through the week with ease. At the end of the week, I left the final gluing assembly of the Mandala in the capable hands of the two parent organizers – thanks Tricia and Erica! I can’t wait to see it all together!!  

Pride and progress

Bridgeport Neighborhoods

detail – Bridgeport neighborhoods

Hands at work

Bridgeport shoreline

This week I was artist in residence with the two 5th grades at Classical Studies Magnet School in Bridgeport, CT. We completed two tapestries that illustrate two of the wonderful features of this small CT city – the shore line and the many diverse neighborhoods. I loved working with these energetic and happy students! They have much to be proud of in their work and their community.In my portable studio work I have completed two more embroideries from “Now: Letters by Hand” Letter V and W. I’m closing in on the end of this series!!

Letter V

Letter W

Warmer days, bluer skies

Snow piled up above the windows!

In my last post, I spoke of the blizzard…and in case you haven’t heard, we just exited the snowiest February on record here in York. For about three weeks the snow just piling up and piling up. We’ve had the roof shoveled and the drive way piles are over ten feet tall now! Today is bright ans sunny, so there is the sweet sound of melting, gutters running with water and even a few birds singing a happy tune.  All of this snow time gave me the opportunity to be grounded in the studio – no complaints from this happy weaver! I am one of the few people who loves winter weather – I love to x-ski and I love how snow storms create a giant pause in my busy life.I have added a new piece to the gallery from my “Unhinged” series – check it out!

Woven Mandala

The winter residency at Lewiston Middle School is completed. I am quite pleased with the drawn and woven mandalas that these students created in the after school program.

Personal drawn mandala

My own work is progressing – a new piece in the “Unhinged” series almost ready to be off loom for the embroidery. And speaking of embroidery, I have completed Letter U in my project “Now: Letters by Hand”.I will be traveling for 3 weeks leaving March 12…heading to a warm island in the Caribbean, Bequia. I’ll have email – so feel free to keep in touch – I love hearing from you!

Letter U – “Letters by Hand”

Rhythm and blues, new work in progress.

Fresh start

Studio post blizzard

We survived the “epic” blizzard of January 2015 – 24″of snow. Not all that bad – there have been worse storms – and the power never even blinked! The best thing about this storm was that I was hunkered down in the stdio – with heat and power – and I was able to get four new blog posts on my Macomber Looms and Me blog. These new posts include many photos of installing new parts to old looms as well as a few maintenance tricks. Check them out!So now that these posts are off my “to-do” list I can concentrate on weaving! I have completed the third in my series “Unhinged” and I’m off the photographers tomorrow to get it shot. Here’s a preview – but the professional will do a much better job!

Inlay at work.

Unhinged #2 – detail

This month I am artist in residence at a Middle School in Lewiston ME. I’m working in an after-school program through LA ARTS. Working in collaboration with the math teacher, we are doing drawn and then woven Mandalas.

Drawing Mandalas

Loose ends

Loose ends refers to threads that are unattached or astray, to unfinished business and to the little things in life that cannot be categorized. The last definition fits this post – a  bunch of stuff that is newsy and not particularity related. So here goes!

Now:Letters by Hand – letter S

I finished Letter S from my current project “Now: Letters by Hand” an embroidered alphabet series done on linen squares. This letter is inspired by symbols of change and a body that is frequenting my loom woven work. These letters are works that can travel with my as I am on the road teaching, visiting family or caring for my 93 year old mother.

New loom!

For the first time in MANY (like 35 years) I have bought a new/used loom. It is a 40″ B5 Macomber that is almost 40 years old – but is in mint condition! I will be adding more harnesses and another plain beam soon and look forward to weaving on it soon!Speaking of new equipment, I have a new computer stand for my 56″ loom’s weaving bench. Built by my dear Ben – it holds the net book and power supply that run my dobby loom. I am so happy! I am so lucky!

Computer stand on bench

“The Art is the Cloth” the tapestry show at NHIA has moved on to its new location at The George School. The show runs from Dec. 4 to Feb. 9th. If you are in the Newtown PA area be sure to check it out!“Unraveled” the exhibit at Old York Museum will close on Dec 6th. Check out the article that the Portland Press Herald wrote about the exhibit.This past month I have been doing a fair amount of studio cleaning – selling yarns, small looms and generally trying to organize my work space. I know that sometimes this effort is an avoidance/procrastination activity. But this time it has been amazing – I LOVE the way my work space feels! I feel like there is space for new ideas, for dancing, for dreams, for creative energy to flow.So that’s about it for loose ends this month! Thanks for all the great feedback on my work in these exhibits this fall.~~ Sarah

R-R-R-Ready? Letter R!

Detail of Letter R

It’s October 31st – Halloween! This is one of my favorite holidays because we it is about fun, fantasy, food and fright!Two days ago I completed Letter R in my alphabet series titled “Now: Letters by Hand”. I haven’t created a gallery of all these images yet and I haven’t figured out exactly what category they should be filed under (studio, community or public art). I suppose this is because this series is all about being rooted in the moment, not planning for the future or reflecting on the past.I am not entirely clear what to do with them all when all the letters are done. I have 8 letters still to embroider, so I suspect by letter Z, I’ll have figured something out!So enjoy this glorious fall, soak up some brilliant colors, fall into a pile of leaves and then leap into November tomorrow!

