Invitational Artwork Updated!

This is just a quick note to say that most of the work in the invitational section of CYBER FYBER has been uploaded. They are here. I am only expecting the work of one more artist!

This is also a note to say that a few of the ATCs and Postcards in the on-line exhibition are unfortunately not orientated the way the artists had intended. Please know that photographing, color/contrast/resizing/naming, uploading, and linking over 400 images is quite a task! If a card looked "okay"....it wasn't rotated. I actually think the presentation looks better with the vast majority of the trades being presented in a horizontal fashion. At the exhibition, most of the postcards will be shown horizontally; most of the ATCs will be shown vertically. They look great. They look really great in this presentation style. I hope too many feeling aren't hurt.

Also, when I first envisioned CYBER FYBER, I really didn't think about whether my own work would be part of the exhibition. I sort of thought that the artwork would "tell a story" of how Internet exposure has affected my work....not necessarily including my work. During the year, I applied for a grant from The Friends of Fiber Arts. At that time, I made the conscientious decision NOT to include my art in CYBER FYBER. This was one of the requirements for funding. The "curator" (me) was not to be part of the show. I was perfectly fine with this....especially if it meant getting funded. Only.....the grant was not approved. There was no good reason for me to withhold my fiber arts.

Gallery 80808/Vista Studios is a very, very large space. The main space measures 32' x 21'. The atrium is 18' x 18'.....and there is a very spacious entry hall, back hall, and another smaller hallway. Therefore.....I actually NEED my own work! So, I'm going to be including several of my Decision Portrait Series pieces...especially those depicting life altering decisions made by some of the fiber artists I've met over the Internet!

Lake Murray Columbia Magazine

Columbia is the capital of South Carolina. Our largest newspaper is The State and it publishes a monthly magazine called Lake Murray Columbia. Actually, there's a "northeast" magazine too...it is exactly the same except for the cover. Both magazines feature CYBER FYBER inside....but the Lake Murray Magazine has an image of my wrapped nails on the cover! It came out on the same day that I received notification from HANDCRAFTED, the national fine crafts juried exhibition in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. These very nails and Bessie's Quilt were accepted! I'm thrilled with the coverage! Interest in the exhibition is building! Click on any image to enlarge for reading!

ON-LINE ATCs and POSTCARDS

I was going to include the recent article and COVER of the recent Lake Murray Magazine with this post.....but I've been sitting in front of the computer since early this morning. I'll post this great coverage tomorrow...Christmas Day. For now, I'm thrilled to announce that the ON-LINE EXHIBITION is up! The ATCs are here; the Postcards are here! As the last few arrive, I'll update. In fact, there are still plenty of postcards available and a few ATCs. Just today my close friend Doni Jordan came by Mouse House to trade postcards! Doni just got a blog....in fact FOUR blogs. Her main/solo/personal place will be here but you can find the others on her blog profile.

PLEASE....if you find an error (spelling, link, whatever!) Please email me or leave a comment somewhere! I'll fix it!

ALSO: PLEASE NOTE: I'm going to have a PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD for the traded postcards and the traded ATCs. The postcard and ATC with the most combined comments and votes from the actual exhibition at Gallery 80808/Vista Studio will win a prize! So far, Lori Brown, owner of Columbia's fabulous House of Fabrics on Main Street, has donated an extremely large bag of swatches, remnants, fabric scraps, buttons, and assorted "goodies". I'm collecting even more and will throw in a bunch of great things from my personal stash too! SO VOTE! That means.....leave your comment on the blog entry for the postcard and the ATC for which you want to vote! Don't try to vote by leaving the comment here! It'll be too confusing! Thanks!

Introducing Fulvia Boriani Luciano

(Above: Fulvia Boriani Luciano's design wall and supplies. Click on image to enlarge.)

Almost a year ago I created a "wish list" for the invitational portion of CYBER FYBER. I selected artists I wanted to invite to display work at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios. It was a difficult task. Some people call this "curating an exhibition". I guess that's the right phrase but I'm not really comfortable with it. It sounds rather elitist and that's not how I envisioned the exhibition. CYBER FYBER is meant to showcase the benefits of Internet access for all fiber artists, beginners to established professional. It was important to me that the invited artists come from every level of artistic achievement. Together, they represent the diversity and openness of the community. I selected artists because each one represented a unique aspect of the fiber arts on-line community....at least how I see and experience it.


(Above: Another view of Fulvia Boriani Luciano's studio.)

During the year I applied for various grants and recently I've been sending information to the press. I have a document to which I refer often. It is a list of the invited artists with the reason for each one's selection. It is below, but I mention it because I just invited another artist to join this part of CYBER FYBER. That might sound odd considering the others (with the exception of Annica Lindsten) were asked a long time ago.

In the beginning I couldn't have invited Annica because the specific benefit hadn't occurred yet! Annica represents the important benefit of learning about an opportunity that would never have otherwise been known....at least to me! Annica blogged about the Swedish Embroidery Symposium and the class with Tilleke Schwarz. I would never have known of this fabulous opporunity without my relationship with Annica over the Internet. So, I went! Once this was a reality, I could ask Annica to be part of CYBER FYBER's invitational art exhibition. Wonderfully, Annica accepted.


(Above: Fulvia's spinning wheel. She quilts, dyes, rusts, spins, felts, etc.! Most amazing! Below: A selection of handspun yarn! Click on images to enlarge.)


