Hmmmmm….I sure hope I spelled that correctly. In English…….good by. Tomorrow I’m off for 10 days in Paris. Actually, I should say WE are off for a vacation in Paris….and we’re all very excited. Read the rest of this entry »

Finally……several of  you have contacted me about my next year’s schedule for my studio workshops….and here it is. Sorry it’s taken me so long. I have a long list of busy excuses, but at least it’s ready now.

As you know,  I started doing small, gourmet workshops in my home studio about a year ago…and they’ve been very fun and rewarding. I take three or four students and there’s lots of time for individual instruction and work. I’ve been very pleased with the progress the attendees have made…and we’ve had a great time. I provide meals and a little pampering….and all you have to do is create for a few days.

A couple of questions have come up from students…….Yes, you’re more than welcome to repeat a class and continue on at your own rate. This works very well for the collage class. You have three days of studio work time, and I’m here to advise and assist when you need it.  You’re also welcome to bring your own project in to class for personal assistance. As an example, in one of my Design First classes, one of the students brought in a project she had been struggling with for months and knew she needed a little help with color placement etc. She took part in our design discussions and instruction but worked on her own project rather than the excercises the others were doing. That’s fine with me…..the great thing about studio workshops is that there is freedom…and individual help….to do what meets your needs.

Next spring I’m adding a Design First 2 class…which will build on what we’ve covered in Design First 1. Do you need to have taken the first design class before going on to the next? Good question……it’s not necessary, but advisable. If you have any questions about that, just email me. I’m also adding an individual studio class. There is no predetermined curriculum for the workshop. You have time for private work on whatever you wish and I’m here to assist you. Just think of the luxury of that…..no meals to prepare, no errands to run….just a few days of devoting yourself to your passion of fabric. Sounds good to me!

OK…after all that, here’s the schedule. If you’d like more details on the classes etc., just email me. I’d love to have you in class!

               STUDIO WORKSHOPS

                               

                                Class Dates

 

September  10 & 11, 2009                                      Design First 1

 

October 1 & 2, 2009                                             Putting on the Glitz

 

November 4, 5, & 6, 2009                                     Creating with Collage

 

January 14 & 15, 2010                                          Design First I

 

February  18 & 19, 2010                                       Putting on the Glitz

 

March 17, 18, & 19, 2010                                      Creating with Collage

 

April 22 & 23, 2010                                             Design First 1

 

May 5, 6, & 7, 2010                                              Creating with Collage

 

June 10 & 11, 2010                                                Design First 2  NEW CLASS

 

July  15 & 16, 2010                                              Putting on the Glitz

 

August 19 & 20, 2010                                          Individual Studio NEW CLASS                          

 

“Beautiful” doesn’t even begin to describer her, does it. In my recent trip to Bali, I was totally transfixed by the dancers and their dancing.  Not only were they elegantly beautiful, their make-up was dramatic and their costumers almost undescribable. Good thing I took lots of photos. In fact, when I got home and looked at them, I realized I had waaaayy to many dancer photos. I tend to do that when I’m totally fascinated by something!

Even though they were all breathtakingly beautiful….it was their movements that was so captivating. Almost hypnotic. Their body movements were graceful and alluring…….but the eyes and the hands were what held our attention. Their fingers were held just so and sometimes the only movements they were making were with those fingers. Amazing.

 

You can see in the above photo……her fingers are long and lovely….and command attention. I was sitting in the front row at a dance performance, and I almost felt as if I was being cast under a spell by those eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. And, as you can see, there’s lots of color and glitz in their costumes. Anything with gold and glitter is automatically a favorite for me!  Definitely lots of Bali Bling!

 

Check out the masked man above. They weren’t all breathtakingly beautiful. The dances had a story and every good story needs a bad guy. He was fun to watch….and his costume was fabulous. We had our photo taken with the dancers at the end of one of the performances. Besides the beautiful dancers and the masked villian without his mask, are my friends Susan Nelsen, Linda Pumphrey, and I. Somehow we just don’t have the same glitz and sparkle, huh! Unless, of course, you count the shine from my glasses!

A few parting shots from Bali…..more to come.  Enjoy!

And I absolutely love it!!!  I’m so excited to tell you about my new fabric line, Piccadilly. Here you’re seeing the brown colorway of the main floral print. Floral print, you might ask? Well, of course. You know how I love big, bold, beautiful floral prints that are stylized to make them something unique…..and that’s what you’ll be getting with this fabric collection.  Those gorgeous flowers you’re seeing are big and bold enough, even for me!

