The Family Show : Animal, Vegetable, Spiritual

Nov 7th witnessed the opening for a show at the Delaplaine Visual Arts and Education Center in Frederick, Maryland. It was real groovy, because not only was my work in it, but my whole family participated!

Don Dunsmore, my dad, exhibited his nature photography. Kit Dunsmore, my sister, hung her quilts and displayed her varying sculptures. And Jane Dunsmore, my mother, showed her ceramic sculptures.

The outstading efforts of all these family members created an unusual and vibrant show. We often consulted each other while creating the work, checking to see that we all had items that could hang well and relate to the other pieces. Don showed me a photo, and I caught a flame if inspiration, ran home and created a wall hanging from his image of a water lily. Jane made an owl, Don photographed and owl, and Kit made an owl wall hanging. Don received inspiration from the quilts headed for the show and created a quilt of his own, layering images in a photo quilt.

To name the show, with our diverse work, challenged the Family's creative skills. The title seemed to cover all. Despite our group tendancy toward portraiture of living creatures, human, animal or plant, the title allows for the healing and contemplative relationship each of us has to our own work. Spiritual also refers to the sometimes holy reverence we each have for nature's grandeur, and our attempts to capture this in camera, in fabric, in ceramic, in glass.

The Delaplaine Frederick Hot Glass Fun Times Workshop

This Sunday, six ladies settled down behind torches at the Delaplaine Visual Arts and Education Center in Frederick, Maryland. I did my best to explain basic use of enamel powders, and then the ladies fired up and began warming, then melting glass.

They were silent, their inensity burned! (really!)

I had a great time, and not just because I got to be the boss.
Debbie Weaver, my mentor, attended and delivered her inspired observations, allowing me to appropriately help the attendees, but due to her arm in a sling, she was unable to play with fire. L

A good time was had by all, german chocolate cupcakes were served.

Casowosco is a retreat center on Owosco Lake in upstate New York. Bi –annually, the quilters of Tompkins county descend on Lake Owosco in a horde, carrying boxes of fabric and expensive sewing machines.

I have the joy of being a member of the Tompkins Co quilt guild, despite living seven hours away, in Maryland. I, too, load up my car with glee in the fall, and drive to this beautiful, peaceful haven for a wild weekend of stichin’ joy.

I meet new artists, hug artists I am thrilled to re-connect with, hear their stories, and have an audience for my own. Sharing, a word with meaning far beyond it’s few syllables. Quilts are made of fabric, cut up, and sewn together again in a new, magnificent, expressive solid flat sheet, which is then sandwiched and quilted. So we, as pieces of fabric, are reunited, and become whole for a time.

We leave carrying more than our projects and our equipment. Where we had twigs of thought, we bear away fruiting wild trees, laden heavy with new directions projects may take.

Thinking about a retreat, even a day, for your local art group? I suggest you take the leap!