Foundations in Felt

Spring TACA Craft fair is May 1-3 in Nashville

2009-04-23T15:41:00.003-06:00

Hi all. Make plans now to attend the 38th annual Tennessee Craft Fair in Nashville's Centennial Park. 10-6 Friday and Saturday, 10-5 Sunday, May 1,2 & 3. This is the one time each year when you can support your local economy by buying directly from local artists. This is a tough time for many artists, so come out and see us! And I'm happy to note that one of my favorite Nashville artists, Susan Moody, has a bracelet featured on the front of the postcard this year. I own some of her jewelry, and it is fabulous. I get complements every time I wear it!

Just for fun

2009-04-22T09:42:00.003-06:00

I wanted to share this photo - I took a purse workshop at the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, OR last summer, with Lori Flood. She does very cool work, and teaches a great workshop, if you ever have a chance to take from her. I am still using many of the techniques that she taught that day!

Kentucky CRAFTED a Success!!

2009-03-27T12:49:00.004-06:00

I had a fabulous time in Louisville, at my first wholesale show. I managed to put together an indoor booth, complete with lights, and was very pleased with it! I also went up by myself, which was another feat, considering it was 4 days long. I introduced myself to a number of folks in Kentucky, and some from as far away as Montana! If you are traveling in Berea, KY, in the future, look for my work in the Appalachian Fireside Gallery!

Nov. 13 YMCA Mothers Day Out

2008-11-12T19:52:00.003-06:00

Donelson-Hermitage YMCA 10-3 - Free and open to the community! (You do not have to be a YMCA member to attend the event.) And for $3, you can get a lunch ticket which will also make you eligible for door prizes! Where can you get lunch for 3 bucks, I ask you? And I will be there with fine felt for holiday gift-giving! Plus a fashion show, etc. (Lebanon Rd. just East of Stewarts Ferry Pike) Hope to see you there! - Laura

Sheep to Shawl Seminar with Jill Wood Nov 8

2008-10-30T07:48:00.000-06:00

Fall Sheep toShawl Seminar
Shearing the sheep
Washing & sorting wool
Picking wool
Carding by hand and a drum carder
Spinning on a wheel and a drop spindle
Dyeing with natural dyes
Weaving a shawl on a triangle loom

This will be a hands on demonstration with partipation of all students. If you are a beginner or if you know how to do some of these things, but not all and would like to learn, this is a great time to learn some new skills and at the same time have a good time with people with like interests. We will provide a lunch and all necessary tools & materials.
Fibers, wheels, accessories, books and fiber animals (sheep & angora rabbits) will also be for sale. You will not take home a finished project, but the skills necessary to do this on your own. You will take home a lot of information and knowledge. A finished project for each of you would take more than one day.

Date: Saturday November 8, 2008
Time: 9:00 AM until approx. 5:PM
Place: 151 Denson Road
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
Prices: Adult Seminar fee $75.00
Student fee $40.00 (age 10 to 18)

Students under 10 are permitted with parent supervision.

If you plan to attend please reserve your spot by Saturday November 1st. You may reserve by email yarnspinner4@aol.com and ask about our Paypal account. A $20 deposit is required , you can mail your deposit to "Seminar" at 151 Denson Road, Lawrenceburg, TN. 38464 Ask about our group rates. Call or email for directions.

Last CRAFT event of the year - Nov. 1 Lipstick2

2008-10-28T12:00:00.002-06:00

Hi All!

The last CRAFT East Nashville event is this weekend, Sunday, November 2 in the parking lot of the Lipstick Lounge. (on the corner of 14th and Woodland) Hope to see you there!

Always get your CRAFT on!
craft.a.creative.community@gmail.com
www.craftacreativecommunity.com
www.myspace.com/craft_creative_community
www.craftacreativecommunity.blogspot.com
www.flickr.com/photos/craftacreativecommunity

CRAFT - update + Other Events

2008-06-04T17:18:00.003-06:00

Well, as you will have noticed, the CRAFT sale on Sunday at the Lipstick was cancelled due to the ominous weather forecast. It will happen this coming Sunday, June 8 instead -
BUT
I won't be in town for that weekend. I am, however, signed up for the next one, on July 6! (Hopefully it will be a wee bit cooler than it's predicted to be this weekend - whew!!)

