Thursday, March 24, 2011

Showing Off

One of my favorite shots from the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival was chosen for the 2011 Biennial at ArtsWorcester. Here's the proof. Nice to see it in the company of lots of very professional works of all shapes and sizes.It fired me up to get out in the mud and early spring air and head to Overlook Farm/Heifer Project to shoot sheep, goats, and bovines. 216 images later I have some editing work to do!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Getting Photos Some Exposure (!)

Ha. Must be the coffee that's giving me the clever edge this morning.

In the past few weeks, Walking Wool portfolio images have been getting the attention I think they deserve. ArtsWorcester chose four works for inclusion in a photo installation at UNUM's corporate offices here in Worcester.

And, just this past weekend, a juror selected the favorite of mine -- Blue Faced Leicester Ram Up Close -- for inclusion in the upcoming Biennial 2011 at ArtsWorcester (over 200 submissions, and only 90 some selections made). So, feeling good about the public reception and further exposure my work is getting this spring. Onward and upward.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Feline Fiber Fun

Betsy took home a sample of the CVM I purchased at Common GroundFair in Maine last fall. This is exactly what is so much fun about Guild membership -- we get to share our discoveries and learn about fleeces and sheep we might not ever get to see.

So, of course she needed to card and spin it up right away. While letting it dry near the heating vent in her home, the freshly spun yarn blew gently in the breeze, providing irresistible entertainment for her 19-year old Growlbert. Wonder what his secret to longevity it. Perhaps . . . fiber fun?

A good fiber weekend

The news from The Salty Ewe farm was exciting this weekend. On Saturday, March 5th at 12 noon Bella gave birth to Mercy and Grace, two apparently very small black ewe lambs. The report is that all are well. Very lovely.

And, the spinning guild came to my home on Sunday. It was lovely to have the living room full of fiber women. New and old friends came and ate, talked spun, knitted, and felted. Igby said his hellos, as did Jeff. Jeric remained in seclusion, which is what he prefers. Got some nice feedback the on farm animal enlargements now hanging on our walls. I managed to do a little picking while visiting with everyone. It was what this home is meant for, to be filled up with good people and good times.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Today I am Signing Up

Argh.
Thought I would get to the free Sheep Shearing Clinic held annually at UConn in April. Well, seems it was in February this year! So, no more fooling arouond. Today I am joining the CT Sheep Breeders Association, Inc. for $20 dues fee and will get myself on a mailing list once and for all!

Our Guild really looks forward to this group's annual Sheep and Wool Festival, the first big one of the spring each year. April 30, 2011 is the date we'll be driving down to Tolland CT high as a kite on fiber love. You can bet there will be documentation of this outing to follow!

This is a photo taken at a previous festival. One of my personal favorities. Love the raw material I find at festivals.


Thursday, March 3, 2011

Hosting a Guild Meeting

Oh, fun! I get to host our next Wachusett Spinners Guild meeting this coming Sunday. Very excited, and a little stressed. Housekeeping is not one of my strengths, and we have a sizable home for just two humans and two dogs. The canines keep us in plenty of dog-hair tumble weeds, and we humans are rat packers. Stuff is everywhere. Signs of intelligent minds, right? So, I've warned a few of the ladies, and Betsy commented that the Guild members were sure  to leave plenty of fiber matter behind so who really cares? Okay. I can do this.

Samples of natural dyeing experiments from last year. Note the hot turmeric yellow! Who knew?!

Have been picking my naturally dyed fiber collection while watching news and movies with Jeff in the basement home office. Multitasking in this way makes me feel  very productive. Handling the different fleece fibers is fascinating. Border Leicester compared to Southdown compared to Finn/Suffolk compared to Mohair. So satisfying. Hmmmmm, maybe today is a fiber indulgence day after all!