Thursday, May 3, 2012

Spring 2012 Goings On

Last fall and winter were such a whirlwind. It seemed that I spent virtually all of my time either preparing for one of the 6 major art/craft shows I participated in between the months of October and March, or traveling to and from the shows. It wasn't until April that I had an opportunity to come up for air and go at a slower pace. Thankfully, spring has been absolutely glorious here in New York, and few things can refresh and inspire quite like nature can. It has been wonderful watching new leaves unfurl, witnessing fields of wildflowers pop up among the grey, and inhaling the heady aromas of apple blossoms, lilacs, and peonies. I wish you could smell the delicate and delicious fragrances of these peonies I photographed at the New York Botanical Garden.


It was also time to document at least some of the many new knit pieces I designed and made over the past few months -- I hadn't had a chance to photograph any new work since last September!  And now, after hibernating while I was away at shows, my web shop is well stocked with fresh pieces and familiar favorites. I hope it will be a welcome thing that the majority of the work there is ready-made and ready to be shipped. You will see few if any 2-3 months production time notices for made-to-order pieces, at least not until next fall, when I likely will be pretty busy again. The other lovely thing is that as much I love working with merino wool, aplaca, and cashmere, I am very fond of fine cottons, bamboo, and silk  -- all fibers that are excellent for warmer weather and for year-round wear. So you will find lots of wonderful options in the shop at this time of year, like this terra-cotta Rococo Shawl hand-knit in 100% silk, new capelets in 100% organic cotton, and lightweight cowls and shrugs in a blend of pima cotton and merino wool.



I am also thrilled to present my new fiber jewelry collection.  The necklaces and lariats in this series are made in pure silk and are inspired by botanical and aquatic forms and shapes.  They are whimsical, unusual, and playful.  Each is one-of-a-kind with its own personality and character.  For this collection, I employ some traditional crochet techniques but mostly I use new combinations of stitches I have developed. They are such great fun and creative challenge to create, and I hope this exuberance is evident in the designs.



I will be on the road again in a couple of weeks -- my next show is the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, MA, May 26-28, 2012 (Memorial Day Weekend).  Hope to see you there!

Until then, I invite you to connect with me through my Facebook Artist Page, visit my online shop, and catch up with me on Twitter.

Thanks so very much for reading and for your interest in my work.  I am so very grateful for it!