Shifts

After what seemed like endless days of hot, bright weather

a shift took place

 after the full moon -

 a muting and softening of colours

 in nature's gallery.

I sat at Gage Gallery two days and enjoyed the steady stream of friends and visitors.

Now I am back to work in the studio and my palette has followed the weather...

Arrival

 With a snip of a ribbon, Gage Gallery officially opened our doors to the public on friday night

 and what a vibrant feast for the senses the celebration was!

 People began arriving before our opening time

 and the gallery was soon packed

 and spilling out onto the sidewalk.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

 Almost all the pieces in the back room's silent auction sold, including my two felted pieces, and that is great news for our collective, as members donated their art to raise funds for the gallery.

Here is my piece that is part of the current group show, which runs for three weeks.  It's called 'Loving the Questions'.  I also have some felted sculptures on display.

En'gage'ment Party

 The creation of our new gallery has continued to unfold over the past month,

 both outside

and inside, with help and donations from collective members and friends.  Our opening group show is being hung today and tomorrow we officially open with an evening celebration and silent auction of small pieces our members have donated.  Our website is: www.gagegallery.ca if you want to check us out.  And here's an article in the Times Colonist newspaper from today: http://www.timescolonist.com/newest-artists-collective-ready-to-show-1.1301019

Holes

 While holes are being patched at the gallery to prepare for paint,

I was making some in felt.

 The white and black

 soon turned into colour - just as it won't be long before the gallery will be be full of colour!

Live!

Summer is here

 and glorious flowers are everywhere.

 The light has broken through

as I have been sorting out the tangle of getting a website up and running -

branching out a little further.  My website is: www.yvonnefreigang.com

I feel full and 

                                                 
it's time to pause and celebrate!

Engaged

A different and exciting kind of growth has sprouted in my life recently.  I am part of a new

 contemporary artists collective and we have leased gallery space on Oak Bay Avenue!  Now that we

 have the keys, the work has begun to prepare the space for shows.

 Sometimes, you just have to reach for what you want.

The art at Gage Gallery will add colour and life to the community.  Our name 'Gage' means an offering of something valued as a guarantee of good faith.

Blooming Inside and Out

 There are so many flowers blooming now,

 including a few in my studio,

where I've been working on three wet felted pieces

 that I've entered for jurying into the Sooke Fine Arts Show.

I recently found this perfect bowl, made by artist Mary Fox, to hold my new business cards while out at the contemporary clay show 'Fired Up' in Metchosin.

This feels like a time of transformation for me - I am working to get several new ventures off the ground -

but they are in motion.  This was a recent gift I made.

And now I'll return to my studio to see what emerges next from the creative reservoir!

A Different Sort of Quilt

 When I arrived at the Victoria Quilt Guild Show this past weekend, I could hardly believe my eyes!  Yes, it's fabric, not paint.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the multitude of quilts and I was struck by just how much heart goes into their making -

 and how I love their softness.  I felt so refreshed afterwards that I could imagine I might make a traditional bed quilt sometime in the future.  I especially loved the hand pieced and hand quilted ones, but there were many other kinds of beauties, as well.

 Since I am primarily felting these days, I decided I'd use silk I've dyed, in a traditional design,

 to nuno felt.  Lots of one inch pieces and a bit tricky...

But it worked and opens a door to further exploration.

Pushing My Edge

 I have been thinking about crossing edges - how that can happen with light

 and shadow

and lead to a break through

 and growth.

To face the blank canvas or void and to use line, shape, colour and texture to form a world pushes my edge and that's what I'm calling this one.  There are ten different silk fabrics and fibres along with the wool.