During the year I've also been trading hundreds of fiber postcards and ATCs. This journey brought about another important benefit to the Internet community of fiber artists....one that hadn't occurred to me until Fulvia Boriani Luciano asked to trade with me! Because of CYBER FYBER I found another, wildly talented fiber artist IN MY OWN STATE! I waited until last week to ask Fulvia....just to see if I would have made some other connection with her. But it never happened. It took CYBER FYBER for us to be introduced. I went to Fulvia's studio last Thursday. Truly, the Internet brought us together and it was most definitely an incredible benefit to me, to CYBER FYBER, and as an example of an important benefit of an Internet connected community of like-minded artists!

(Above and below: Details of samples, inspirations, and other items tacked up to the sides of Fulvia's design wall....including the CYBER FYBER postcard for which she traded!)

(Below: A selection of the supplies on hand!)

(Below: A stash of hand-dyed and rusted fabric....every piece unique!)

The images spread throughout this post are one I took in Fulvia's sun-drenched studio. Her website is amazing....but not half as amazing as meeting her in person. She refused to pose for a photo but promised to allow the camera to capture her likeness while at the CYBER FYBER opening! I'm thrilled to include Fulvia's work. I'm particularly happy that I now know someone so close to me.....just an hour's drive away! I'm planning to learn, to share, and to continue our relationship both over the Internet and in person!

Below, a "word document" used to seek funding and for publicity:
List of fiber artists participating in the Invitational section of the exhibition

It is important to note that this is intentionally a very eclectic list. CYBER FYBER is meant to showcase the benefits of Internet access for all fiber artists, beginners to established professionals. The invited artists come from every level of artistic achievement, reflecting the diversity and openness of the community. Instead of lengthy resumes, a brief reason for inclusion is listed. The names appear at random but with an Internet address.

Corinne Stubson (http://glitz-oh.com/about.html)

Corinne is a support team member of the Altered Book Yahoo Group, a blogger, and a book artist who works in fibers. She is creating a book especially for the exhibition. She represents the crossover artist who incorporates fiber into her mixed media approach

Doreen Grey (http://doreeng.blogspot.com/)

Doreen is a cyber friend to many, including CYBER FYBER. She was instrumental as a sounding board, proofreader, and site monitor. Doreen is also a modern day example of the grandmother teaching stitches to her nine-year old granddaughter Ebony, along with modern techniques and Internet exposure. Ebony has traded over forty ATC cards internationally with her grandmother’s help. The quilt’s fabric was donated by several stitchers following the blog.

Emmy Schoonbeek (http://emmyschoonbeek.blogspot.com)

Emmy participated in the 2007 TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday) embroidery challenge creating an artist book of the fifty-two weeks of stitches. She blogged about each stitch throughout the year and is sending the completed book along with other, mainly hand-embroidered art quilts. Emmy represents the foundation of hand stitching.

Sharon Boggon (http://inaminuteago.com/cv.html)

Sharon is an international fiber artist and teacher. She developed the 2007 on-line challenge TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday) and the 2008 on-line challenge TIF (Take it Further). She also created the social network forum stitchin fingers and wrote the best on-line stitch dictionary available. She represents one of the most influential catalysts in current fiber arts trends and undoubtedly the most Internet connected fiber artist in the world.

Penny Sisto (http://www.pennysisto.com/biography.asp, http://www.pennysisto.com/resume.asp)

Penny is a professional fiber artist who uses her website as a tool to reach new audiences and connect with other fiber artists. Her work is about the diversity of people. She is sending two art quilts from her Slavery series for CYBER FYBER. She represents someone without a blog but one using a website for communication with other like-minded artists.

Beate Knappe (http://beates-fabric-art.blogspot.com/)

Beate is a professional fiber artist and photographer who has written and is marketing an instructional series for the embellisher in both German and English. She represents world-class work on one of the newest machines available to individuals, the embellisher, a dry felting machine, as well as how one can reach wider audiences through a bi-lingual approach.

Dijanne Cevaal (http://origidij.blogspot.com/)

Dijanne is the international curator of the following traveling exhibitions: 2000 Australian Bounty (traveled to France, England, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia)
2001 Under the Southern Cross (traveled to the Netherlands, England, New Zealand, Australia)
2002 Twisted: Interpretations of the Natural Environment (traveled to England, the Netherlands and Australia)
2004 Organic (traveled to the Netherlands, Australia)
2005 Oceania (traveled to France)
2006 Across Australia (traveled to the Netherlands, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Israel, The Palestinian Territory, Australia)
2007 Sense of Place (traveled to Syria, France, Australia)
2008 My Place ( Australian coordinator)- an exhibition organized by New Zealand, South Africa

Dijanne Cevaal’s blog was the first I ever read regularly. She represents a level of international fiber work that would not generally be accessible to most working in the field….that of a true curator.

Veleta Staffney (http://sammystuff.blogspot.com/)

Veleta is a fiber artist working with beads. She has participated in several on-line beading challenges, trades, and collaborations. Veleta represents how beads can be more than an embellishment but the foundation for a fiber artist.

Jill Rumoshosky Werner (http://www.wernerstudio.com/resume.html)

Jill is the recent recipient of the mid-career art fellowship in Kansas. She has a blog and a website. She is sending one of her 3D conceptual art quilts, Transformed. She represents fiber art as sculpture, a conceptual approach to art, and a sense of humor.

