Red Roses, White Picket Fence

Picket fences, with their repeating rhythms, usually lend a sense of orderliness to a yard. This aging, no longer tidy fence, has gone in a different direction. You could see it as an example of Wabi Sabi, the elusive Japanese concept that puts value on imperfection, age and wear. The rhythmic flow of the pickets is still there, but  the irregularities of the worn surfaces make it much  more interesting. The neighbors may disagree, but this fence, with its barely-contained roses, has a certain charm.

Sculpture At the Columbus Museum of Art

My annual visit to Columbus, Ohio, brought a new discovery. "Karnak (Sculpture Court)" rises up from the edge of the back lawn leading to the new wing of the Columbus Museum of Art. Paul Feeley's flat, shiny shapes stand like ripple-edged surfboards planted in the sand. Walk within them and you are treated to glimpses of the museum, of the sun bouncing off curved edges and of fat rickrack shadows. It is somehow whimsical and dignified, active and yet smoothly calm. And anyone walking down the street can enjoy it. 

Paint On Plastic Sheeting

Inspiration can be found in the oddest places. The first set of five day classes have just ended at the Quilt Surface Design Symposium. In Betty Busby's class, students were painting lengths of silk. When you peel the silk off the plastic, interesting colors and patterns remain behind. These days, fabric artists spend a lot of time designing and creating their own fabric patterns, manipulating images in Photoshop or with apps on their tablets. Sometimes a great design can be right in front of you. Like...on the plastic that is about to be thrown away. No apps needed.