New Loom!

Many thanks to Denny and Crys for taking off to Denver to pick it up. I know little about it except that it was made in Berea, KY (Shoutout to Steven and Gin!) We were given a great deal on it-especially important during the Summer when I am not working at the college. It's gorgeous and fits nicely in the living room, making it much likely that I will use it. Poor Denny, he loses a little more square footage every day.

I look forward to weaving all matter of stuff with it-including, but not limited to, paper!

Phat Fiber Sample Box: Silver Sun Alpacas Giveaway!

Phat Fiber Sample Box: Silver Sun Alpacas Giveaway!

Andrea in Blue

I was a guest blogger at Andrea in Blue today. I made a rambling, stream of consciousness comparison of painting and freeform fiber art. Check it out!

BTW, I am teaching a freeform knitting and crochet workshop July 10 at the SLV Folk Art and Fiber Festival.

deadline approaching: call for entries

Whether you use traditional media in traditional or contemporary ways, we hope that you will choose to join us in celebration of the traditional arts. The SLV Folk Arts and Fiber Exhibit will open with a reception on June 27 from 5-7pm and close after the launch party for the SLV Fest. Simultaneously, the Monte Vista Information Center will host ticket sales for the SLV Ski Hi Stampede, Colorado’s Oldest Pro Rodeo. Hundreds of people will see this beautiful exhibit during the 4 week run–We hope you will be one of them!

The SLV Folk Arts and Fiber exhibit is open to all media, but will give preference to the folk, self-taught, traditional arts, fine crafts and fiber arts. The winners of the exhibit will have their works featured here (online) for 6-12 months, so Download the prospectus or sign up online.

Important Dates:
May 23, 2009: Entry Deadline (postmark)
June 5: Notification of Acceptance June 19: Mailed work arrives
June 22: Drop off work & Install Exhibit
June 27, 5-7 PM: Opening Reception June 13-July 10: Exhibit
July 10: SLV FAFF Workshopsin Marsh Park
July 11& 12th: Festival in Marsh Park
July 14, 10AM-12PM 2009: Pick up works

July 15-20: Mail unsold works

Phat Fiber Box

I kept meaning to show off what came in my Phat Fiber box,
so here is February's Treasure!
I'm spinning now so I will be back to give more specifics.
Specifically? I just finished spinning up my sample from
Silver Sun Alpacas
(pictured below)
with some crazy pink lame'-yes... lame'.
I must... have more.
Photos forthcoming.

What to do...

It's 5am and I woke up painting.

Not literally, of course, but the images were flooding in as my unconscious gave way to the conscious. The conscious mind saw them and said, "this is good".

Then my conscience woke up too. It reminded me of the grading I had left to do, the unwritten classes and upcoming show deadlines for work already started.

So the battle begins anew...

Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes

Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes - NYTimes.com

I see this all the time. It seems that our students come to me without having learned that sometimes what we see as our efforts are simply not good enough. All the effort in the world is in vain if it still leaves a job undone, in "real" life, people, employers, tell us no all the time. It's painful, but it's also an opportunity to stretch, to learn.

You know you wanna....

Mystic Mermaid on Etsy

It's Phat Fiber time again!

If you're visiting from the Phat Fiber blog, welcome!

I've not posted pics of what I am doing for a while now, because I am working on two freeform pieces-and one of them will be submitted to the next International Freeform Guild Exhibit. I participated in 2007, but not 2008 and very much regretted it.

Sooo... not this year. Part of the rules of participating is that we not share what we're doing online, thus my silence. *Sigh* that's just not easy for me.

It also means that much of what I have spun in the last few months has gone to my stash, er.. collection, and not my Etsy store. Good thing I stocked up in a bit in December-and I take special orders, lol!

Sooo.. I'll sign off now and go take some pictures of the box and post them. I know you came here to see the yarn goods. Until I return, here's one from Etsy.

Another Dear John Letter

Dear John xxxxxxx,
I just saw your report on the protest of the stimulus bill and it is clear that you do not have all the information you need to represent some the issues involved. I heard you name the NEA, not once, but twice as "pork" on behalf of yourself and energy officials. I am more than dismayed.

On behalf of the many artists that I know, I want to ask why our mortgages, our well being, is any less important to the health of this country, this state than anyone else? I am weary of this notion that artists are just playing in the sandbox, twiddling our thumbs. Not only do I produce art objects and supplies, but I teach Art History and Art Appreciation at the local college. Historically, civilizations are measured by the quality of life and their cultural production.

