by Nysha | Jun 5, 2009 | being green, mailing lists, politics
Trees are an important part of modern living. We use them for shade, for protection, to beautify. We cut them down for timber as well as for paper — even if we are doing this less and “being green”. I have been on a mission to eradicate junk mail from my mail box: those extra catalogues I receive after ordering one thing two years ago, or mail still coming for the previous owners. Not only saving trees, but also company resources… I have been amazed at the difficulties associated with getting off a mailing list. I have contacted AT&T a dozen times to get off their mailing list after firing them as a phone carrier and Internet provider eight months ago.. Perhaps this last call dealing with a supervisor will have done the trick. Funny that I left because of not feeling appreciated as a customer and when I communicated I don’t want their mail they don’t seem to care or perhaps are not competent to do so. Maybe the confirmation code for cancellation will mean something. YA THINK?! More paper is coming from the insurance companies and medical labs. I just opened an envelope from the insurance company with four sheets of paper. Each page was a separate “Explanation of Benefits from two providers on the same date. Three of those pages contained a single line from the same provider. (Did I mention everything else on the page was identical?) That provider happens to be a lab that creates a different customer ID for every transaction. That seems logical doesn’t it? So perhaps in an effort to heal...
by Nysha | May 26, 2009 | Uncategorized
Just a few weeks ago I attended Nancy Crow’s class “Improvisations: Let’s Experiment”. It was a two week class at her Timber Frame Barn in Ohio. An awesome experience to be had by all! Make the opportunity and GO! During the class we used several different methods of construction and composition… This Black and white was the first of it’s kind. Nancy uses black and white as it’s high contrast more easily creates figure/ground. This second piece is multi-coloured; blue greys and red-violets. Here the figure is the lightest grey (appears white on the screen). At home I began this composition in blues and greens. The lightest green (appears grey) is the figure although it is not a clear one. Somehow it must be resolved… And finally when I was composing the ‘Opposites Attract’ challenge I made strip sets that ultimately I did not use. This weekend I got them out and pulled them into a composition. Quite a departure from the solid colours and languid lines of the other pieces here, but I think a similar light. What do you...
by Nysha | Mar 4, 2009 | Contemporary Realist Academy, Quilt Show by the Sea
How exciting is the moment you ACTUALLY do what you have dreamed of?Very!I have owned a HandiQuilter for three years (purchased at Quilt Show by the Sea 2006)– the purchase was made to draw with my needle. It sat in my studio for a while jut taking up space… then in a box. Last summer I pulled it out and purchased the table, FINALLY!This year I have committed to learn to use it or to get it out of my studio (it’s large!).So far this year I have quilted five lap quilts. Utilitarian in nature to get my feet wet and learn some basics about my machine…Well I decided enough was enough and have started a drawing… (Based on current drawings from Contemporary Realist Academy) So here she is in process… to the right, on top, is a slide show of the process of creating the head (really just her hair).What fun! Please let me know what you...
by Nysha | Feb 13, 2009 | Contemporary Realist Academy, ink on fabric
Colour…There are only so many colours.Or are there?When I returned to the Contemporary Realist Academy for this winter session my focus was colour. (Is we are half way through.) So I set out doing Colour Studies. That is to say a ‘sketch’ where the primary focus is colour. So no drawing is done (the form is represented, but there is no effort to make the form accurate — note the disproportionate arm on the right on the first example versus the third) only an effort to find colour.This is a useful step (a) to learn to mix colour, especially in oil, and (b) to learn to see colour (the colour that is actually there, not the colour you think it is…). So the first example is in oil — my first attempt. It is crudely drawn (as this is not the point) and that ended up being my biggest headache. I was quickly reminded of why I am not in love with painting — finding colour!Second I used coloured pencil, Prismacolor brand. A note… the first example in oil is not well photographed. There is shine impacting the image you see. This example is grainy. So I am not a professional photographer. Here is proof! Third is Tsudeneko Permanent Inks on cotton fabric. This was exciting. working from life, not a photograph, and creating realism on fabric. If only it were larger it could be quilted! Alas this image is about 9 inches each direction. Though now that I have done it once I see that I could do it again larger! We shall see what comes next! Stay...
by Nysha | Feb 5, 2009 | being, politics
Don’t allow others to dictate who you are.Don’t let another’s opinion stop you from your self expression.Don’t let your miss-spoken words keep you from trying to say it again.Don’t stop your voice because your ego wants to be liked.Don’t move into inertia because of fear.Don’t stop living life because the current lesson seems hardOr you make up that you are a bad person.“Pick your self upDust yourself offAnd begin again”These words spoke from our PresidentAlong with an apologyGive us faith that we can“Begin Again.”From wherever we areWhoever we areNo matter out pastOur seeming futureNor the circumstances that we seem to find ourselves inDon’tJust...
