Cascade Colorwheel

Last Friday, I visited Loopy Yarns in Chicago. During my visit, there was a customer selecting yarn to make a colorwheel of Cascade Yarn so she could knit a knock-off version of an Adult Surprise Jacket. I wandered the store, enjoying the yarn options I don't have at my LYSs while listening to her struggle with getting it "right."

You know I used to work at an LYS, right? I'm really good at color. I'm also a good salesperson when needed. I believe the staff had helped her as much as they could before I arrived. I listened to this customer struggle and decided to find out where she was stuck. There were two colors she wanted to get in the circle and couldn't make the transition smooth enough...a bright yellow and bright blue.

I like a challenge. I ended up taking out two colors and adding four. I went lighter to help transition instead of brighter. She was thrilled. I'm pleased with the result. What do you think?




I count 35 skeins of yarn in my (poorly) photographed result. The customer spent over $350 for this yarn. She was shipping it back home to the UK. She knew she has more than enough yarn for her sweater. I think she could knit each of us a sweater with all that yarn.

I wonder if the staff were glad to have me help.

I walked out with three skeins of Miss Babs Yowza I intend to use for a vest.



The dark skein is called Black Bird and is dark blue, almost black with hints of navy. I think it looks right next to the white based yarns with the black, gray (Ansel) and red (A Day atPowells), black and gray.

note to self: design a vertically striped vest, write up the pattern and become a well-known and wealthy knitwear designer.

Mary Ann Crago

I walk around the Visual Learning: Connecting Readers to Art display by a co-worker and great artist, Mary Ann Crago.
She has a blog I think you should visit. Go ahead and click the link. I'll wait but please come back.

What did you think? I am inspired by her process. I'm lucky because she encourages me to make some "art" and has recommended a few books to help overcome the blocks preventing me from creating. She might even be willing to trade a piece of her work for some of my knitting. That makes me feel really good and I believe she would value the knitting as much as I would value her art.

I have Mary Ann's permission to post the photos I have in a flickr set. Enjoy.

Curiosity Cabinet No. 7

I bought this piece of art on Tuesday. The gallery at work had new art hung on Tuesday with a display entitled "Art from the Other Side"

"Art from the Other Side" includes a truly remarkable body of work from artists who cannot easily be defined by a particular movement. We hope that viewers are moved emotionally by the raw and earnest offerings of this wonderful selection of artists."

I saw this piece and feel in love with it. Nikkie Rogers created this mixed media piece in 2011.

I like the size, the design and visual texture. I also liked the price, $35.00. I called immediately and purchased the piece.

I am an artist and know how important it is to be able to sell my work. When I connect with a piece of art, I consider purchasing it. When was the last time you supported your local artists?

Wizard's Yard Sale

I had an opportunity to go to the opening of the Wizard's Yard Sale exhibit at the Starbrick Gallery in Nelsonville, Ohio.
(click to embiggen the image and be sure to read his bio. He really does have a fondness for cookies. )

Here's the Wizard's Chair where he does all his creating.

I love this chair and I'm surprised at how comfortable it is to sit in.  If I had this chair, I promise I would use my powers for Good, not Evil.  :)

I spotted these cupboards and fell in love.  I think they would perfectly flank a bathroom mirror. 


It was a lovely time driving down with Lady Julie and Songferret. Got to have dinner with Trixie and enjoy each others company.  Paul gave me a necklace he made from waxed linen. It's lovely and knitSB is a bit jealous. 

Visiting The Columbus Art Museum

Photo Steve and I visited the Columbus Museum of Art on Sunday. Have you visited lately? Now is your chance because the museum is free July and August.

The current exhibit, Street Talk and Spiritual Matters: Aminah's Mt. Vernon Avenue is filled with colorful and emotionally charged images inspired by Aminah's childhood neighborhood. Using various media, the artist uses her "voice" to immortalize the impact community has to its residents. I'm a fan of her work. The layers and layers of cloth, buttons, paint, paper, thread and found objects bring me close to the work and stir a desire to learn more.

This exhibit has some pieces never seen before from the 1992 book, The Teachings. Individually these pieces emote a deep understanding of the Teachings. Together, the pieces beautifully depict a spiritual life across time. I was disappointed the Museum Shop didn't have copies of the book. I reserved it from CML.

Beautifully displayed, this exhibit highlights a local hero who uses her art to make people aware of important matters close to home.

I was delighted to see mock-ups and drafts of her book A Street Called Home. As an artist, I really value seeing another artist's process. I would love to see Aminah's studio. I could only imagine. :)

I would recommend this exhibit. Tell them I sent you.

Emerson Burkhart

Emerson Burkhart
Originally uploaded by knittingbrow

I picked up a book about the Columbus painter Emerson Burkhart last week. I picked it up because I liked this painting in the cover of the book. "American Provincial" is part of the collection of  the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio. Oil on Canvas.

I intended to just look at the pictures and not do any reading....I got caught up in reading the essays about his career and how he never really fit into any of the "isms.". This was in part his own making. He didn't have good connections with an agent feeling he should promote his own work. This was not successful.

He painting many self portraits over his career. I like the color and texture of this painting. His ability to capture his various expressions was quick admirable.

I tweeted @ColumbusMuseum to ask if a different self portrait was going to be displayed after their renovation was completed. Here's the pic.  I got a response.
It won't be on display but "American Provincial" WILL be displayed so I can admire the work in person.

Amazing what you can do with spray paint

really. Watch this.

Super Sprayer - A funny movie is a click away

The Beginning

I've spent a lot of time allowing technology to overwhelm and distract me. Ain't the internet a fun replacement for the endless and mindless TV watching I used to do back in the 80's and mid 90's? Email can be overwhelming. Reading websites gets to be a bother. here's the switch....
I've continued to look at these technologies in the same way I've looked at everything else. I've not allowed myself to embrace these tech advances and incorporate those into my daily work. and I can manipulate technology to work with how I am. I don't have to change. I get to change my tools.
As an artist I remember that the first time I pick a new medium, it doesn't work always well. parts of it can work well. I can work with this.
So here's my adventure in embracing technology in documenting who I am, where I've been, and experiences I expect to have in the future. If, along the way, I get to share some of me with friends who are far and near, then my existence has been enriched.
Expect to see knitting. Please comment.
Expect to hear me grumble a bit and work through the daily struggles that hone my skills of existance.
Expect to learn a few things about me that I'm surprised to learn about me.
and hey, jump in and help me out. comment as you want. :)