In my small town of Monte Vista, population 5000, I have a list of 60 artists, most of which have sales tax licenses. Are these people not worthy of economic consideration?

Additionally, did you know that people who visit Colorado for arts and culture spend 37% more money than those who patronize the sports industry? Are you aware of the study released last week that names Arts and Culture as the fifth largest employer in Colorado? Another study by the Colorado Council on the Arts showed "a correlation between arts and learning, revealing schools with more art programs had higher proficiency in writing, reading and science."

Last week, in arguing for the $50 million in arts money on the House floor on Friday, Congressman David Obey shared similar points. Arts workers, he said, have 12.5 percent unemployment: “Are you suggesting that somehow if you work in that field, it isn’t real when you lose your job, your mortgage or your health insurance? We’re trying to treat people who work in the arts the same way as anybody else.”

$50 million works out to be .005% of the stimulus bill. It is disingenuous to say that this money is wasted.

I realize you were covering the opposition position. I simply wish you had gone with information needed to ask truly interesting, investigative questions. By not doing so, you perpetuate the myth that arts and culture is a frivolous pursuit. In this letter, I have included several URLS that direct one to the information that I have presented. I hope you find them interesting.

Sincerely,
Laura Murphy
Monte Vista, CO


http://www.thedenverchannel.com/7newsteam/215873/detail.html

http://www.cbca.org/econbiennial.asp

http://www.coloarts.org/programs/education/study/index.htm

http://www.artsusa.org/information_services/research/services/economic_impact/default.asp

Tres Cosas

OK... So I've been playing on FaceBook and not here. Which is silly, 'cause if I post here, it publishes there too. I'm a dork.

Here's the latest FB meme :)

Tres Cosas
Share
You know what to do....List three things to each question. Read on . . . . 3's About Me

Three Names I go by
1. Murph (Dan and Frank called me this first. I've always loved it.)
2. Lowa (Di pegged me Lowa)
3. LoLo (My nephew, Kyle, gave me this one)

Three Jobs I've had
1. Hairdresser
2. Chemical Dependency Tech/counselor
3. Teacher

Three Places I have lived
1. San Diego, CA
2. Champagne, IL
3. Denver, CO

Three cars I've had
1. '72 Ford LTD (Remember this, Curtis?)
2. '88 Yugo
3. '94 Honda Del Sol (My present car--LOVE this car. 48MPG, bebbe!)

Three TV Shows that I watch
1. Dexter
2. House
3. The Rachel Maddow Show

Three places I have been
1. Piedras Negras, Mexico
2. Graceland (that was odd)
3. Destin, FL (That was a great week. I learned to sail!)

Three places I want to go
1. Ethiopia
2. Findhorn, Scotland
3. Egypt

People that e-mail me regularly
1. Di
2. Bob
3. Students

Three of my favorite foods
1. Ethiopian
2. Indian
3. Mexican

Three things I can cook
1. Chocolate Mocha Cake
2. Vegetarian Stroganoff
3. Stuff I throw together, usually involving copious amounts of vegetables

Three favorite cocktails
1. I have been sober for over 22 years :)
2. n/a
3. n/a

Three favorite movies
1. Brazil
2. Kinky Boots
3. Mama Mia ( I was charmed all over again by Meryl Streep )

Three favorite colors
1. Dioxizine Purple
2. Yellow Ochre
3. Olive

Three people I talk to the most
1. Denny
2. Crystal
3. Jane or Mike. It's close.

Three friends I think will respond
1. Denny
2. Crystal
3. Diana

Three Favorite musical performers/CD's
1. Ella Fitzgerald sings Cole Porter
2. Crash Test Dummies, God Shuffled His Feet
3. Annie Lennox, any, all...

Three favorite songs (at the moment)
1. Whatever Lola Wants
2. Take a Chance on Me
3. Cry Me a River

Things I am looking forward to
1. Gardening. (I am sick to death of the cold this year)
2. Opening my next business
3. SLV Folk Arts and Fiber Festival

Vote now!

http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/content/senpoll2/

Dear Governor Ritter,
When I first heard Barack Obama speak at the '04 Dems convention, I wasn't looking at the TV screen, I was in another room, listening as an afterthought. After a few minutes, I went to look at the TV because I thought... "Is that Mike Miles????".

I was disappointed that it wasn't Mike. I didn't know this guy, but he said so many of the same things, that I sat to listen to him (Obama) and was inspired all over again--but... I kept thinking, "That should be Mike".

