Art History Review

While I was a freshman in college, I took an art history class. Being a new college student, I did not pay that much attention to the class. I did just enough to get by. Now, I wish that I had payed more attention. Since I did not do it then, I am doing it now. I have started to reeducate myself in different ways.

-My trip to Italy revealed art that I had seen in my history books. This was one of the best things I could have done. I wish I had taken this trip as a freshman in college.

-While in Rome, I visited the Global Seed Diversity Trust at the Food and Agricultureal Organization of the United Nations Building and received a better understanding of current actions taking place. I will be creating a blog post about the visit on my Local Victory blog.

-I attended a lecture by Zahid Sardar, an author and designer of New Garden and San Fran Sisco Modern. This lecture was provided by the PNCA/OCAC MFA Applied Craft and Design program. I have seen a lot of lectures over the past few years, but it was really refreshing to hear someone talk about how important design is within our current society. Since I have been interested in crafting and gardening lately, it was great to hear someone speak about it intelligently.

Now, I have decided to reread my textbook from my freshman year and respond to the reading with images from my trips, add comments and also get a better understanding of where I sit within the history of art.

Pumpkin Pie Gang Plastic Bag Holder

I needed a break from thinking about art critically. I wanted to make something that was pleasant and offered me a new direction. I don't know where sewing will end up in my work, but I wanted to experiment with the simple act of crafting.

I was inspired by the pie that Vanessa and I made and made a sewn piece about it.
It can be found on my etsy here: Pumpkin Pie Gang

Sunshine Yellow Plastic Bag Holder

I have started my etsy sewing projects! My first piece that I added is a plastic bag holder. I found this really great fabric for the project that fits in perfectly with our kitchen. I made one for myself and one for etsy.
It is available on my etsy by following this link: Sunny Bags

Sewing with a pattern!

So, I haven't necessarily been good about creating a piece a day. I have made some really amazing cookies, learned the art of how to properly pour a latte with a heart design, modified some clothing and made some curtains for my studio.
I am most excited about my creation today. It took a loooong time. I knew ahead of time that this was going to be a difficult task, but I wanted to see if I could do it. I made a blouse from a 50 cent 70's pattern that I got at a local fabric store. I looked for the perfect fabric for a long time and found this really great design that has some white flowers printed on it.
I worked through the pattern. I would sit for a long time at points and just look at the pictures of how I was supposed to do things. They could seem incredibly confusing and then all of a sudden I would hold up my fabric and see what they were trying to describe. I did at one point sew the sleeve on backwards and had to take it out. That was frustrating. It is the kind of thing though that you have to make mistakes to get better. I will now double check that when sewing.
Overall, I am really happy with my new blouse. I have some more patterns that I may try working with or combining with others.
I look forward for an event to wear this to (perhaps teaching my own class one day...white might not be a good idea for a drawing class though...)

Pumpkin Pie!

Vanessa and I made this Pumpkin Pie. She had never made it from an actual pumpkin before so I showed her how. My mom taught me how to do it. You just cut up the pumpkin into chunks and boil it until the skins just fall off. After you mash it and it is really easy. A small pumpkin that I bought at New Seasons will make three pies! I am freezing the rest so that I can make some pies this winter. Yeah!
My mom's recipe:

Pie crust (homeade or storebought uncooked)
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teas. salt
teas vanilla
teaspoon and a half of pumpkin pie spice
1 can evaporated milk
1 tbl. melted butter

Bake 425 for 15 min.
reduce to 350 for 45 min.
when knife is clean, the pie is done!

Let cool and serve with fresh whipping cream!

Mini Cinque

I made this little painting in honor of the tourist paintings that I saw throughout my travels. Local artists would paint tiny paintings for tourists to easily purchase. This is a 2"x2" acrylic painting similar to the ones that I saw. It is from Monterosso, Cinque-Terre. Most of the buildings are painted a pink or yellow color. This also shows the train tracks that run through the mountains.
I have posted this on my etsy:
Mini Cinque

Day 1. Vinci

This is a watercolor pencil drawing. The image is from Vinci, Italy. This is the town were Leonardo grew up. These are olive trees that are outside of the museum that houses some of his inventions. I am going to post this on my etsy as well.