A Shout-out to all the students at Virginia Tech who organized and participated in this year’s Relay For Life, 2018! Each year they do an amazing job~~Including a wonderful Survivor’s Banquet honoring cancer Survivors and their Caregivers.
Find a Cure!~VT Relay for Life
We “Relay” each year in Honor and Memory of several family & friends who have been touched by cancer….
VT Relay for Life 2018, Illuminaries
The American Cancer Society supports individuals and families dealing with the cancer experience. One of their goals is to give…
HOPE for a CURE!
Spring has arrived, inspiring us with wonderful vibrant colors….Hope, Renewal, Life!
Hi Everyone! It is in the middle of the winter @ my house, with below freezing temperatures and many gray days. With the holidays over, it is a time to recharge….reorganize….and renew inspirations for creating, exploring, and trying out new things in the studio!
Recharging!
So far this has been the only snowman at our house! Though it is only January…
In the spirit of recharging and renewing, on Sunday I attended a wonderful Sound Therapy concert by BreAnna Martin. She demonstrates and performs beautifully, playing the Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, gong, tuning forks and her voice, creating a relaxing, enjoyable, meditative experience! You can learn more about her story and what she offers at her website, The Singing Hare. Â
Music and soothing sounds has always been important to me, and part of my creative life.Â
As another new venture in the studio, I have begun an Instagram account for sharing artwork and inspirations! If you are on Instagram, visit me at @jonibeach …
You may also have noticed, my website has been updated (and continues to be! 🙂 ). Please explore and visit the Gallery and Art Shop to view earlier, as well as available Studio art work! I am now offering select designs as beautiful, open edition, high quality archival, Art Prints…printed individually by me in the studio~signed and matted (ready to frame). If you collect unique, original art or need a special gift for someone you know, please visit the shop and look around! 🙂
….Life can certainly be challenging, and after busy events or time of stress, finding ways of restoring our balance is critical for our creativity….as well as our well-being! …..
Post-Thanksgiving has meant renewed time in the studio this week.  Yesterday when turning on my sewing machine, the light on the panel was too dim to read and I almost panicked. On no, the computer’s main board has gone out! How would the cursor and light just quit working with no warning?…Then I discovered a little button on the side of the machine that I never knew existed–after years of sewing! When it was turned, the panel immediately lit up and was visible. Wow, such relief and no more excuses…
Finally, back to the quilting of the Lifeweaving wall-hanging. After repining and smoothing the black strips, I am working my way from the middle to sides in each direction. Using a tiny zigzag stitch over the edges is working well to connect the strips and add texture to the design.
I tend to work on several pieces, in different stages of the design process, at the same time. So, another project is the yellow flower design. The inspiration for this art quilt is this photo taken in a garden this summer.
I love the colors and the pattern on the underside of this yellow bloom…Fabrics are being auditioned for the background, as well as the flower applique to be layered onto it…
At this point in the design process, colors are considered—Should they be realistic?…abstract? Also, decisions on size and scale must be made—Should I enlarge the pattern?
After a great holiday and much activity, it has been good to rest and focus inthe quiet of the studio.
 New goals have been set,
                  new inspirations have been gathered,
                                          andit’s back to the drawing board…
Joni Beach 