Look for me as a "Featured Artist" for July on the CRAFT website!

Felt workshop followup

2008-05-30T09:27:00.002-06:00

Hi all!

We had a small but enthusiastic felt scarf class at the Middle TN Wool and Fiber Fest in Dickson last weekend. Thanks to my wonderful students for bringing shredded silk sari threads - they look absolutely wonderful in the wool felt! I know they will look forward to the first opportunity to show off their scarves - even if it isn't a cold day!

The fiber fest was a wonderful treat, full of interesting workshops, wonderful fibers and tools, and lots of adorable fiber (and some non-fiber) animals. Check out the website for information on this and future fiber festivals in our area!!

Next appearance of Foundations in Felt

2008-05-28T16:13:00.003-06:00

For those of you that might have missed the May TACA Craft Fair, there will be another chance (assuming it doesn't rain) to come and see me! I will be making an appearance at the CRAFT: a creative community 1st Sunday Craft sale in East Nashville in the parking lot of the Lipstick Lounge. There will be a whole herd of cool, hip, and new handcrafted items for sale there - I think you'll love the whole vibe. The sale day runs from 11-5, so I hope to see you there!!

Laura

GET YOUR CRAFT ON!!

See you at Centennial Park this weekend!

2008-04-30T18:31:00.002-06:00

TACA is here! (Well, almost...) I am so excited because I am going to have a whole bunch of new things in my booth this year. New gift items, summer-weight silk scarves, and my new Planet Purse! (There aren't many of these yet, they are such a new design!) And that's not all!

Come out and see what's new!! I'll be near where I was last May, in the row closest to West End Avenue.

See you there! - Laura

(For more about the Tennessee Craft Fair weekend, go to www.tennesseecrafts.org)

March 15 Hafla in Lebanon

2008-03-08T23:49:00.004-06:00

Tennessee, that is. Yes, thanks to the hip tribal bellydance scene at Krooners in Lebanon, I will be making an appearance with some cool felted, beaded jewelry (bracelets, hairsticks, etc.) for sale at the bellydance party!!! It's all new, so come check it out at 7 p.m.! (And you've never seen bellydancing like this, really!)

Check out Stella Luna Tribal Bellydance on YouTube, if you don't believe me.

Oh, and I'll also be leading a middle-eastern drumming circle, if you dig drumming, and you can also get some good down-home Cajun food and some beer, too. See ya there!
Laura
(Krooners is at 220 E. High St., Lebanon TN 37087)

Cross posting for March 8 from Nashville email fiber list!

2008-03-02T21:29:00.002-06:00

(This was snowed out - check back to see if it is rescheduled!!)
Nashville-Area Fiber-Lovers, YOU'RE INVITED -----------

SATURDAY, MARCH 8 10 AM - 1 PM

Edmondson Pike Library Meeting Room, Nashville

Please drop by when you can & bring a fiber-friend!

------------- -----------------------------

Harriet has borrowed 85 12"X12" swatch samples from the

Surface Design Association to share with our community.

These samples, made by the membership -- including

many luminaries in the field -- represent a wide range

of techniques and materials:

shibori, printed (mono, screen, digital), dyed, batik,

discharged, metal oxidation, handwoven, felted, stitched, etc.

They are well-labelled, and you'll be able to see the backs

of the pieces.

Arts Advocacy Day on the Hill - March 4

2008-02-29T09:04:00.002-06:00

Join us in Nashville on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Johnson Theatre for Arts Advocacy Day on the Hill. This day is an important opportunity for artists, art educators, arts organizations, friends and supporters to make contact with their legislators. Arts Advocacy Day is the one day of the year in which arts supporters statewide can unite in championing the arts.

Check-in begins outside of Andrew Johnson Theatre at 10:30am and printable registration forms are available at www.tn4arts.org in the Advocacy section under Arts Advocacy Calendar.

A full TFTA membership meeting and legislative briefing will begin at 11am with presentations by:

Bob Willie Chattanooga Ballet, President - TFTA
Rich Boyd Executive Director - Tennessee Arts Commission
Molly Pratt TFTA Consultant for Government & Community Relations

As registration forms are received, regional Arts Advocacy Day coordinators will contact you with further details on organizing groups from your area. Register today, bring your fellow arts supporters, and help the voice of the arts in Tennessee! There is strength in numbers!

