art – Page 26 – Joni Beach

June 26, 2014October 16, 2014

In the Good Old Summertime…

The first day of summer is here at last!! And with summer came a flurry of busyness for me–the opposite of what we expect or dream about..

I have been taking trips, working in the yard, and planting colorful flowers in the garden. [These aren’t in my yard 🙂 ] It feels great to have warm, sunny days after the coldness of this past winter.

With a change of pace and time for new experiences, I am now inspired to be in the studio to work on new textile art and creative projects!

Flamenco Swirl #1 is the first in a series that expresses my memories of the exciting colors and movement of a Spanish dancer’s amazingly expressive and exciting performance! (Two other pieces of this series are in earlier posts. They may be seen in the Art Gallery)

FlamencoSwirl#1, rayon on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach. — Flamenco Swirl #1, rayon on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach.

I hope to add new pieces to this series very soon! The passion and deep felt emotions with which these dances are performed greatly inspire me to create…

Sometimes I move a project to the front porch and enjoy the breeze, the warmth of the sun, and the sound of the birds singing…

Ah… In the good old summertime!

April 24, 2014October 16, 2014

In the Studio…

Today I added a conceptual piece~Blue Moods~ to the Transitions series in the Art Gallery. During the transitions we face in life, there are processes that people can experience as the old ways and situations give way to the new.

For example, as my children grew-up, graduated from high school, and left for college, daily life around our house changed dramatically. While some of the changes were exciting and something new to look forward to, I still experienced times of feeling a bit sad and longing for some of the earlier family times.

Transitions #2: Blue Moods, 13"x13", rayon on cotton. © 2014 Joni Beach. — Transitions #2: Blue Moods, 13″x13″, rayon on cotton. © 2014 Joni Beach.

So in Transitions #2, this piece entitled Blue Moods depicts the mixed feelings I have felt at times during transitions in life~~a bit sad, or blue, sometimes a bit angry (the color orange), but always still with hints of hope that in the end things will work out (the color yellow)…

Gradually the confusion (see Transitions #1: Confusion), the mixed feelings as depicted in Blue Moods, give way and transition into a new order and form…

our Lifeweavings.

April 15, 2014October 16, 2014

In the Studio~Spring at Last!

Finally Spring has arrived here in the mountains, though the threat of a freeze has not passed. Still the days have become warmer and even the birds seem happier! I have begun some of the yard work necessary after a long cold winter and look forward to the colorful flowers of summer…

In the studio, I have continued to work on new pieces. Here is the the latest in the Visions of Spain series~Flamenco Swirl #3.

Flamenco Swirl #3, 13 1/4" x 21", rayon and metallic on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach. — Flamenco Swirl #3, 13 1/4″ x 21″, metallic on cotton, © 2014 Joni Beach.

These pieces began with a simple line drawing to capture the figure and movement of a dramatic flamenco dancer. The excitement, sounds, and visions of this experience will never be forgotten! This piece is a reverse of Flamenco Swirl #2~~the figure is done using a “reverse applique” technique.

Flamenco Swirl #1 is on exhibit currently, so this photograph was taken in the gallery. This first figure was created using bright red dotted fabric with a familiar ruffled hem to accent the swirling movement of the dancer.

My memories of this dance are expressed in this piece…