Letter R swirls with fall energy and colors!

Meet Letter Q

Letter Q

Letter Q dips into the Atlantic.

Early September,  just off Merchant’s Row, Stonington, Deer Isle, ME.Letter Q dips a finger into the Atlantic waters confirming what we already know, the water is cold but feels so good.Letter Q the 17th letter of the alphabet series titled “Now: Letters by hand“. Nine more letters to embroider in this project. Now onward to letter R. 

One Opening

Thank You Letters installed at Old York Visitors Center

Saturday evening “Unraveled” opened. This is an amazing show of creative and innovative works by 18 New England artists. The show at the Remick Gallery in the Museums of Old York runs for 3 months – so you hardly have an excuse to miss it, unless you live on the West coast!

“Unhinged #1″ on view in UNRAVELED exhibition.

 With the arrival of fall and new exhibits, I am also starting back to work with schools. This past week I was down in CT for  an Arts for Learning Showcase in Meriden CT. Here is a fabulous photo that captures the energy of the day – beauty joy and community!

Mandala hands connecting to create community

Soft ending

Letter M inspired by pea shoots, tendrils and flowers

Summer clouds

Summer is coming to a soft ending here in Maine. What I mean by soft is that the  end of summer is September 21st – the actual transition from summer to fall. But here in Vacationland, as in many New England states, summer ends when schools reopen and the tourists go home. Although I am decades away from returning to school, I still feel the shift in the pace of life, the change in the sunlight, the drop in the temperature.This fall I have two local exhibits. I hope that you can see these shows and perhaps join me at the opening.

“UNRAVELED”  Contemporary New England Fiber ArtSept. 20 – December 6, 2014  Opening reception September 20 5-7 PMMuseums of Old York, Remick Gallery, 3 Lindsay Rd. York, ME 03909 This exhibit is an amazing collection of artists! I will have two pieces in the gallery as well as an outdoor installation.

“The Art is the Cloth” Contemporary Handwoven Tapestries

October 3 – November 5, 2014  Opening reception October 8  5-7PM

NH Institute of Art 148 Concord St. Manchester, NH 03104

This exhibit is an international juried show that will travel after this site. Again an amazing collection of artists!

As summer draws to this soft closure, I am scheduling fall residencies, continuing with my embroidery project “Now ~ Letters by Hand”and digging deeper into my on-loom series called “Unhinged”. The pieces in the above mentioned exhibits are from this new series.

Letter O with summer full moon.

Here’s hoping your summer is drawing to a soft closure.

Happy Labor Day ~ Sarah

 

Now ~ Letters by Hand

Letter N inspired by a pair of mating White Admiral butterflies in Port Cldye on July 4th.

Highlighting this work in progress – “Now – Letters by Hand”Letters M and N are completed.Summer continues……luring me away from my studio but inspiring me, filling me with visions, nurturing my spirit. I am off all next week for my annual women’s retreat on Yarmouth Island.

Summer sunset over the water in Maine.

Letter M inspired by pea shoots, tendrils and flowers

Summer sun, summer moon

Summer moon rise

Summer sun setting towards So. Freeport, ME

I am home for a couple of weeks after a two week shake down cruise on our “new” sail boat. We left Rockland, ME on July 1st heading West towards Tentants Harbor down the Mussel Ridge Channel. Well it was certainly a shake down adventure! We had engine trouble and then we lost our brand new prop somewhere between Christmas Cove and  Boothbay Harbor.

Independence flies high in Boothbay Harbor!

Thankfully we were near the Paul Luke Yard who specialize in propeller installation. With a brand new prop we left Lewis Cove and headed further west ending up at Brewers Yard in South Freeport with more engine issues. Phew….hours and dollars later, we have a smooth running engine. But best of all…we had many hours of AMAZING sailing. Witness sails like a beauty, balanced and graceful. We feel blessed to be the new owners of this boat, in spite of the trials of this first cruise.While out on the boat, I brought an embroidery project that I’ve been working on called “Now ~ An alphabet by hand” to keep my hands busy and satisfy my need to create. I am working on letter N inspired by the mating White Admiral butterflies that visited us for a lengthy time in Port Clyde on the 4th of July. You can see other embroidered letters in a previous post.In honor of tonight’s full moon here is a moon rise from The Goslings near Harpswell, ME.

Paul Luke yard inspecting our propeller empty shaft.

Sketch of mating butterflies for embroidery

Summer moon rise

Summer in New England

Maine island ferns

Serenity

Brilliance!

I live in an amazing place ~ the coast of Maine.  I LOVE this season and wait so patiently all year for the summer months.Look how amazingly beautiful it is here!Because I am compulsively addicted to my art, I have found ways to keep making art while out enjoying the all-too-brief beauty of this region.My art this summer is embroidery. I began this project called “Now, an alphabet by hand”  in January while traveling in India. It is an alphabet of the American sign language with additional images of what is current in my life (Now).Here’s a peek at a couple  of the letters which are embroidered on antique linen hand towels.