Lynda Monk (http://www.fibreinform.com/index.html)

Lynda Monk experiments wildly with fabric and generously posts free, on-line tutorials as well as many blog posts documenting her new work and new techniques. Lynda represents the generosity of free tutorials available on many blogs and websites.

Nikki Wheeler (http://nikkiwheeler.blogspot.com/)

Nikki represents youth. She’s only 34, home schooling four children, and at the beginning of her artistic journey which is growing impressively through on-line connections that include blogging, an esty site, and making her work available through Art-o-Mats. She shares her paper-fabric techniques freely.

Susan Sorrell (http://www.creativechick.blog-city.com/)

Susan is a professional fiber artist who supplements her income by teaching with the on-line courses offered through Joggles. In addition to representing how the Internet can supplement an artist’s income through teaching opportunities, Susan Sorrell also represents another contemporary fiber artist in South Carolina/

Arlee Barr (http://arleebarr.squarespace.com/designjournal/)

Arlee represents how Internet exposure is a lifeline to those living in remote areas. She has also organized international round robin projects for contemporary stitchers, thereby bringing collaboration with other fiber artists into a physical reality despite her remote location.

Dale Rollerson (http://downunderdale.blogspot.com/)

Dale is the owner of The Thread Studio in Perth, Australia, a supplier for contemporary fiber arts. She experiments with her new produces and shares this through her blog. She represents a respected opinion on new supplies and materials as well as the insights as a retailer in the field.

Maggie Grey (http://magstitch.blogspot.com/)

Maggie Grey is an international artist, writer, and teacher. She blogs about her work and also the efforts of putting together exhibitions, trade show booths, and the processes of publishing. Maggie created a unique piece specifically for CYBER FYBER. She asked in a blog post for comments about blogging and how it changed one’s art and life. She used the response as text in her piece.

Jacqueline de Jong (http://jacquelinedejongarts.blogspot.com/)

Jacqueline is a contemporary art quilter who shares her experimentations and new ideas on her blog. She exhibits internationally and also creates fiber books. She represents international and a bilingual approach to developing a professional fiber career that also incorporates both a blog and website.

Wanda Lenz (http://wandalenz.blogspot.com/)

Wanda Lenz represents two important aspects in this exhibition. First, an important benefit to on-line communication is the ability to share one’s work with family. Wanda is the sister of CYBER FYBER’s organizer Susan Lenz. She lives in Germany. Susan lives in Columbia, South Carolina. Wanda is also the only traditional stitcher in the group. She is an accomplished cross stitcher and blackwork expert. She is currently starting goldwork.

VIDEOS!

My plan is going smoothly! I'm proud to announce that a new blog has been attached to CYBER FYBER! It is for the videos!

Currently, there are two videos available. One is for the ATCs and the other is for the Postcards! They are rather long....because there are lots of both! The ATC video is seven and a half minutes. The Postcard video is nearly thirteen minutes. I used Window Media Movie Maker to create these. The default for such a "slide show" presentation gives each image about four or five seconds. I had to manually drag each image to only two or three seconds in order to shorten these videos! The postcard video is about as long as Blogger can post. I'm pleased with this one....but I might remake the ATC one later....with different music, titles, and the few additional ATCs that are still arriving here in South Carolina.

I will be moving the video of Emmy's TAST fabric book to this blog soon. Also, I'm planning to create videos of the other books that will be part of the exhibition. Of course, I'll be making videos of the opening reception, Fiber Day, and ATC Day too!

I hope everyone enjoys these "teaser" videos. The on-line exhibition will be available on Christmas Day!

Happy Holidays!

Another Update!

The photos of the ATC are finished (except for a few that are still in the mail!). A video has been created! Each ATC is featured for approximately three seconds before fading into the next. The video runs for seven and a half minutes! That's because there's 163 ATCs! I'm working on a video...or maybe two...for the postcards. There's 276 of them! These videos will make their debut next week....as a teaser for the on-line exhibition.

Here's my plan: I'm going to spend at least eight hours on Christmas Eve uploading all the images for the on-line exhibition. This is my Christmas gift to BLOGLAND! I hope everyone enjoys it! Merry Christmas! There will be additional videos and posts to cover the physical exhibition, Fiber Day, ATC Day, etc.....so "stay tuned"!

INTERNATIONAL RANDOM ATC SWAP

DEADLINE: January 17, 2009
ALL ATCs and self-addressed, sufficiently stamped envelopes must arrive here before January 17, 2009

Address:
CYBER FYBER
2123 Park Street
Columbia, SC 29201
USA

Click here for more information!

CYBER FYBER update

(Click on image above to enlarge.)
In exactly one month CYBER FYBER opens at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios here in Columbia, SC. I've been swamped with preparations. Right now....this is how it looks.... full sized notebooks of postcards and little, CD sized notebooks of ATCs. All the exhibition labels have been created and printed. Emails have been sent to those from whom I've not yet received a trade (and most of these people responded in record time! Thanks!)

The boxes at the back of the table are for the International Random Trade....one for the envelopes....one for the ATCs! I'll be blogging about this more tomorrow! It's not too late to join in! (Just send one, two, or three ATCs in any media with self-addressed, stamped envelopes in your own country's stamps....they must arrive before ATC Day, January 17th!)

