Been a bit under the weather over the weekend, trying to get back in the studio today despite feeling yucky. It has cooled off here, so all the AC is off and the windows are open.... my favorite time of year.

I wanted to point out the Maria has added links to all the artists (the ones that have links) in the "Raised in Craftivity" show here, as well as installation shots. My favorites were: DeAnna Skedel who made the gorgeous (and grossly underpriced) altered sugar spoons, The anti-depressant carpet pillows by Laura Splan, (her website has a fascinating collection of projects that are really up my alley and beyond, and she will be in the upcoming MAD museum show) and the sexy ceramic pieces by Heather Nameth-Bren. The Orly Cogan was a great example of her work (Orly has a show at the Byron Cohen Gallery at the Crossroads in KC, and I got to meet her and hear her speak about her work during this trip). I was mesmerized by the subtlety of Claire Joyce's glitter painting... apparently there is no paint pigment in it, it is all done with regular and x-tra fine glitter. (Yours truly still has $100 worth of glitter sitting in the back of her studio, waiting for a project). Claire got her graduate degree at my alma mater, the University of Georgia.

Elaine Bradford made the terribly clever postcard piece of the two deer heads covered and connected by a crocheted "cozy": I have seen her awesome tree sweaters published elsewhere. I really want to own one of Maggy Rozycki Hiltner's pieces made of cut up pillowcases that our grandmothers embroidered a few decades ago. There is a lot of embroidery being done right now, and the way that she combines the found work with her own, as well as the subtle, provocative gender issues she brings up really put her work above a lot of the easier work that is being done in this genre. Karen Reimer's work kicked ass, as usual.... Maria was able to get a few great pieces... her embroidered cup was outstanding.