Gloria Hansen is one of those people who just overwhelms me with her talent, her generosity, and her ability to multi-task.  In addition to winning over 200 (yes, 200!) awards for her artwork, she has written the definitive work for artists seeking to understand the whole image, pixel, Photoshop thing that is so important for entering exhibits.  Her book, Digital Essentials:  The Quilt Maker’s Must-Have Guide to Images, Files, and More! published by Electric Quilt Company, was a USA Book News “Best Books 2009” finalist. Two notable current shows include Visions 2010: No Boundaries, on display from Oct. 2010 – March 2011, at Oceanside Museum of Art in California, and Form, Not Function: Quilt Art at the Carnegie, on display January 7 – March 5, 2011 at the Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany, Indiana.

1.  Why are you participating in the ONE fundraiser for the American Cancer Society?
Several reasons:   I am very happy to be involved in this cause.  While my contribution is small, I recognize that the culmination of every contribution can continue the flow of money to help develop the research that will make a positive difference in the lives of those now fighting cancer and to help prevent others from ever experiencing it  Sadly, I’ve had people very close to me die of cancer.  My father-in-law died of colon cancer. My dear aunt had breast cancer in her 30s and then died of it after getting it again in her 70s.  Happily, however, there are others in my life that made it through treatment and are now cancer free.  The differing outcomes hammer on the desperate need for research dollars to encourage screenings, find better treatments, and to ultimately find a cure for all cancer.

Three Birds by Gloria Hansen.  This is one of Gloria’s artworks that will be available during the ONE fundraiser on February 16.

2.  Tell us about your collages for ONE.
I used a variety of techniques that I’m fond of.  I worked with digital prints on fabrics, thin metals, spun polys, and other subtrates. I also included fabric and papers that I painted with dyes and/or acrylic paints.  I used different types of finishing methods such as black gesso to seal the edges of the work.  My goal was to create a range of looks to hopefully appeal to a wider range of tastes.

3.  What are you working on in the studio now?
My main fiber work is a series based on a digital collage of photographs taken over a period of several years.   It’s my “Journey” series.  The imagery is very personal, yet obsured and heavily layered.  The first in the series is called “The Journey.” I also have smaller, experimental work going on which is mainly based on digital designs and prints on different substrates.  I’m printing on thin metal and experimenting with ways of working the metal into my fiber work.  I am also experimenting with printing the same image on mulitple types of surfaces – from sheers and poly spuns to papers and fibers, distressing layers to reveal layers underneath and so on.

While I love digital design and printing, I also enjoy painting and combining digital with layers of paint, and I’m also combining digital with some traditional hand embroidery, something I once did a lot of (in my early 20s, I earned a Master Craftsman in embroidery from the Embroiderers Guild of Ameria).   Oh, I’m also  about to stitch together a journal made of watercolor papers that I first painted and dyed and then digitally printed on.

The Journey by Gloria Hansen.  See more of Gloria’s artwork on her website and stop by her blog for an interesting blend of art and technology news.

4.  Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere.  I generally tend to look, really look, at nearly everything around me.  I fixate on the color, line, shape, the compostion, angle of light, and so on.   I’ve enjoyed photography from a young age and jumped into digital photography early on.  As a result, I have thousands and thousands of digital images that I’ve taken over the years stored on many external drives.  I’m constantly adding to those images.  I’m also big on journals, sketchbooks, and idea books, which I’ll often refer to for inspiration.  I’m fortunate in that I started with computer drawing and painting programs early on, and I’ve been working with Photoshop for nearly two decades. While there is always something to learn with that massive program, it’s second nature  for me to experiment with ideas and images digitally.  An afternoon in a book store or museum works, too.

5.  What advice do you have for artists who are seeking their unique voice or direction in their own artwork?
First you have to develop your technical skills, including color and design.  Then, when it’s time to seek your unique voice, you need to take the time to hear it.  Stop taking popular classes for the sake of taking popular classes. Stop reading books and magazine on the latest craze.  Stop concerning yourself with what everyone else is doing and making.  Such things can become overwhelming and create a lot of confusing noise that will block your voice.  Instead, give yourself daily solitary time to focus on your work.  When you hit on something that excites you, immerse yourself in it. Explore it every which way. Take notes on what you are doing.  Create small experimental pieces.

When you hit a wall, keep on working.  Look at a few art magazines or visit a museum to charge up your creative juices.  If you know some like- minded artists whose opinions you trust and whose work you admire, consider getting together to talk about what you are doing.  Once a month or so can be and helpful.  Most important, however, is the work. At times it will feel exhilerating, everything will click, and your voice will be clear; other times it will feel painful, nothing will come together, and you voice will seem silent. Regardless of where you fall on the scale, you must show up at your designated work area and do the work, especially when you do not want to.  The goal should be every day, if even to sit for a while in your workroom and ponder. If you stay focused and consistently do the work, you will hear your voice and with it you will find your direction.