The invitational section of CYBER FYBER has been edited....and I've been in contact with each of the invited artists....and received some wonderful artwork already! I've also created a mailing list for a special email invitation to the exhibition...everyone who traded should be on it! I'm excited! I hope everyone is too! Next....creating the on-line exhibition....no peeking....I'm not going to upload the photos until all the posts have been created! I'll edit the pictures into the posts later!

More Funding and Six Weeks in Paradise

It's been a while since I've posted here....but there's more than a few good reasons!

First, I'm currently on Maine's remote Westport Island at the prestigious MacNamara Foundation spending six weeks at an artist's residency program. It is a paradise. I can still hardly believe that I was selected for this opportunity: room & board, studio space, and time to create art! Above is a photo of the front of the renovated 9000 square foot, 1860s era Pennsylvania barn that was moved to the property. It is called "The Barn". The interior is exquisite. Original art is everywhere. The studio space (below) is central, open, and totally equipped for every artistic need. All this luxury, all these hours of uninterrupted work time, and spotty Internet connections make blogging a lower priority....but productivity has never been higher! I am, however, blogging about the work I'm creating on my personal blog: http://artbysusanlenz.blogspot.com. Check it out!

Second, I've been busy with CYBER FYBER seeking additional funding sources and am proud to announce that Leonard Long of Kiawah Development Partners in Charleston has come through with a check. Leonard Long probably wouldn't want me bragging about him. He hates anything remotely "ostentatious". Leonard is larger than life with a strong historic grounding, excellent tastes in everything, and he leads with strong professionalism and a clear, informed vision. I've had the privilege to frame for him and his "projects" (entire golf clubhouses, sales centers, schools, private residences, etc.) for over fifteen years. He is amazing. He loves art and artists. My best business efforts are always for Leonard Long. His support means the world to me.

ATCs in Binders and MONEY!

Labor Day weekend provided an opportunity to really "labor"...uninterrupted work time...a chance to really get some important organizational things done for CYBER FYBER. I worked on the 163 ATCs for two days, creating all the exhibition labels and the small binders. Each binder has approximately 20 plastic sleeves. Each sleeve has a page with an image of the ATC I traded and its description plus the name, country, and blog/webpage for the fiber artist who created the ATC that is also inside the plastic sleeve.


(Click on either image to enlarge.)

It was really fun doing all this because it gave me an opportunity to peek in on several blogs. One of the unfortunate things about CYBER FYBER is that I don't personally have the time to read blogs like I used to do....but....once this is over, I've got lots of great places, new friends, and diverse blogs to really follow on a regular basis.

And now for some really GOOD NEWS: The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties has decided to fund CYBER FYBER with an $800 grant! I've got to add the "required blurb" on the site but I'm really thrilled as all this money will be going toward Internet access for Gallery 80808/Vista Studios....for CYBER FYBER's physical exhibition to be legally in touch with the rest of the world...with a strong signal! Hopefully, there'll be lots of people learning more about our blogs, blogging in general, and about fiber arts of all kinds!

UPDATE!

(Above: Embroiderers admiring kanthas after Dorothy Tucker's lecture.)

I'm been more than a little negligent in updating this blog. In my defense, I'm been busy....really, really busy. One of the most important things has been a trip to the Swedish Embroidery Symposium. I learned about it on Annica's blog. Annica helped me get enrolled....she met me at the train station (first stop past the airport!), she brought my bed linens (the symposium was held in a boarding school with dormitory accommodations), she arranged a place for my last three nights in Stockholm, she gave Sara Lechner and I guided tours through her home city, and she shared stories and stitches. OF COURSE, ANNICA IS NOW PART OF THE INVITATIONAL SECTION OF CYBER FYBER. This experience was only possible because of the wonderful, Internet connected community of like-minded textile artists! This is what CYBER FYBER is all about.

I've also had an opportunity to pitch CYBER FYBER to the entire board of directors of the local Cultural Council....but I don't have any photos. I'm still trading both postcards and ATCs in Round Two. I've arranged a promotional display for CYBER FYBER at another local art event called Unearthed. I'm ready to send "Artist Exhibition Agreements" to the artists in the Invitational section of the show. Cindi Boiter is submitted articles for publication. I'm still soliciting for grants and sponsorships. Plus, the "Artist Exhibition Agreement" contracts are ready to be sent to those in the invitational section of the show! Amazing! I'm also preparing to go to Maine for six weeks and still be able to conduct CYBER FYBER business via a laptop and my wonderful husband Steve. Amazing again!

Below are additional photos from the Swedish Embroidery Symposium!

(Above: Tilleke Schwarz's class.)

(Above: Sara Lechner stitching.)

(Above: A group project!)

(Above: Embroiderer hard at work in the Wij Gardens.)

Another Sponsor!

Above is a photo of my dear friend Connie Williams. Connie is one of those wonderful, rare individuals who loves the arts and PUTS HER MONEY into it. She and her husband Carl have sponsored visual artists, art events, ballet, drama programs, and served on several arts organizations. Connie used to be on the board of directors at both the local Cultural Council and the South Carolina Arts Commission. Believe it or not, Connie and Carl celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary next year! I would likely be "swimming in money" for CYBER FYBER if I could promise that every donor would feel so good about giving that she'd end up looking as young and happy as Connie.....but.....maybe you will! Contribute and see....any amount will do!