New Nashville Fiber Exhibit

2008-02-29T08:57:00.002-06:00

There will be an exhibition of work by Diane Getty entitled Collage in Fabric and Thread at the Marnie Sheridan Gallery which is located at the Harpeth Hall School. The exhibit begins on Thursday, February 28 and continues through Wednesday, April 9. The public is invited to a reception with the artist on Sunday, March 2, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Calendar of upcoming events thru May 2008

2008-02-27T09:17:00.004-06:00

Here it is!
Saturday, March 8 - Handspinners meet 10a-2p - this month we meet at the church in Belmont. Contact me for details. (Snowed out - next one will be in Hendersonville in April.)

Saturday March 15 - Handweavers Guild of Nashville monthly meeting - I'll be assisting with the program this month - we'll be felting!! Visitors are always welcome.

Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13 - "Cover it with Felt" workshop at Sarratt Art Studios. Class size is limited to 10, and spaces are filling up! (The current date is up on the Sarratt site, and hopefully there will be a description up soon. See Post from 2/6/08 for more workshop details.)

May 2-4 - TACA Tennessee Craft Fair - Centennial Park (I'm in! Woo hoo!)

Friday-Saturday May 23-24 - Middle TN Fiber Festival in Dickson - I will be teaching a 1/2 day felting workshop (scarves) and a 1/2 day naalbinding class - check their website for more information!!

That's as far ahead as I can manage! - Happy felting!! - Laura

News and updates

2008-02-27T09:01:00.003-06:00

Hello again,
Well, it's been a crazy last couple of months! I look back and am amazed at how much has happened. I got my order in to the Discover Nashville store at the Nashville Airport. It is past security, but if you are flying in or out, head down the C concourse and you'll see my work in their new store!! (see picture at left)
The same day that all that went in, I taught felt ball making to my son's 2nd grade class for "parent art"! They did great, and I discovered that upside-down frisbees make great drip-catchers!!!
Then, a week later, I demonstrated at the airport for "Arts in the Airport" - that was lots of fun, and my 5th grade son handled my sale for me during my demonstrating stint! That same day, my application for spring TACA was also due. So while all of this making and teaching and demonstrating was going on, I was also working with a new photographer, John P. Ford, to have slides and images made of my new work. Whew! Did I mention I've been busy? I hope to have new images up in my online portfolio very soon!
I also hit the Bead Show, which was in Franklin a couple of weekends ago - lots and lots and lots of gorgeous beads - yum! And taught a second parent art class (weaving with straws) on my son's birthday - same class. I need to remember to get pictures of these things!!! They all made great handwoven bracelets and bookmarks.
Oh, and I attended Bruce Baker's workshop on Craft Marketing 101, he was absolutely fabulous, and I bought all of his CD's for future research and training.
I'll post a calendar of the events of interest in a separate post.
- Laura

Finally! Date for next felting workshop April 12-13

2008-02-06T20:43:00.000-06:00

THANK YOU all for your patience! I finally confirmed with Sarratt that we have the weekend of April 12-13, 2008 for the next felting weekend workshop. The topic will be "Cover It With Felt", and we will explore techniques for covering various objects (bottles, heads, hands, feet, whatever...) with seamless felt coverings. Following an introduction to wet felting for those who need it, we will start with a simple bottle cover to introduce three-dimensional felting, shaping, and fitting. Then we will progress to additional projects of your choice. The average student should be able to complete the bottle cover as well as something like a hat and a pair of mittens in the two days with the materials provided. Additional materials will be available (at cost) for those that want to do more! We will be working primarily with merino wool, but feel free to bring additional materials to explore (and sample!) with. Small quantities of additional fibers will be available to experiment with as well.

Schedule - Saturday and Sunday April 12 and 13, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. both days
Cost - $125 including materials
Limit - 10

A $50 deposit will reserve your spot and guarantee there will be enough materials for the class.
Please send deposits to:
Laura Artates
1913 Dahlia Drive
Nashville TN 37210

Please contact me by email or at (615) 293-1605 if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Laura

Busy, busy, busy

2007-12-06T23:40:00.000-06:00

Wow! This fall has been crazy busy. I even turned down several opportunities to participate in shows and fairs. Whew! I haven't updated everyone for over 2 months!!

