untangled

We spent the morning wrestling with the overgrown wisteria vine in our side yard. There was something very satisfying about yanking on a tendril and watching as a whip the length of a football field untangled at my feet. The vine had overtaken a mulberry tree and was threatening to romp on to the oak trees down the fence. We ended up with a huge pile of vines that we reassembled into two 4 foot high by about 8 foot wide nest sculptures. Just hoping that nothing takes root and that we don't invite a passing pterodactyl to roost.

there is a method to the madness (sometimes)

Paula Kovarik, 2013.

basting a piece for final stitch work gives me time to think about how the fabric will react to manipulation. Since I have chosen to work with recycled materials there are often worn sections or stains to contend with. I admit to adding a few of my own stains in the process at least a pin prick of blood, an accidental tea stain, or, with this piece, a little pigment die. So when I saw this shading on the pale ground that was shaped sort of like a wolf, I just had to add him to the composition. The longer I work with a piece the looser the basting (as evidenced above) Thing is, I have been more interested lately in how those loose threads look than I am in finalizing the piece. Must focus. must focus.

letting go

Paula Kovarik, 2013

Scattered, questioning, revising, embellishing, tearing up, repositioning and letting go. That's what it's all about these days. And when I look at the work I am doing those characteristics are coming through.

filipendulous

On Monday my daily word from Wordsmith was

filipendulous
an adjective meaning Hanging by a thread

A great word for the feeling I often have when doing these stream of consciousness doodles. What direction will they take me? Is it a maze or a path? What does it mean? Does it really have to mean something? What can I do with it? Where do I go next?

And, since I was taught to use each new word I learn in a sentence ...

These filipendulous drawings scatter a network of breadcrumbs for the journey ahead.

filipendulous, Paula Kovarik, 2013

Invitational exhibit

Two of my pieces will be part of a Gallery 56 invitational exhibit beginnning Friday. Other artists include Greg Bowden, Mike Coulson, Terry Kenney, Bien Howard, Juan Rojo, Shamek Weddle, John Sadowski, Evan Lebaroff, Katie Dan, Cedar Lorca Nordbye, and Gary Parisi.

If you are in the area, please stop by the opening.

Gallery 56 • 2256 Central Ave. • Memphis • Opening February 1, 5 - 8 pm.

©2012, Paula Kovarik, Looking for love in all the wrong places.