I'll be attending the Swedish Embroidery Symposium starting TOMORROW....gone for a week where I'll be studying design under the renown Dutch fiber artist Tilleke Schwartz, meeting the other international teacher Sara Lechner, and meeting several cyber friends including the fabulous Annica! From the beginning of CYBER FYBER, I put this upcoming experience on my "wish list". If it hadn't been for blogging, I'd never have heard of this symposium. Because of blogging, I'm being met at the train station and helped even with accommodations in Stockholm! I plan on learning new approaches and conceptual ideas for stitch while asking some of the participants to send work for the CYBER FYBER invitational section of the exhibition. Obviously, travel and real life encounters are an important aspect of Internet exposure.....so I'm really excited about this benefit....mind, body, and soul!

Going to Manchester for a week!

This post is just a little notice for those who might be wondering about the status of a trade or the reason why an email might not be immediately answered. Steve and I are going to Manchester, England for a week. Mathias, our elder son, will be dancing peasant pas (this is a really big deal!) in Giselle and will also be appearing in the Stravinsky triple bill with Birmingham Royal Ballet. We are planning a day trip to Buxton and time in some of the local museums. We return on Tuesday, July 15!

Creating images of wonderful postcards!

(Click on image to enlarge)

Upper left: Postcard 10 by Jacque Davis, Illinois, USA
Lower left: Postcard 23 by Jane Howie of New Zealand
Upper right: Postcard 6 by Anne Marie Desaulniers of Canada
Middle right: Postcard 1 by Virginia Spiegel of Illinois, USA
Lower right: Postcard 12 by Karen Stiehl Osborn of Nebraska, USA

Thank goodness CYBER FYBER has a professional writer who understands the "ins and outs" of submitting articles for publication. It is lots more complicated than I ever imagined...especially since we're aiming for some impressive magazines....like Fiberarts.

One does not just write an article....one submits a synopsis with appropriate visuals (300 dpi, 5", Tif format) accompanied by writing samples and a resume! Then....if they like it... one is commissioned to write an article. This is professional, top notch, and....thankfully CYBER FYBER has just the writer to do this.

I created some of the "visuals". These seven images are NOT them....but they look EXACTLY like them....just in a smaller size and in a jpeg format! It was difficult to select which ones to photograph because each trade is simply wonderful. I worked quickly....just grabbing ones that looked good together....ones that I thought might reproduce in a magazine well. So, this is a "sneak preview" of some of the wonderful postcards.

Cross your fingers that an article is commissioned!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Vertical on left: Postcard 72 by Donna Royer of Canada
Vertical on right: Postcard 30 by Susan Sawatzky of Washington State, USA
Center, top: Postcard 36 by Pat Thornhill of the United Kingdom
Center, middle: Postcard 75 by Caroline Commins of California, USA
Center, bottom: Postcard 46 by Judy Carpenter of Georgia, USA

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Vertical on left: Postcard 34 by Fannie Narte of Texas, USA
Vertical on right: Postcard 58 by Anne Jones of France
Center, top: Postcard 62 by Susan Devonport of the United Kingdom
Center, middle: Postcard 42 by Pearl Hamilton of Canada
Center, bottom: Postcard 68 by Nikki Wheeler of Washington State, USA

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Top, left: Postcard 79 by Linda Watts of Cyprus
Top, center: Postcard 48 by Fulvia Boriani Luciano of South Carolina, USA
Top, right: Postcard 49 by Yvonne Moxon of Scotland
Bottom, left: Postcard 44 by Myra Stuart of North Carolina, USA
Bottom, right: Postcard 70 by Annica Lindsten of Sweden

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Top, left: Postcard 91 by Barbara Bunchuk of Florida, USA
Top, center: Postcard 147 by Karen Christensen of Illinois, USA
Top, right: Postcard 113 by Nellie Durand of Tennesse, USA
Bottom, left: Postcard 84 by Juliane Lofquist-Birch of Illinois, USA
Bottom, right: Postcard 103 by Suzan Widecrantz of New Jersey, USA

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Top, left: Postcard 85 by Dagmar Kessler of Germany
Bottom, left: Postcard 121 by Val Foster of Colorado, USA
Middle: Postcard 101 by Hope Clinchot of Virginia, USA
Top, right: Postcard 100 by Cynthia St. Charles of Montana, USA
Bottom, right: Postcard 105 by Maggie Harris of the United Kingdom

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Top, left: Postcard 114 by Diane Lochala of Mississippi, USA
Bottom, left: Postcard 158 by Linda Stokes of Australia
Top, right: Postcard 124 by Carol Taylor of Wales
Center, right: Postcard 110 by Helen Suzanne Alexander of Scotland
Bottom, right: Postcard 127 by Jocelyn Goodger of New Zealand

Cindi Boiter wins award!

Cindi Boiter, the wonderful writer for CYBER FYBER, was just named as one of the winners of the prestigious 2008 South Carolina Fiction Project. The announcement included the following:

A resident of Chapin, Cynthia Boiter ("Shoes") is a six-time winner of the S.C. Fiction Project, a former fellow of the South Carolina Academy of Authors in both fiction and non-fiction, and the recipient of the Porter Fleming Award for fiction and the W. W. Norton 2008 Women on Writing first-prize winner. Her first Fiction Project winning story, "The Proposal," was included in the Hub City Writer's anthology, Inheritance, edited by Jeanette Turner Hospital. When she is not writing she teaches in the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Department of Sociology at the University of South Carolina.

