Happy Summer Solstice!

Here is how I spent the summer solstice...In the Fremont Solstice Parade. It is truly one of the highlights of the summer in Seattle. People wear body paint and ride bikes, others are in colorful and imaginative costumes. It is a creative event I participate in every year. The Solstice Parade is one of the reasons I'm glad I live in Seattle.

Me with the Sol Train group at The Center of the Universe Photo by Brent Smith

Sol Train Ensemble

Sarah Lovett and her wonderful Elephant

Naked Bicyclists Are Ready to Start the Parade

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10 x10 x10 and Might Tieton

I've just finished submitting two pieces to the 10 x10 x10 art show at Mighty Tieton near Yakima.

To qualify, each piece can be no larger that 10 inches in any dimension. I submitted two of the handmade books I made last summer at Penland in Laura Wait's class.

Here are some photos.

Enameling Metal Jewelry

I've been taking metalsmithing classes for the last year. I started with metal about 15 years ago and then stopped when I started working full time. This last year I haven't been working as much which has been a gift in many ways; one if those ways is more time to work on my art.

The current class I'm taking is an Enameling. Enameling a process where ground glass is fused to copper or silver when heated at high temperatures (1500 degrees). You can heat the metal in a kiln or through a process called torch firing where you apply the flame from a torch underneath the metal until the glass melts and fuses to the the copper or silver.

I am in love with enameling! I love color and experimenting with transparent and opaque enamels is so much fun. I'm never quite sure what I'm going to get because the powdered enamel colors look very different than the heated and cooled enamel. Here are a few recent samples I made.

Doodling

I've discovered Doodler's Anonymous which is a good 12 step program for me since I've discovered Zentangles and Zendoodling. It's always good to spend more time in my sketchbook than in front of a computer screen and I love the look of black ink on good paper. Here are a few recent entries from my sketchbook:

KCRW logo - pen & ink with watercolor crayon
copyright diane tchakirides 2013

Heart Mandala
copyright diane tchakirides 2013

Freestyle embroidery

I took some cotton fabric, needles and embroidery floss with me to Mexico to practice handwork. I didn't use a pattern, just played with colors and shapes. I started with the palm tree, then waves and sun. I was inspired by the colors I was seeing and also the shapes of fruit in the market so I began stitching some freeform circles and oval shapes. I call it "doodling with thread".  This was a great project for airplanes and the beach. It doesn't take up much room and the whole deal fits easily in a purse or beach bag. So fun! I want to continue now that I'm home.

The colors of Mexico

Hola! I'm in sunny Mexico where blue skies and sunshine are plentiful. This is a nice switch for a Seattle girl used to gray on gray. I spent a week in Puerto Vallarta and wandered the streets taking pictures. I also enjoyed some really good food which I'll tell you about in coming posts. Today I headed north to the small town of Bucerias. It has miles of unspoiled beaches and big waves with surfers. I'm having a hard time getting used to the lazy pace here after frenetic PV. A few days here will slow me down.

Designing a poster

I'm working on a poster for an art fair in the midwest. One of the requirements is that it has to have a goat on it. Here are a few of my ideas so far...I will have to add more text and details of the event but now I am in the experimentation phase. All images Copyright Diane Tchakirides

Painting with wool and heart felt

More needle felting samples. Painting with wool and making hearts.

I still have space in my Needle Felting Basics workshop on March 10 and Space to Create in Ballard. We'll be there from 1-4pm.
http://www.spacetocreate.net/701.html

Repetition

Felt Collage

I am continuing to experiment with fiber and collage. In this piece I started with a needle felted base, cut out three holes and then covered them with gauze and silk. I stitched them together with a new japanese paper thread I just discovered. This is the result.

Available for purchase in my Etsy shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/123717616/mixed-media-fiber-art-felt-collage?ref=v1_other_1

Thom Browne's Kissed by a Rose NYFW

Check out these pictures from New York Fashion Week's Thom Browne show, "Kissed by a Rose". From style bubble in london.

http://www.stylebubble.co.uk/style_bubble/2013/02/kissed-by-a-rose.html

Brilliant, provocative, gorgeous, historical, sexy....red.

Needle Felting Basics - Workshop

Needle felting

I'm really excited to announce that I'm giving my first workshop in Needle Felting on March 10 at a cool space in East Ballard called Space to Create. The workshop is $45 and includes all materials: wool roving, foam mat, and two felting needles. We'll be experimenting with fiber and will focus on making pins, rings and cuffs. You'll be with other folks who love to make things with their hands and if you love stabbing things...this really is for you!

To sign up visit the workshop page and email or phone in your registration.
spacetocreate@spacetocreate.net

phone 206.784.0401

1414 NW 70th St.
Seattle, WA 98117

See you there.

Hearts From My Hands

Sterling Silver heart

I've been in a heart making frenzy, working in metal mostly to get Valentine's Day items ready for my etsy shop. I made a heart die using a product called Faux Bone and I've been using it to form 3-D heart shapes. First I anneal and texture the metal so they all have interesting surface treatment. Then I usually add a patina, liver of sulpher or dormant spray to make the surface more interesting. I've put a few of them on sterling silver chains, some just on a simple black rubber necklace. Here is what I've done so far....

XOX Pendant Copper and Brass

Sterling Silver Heart with Hammered Texture

Brass Heart

Sterling Silver heart with patina and net texture

Back side of pendant

More needle felting

Needle felted doll with turquoise skirt

I hadn't made any needle felted dolls in a long time so yesterday, sick with the flu, I got out my roving and started stabbing fiber. This is the result...

Pedal to the Metal

I've been taking classes in metalsmithing for the last few months and I love this medium. My favorite part is texturing metal and then adding patinas. I have etched, hammered and fold formed brass, copper and silver and have made some earrings, bracelets and pendants which show all these techniques. You can see them in my etsy store and I'll post some pictures here.
artnest on etsy

Hammered brass dangle earrings

Fold formed Brass cuff

Pierced and textured sterling silver pendant with brass underneath.

Etched copper earrings with patina

Fold formed dangle earrings with patina