Jane Dunnewold.  Just hear her name and you think Art Cloth.  Her seminal book, Complex Cloth, has been followed by Art Cloth: A Guide to Surface Design for Fabric as well as several other books and DVDs in collaboration with other artists. As owner of the working and teaching studio, Art Cloth Studios, located in historic San Antonio, Jane has influenced an entire generation of fiber artists to think of cloth as a vehicle for self-expression and artistic intent.

1.  Why are you participating in the ONE fundraiser for the American Cancer Society?
Because no one is untouched by cancer. We are experiencing it in my family and two close friends have also been through real ordeals in the past four years. You can feel helpless or you can try to help. Being proactive is important.

Remembering You by Jane Dunnewold.  This artwork will be available during the ONE fundraiser on February 16.

2.  Tell us about your collages for ONE.
I’ve been working with “re-purposed” clothing – which used to be known as cast offs from the thrift store! The partial bits of garments reference human interactions and help tell short stories, which are rounded out with screen printed paint and sand, gold leaf, and hand writing.

3.  What are you working on in the studio now?
I just completed and shipped 48 new pieces for an exhibition at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. The series is entitled Etudes: A Daily Practice and the pieces are all rectangular and linear – something new for me last year. The pieces were inspired by musical etudes and daily practices of other kinds – meditation, household chores, making art. They combine my traditional surface design techniques with new processes I am perfecting, including printing with sand, and the use of paper on silk for devore.

4.  What has been the biggest surprise of your art career so far?
That it is still going.

Etude #41 by Jane Dunnewold.  Silk, cotton shirt, devore, pencil. 14″ x 36″

5.  Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. One of the greatest gifts of being an artist is learning how to really LOOK  - 24/7.

6. What advice do you have for new art collectors/new Patrons of ONE?
If you love it, buy it before someone else does.

7.  What advice do you have for artists who are seeking their unique voice or direction in their own artwork?
Quit looking at other artists’ stuff and quit reading magazines for a year. Look at the world around you and think about what you love. Then be rigorous in pursuing it.

8.  What would you do with a year free to do what you wanted with no responsibilities or financial concerns?
Work in the studio and travel around Europe by train.

Karen Stiehl Osborn is an artist enamored of the colors and textures of Nature.  She shares her interpretation of Nature’s beauty in collage, watercolor paintings, fiber artwork, and photographs.

But she is not a studio-bound artist.  She is active with dog rescue organizations, including the Wag N Train Terrier Rescue, volunteering to shoot photos of rescued dogs so that each animal has the best chance of achieving a forever home.

Karen has also been an integral part of the Fiberart For A Cause fundraising efforts from the very beginning.  In fact, she was the first person who asked, “Could I make a postcard also?” That was over $205,000 donated to the American Cancer Society and five years ago.

Karen’s website showcases her prolific production of artwork and her blog shares her love of rescue dogs, her garden, the making of art, and more.

For this year’s big fundraiser to fight cancer on February 16, Karen is donating collages as well as working hard behind the scenes to prep all 100 collage jpegs and the event pages. Karen took a moment from her busy schedule to participate in a little Q&A:

1.  Why are you participating in the ONE fundraiser for the American Cancer Society?
Dad died in 2001 from leukemia at a fairly young age. His death changed my life in many ways. I learned that life can be shorter than I realized and that it is important to me to live a life with meaning. I quit my career as an accountant and started working in my studio all day. I also started donating to causes that are important to me, including the American Cancer Society. I have been a part of FFAC since the beginning, and it means a lot to me to continue to support Virginia’s fundraising efforts, as a tribute to Dad and as a way to add meaning to my life.

Soul by Karen Stiehl Osborn.  This artwork will be available during the ONE fundraiser on February 16.

2.  Tell us about your collages for ONE.
These collages are a new series titled “ME Words”. I started by making a list of words that are important to me as an artist. I included some words that have a deeper meaning, and some that are a little more practical, like “collage”. I scanned the dictionary page with the word on it, circled it in black, and glued it down as the first layer of the collage. Then I added layers of hand painted Chinese papers, more layers of paint, more layers of papers — until I was happy with the color combinations and layout of each collage. Coincidentally, these are my favorite colors — earth tones and jewel tones.

3.  What are you working on in the studio now?
Photography, watercolor, and collage. I have a series of photographs that I took on a recent art retreat, and I am working with these photos and some watercolor paintings that I did from the photos. I am hoping to incorporate the photos, the watercolor paintings, and painted papers and cloth into a new series about the natural beauty of that special place.

4.  What has been the biggest surprise of your art career so far?
That others appreciate my art (and even buy it!). I have always created for myself, so it is very gratifying when people email me to let me know that they love different pieces that I have created. Even when I switch gears in the studio, my followers continue on with me. It is a fabulous life!

