one of the best things

is the joy of seeing what people do with the fabrics they have printed in class. For me, this is one of the the rewards of teaching that makes all the preparation, travel, and aching feet worth it. So, this is an intermission from the circles to share the piece Cécile Trentini made after she left QSDS and returned to her home in Zurich. The five-day class included two days of printing and three days of creativity and jump-starting new work using what they printed in class. A few days ago, Cécile, who is a teacher in her own right, sent me a picture of a piece that grew from a sample she started in the workshop. It is approx. 34" x 16" (click on it to get a closer look) The left side is the mini-piece she made in class and incorporated into the larger composition, which works so well. This is a wonderful example of working from the fabric and seeing where it takes you -- a spontaneous approach that looks easier than it is. Thanks, Cécile, for brightening my day! On another note - I am working at home tonight, sewing together the beginnings of something that was on my wall in the studio. My good machine is at home, so I prefer to sew here. And my print space there is so good that it seems a shame to waste time sewing when i could be doing surface design! I stopped briefly at the studio to make a screen, after a stop at the paint store (as in kitchen wall paint) where I spent $16 on four teensy jars of paint to try. My first choice is not bad - but Not Bad is not the same as Good, so I'll try the other 3 shades tomorrow. Oh, good grief - I remember the last time I went through this - 4 years ago. Here we go again! Finally, I have to do a little shameless self-promotion: go here and scroll down to read the reviews that have been posted on C&T's website. Aw, gee...