SPONSORS

One of the important things the SC Arts Commission meeting suggested was that I encourage individuals and organizations to donate to CYBER FYBER. How one really does this, I don't know. Pay Pal was suggested....but....CYBER FYBER isn't an official non-profit...so it seems strange to me that individuals might donate as there's no way to provide paperwork for income tax purposes. Mouse House, my business, can already accept credit cards...without giving Pay Pal a percentage. The Cultural Council is willing to accept money for CYBER FYBER and issue a tax-receipt...but I wouldn't know if and when such a contribution is made...or when the funds would be handed over. Yet, Gail Vandenbout sent a contribution....directly...generously...without wanting a receipt...just giving from the heart. Since I've filled out a number of grant applications, there is great hope I'll get more funding....and the Vista Guild has given $1000. So....I've created a list on the CYBER FYBER pages acknowledging the funding I've received. Hopefully, the list will grow. If anyone wants to send any amount at all....your name or business will be added!

Meeting at the South Carolina Arts Commission

Yesterday I pitched CYBER FYBER to three important staff people at the South Carolina Arts Commission. I brought unopened CYBER FYBER mail too....because it is always impressive. The trades were spectacular, of course. Above is Sara June Goldstein, Program Director for Design Arts and Literary Arts and County Coordinator for Calhoun, Lexington and Richland Counties. I'm in Richland County...so she's the representative to whom I first spoke. Sara June set up this meeting and is pictured here opening Elena Chipara's envelope from ROMANIA! Even the stamps were impressively artsy!

Above is Harriett Green, Program Director for Visual Arts...for the entire state. She is opening Linda Cunningham's well padded and equally impressive trade from Canada.

The meeting was held in Executive Director Suzy Surkamer's spacious office. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the exhibition, the artists involved, the progress made thus far, and other avenues I might try for funding. It was also the first meeting at which the people involved were thoroughly familiar with the project. They'd all done their "homework", so to speak....which I appreciated so very, very much. No other meeting has been able to talk about the exhibition in detail. This was more than an "introduction"; it seemed much more serious. Unfortunately, the Arts Commission can likely grant no funds because Richland county has a sub-granting agency....the Cultural Council with whom I've already met and applied for a grant. Yet, these people were genuinely interested and said they'd look into any possibility to help...even financially! I considered the forty-five minutes quite successful. I'm grateful that they saw me at all!

Above is Ken May, Deputy Director, showing off Joy Brooks' ATC...with a subtle dragonfly that also appeared on the nice notecard and was the image on the postal stamp too....really impressive details!

(Above and below are other pictures of Sara June and Harriett.)

Sorry I haven't posted in a month! Hard to believe!

I just titled this post with my intended first sentence! It seems appropriate; so, I'll leave it. I haven't posted here in a month but it's not for lack of information. I've been BUSY! CYBER FYBER is coming along nicely.

I'd like to say a few words about Round Two of the fiber and postcard trading. They aren't flying out the door like the first round did....which is GOOD! I never expected all 163 postcards to be gone within six weeks. I thought I'd be begging people to trade with me. I've been using Sharon B's wonderful new stitchin fingers on-line community of textile artists to contact people living in countries and states that haven't yet participated. There are enough postcards and ATCs from which these new people can select. It has been wonderful. Here's the list so far:

Countries involved with trading: USA, Canada, Scotland, England, Wales, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Cyprus, India, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, Austria, Romania, Poland, Japan, Malawi, Austria and Australia.

States involved with trading: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and an APO address in Europe.

I also want to thank everyone who voted for CYBER FYBER in the New Carolina Idea project. Your votes propelled us into the final round but we were not selected. To be honest, I never thought we'd get as far as we did. It was suppose to be for "business" ideas. Let's face it, CYBER FYBER isn't a business! Nonetheless, it was a lot of good exposure in South Carolina and the connections might result in something else.

As far as additional funding it concerned, CYBER FYBER received a monetary donation from one of the trading participants, Gail Vandenhout of Carthage, NC. She will be listed on all the printed material at the exhibition....and so will anyone else sending any contribution at all.

Also, I've contacted the Friends of Fiber Arts International in Western Springs, Illinois and have received an application for funding which is due by the end of the month. I'm quite excited. In a telephone conversation, I asked if the board of directors or any of the membership involved would be willing to share any feedback or ideas at all....so maybe something will come of this even if it isn't money! One way or the other, I'm grateful to a group working hard to promote fiber arts all over the globe.

One last item! My trip to Sweden for the Embroidery Symposium is all set up...at least I've been accepted, have an airline ticket, and managed to get my local bank to figure out how to wire money for the fees! This is just one more example of the fabulous opportunities one can learn through Internet access. Without reading blogs I would never have known that Tilleke Schwartz was teaching design (Telling Your Own Story: Inspiration for Narrative Design) and Sara Lechner will be teaching "Surfaces to Stitch" which includes embellishing machine instruction. I'm taking Tilleke's class. The decision was based on the fact that my embellishing machine will not operate on the electrical system in Sweden. (Although later I was offered a "loaner", I stuck with this decision. It would be too tempting to duplicate Sara's incredible work...which I adore...and now, because of CYBER FYBER, actually own in postcard form!) Thus, the last remaining part of my INVITATIONAL WISH LIST can be added....I'll be looking for work that represents the symposium for CYBER FYBER. Internet access made this all possible. Learning about such educational opportunities is a definite benefit to on-line communication!

