Bailey, one of the goats, gave birth to a pair of kids yesterday, quite a bit earlier than expected. Both kidlets are healthy, although the little girl has a wobbly leg. Aileen splinted it with a bit of cardboard. Since it has been cold, the kids were brought indoors and are penned in a Rubbermaid tote for a few days. Mama Bailey has been bleating mournfully, poor girl. Both kids have little gremlin ears like their mom. So cute!
I continue to work on the quilt, but also have started the owls. I plan to do
both images as a diptych, about 20"x28" each. I was given a small ball of very fine Habu cashmere, which I am using for the finer shading. Who would have thought you can embroider with cashmere? But it is lovely to work with, strong and smooth. I am also having some fun with this owl, using a variety of stitches for his spots, and trying to find a balance between accurate translation of the original ink drawing and enjoying the soft flexibility of the yarn.
And in the realm of owls, Inuit artist
Kenojuak Ashevak died yesterday. She was an acclaimed printmaker, and the image above, titled the
Enchanted Owl, was used on a popular 1970 Canadian postage stamp. I was 12 years old when it came out, and into stamp collecting, so I am very familiar with the image.
..the babies remind me of my time on SSI. the owls are looking great, I, too remember the "enchanted owl" stamp, a beautiful image.
ReplyDeleteI think everybody in Canada knows Kenojuak's owl image. It is magical. After printmaking techniques were introduced to the Inuit in the 50's, we southerners finally began to realize that a fascinating culture existed way up there in the tundra. Still as fresh and enchanting today as it was over 40 years ago. Maybe we should dump the maple leaf and put this owl-spirit on the national flag.
ReplyDeleteI, too, remember that stamp. And the early years of the "discovery" of Inuit art - one year I had an Inuit art calendar. So long ago!
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