It’s my artwork….. but the fabric line is manufactured by Clothworks Textiles, and I couldn’t be more happy with the results. I have always been so pleased with the the artful way they convert my designs into fabric. The art is true to my original design (or even better!) and the hand (or feel….if you’re not familiar with fabric jargon) of the fabric is lovely. Soft and drapey…….not like some of the other fabric manufacturers out there.  If you haven’t noticed……next time you’re in your favorite quilt shop,  just spend a few moments checking out the feel of a few of the top fabric companies. Clothworks is always among the finest. …..and believe me, that’s important to me. I love doing fabric, but if it doesn’t look and feel good……it’s not fun anymore!!

Here are a few more examples from the collection. It will be up on my website soon, but until then, you can see it all on the Clothworks site at

 http://www.clothworkstextiles.com/collection.asp?ID=162

In case you’re wondering just how to get your hands on this great new collection, it should be showing up at your favorite quilt shop in late summer or early fall. Just to make sure, check with the shopowner to see if it’s on the way. Shopowners really do like hearing what people are interested in…….the best way to make sure it will be there is to ask!!

You know, it’s always exciting to see the whole fabric thing progress. It starts as an idea here in my studio, then becomes artwork…..then moves on to Clothworks where my artwork is forwarded on to the factories in Japan or Korea. Next we see it all together and looking good on paper which is how shopowners usually view it when they order it. Then comes the waiting game…….after it’s sold for a few months, it’s ordered and then…..like magic (well, not quite, but it seems that way!) it arrives at the quilt shop! 

Even in this fast, electronic age, it’s not a speedy process. It usually takes six months to a year…..and then you hope it looks as great as you envision it!  Trust me…….with this one, it definitely does!

Here’s a little more on my Bali trip. You know that I’m anxious to share my photos and story of Bali when I post two days in a row! It’s not that I don’t like to do it……it just that there’s always soooo many other things to do first. This time I decided to share first…….and work on catching up later. The photo above is one of the many beautiful temples in Bali….more about those in posts to come.

I told you earlier that Bali was just a little bit humid…….that’s putting it mildly. I did find one photo of myself before the terminal hair frizz set in for the day. Just to prove to myself I started out with OK hair! Actually, the backdrop is of the lovely spot at one of our hotels where we enjoyed breakfast each day. There was a lovely tranquil pool, grasses, and foliage…..all creating a very peaceful feeling and a great start to the day. Frizzy hair and all!

  

 

One of the focuses of our trip was to view the amazing textiles created in Bali……in addition to batiks which we all recognize as  being created there.  We also visited village studios where both single and double ikat were woven which was really an amazing experience.  The single ikat studio uses chemical dyes to color the yarns and you can see some of the dyed warp in the photo below.

We watched  the dozens of weavers working away at their looms……and the colors were fabulous. Even though I admire the heritage of the natural dyes I have to admit to being a fan of chemical dyes…..that’s what we home dyers primarily use here in the US.  The double ikat weaving, which is done only a few places in the world, was done with natural dyes….and I’ll have some photos of those to come. Hopefully…..that was one of the days my camera battery died  (poor planning on my part!) so I’ll have to see if my friend Susan has some to share.  When you’re traveling all day in a bus viewing fabulous sights AND  you have only one convenient working plug-in in the hotel room, running out of camera batteries  just happened once in awhile.

                                                     

 

 

  Oh yeah….I need to apologize for these photos dancing all over the page. I’m using the new version of my blog software….and I’m still in the learning curve. It never fails…..just when I get the techie stuff mastered, it updates!

The market shopping was amazing. Besides the gorgeous….and inexpensive textiles I told you about earlier, we also visited a fruit and vegetable market. There were baskets of flowers being used to make temple offerings and the gorgeous colors and textures were out of this world….literally. Truly a cultural adventure. In spite of the crowds and the humidity…..those flower colors just took my breath away. Of course, I’m a flower lover as well as a fabric freak…..can you tell?

 

More to come…. I still have my fabrics stacked in my studio so I can enjoy the mix of  prints and colors. Believe me, getting them home was a little bit of a challenge. Even with an extra suitcase full, I had to abandon about a third of my clothes to make room for the beautiful sarongs, shawls and other goodies. Definitely worth it though!

Here’s a shot of  my friend Susan and I with one of our ever-present fans. They were a big help in the humidity….and we naturally had to try one of those shoot-it-yourself-photos!

And what an amazing trip it was.  There’s so much to tell about….but first I wanted to start out with a gorgeous photo. Isn’t she beautiful. More about the elegant dancing later…….in fact, it’s going to take more than one post to give you a little of the Bali experience.