Currently, my stuff is almost all at the Sarratt Holiday Art Festival - at the Sarratt Student Center on Vanderbilt Campus. Check out www.vanderbilt.edu/sarrattart for how to find it, etc. The Festival runs 10-6 daily through Sunday, December 9.

However, I have one piece of work that is getting ready to go on the auction block to benefit Music4TNKids. It is a guitar "top", covered in felt on both sides. One side has a pair of blue felt boots (kindof a western take on blue suede shoes), and it is autographed by my favorite local musical mamas, the Mamasitas! (Lee's son played on my soccer team at the Y back when I was coaching my son's team, and we're both from Oregon!!) Check out www.madison-art-center.com for more on the auction. There's an online auction, and a live auction on December 13 (tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the door) - there's some really cool work with some really awesome autographs!!

I also have a few pieces at the Art Center in Madison and at the Scarritt-Bennett gift shop.

I taught a really fun scarf workshop at the beginning of November - 2 whole days of scarves and (gasp!) samples!! I also did the Fall TACA fair, spent a glorious week in Hilton Head over Thanksgiving, and am now frantically trying to prepare for the holidays. (Although the felt christmas stockings may have to wait until next Christmas!)

Hope you are all enjoying the holiday season, and that all your holiday gift projects are finished and wrapped!

Laura

Preview for MAC show

2007-09-30T21:03:00.000-06:00

Hi yet again. Thanks to my handy-dandy cell phone camera, (and my son's arms) I actually have a shot of my work that I did for the "Hands Across the Cumberland" show. I will let you come to your own conclusions about my interpretation of the theme, but it doesn't really need any explanation ;-)

Laura

Hands Across the Cumberland

2007-09-30T20:42:00.000-06:00

Welcome back! Well, while I was finishing up the wonderful and amazing TACA Fall Fair at Centennial Park, the rest of my compadres at the Madison Art Center were hanging the all-member show at the gallery. Hope to see all of you at the opening on October 13th!
http://www.madison-art-center.com/

Thanks - Laura

TACA update

2007-09-29T22:08:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone!
One more day of TACA, and it's been tons of fun so far. Tomorrow promises to be more of the same! I've meet lots of nice artists, had "booth shots" taken of my booth (example here) and generally had a wonderful time. Most common comment: "I love the colors!" Most common question: "What is it made of?" Lots of people expressing interest in the workshop, so if you're planning to sign up, don't wait until it's full! (Scroll down a few more posts to find the one with the workshop info.)

Hope to see you tomorrow!
Laura

CVTACA display window at VUH

2007-09-04T19:38:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share that there is a display window at Vanderbilt University Hospital that features artwork by members of the Cumberland Valley chapter of TACA. It is on the mezzanine level of the main entrance to the hospital, just to the left of the entrance to the gift shop, overlooking the surgery waiting area. Other artist featured include "Tye Dye" Mary, Martha Christian, Red Oak Pottery (Bill and Judy Heim), and others I either don't know or can't remember! Check it out if you happen to be in the hospital.

Sept. 15 Greenway Art Festival!

2007-08-28T21:01:00.000-06:00

September 15, 10-4, Greenway Art Festival in Murfreesboro. This Saturday event is in its third year, and promises to be a great time for all, with juried art booths, trailside musician performances, and food! It will be my first time at this one, and I'm looking forward to a smaller event than TACA!

For more information, please see the Friends of the Greenway website www.greenwayfriends.org

Fall TACA, here I come!

2007-08-02T22:08:00.000-06:00

I found out today that I made it into the Fall TACA fair, my first time entering! Yaay! I'm planning to have lots of scarves and hats, in addition to my bowls, wall hangings, and handbags, and there may be a few surprises thrown it with new things I've been playing with. I got lots of inspiration when I was out in Oregon visiting my family in July!

Fall TACA is September 28, 29, and 30 in Centennial Park in Nashville, TN! For more information, TACA's website is www.tennesseecrafts.org.

Hope to see you there!

Laura

Excuse to visit Jack Daniels Distillery!

2007-07-07T15:43:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to announce that a number of my works are at B. Fanning Co. in Lynchburg, TN. This is a new gift shop and gallery space just off the historic town square near the Jack Daniels Distillery. So you can head down there, take the free distillery tour, and the folks that arent interested in antiques and art can shop for whiskey souvenirs!