Winter into Spring #4 (6×4″) by Karen Stiehl Osborn

5.  Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! I am inspired by nature, but I take that inspiration and create abstractly from it. I am rarely without my camera, so I take tons of photos of nature and the world around me. My art almost always evolves from something I have seen or something I have experienced. It is very personal, although the viewer may not always realize that. Most of the time, it is very subtle, and I like that because it allows the viewer to bring their own experiences to the piece.

6.  Do you collect art?  If so, how do you know a piece is right for your collection?
I do collect art from other artists. It gives me a good feeling to support other artists, and I enjoy living in a home where art surrounds me. I buy art that speaks to me. It is an immediate feeling that I get when I see the piece, and if it doesn’t go away, I know it is an artwork that is right for me. I try to collect art that is outside of the mediums that I use, but that is not a definite rule as I own many collages from other artists.

7.  What would you do with a year free to do what you wanted with no responsibilities or financial concerns?
This is an easy one! I would pack up my camera and art supplies, and I would travel. I would photograph and paint all day every day until the year was over. And then I would wish for another year just like that one!

Jeanelle McCall is one of those artists whose talents seem to stretch in limitless directions — graphic designer, painter, illustrator, fiber artist, collage artist, and installation artist.

I know Jeanelle from the numerous pro bono logos she has designed for Fiberart For A Cause.  Jeanelle not only designed the ONE logo, but she is also donating artwork to the big event on February 16.

If you are as intrigued as I am by Jeanelle’s exhibit at the Museum of East Texas (two photos below), visit her Five Spoon Gallery website for even more great art.

1.  Why are you participating in the ONE fundraiser for the American Cancer Society?
How can anyone resist Virginia’s request! On a more personal note, my dear brother lost his life to cancer at the age of 36.  All my American Cancer Society fundraising efforts are in celebration of him.

Renewal 1 by Jeanelle McCall.  Available February 16 during the ONE fundraiser.

2.  Tell us about your collages for ONE.
Joy of life, joy of renewal, the comfort of continuum – this is what I want to present to the ONE fundraiser.  Chiffon, metallic foil, linen,  paint, pen and ink are what I used to illustrate the Renewal series. My hope is this series will be a heartfelt thank-you note to the generous ONE donors.

3.  What has been the biggest surprise of your art career so far?
That others can feel joy from my work too.

4.  What would you do with a year free to do what you wanted with no responsibilities or financial concerns?
After grinning from ear to ear, I would take the opportunity to express what must get out of me through art. I speak with art. I’m bursting with the passion to thank life for its beauty.

5.  Any upcoming exhibits, new artwork, books, etc. we should know about?
Oh yes, my largest exhibit, Where the Wild Things Grow, is up right now through May, 2011 at the Museum of East Texas. I have 67 pieces (most all handwork) hanging in this extraordinary space.

I said I would like to paint a section of their beautiful white wall with black board paint and have a glossy black iron bed to illustrate my “3:00 am process of creating for this exhibit” – and they let me! I drew the frame and chair with chalk and hung one of my pieces in the chalk frame.  I tea dyed some heavy cotton and wrinkled it up and draped over the bed. I made little flowers that flowed down the drape to the floor to represent the ideas flowing from my imagination.  All the other exhibitors (paintings, photography, etchings) used the standard gallery hanging approach.

Calendar series is also part of my current exhibit, Where the Wild Things Grow, at the Museum of East Texas.

BJ Parady, one of the invited artists for the ONE fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, often works the same veins of inspiration as I do as we are both Midwesterners intrigued by and enamored of the natural world.  But she brings to her artwork a special discerning eye as a trained botanist. Her artwork is always thoughtful, textural, and evocative.

1.  Tell us about your collages for ONE.

Still Waters 2. Read more about this artwork for ONE on BJ’s blog.

I’ve been playing with the process of disperse transfer dyeing. A byproduct of this technique is these deeply saturated painted papers, which I used to form the bottom layers of these pieces. Most of my art is inspired by the biome in which I live–the Midwestern prairie and the rivers that run through it. Once these papers were fastened to the substrate, they just looked like I was looking down into the bottom of shallow water, and I went with that. Some parts indicate reflections; others objects either floating on the surface or hanging in the water.

2.  What are you working on in the studio now?
The last few months I’ve been working on developing new skills–screen printing, snow dyeing, using hand stitching to enhance texture. Now I’m starting to put that all together to produce abstract work that reflects the Midwest. That, and trying to figure out how to commemorate the upcoming lunar eclipse/winter solstice.

Winter Solstice, 32″h x 18″w

3.  Where do you find inspiration?
My college degree is in botany, and that part of the natural world continues to inform the basis of most of my work. The oak woodlands, tall grass prairie, scenic waterways, and the sky itself can be seen in even my most abstract works.

4. What advice do you have for new art collectors/new Patrons of ONE?
Buy what you like, that piece you keep coming back to look at, and worry about where to hang it later–don’t try to match your sofa. In fact, buy a neutral sofa and let the art inspire the color scheme.

5.  What advice do you have for artists who are seeking their unique voice or direction in their own artwork?
Make more art. Make more art. Make more art.