Spring Expo and experiments

Saturday was the Spring Expo at the Flagstaff Mall... one I hadn't done in awhile.

My friend Cinde and I always try to get our spaces together so we can visit during the show.

I only sold one item, and Cinde didn't sell anything, but we got to let people know that the gallery where we sell, Arts Connection, has moved closer to the center of the mall, so there were sales in the gallery... woo-hoo!  Here are some shots of my displays in the gallery... hope to get a good shot of the whole gallery today when I do a stint of gallery sitting.

So now that we have the gallery set up and I have plenty of inventory, back to experimenting with new things!  I recently bought a couple of thermofax screens from Lyric Kinard.  Yesterday, I decided to test the screens on muslin to see how they come out:

I plan to use these on some of my dyed t-shirts, but meanwhile I got a bug to see how they would look using sharpies and alcohol:

Oh, YEAH!  I'm hoping to cut this one out and use it as an applique on a stitch project.  And I plan to experiment using dye na flow, procion mx dyes, etc. to see what I like best.  Stay tuned for more on my experiments!

Spring is definitely in the air!  We've had rain, some light snow flurries, wind, now temps in the high 60's... how typical for Springtime in the High Country!  If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes!
Recently, on a very windy day this lovely was seen holding on for dear life on the stoop outside our front door:

I kept an eye on him throughout the day, and I think he survived... gone the next morning.  You have to be a hardy lot to survive the winds out here!
On the gallery front, we had our Opening Reception April 6 for our 17th annual Recycle Art Exhibit at our new gallery location in Flagstaff Mall:

As you can see, we had a wonderful turn-out for the event, and the exhibit is fabulous!  Below is a piece created by the sixth grade class at one of our local middle schools, using Picasso for their inspirations:

This one captured my heart and imagination... such a wonderfully colorful piece! 

On the home front, I have been very busy in the studio, continuing to work on adding to my inventory.  Our regular exhibit at the gallery will open May 4, and I am also participating in the Spring Expo at the mall that day, so no rest for the weary!  Below is a bowl I finished the other day... the bright, cheery colors had me giggling with joy as I created it!  Which reminds me, if you are in the Flagstaff area and are interested in learning how to make these bowls, my next class is scheduled for Saturday, May 11 at Odegaard's Quilt Store.  Stop by and sign up!

I've also been listing some of my work in my Artfire shop on-line, so take a peek... you might find something you can't live without!  

Okay, time to get back to work... the days are flying by, and I have lots more to do to prepare for our summer rush!