Letter L

Letter K

Brand NEW!

After months of work, review, hand wringing and more work….my NEW website is ready to go live!  I am sure there will be many tweaks along the way…but it is ready and I am ready to let it fly! Now I can concentrate on making art, doing some posts about current projects and enjoying summer!!Thanks to Colin O’Brien of Clearweave for his gracious patience as I journeyed down this new road!

How do you spell your name?

Installation at Children’s Museum, Dover, NH

“How do you spell your name?”  This is the title of my latest public art piece at the Children’s Museum of NH in Dover NH. This installation, made of 26 children’s and infant T-shirts, is an alphabet with 5 larger sized letters that spell two scrambled words. If you see the entire alphabet in Henry Law Park you might be able to unscramble the letters and read my secret message!This work will be hanging all summer and is easily viewed from both the park and as “drive-by-art”. One of the requirements of this project was to use recycled materials and to have it be an outside work. I have sewn the felt cut out alphabet letters on gently-loved little shirts donated by some awesome seacoast families…thanks everyone!

Installing the alphabet T’s

Alphabet T’s

May days

Detail of Clothes pin people

Wonderful volunteers who assembled and glued together the Mandala Community Weaving for AW Cox School

Here are some  photos from the AW Cox Elementary School in Guilford, CT. We worked for two days with over 300 students to weave and make the clothes pin people. A few weeks later volunteers assembled the project. The completed Mandala will be installed in June.

This is how the Mandala got delivered to the school!

Lewiston Maine

I had the good fortune to work with a very small group of students at the Longley School in Lewiston, Maine this month. Rather than making a Community Mandala, each student made their own Mandala. In the center of their individual Mandala they put a clothes pin person to represent themselves. Then they created other clothes pin people to represent their “support system” – people that help them, love them, feed them, teach them, care for them. This was a very special project with a very special group of students.

Students are creating a Mandala to represent their support system.

Mandalas can illustrate a circle of love and support with us at the center.

Individual Mandalas show our favorite colors, and our favorite people.

Each Mandala has me in the center surrounded by the people who support me.

Our special class of individual mandalas!

Waterbury CT ~ Rotella Magnet School

3rd, 4th and 5th grade collaborative weaving, Rotella Magnet School, Waterbury CT

5th grade weaving, Rotlella Magnet School, Waterbury CT

3rd grade weaving, Rotlella Magnet School, Waterbury CT

4th grade map of Connecticut, Rotella magnet School Waterbury CT

Lower grade Mandala

A rainbow of hands on the Mandala Community Weaving

This spring I had the pleasure of returning to be artist in residence at Rotella Magnet School. I worked here about 12 years ago and the beautiful pieces we created hang in the main office of the school. Now 12 years later, I have been invited back to do an even bigger project!Over 300 students in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades worked on a triptych. The theme was “Journey”. The 3rd graders tapestry was a journey in and around Waterbury, CT. 4th graders illustrated a journey through Connecticut. And the 5th graders explored a more personal journey of the past/present/future of their lives.The lower grades (Pre-K, K, 1 and 2) worked on a Mandala Community Weaving. There were over 300 students who contributed to this joyful collaborative piece. 

Community Stories

3rd Grade Rotella School weaving prior to adding details.

Waterbury CT ~ a 3rd grade view of the city center.

I am an artist in residence at Rotella Magnet School in Waterbury CT this month. I am doing two big projects with the whole school. Third, fourth and fifth grades are creating a triptych that will explore the school theme of journey.  The weavings are being created on beautiful wooden loom/frames built by Ben (my husband). I’ll have photos of the completed works after my return visit in 2 weeks.

5th grade weaving before adding the details

Letter Z goes to India

Before I left for my trip to India, I worked hard to complete my Alphabet of Gratitude. However, I just could not get Letter Z done before I left for Dallas to meet our group. So I completed Letter Z just prior to leaving the USA and photographed Letter Z all during my travels in Tamil Nadu.

Letter Z celebrates completion in Dallas.

On the plane to Dubai.

Letter Z with fishing boat, Bay of Bengal, India

Bay of Bengal

Delicious south Indian food

Kolam – tradtionl designs with rice powder and chalk

On the night train to the ashram

Hanging out at the Yoginnis Ashram

At the orphanage

Smiles to melt your heart

Letter Z inspires Donald

Calm Letter Z with Buddha

Ben and Donald on pilgrimage with Letter Z

Asha and Russill with Letter Z

At the seamstress’s home

Goat and Z

Me and Z outside our room

Not for me.

Where the washing gets done

Home sweet home

At a temple

Brambles, trash and Z

Color, pattern and Z

At the front desk of our 2nd hotel

Life at the ashram, Sri Ramanashram

On the hike up Mt Aranachula

Leaving India.

Layover in glittery Dubai.

Back from India!

I am back from an amazing journey/pilgrimage to Tamil Nadu, Southern India. I have many tales to tell and photos to share. Here is a photo of me at the Saccidananda Weaving Workshop part of Saccidananda Ashram (also called Shantivanam)  in the village of Tannirpalli. Back to you soon with more to share! Namaste, Sarah