As you might have figured out……I love to travel anywhere. Naturally I was excited about my trip to Bali with World of Quilts Travel in which I taught a small embellishing project to the other travels. I knew I’d have a great time…..what I didn’t know was that going to Bali is definitely an experience…..not just a trip.

We went to explore the world renowned textiles that are hand-made in Bali. Hand printed batiks and one-of-a-kind single and double ikat weavings. Believe me, seeing them both created was truly fabulous. I don’t know quite how to describe  (and you know I’m rarely out of words!) visiting primative facilities in which the most complicated and breath-taking fabrics are created. Forget the world of mechanization and electronics. These were processes that have been done for the same way for generations. More about that later too…

The architecture, temples, idols and icons were awe-inspiring as well….photos coming…..but it was the people of Bali that left the most lasting impression on me. I know, I know…..you’re probably thinking “how can one group of people be more memorable than others”….but they were and they are. There is a happiness and contentment that comes from “a pure heart” (as was explained to us by our guide and mentor to the Balinese Hindu culture, Supy.)  I know I will always remember their kind, generous words and deeds…..and wish we all could be just that way. Sigh……ok, enough philosophy…let’s get down to the photos and details. Like I said, this will have to be a several part series!

As we traveled around the country by tour bus, we were treated to sights of ancient temples, elegant fountains and statues along sometimes side by side with the homes of the local folks.  It was a step back to another time…….and  great inspiration and elegance.

Here I am enjoying the sights outside one of our lovely hotels. Believe me, I was very tempted to jump right in. It was definitely hot and humid….especially for this Northwest girl who isn’t too used to humidity. It didn’t dampen the spirits of anyone; however, it did do a  lot of dampening of our clothing!  Of course, part of the fun was buying typical Balinese clothing….sometimes out of necessity as many of us (including me) brought far too many things that were toooo  warm!

 

 

Of course, every trip has its adventures and this was no exception. One day #1, we  stopped to shop in the local market……oh yeah, what an experience that was. Can you think Super Blue Light Special Sale x 10!  For a bunch of fabric lovers like we were, the gorgeous sarongs, shawls, clothing, bags, etc.  put us in definitel shopper overload as the prices were so cheap. Really. It was very fun to visit somewhere where things were actually a fraction of what you’d pay at home……..check out a photo  of some of my fabric goodies I brought home. Aren’t the colors wonderful. The culture and clothing is full of prints and colors of all types…..mixed together in a style that doesn’t need to “match.”   I loved it!

 

 

But I’m digressing from my tail of first-day adventure….after market shopping, we stopped at the ATM to get more Balinese cash….and, you guessed it, the machine ate my card. Always a crisis….but on the other side of the world from home, definitely a bigger problem! 

Our wonderful guide, Supy, ( a native of Bali and tour guide and local expert extrordinnaire) came to my rescue as did my friend Susan Nelsen who was my trusty roommate. To make a long story short….it involved Susan guarding the ATM while Supy and I hopped a car to take us to the bank to find out what to do…and oh yes, the tour bus patiently waiting (with the air conditioning on!)  In the end, Susan and I sat on the cement steps of the ATM waiting for the bank guy to appear on his scooter and rescue my card. The bus went on….and we observed the local market culture from the steps for several (sweaty) hours. But….we’re both experienced enough travelers to let a little thing like a card-eating ATM spoil our good time!

 

Besides, if  my card hadn’t been gobbled up, I never would have had the pleasure of meeting several very  interesting local folks….including the  guy (maybe 90 or so) who wanted us to hire him to give us a massage. We couldn’t do that….but we did share our face -wipes (must be an American thing….he looked pretty surprised by them) and our sunscreen. He was happy to share and stayed with us the rest of the time. I’m hoping Susan has a photo of us …….I’ll add it if she has one.  It is all about meeting people and spreading good-will….and that we did! Oh yeah, I did get my card back …but it was a long three hours on the steps!

OK, Ok, at this rate I’m never going to get through the trip! I’ll have to speed up…..One thing we did was visit several small studios that make batik fabric and sell it locally.  Here’s an example of local woman drawing with  wax with a tjanting tool.  Once it’s dryed, it’s dyed and then the wax washed out…….only to begin the process again to add more colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Some of the batiks were hand drawn while others were stamped with wax using a large carved wood or metal stamp-like tool called a chop. What a treat for us….we each got to try our hand at chopping, and, needless to say, it was much harder than it looked when they did it! It was very fun……and they also dyed our fabrics in indigo dye and we got to bring them home. What a treat. Here’s my chopping experience!  It brought back memories of years ago when I used to paint with beeswax on silk before I painted it with chemical dye………        these days were definitely natural.                                                                                 

 

 

 What a great treat…..and after seeing it  done by hand, we all agreed we’re never going to complain again about paying $11.00 a yard back home for batiks! Even the commercial batiks sold back in the US are chopped and dyed by hand mostly here in Bali …..amazing, huh.