CYBER FYBER has a writer

Yesterday I met with Cindy Boiter, a local freelance writer and adjunct faculty member in the Women's Studies department at the University of South Carolina. We discussed CYBER FYBER and its publication needs. Cindy has agreed to fill these needs....so CYBER FYBER HAS A WRITER! Recently, Cindy won the first prize in the WOW! 2008 Winter Flash Fiction contest. She was interviewed here. The story, which is wonderful and short....so READ IT...is here.

ROUND TWO BEGINS TOMORROW

How many people knew that posting over 50 entries within 24 hours causes lots of problems on Blogger? First, there's a "word verification" window with impossible to recognize letters...some of which are capitalized but don't look it. Sometimes, Blogger simply forgets to show the tangle of letters at all but expects you to fill in the blank tab...just try guessing! Blogger was very slow yesterday...and then uploaded a bunch of postcards are verticals despite the fact they aren't. I also can't count. There is no postcard # 228. I have no idea why. I just skipped that number completely....

...but....

ROUND TWO is posted and ready for trading tomorrow! This is for NEW TRADERS ONLY! Please, everyone else....just spread the word! I'm working on another "connected" blog for the INTERNATIONAL RANDOM TRADE. I'll be coming soon. In the meantime, I'm seeking funding but have found a writer and a caterer!

ATCs
POSTCARDS

CYBER FYBER needs votes!

As most people reading this probably know, I've been pitching the CYBER FYBER to various groups, creating information packets for business leaders, and seeking funding for the exhibition. The Vista Guild awarded $1000. New Carolina had no money but an opportunity to submit the project into their "idea contest". They are giving away well over $8000 to various South Carolina ideas. Cyber Fyber has made it into the second of three rounds. To advance, votes are needed. Please click here and vote for the LAST IDEA LISTED! Thanks a million!

ANOTHER ROUND OF TRADING!

I've got over 120 fiber postcards and 30 or so ATCs finished and ready to be photographed, numbered, described, and unloaded for another round of trading. Trading will begin on Sunday, May 11, Mother's Day here in the USA. This is for NEW PARTICIPANTS! You must have a blog, website, active profile, Flickr! account, or place for the PUBLIC to leave to a comment in order to trade! This is first come; first serve.....but...

I am particularly interested in people living OUTSIDE these countries:

USA, Canada, Scotland, England, Wales, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Cyprus, India, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

ANYONE IN SOUTH AMERICA? PLEASE!!!

I am also particularly interested in people living OUTSIDE these states:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and an APO address in Europe.

Meeting at New Carolina

(Above Amy Love, communications director at New Carolina, opened Mary Lammers postcard from Eagle River, Alaska. Click on image to enlarge.)

Today was another meeting in which I had the opportunity to pitch CYBER FYBER. It was held at New Carolina. It went very well; but, to be honest, I'm a little depressed...and a little thankful.

I'm happy that my days aren't filled with meetings, that I don't have to seek funding for employment, and that I'm not part of any bureaucracy. I've always DONE things...I was a part time typist/secretary in high school. I waited tables. I delivered singing and dancing telegrams. I started my own business framing pictures. I'm an artist. I DO things...everyday...something always gets accomplished.

Rarely do I spend hours and hours, days upon days, weeks after weeks...planning, interfacing, scheduling, or just talking about remote possibilities and future endeavors. I have an idea, decide on an action plan, and do the work. That's how I approached CYBER FYBER and probably why most people recognize how organized it is. That's also why others are impressed that so much has happened...so many trades, so many countries and states, so many plans in place.

I'm a bit depressed, of course, because that's not how things are done in the corporate world. The meeting didn't generate any funds...but it did provide positive feedback and discussion. It might lead to more meetings, introductions to businesses related to the textile industry, and new ideas. Thankfully, I've got a few ideas of my own...a quiet action plan that just might have to be put into action if all this networking is just a bunch of unattached wires.

Well, there's my rant for the day. The meeting did include a few major highlights....unopened envelopes were presented. There is always a rush when a lovely textile creation appears inside. The images here depict that excitement.

By the way, today, April 28, is my personal SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF BLOGGING! I'm having my first ever "give away" on my blog. Overall, the fabulous postcards and ATC that were unveiled this afternoon and this anniversary make today truly special!



(Above: Andy Witt, executive director of the Richland and Lexington Cultural Council, opened Lora Martin's postcard from Santa Barbara, California. Click on image to enlarge.)


(Above: Lindsey Spires, administrative and research assistant at New Carolina, opened Sarah Graham's ATC. Click on image to enlarge. Sarah is the only person from my hometown with whom I've traded. She and I met last Thursday night in my studio during the annual spring art event, Artista Vista. She had agreed to help me with ATC Trading Day, January 17, 2009!)


(Above: Amy Love opened Sharon Schutt's postcard and ATC from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Click on image to enlarge.)


(Above: Andy Witt opened Karen Wentworth's postcard from South Africa. Click on image to enlarge.)


(Above: Lindsey Spires opened Myfanwy Hart's postcard from the UK. Click on image to enlarge.)

Hurrah for the Vista Guild Board!