That was the year I returned to political activism--because Mike made me--and so many others--feel like we had a voice again. He lost, but we stayed-- empowered by his inspiration.

Governor Ritter, we met during your campaign at MudPuppy's coffeehouse in Monte Vista. We don't agree on several issues, but I felt safe that your heart was in the right place. I'm asking you now to appoint Mike Miles to Salazar's senate seat. I'll remind you Miles won the state convention vote the year he ran. He has tremendous support amongst the grassroots community. He simply needs you to give him the opportunity to share his personal greatness. We need more voices like him, like you and like Obama for the challenges that lay ahead.

Sincerely,
Laura Murphy
Monte Vista, CO

Great Gift Ideas

Not for me, I have everything I need :)

But, again, in an effort to get back into the habit of blogging, I thought I might feature a great Etsy Gift idea... for the Holiday Season or for however long it takes me to get distracted and forget to blog again.

Here is my current great idea. Well, not my idea, but I certainly thought it was a good one!



This one comes from purposedesign(click here) at Etsy. This artisan produces spice kits for specific holidays and types of food or drink. My favorites are the Chai mixes for the chai drinkers in my life. Check it out!(click here)

Some of them magnetic spice racks that hang like beautiful, textured art on your wall, others are are series of tins with coordinated spices. It's a sensual and sleek gift either way.

Yes We Can

I'm listening to this video for about the tenth time and realizing that it is my artist self, the depths of my humanity that is moved by the words, the people, the music. If you haven't yet, I hope you will join me on Tuesday in saying, nay.. in the singing...

Yes We Can, by Will.I.Am

Coming and Going in Style: Obama’s Policy on the Arts

by Micheal Fox, Smirking Chimp

Inevitably, some issues go completely unmentioned in political campaigns. One such story, which ought to have gotten more attention, is Barack Obama’s program to restore long-dormant federal Arts programs and introduce new ones. Sen. Obama has assembled an impressive committee to design and (hopefully) oversee the project, which borrows some from Franklin Roosevelt’s WPA Arts projects, Lyndon Johnson’s NEA, and adding timely new features.

And If this seems to you a minor piece of his agenda, well, someone begs to differ. On October 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy gave an address at Amherst college that included the following:

The artist, however faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an officious state. The great artist is thus a solitary figure. He has, as Frost said, a lover's quarrel with the world. In pursuing his perceptions of reality, he must often sail against the currents of his time. This is not a popular role. If Robert Frost was much honored in his lifetime, it was because a good many preferred to ignore his darker truths. Yet in retrospect, we see how the artist's fidelity has strengthened the fiber of our national life.

If sometimes our great artists have been the most critical of our society, it is because their sensitivity and their concern for justice, which must motivate any true artist, makes him aware that our nation falls short of its highest potential. I see little of more importance to the future of our country and our civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist.

Tragically, this was his exit line on the subject.

Now, enter Barack Obama, who has made clear his intention to refocus the national dialogue on culture and fine arts. Novelist Michael Chabon, writing on behalf of the committee, eloquently says:

Every grand American accomplishment, every innovation that has bene_ted and enriched our lives, every lasting social transformation, every moment of profound insight any American visionary ever had into a way out of despair, loneliness, fear and violence—everything that has from the start made America the world capital of hope, has been the fruit of the creative imagination, of the ability to reach beyond received ideas and ready-made answers to some new place, some new way of seeing or hearing or moving through the world. Breathtaking solutions, revolutionary inventions, the road through to freedom, reform and change: never in the history of this country have these emerged as pat answers given to us by our institutions, by our government, by our leaders. We have been obliged—to employ Dr. King’s powerful verb—to dream them up for ourselves.

America’s artists are the guardians of the spirit of questioning, of innovation, of reaching across the barriers that fence us from our neighbors, from our allies and adversaries, from the six billion other people with whom we share this dark and dazzling world. Art increases the sense of our common humanity. Imagination of the artist is, therefore, a profoundly moral imagination: the easier it is for you to imagine walking in someone else’s shoes, the more difficult it then becomes to do that person harm. If you want to make a torturer, first kill his imagination. If you want to create a nation that will stand by and allow torture to be practiced in its name, then go ahead and kill its imagination, too. You could start by cutting school funding for art, music, creative writing and the performing arts.


Read the rest by clicking HERE.

Download/read Obama's entire arts program by clicking HERE.