. . . . . .Mary's Granddaughter. . . . . .

The gift of time and the space to be

2012-01-27T06:05:00.000-08:00

I am currently in Saratoga, Wyoming at an artist in residency program at Brush Creek Ranch. I don't believe there is any greater gift as an artist than being given the time and space to be. Today is the start of my third full day. I am not sure if I've ever been this relaxed or inspired.

The view from my studio porch.

Plenty of bones

Giveaway

2012-01-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

I have been most delinquent in posting this due in part to the holidays, a busy schedule and a propensity to procrastinate. I am doing this giveaway to show my appreciation for those who have participated in my story projects. You can read more about them here and here and there is still time if you'd like to submit. Everyone who has participated will automatically have their names thrown in the hat. So without further ado here are the prizes:

1. 7" x 7" leather sketchbook handmade by dear Amy Peterson of Utah. You can check out her Etsy shop here.

2. 'Head in the Clouds' an embroidery created by me on antique handwoven linen with an antique bisque doll arm.

3. 25 seed faces created by the fabulous Kelsey Pike of Kansas City. You soak these little guys in water, place them on some dirt and they sprout little plants from their faces. You can check out her shop here.

4. A $25 gift certificate to Haldecraft. Lorena Haldeman makes beautiful hand-dyed yarn, yummy soaps and fun ceramics and she's an awesome person!

5. Any Moleskine journal from my shop. (more are currently in the works)

Names will be pulled and the winners notified on February 25th. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at info@cindysteiler.com

I'm heading to Wyoming

2012-01-07T05:19:00.000-08:00

photo taken from the Brush Creek Ranch website

I am heading to beautiful Saratoga, Wyoming in less than two weeks. (insert squeal of excitement) I have been awarded an artist's residency at the beautiful Brush Creek Ranch through their Brush Creek Ranch Arts Foundation. I am shipping out my supplies today and looking forward to two weeks of uninterrupted time to create in this amazing landscape. As an added bonus I get to spend a few days with my dear Colorado friends in my old stomping ground and a little horseback riding to boot. I can't think of a better way to start the New Year!

2011-12-25T05:07:00.001-08:00

Documenting the Past - Two new projects

2011-10-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

The scope of the original project I posted about here has grown. I would love your help!

I Learned From My Mother Who Learned From Her Mother

My favorite childhood memories center on spending time with my great-grandmother, Mary Steiler. She taught me to sew, quilt, crochet and embroider, all while sharing amazing stories about her life. What she passed to me had been passed to her along a long line of women, inspiring in me a lifelong passion for creating.

Through my work I hope to capture the essence of my relationship with my grandmother while exploring and celebrating all women and girls; our relationships, our daily lives, and our traditions. I want to use my work to preserve and continue the traditions of both craft and story in a way that honors these lineages, but is decidedly modern; that is intensely personal, but accessible to all.

This winter I am starting a new project called 'I Learned from My Mother, Who Learned from Her Mother'. Through this project I plan to explore and document traditions and traditional craft passed from generation to generation within families through storytelling and art. This will be achieved through a mix of traditional needlecraft and sculpture and will also employ my background as a set designer to create small installations. The images of the pieces and stories will be assembled into limited edition hand bound books.

The Grandmother Project

The 'Grandmother Project' has grown out of the 'I Learned Form My Mother Project'. Many of the submissions I have been receiving have included beautiful stories of the tellers' amazing grandmothers and I feel compelled to celebrate these women. My aim is to document the lives and unique beauty of our grandmothers through storytelling and art. This will be accomplished through a mix of traditional needlecraft, sculpture and installations. The images and stories will also be hand bound into book form.

I would love to include your stories in my project! If you'd like to share please email me at info@cindysteiler.com. I have questions prepared to help guide you in your story telling for both projects. To thank those generous enough to share I will be conducting a big giveaway. Details will be posted soon. Everyone who has submitted thus far will automatically be entered.

All the best,
cindy

A Love Song

2011-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

singing a love song to myself

I am not very good at expressing myself through words. I think this contributes greatly to why I make art and also to why this post takes me out of my comfort zone. I have a tendency to be a bit hard on myself. Through the years though I've softened and am a bit gentler. I have grown to like myself and on occasion dare I say, love myself. I created this piece as a little reminder. The more I love myself the easier it is to love others, to smile, to be inspired. So today I am singing a love song to me. Some days it's more of a hum and then there are the days I need this reminder. Give it a try. If the song doesn't come easily just try humming along.

xoxo
cindy

Doll Update

2011-10-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

I finished these dolls up yesterday. I had originally planned on sewing dresses for them all until I came across some scraps of beautiful Victorian and crocheted lace and changed my mind. I will probably do things a bit differently on the next go-round but overall I am pretty satisfied with my first attempt at working in clay. It was a nice change of pace.

Dolls

2011-09-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

I have been working lately on some dolls. They've been patiently waiting on the pages of my sketchbook to come to life for quite a long while. They are only half finished but I thought I'd share.


this tiny little tintype is my most favorite

A rose by any other name...

2011-09-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

This week it seems the word rose has become the theme. I have been receiving stories from generous souls for an upcoming project I'll be working on. I'm not actually supposed to be working on it yet. I am supposed to be finishing up pieces for upcoming shows and submissions. I read a story from a woman called Rose that immediately created an image in my head so I took a break from what I should be doing to create this little study. Rose does beautiful embroidery work which can be seen here . The piece called Umbrella Man from her invention series is my favorite.


rose

I took the patterns I created to make the piece above to do this little number in my sketchbook. Though I think this was born out of procrastination rather than inspiration.

procrastination rose

This leads me to the next rose. I had a beautiful sketchbook made by Erica of the shop Odelae and it is called Old World Rose.

old world rose

I requested the beautiful weaving on the spine. It reminds me of the antique hand woven linen I use in much of my work. I love the smell of the leather and paper together. Actually I love everything about it.

