FABRIC FINDS IN DENVER

One of the things I used to do all the time was go Quilt Shop Hopping. I love fabric! I love collecting it. I haven't been fabric buying in a long time. So, while Darrell was busy in Denver I went to a few quilt shops in the area. Having a gps in the car made it extremely easy. I had a whole list of shops, but after I went a little nuts at the first one and spent too much money, I had to cut back on my list. I didn't pace myself. So, I only went to two shops, The Great American Quilt Factory and Fabric Expressions. Nice stores but I think their selection was down a little, maybe due to the economy. I did my best to stimulate them, though!

In the past what I would do with the fabrics, when we got home, is make a quilt commemorating our trip. [See Berkeley quilt] So, now my mission is to come up with a design for Denver. Hmmmm.

Stay tuned.

DENVER TRIP

Wow, my Mom just pointed out to me it's been a while since I updated my blog.

We went to Denver last week, got back on Sunday and was back to work on Monday. So, I didn't have a lot of time to paint (or anything).

I wasn't sure if I should post about our trip or not. I started this blog with the idea it would be about my painting and art making. It has evolved.

We had a good time at the Denver Art Museum. Unfortunately it was covered in tarps because the brand-new roof had been leaking. A very cool building. We'll have to go back when its fixed.

We saw:

a show of posters from the 1960's San Francisco area. Then we wandered around looking at their collection of Western paintings, a nice collection of European paintings (Pissarro, Monet, and folks) a very cool Hieronymus Bosch (strange) even some Gustav Baumann prints. Darrell enjoyed the furniture, there were a few nice pieces by William Morris. There was even a chair exhibit, showing examples of different styles through history.

We went to Denver because Darrell was conducted a workshop for a group of woodworkers. So, on Saturday I was on my own for most of the day. I took the advice of a friend and went to the Mile High Flea Market. I didn't go to shop so much as people-watch. I put a long lens on the camera and wandered around trying to get candid pictures of interesting-looking people without their knowledge. I want to use the pictures for painting portraits, so I was looking for people with no hats and no glasses (I hate painting glasses). Such people are pretty rare, especially on a very sunny morning. The light that morning was very intense, just the way I like it. I did get some photos I can use, and I got some interesting photos of some of the stuff for sale there.

Oh, and I did buy a very interesting African Mask. This is the second mask I've acquired, the first, a 'Day of the Dead' type mask I got in Galveston, probably 10 years ago, while on a side trip from Quilt Market in Houston. I guess this means I'm on my way to having a collection. (nooooo).