Deirdre Mardon is a WONDERFUL lady! Her Vista Guild Board is a WONDERFUL group! They voted to fund CYBER FYBER with $1000. I'm thrilled pink!

Vista Guild Board Meeting

Last night was one of those sleepless ones....filled with anticipation and worry....wondering what words to choose during a brief presentation before the Vista Guild's board of directors....pitching CYBER FYBER and hoping for funding. The wonderful Deirdre Mardon (she's the nice lady closest to the camera) arranged for me to speak. I prepared packets of information including the working budget and a list of the countries and states involved. Each one received one of my fiber ATCs too. Most were interested in the possibilities of visitors coming from outside our city limits....so, if anyone is planning to come to Columbia next January, drop Deirdre an email. staff@vistacolumbia.com. All in all, the presentation went well. My fingers are crossed that these folks voted to support the show financially! Thanks to Deirdre, I feel positive energy! This has been quite a learning experience.

Home from Manchester!

(Above: Laura-Jane Gibson, me, and Mathias at Costa Coffeehouse in Salford Quays, England.)

It took twenty-one hours from the time I left the hotel until I arrived in Columbia, but I'm back. The trip was WONDERFUL. Above is a photo of me with Mathias and his girlfriend. They were both spectacular in Birmingham Royal Ballet's production of Swan Lake. I took 699 images, wrote dozens and dozens of pages in my journal, went to York, Bradford (Texera Mills), Chester, and to the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester. I'll be writing about these experiences on my blog....but, otherwise, I'm working on CYBER FYBER again...a bit every day!

I'm going to England...Next Week!

Steve recently went to England...flew in and out of Edinburgh, Scotland. He visited Durham, York, Edinburgh, and Sunderland....a whirlwind of sight-seeing and watching our elder son Mathias, a second year member of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Mathias is dancing the second male principal role in Swan Lake....okay, he's in the six cast...but he got to perform and will be doing so again on the evening of April 2 in Manchester. (Casting is listed here.) Steve said that we'd just have to frame a bunch more pictures because I had to go too! Steve is a real "wiz" on the airline websites. I'm leaving here on March 31st. I'm planning day trips to York and Chester. I return the following Sunday.

So....any other suggestions...great places for fibers? Anyone live anywhere near these places? Want to meet?

(For those who'd like to see Mathias dancing....here his Corsaire variation performed in Varna at the IBC...International Ballet Competition...during the summer of 2006. He won the Junior Gold medal.)

Another Round of Trading Scheduled for MAY!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

To tell the truth, I never thought I'd be able to trade all 163 postcards or over 110 of the ATCs...NEVER...much less in about six weeks. More honesty reveals that I never thought I'd be able to trade with fabulous stitchers in 21 different countries and in 36 states here in the USA...NEVER.

Thank you all for proving that NEVER is NOW! For proving that our cyber community is deeper, more generous, and ever growing! YOU ARE ALL WONDERFUL...and TALENTED...and AMAZING!

To celebrate....I'm going to have another round of trading! The image here is of an older piece...a silk painted experiment...which is about to go under the rotary cutter and become postcards! The coming round of trading will be for NEW PARTICIPANTS! I'm especially eager to see if I can have all 50 states and a few more countries represented....so....here's the list:

COUNTRIES: USA, Canada, Scotland, England, Wales, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Cyprus, India, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

STATES: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and an APO address in Europe.

Pitching CYBER FYBER

(Click on both images to enlarge!)

I hardly slept last night. Visions of my computer screen, of CYBER FYBER trading, postcards, and ATCs faded in and out of view, a twilight sort of restlessness...stress! I shouldn't have worried. I was quite prepared....packets of information that include site meter numbers, a working budget, a mission statement, my business cards, and a list of the countries (21) and states (36) involved.

I also brought two of the 3-ring binders full of traded postcards...quite impressive! Plus, I brought yesterday's unopened CYBER FYBER mail! Fred Delk, Executive Director of Columbia Development Corportation (on right), is opening Sharon Young's, envelope from the UK. Out popped an incredible postcard that she blogged about here. Andy Witt, Executive Director of the Cultural Council (left), is opening Helina Penttinen's envelope from Finland. Not only was there a beautifully stitched postcard, but there were four ATCs...one in exchange for ATC #130 and three for the International Random trading (scheduled for Saturday, January 17, 2009!) This was a perfect way for me to introduce this part of the event!

All in all, the meeting went well...despite the fact that three people weren't able to attend. Andy DeWitt has already written an email to solicit corporate sponsors and will be writing a grant. He also said I can apply for another grant as an individual artist. (I'll be doing it!) Fred Delk has a lead for possible in-kind help with the Internet needs. (Another meeting!)

From this meeting, I went on to talk to Deirdre Mardon. Deirdre has published seven novels, numerous story stories and was recently one of the 2006-07 South Carolina Fiction Project winners. She is also the director of the Congaree Vista Guild. She's pictured below opening Yarnpunk's envelope from Alaska. Inside was a postcard and ATC of complex texture and richness...quite impressive! Deirdre needs a statement and a brief presentation next month to her board of directors. No problem...another meeting...another sleepless night and a morning of excitement! I can handle it!

By the way, the envelopes were selected totally at random. Thank you Sharon, Helina, and Elizabeth (Yarnpunk!) for providing the dazzle for these meetings!