I am still collecting stories for my project that will eventually become a book. If you are interested in participating more information can be found here.

and the Winner is......

2011-08-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

The winner of Karen Drayne's "Lady Owl " is Elaine of Red or Gray Art.

Heads Will Roll

2011-08-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

Look at cute little Agnes.

I just got a shipment of doll heads and doll bodies from Germany yesterday and thought I'd share.

A Call for Stories

2011-08-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

This winter I am starting a new project called "I Learned from My Mother Who Learned from Her Mother". I plan to explore and document stories of tradition and craft passed from generation to generation through a combination of traditional needlecraft and sculpture.

I would love to hear and document your stories if you are willing to share. Photos and images would be nice, but are not necessary. If you are interested in participating, let me know, either through the comments or via email at marysgranddaughter@live.com. I have also prepared a list of questions I can send you to help guide the telling of your story if you'd like.

Laventime Dreams Interview and Giveaway

2011-08-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

I fell upon Karen Drayne's work last year and it was love at first sight. I love the expressions on the women's faces, the crocheted bits and the colors. Her attention to detail is remarkable. Karen's work really struck a chord with me and I acquired my first piece.

I threw the scissors in for a size reference.

Recently I treated myself to a second piece for my new studio. Along with the piece Karen sent a note with the inspiration behind it which made me love it even more.

Blue Bird, Black Sheep

the inspiration (click to make it larger)

Blue Bird, Black Sheep detail

She also sent this beautiful brooch and was kind enough to let me interview her.

Me: Tell us something about yourself.

Karen: Given me a needle, thread and some fabric, I will be entertained for hours. Given a sewing machine and some furry fabric, I will stuff you a bear or a bird. I might later ask for some pencils, paper and paint. I come from a long line of crafty women who worked with their hands. I am one of four sisters, a mother of two girls and a grandmother of four.

Me: What Inspires you?

Karen: I love old style with new twists. I am inspired by old photographs, old books, old poems, and old words, but see them with a new twist of whimsey. The intricate, yet simple style of the primitive handwork done by women and sometimes girls in the Victorian Era is enchanting. Everyday life depicted with such beauty using no patterns, only scraps of fabric and thread is quite inspiring.

Me: Tell us something about your creative process

Karen: Each piece is a journey. The creative process itself is the most interesting part of the journey. Sometimes the fabric speaks to me or the thread jumps off the shelf..really they do. I try not to over think the Stitched Ladies and let them evolve at their will. I like combining machine stitching, hand stitching and crochet all in one piece. The crochet work in some of the Stitched Ladies is made up as I go with no idea exactly how it will turn out. Any project which actually requires a pattern as my bear making does, gets changes here and there every time...can't
stop myself, which makes each, one of a kind.

Me: What's in the work for the future?

Karen: I am working on a twisted version of the old Samplers. Thinking about
combining stitching and drawings on paper and exploring some paint mixed with the stitchings. The bears are getting much smaller and more wearable.
The stitched work seams to be going in two opposite directions, much larger and much smaller.

Me: I've always wondered about the name of your shop Laventime Dreams. Is there a story behind it?

Karen: My granddaughter gave me a hand written card three years ago which read
Happy Laventimes Day! (Happy Valentines day!) My daughter said," Where
do they celebrate Laventimes Day? " We imagined a far away land, the Land of Laventime, where they are all happy everyday celebrating love and kindness. So
it just stuck. Everyday I'm creating, at work doing what I love, I'm in that land having happy Laventime Dreams!

Visit Karen at her shop Laventime Dreams or her blog.

And now the fun part for you dear readers. I have purchased this lovely piece called "Lady Owl" to give away to one lucky winner. All you need to do is leave a comment below and make sure I have the means to contact you if you should win. You have until midnight Friday August the 19th to respond. The recipient of "Lady Owl" will be announced Saturday August 20th.

Lady Owl

Tintypes for a Tuesday

2011-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a few tintypes for your Tuesday. Enjoy.

My Dyeing Day

2011-07-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I dyed some handwoven linen for use in upcoming pieces. That is my little dog Pablo inspecting my work.

Bobo was also about making sure everything was running smoothly.

Imagine a time when these hung on the line

2011-07-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

I purchased these lovelies a few weeks back. The whites are for stitching the jackets for inspiration. The craftsmanship that went into these pieces is amazing. I found these at Tuckers Primitives. Shop owner Debbie is a pleasure to deal with. Pop in if you have a chance.

Sew Somerset Summer Issue

2011-07-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

I feel honored to be included in this lovely magazine. You can learn more about Sew Somerset and other Stampington publications here.

collecting

2011-07-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

A little fabric book.

collecting tintype photographs

collecting clouds

collecting Victorian buttons and needles

collecting skeleton keys

What do you collect?

sweet collaboration

2011-07-19T17:30:00.000-07:00


=

Earlier this year I contacted Jen of Quench Metalworks to see if she would be interested in a collaboration. I had been drooling over her jewelry for quite a while and was thrilled when she agreed. I was even more thrilled with the result.

Inspirations for upcoming work

2011-07-13T16:17:00.000-07:00