Here are a few shots  to give you an idea of the beauty and culture of Bali…..

 

 

 

                                                                                    

How’s that for inspiration? The colors, the culture, the people…….all part of the Bali experience. More to come…..I promise. as a final shot for the night………since I always have a soft spot for little boys and girls, how about these young men…..proving once again, that boys will be boys….not matter what side of the world  they’re on!

That pretty much says it all,  doesn’t it. The world is a very small place! Oh yeah, they did speak a little English and when they heard we were from the USA….their first words were “Obama, Obama!”

Next chapter……weaving and dancing!

 

TOMORROW!!! That’s right. Tomorrow I leave for a wonderful textile tour to Bali where I’ll be teaching a little hand embellishing to the tour travelers….as well as enjoying the glorious sights of Bali.

It’s been a loooong, snowy winter here in Washington State….and the idea of basking on this paradise island is so exciting. I absolutely deserve a great vacation. Me and everyone else who’s enjoyed the four months of snow here!

Besides the fabulous beauty of the countryside and culture…..there’s the fabrics. You know I’m a total textile junkie, so a textile tour is my idea of pure heaven. Bali is known for its batiks….but there are other fabrics native to the island as well. I’ll give you a full report on my return plus I should have a lot of photos to share too.

I’ll be teaching and traveling as part of a World of Quilts tour, and for more information about their upcoming trips and cruises, check out their website at www.worldofquiltstravel.com.  I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again….if you love textiles and quilts, a textile tour is such a pure delight. You’re surrounded by people who share your passion….and you’re privileged to see things you’d never be able to view traveling on your own. There’s nothing like getting out of your own environment to get a big charge of inspiration as well. I’m looking forward to that zing of new colors and compositons that I always get from travel.

By the way, how about that photo? That glorious purple looks good enough to eat. I’ve always had a soft spot for passionate purple. If this is typical of the sights in Bali…..I  know we’re in for a visual feast.

SOOO…. I’ll sign off until my return on May 13….but I promise to have goodies to share. Think of me basking away in the sunshine and exploring the native batik production. Remember……I’ve endured a very long winter AND a new computer!!

As you know, a new thing for me this year is holding workshops in my home studio. I’m happy to report that they have been a great success…..relaxing, informative, inspiring, and very enjoyable. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work with three or four people at a time….and the students have been enthusiastic and  made great progress in the small, personally directed learning environment.

Here’s Jeanne from our recent Creating with Collage workshop. As you can see….she’s working on a great collage……and smiling while she’s doing it! Obviously she’s having a good time!  Or…she’s just being polite for the teacher and her camera!

 Coming up on June 11 & 12—Putting on the Glitz  workshop and August 27 & 28 –Design First    I hope to have the new schedule beginning in October ready soon.

There’s room in both the above workshops although the July collage workshop is full. If you’d like more information, just email me at pamelamostek@gotsky.com      I’d love to have you!

Just a quick update on my acute case of computeritis.To those of you who have expressed your concern….and your sympathy…..I wanted to let you know I am no longer hyper-ventilating about my current state of technology….aka “the new computer”. I seem to have it under control….although I’ve logged up about 12 hours on tech support with my satellite internet provider.

One of the joys of living in the country…..no high speed internet. Satellite is better than dial up but it has its frustrations. Nevertheless, I seem to have rejoined the calm and collected computer users……..whew. Thank goodness.

Now….here’s the next challenge. I’ll be leaving for a teaching trip to Bali (yes, Bali….exciting, huh) tomorrow AND the big question…..will I REALLY be able to send and receive emails on my new iPod touch? Somehow, with my history, I’m doubtful but refuse to be defeated by the thought that buying it and struggling with the learning curve may be in vain.  One challenge….finding wireless hotspots in Bali…….can you say Starbucks! We’ll see!

 I love sharing some of the great work done by my students…..and here’s another fabulous fiber collage that I’m thrilled to bring to you. For more examples of student work, check out the Student Gallery.

TERRI RING,  Spokane, Washington

Terri was a student in my home  Studio Workshop, Creating with Collage. She came with a vision of what she wanted to depict, but just didn’t know how to show it. If fact, her vision was so clear she even wrote a wonderful poem describing her inspiration. As you can see…..during the course of our three-day workshop, her idea came to life, and she did a fabulous job of using color and stitching to create her first piece of fiber  art. Great job, Terri. I can’t wait to see what comes next. I think you’re definitely on a creative roll!!