Virginia A. Spiegel

 Lyric Kinard

I wrote this last year about Lyric and I can’t see much has changed except she is doing even more.  Her beading DVD is now out (see special Foto/Fiber 2012 pricing below) and she was named Teacher of the Year by The Professional Quilter.  She’s still a wonder woman:
Lyric Kinard is as artist whose artwork ranges across a wide variety of forms – art quilts, art cloth, mixed-media collages, wearable art, books, and more.  You can see her artwork on her website and in her Etsy shop. And did I mention she has a book, Art + Quilt, one DVD out, and another DVD in progress?  Oh, yes, and she has five children.  I am beyond amazed; does she sleep?  Does she wear a cape when we’re not looking?

1.  How do you find/make time to be in your studio?
The youngest of my five children just started school so it feels like I suddenly have light years of time available to me. That said, I wonder how I still end up running crazy with appointments and errands? My goal for next year is to spend a minimum of one hour per day creating. To put the creative time first, in fact.

2.  Describe your studio in five words.
Colorful refuge. Needs cleaning.

3.  If you could pick only one thing from your studio to represent your art practice, what would it be?

My sketchbook. It where my ideas, visions, inspirations, thoughts, experiments – all get recorded, discovered, and hashed out.

4. What is the best/worst space you have ever had as a studio?
I started as a traditional quilter when my youngest was a baby and put my machine on the kitchen counter and sewed standing up. It wasn’t a bad space at all but now I’m spoiled. The only thing wrong with my current studio is not enough storage and no easy access to water, and lighting that isn’t ideal. Nevertheless, I feel very lucky to have a dedicated studio in my home. I’m really happy there!

This is a detail from one of Lyric’s three Fiber BONUSED for Foto/Fiber 2012.
Included in her BONUSES are fiber treasures such as hand dyed, discharged and screen printed clothas well as custom mini thermofax screens: monarch butterfly and “calligraphy.”

5.  What would make a “dream studio” for you?
Closets and shelves to store finished artwork and supplies. Access to water. Oh – and perhaps a comfy window seat big enough for naps.

6.  What would you advise someone setting up a studio for the first time?
It doesn’t matter how big or how small your space is – just make it your own. Find a place where you can leave your work out and in process. You don’t want to spend your limited creative time setting up your stuff.

7.  Any unique features/studio pets you would like to share?

I love my button board – being able to see all my little treasures at a glance makes me feel a little bit like a dragon with a hoard.

8.  Any new exhibits or projects we should know about?

I have a fabulous new DVD out titled “Bead It Like You Mean It: The Basics.” If you love beads you’ll loooove this video! Crisp clear close-ups, lots of great techniques, and a little silliness! You can find the DVD here. If you mention in the “notes” section of your checkout that you heard about it through Foto/Fiber 2012, I’ll send you a $10.00 refund!!!

***100% of donations for Foto/Fiber 2012 are made directly to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.  Our goal:  Add $7000 to the over $215,000 we have already donated.

Thank you generous donors and patrons.  We raised an amazing $1518!    See you next Tuesday:  More totes, more variety, more bids to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Unless a custom tote has been provided, the winning bidder will receive this Relay For Life tote directly from me:

1. Art+Quilt Sponsored by Lyric Kinard
Winning Bid:  $250 by Mary Ann Van Soest who is also a tote donor.

Be inspired by Lyric’s new book, Art+Quilt as you delve deeply into the building blocks that make up our visual language.  A sketchbook is the perfect place to capture your thoughts and inspirations.  Its special cover was created by Lyric and features dyeing, painting, printing and beading.  Also included are three+ yards of hand-dyed cotton fabrics, with some fabrics also printed or painted, by Connie Akers to start you on the way to creating own beautiful art quilt.

Tote: Relay For Life (see above)
Contents:

*Autographed copy of Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercises by Lyric Kinard

*Sketchbook with one-of-a-kind cover by Lyric Kinard

*3+ yards hand-dyed (some also printed/painted) fabrics by Connie Akers

2.  Embellished Mini-Quilts sponsored by Jamie Fingal and the Cut-Loose Quilters of Orange, CA.
Winning Bid: $200 donated to the American Cancer Society by Kay Sorensen, who has supported ALL of FFAC fundraisers.

Everything you need to embellish a quilt with treasures collected by most of the members of the Cut-Loose Quilters!  The members of Cut-Loose who donated items are Peggy Calvert, Cindy Cooksey, Anne Copeland, Jamie Fingal, Stacy Hurt and Julie Schlueter.

Tote: Hand painted by Jamie Fingal

Contents:
*Jamie’s book Embellished Mini Quilts signed by her and three other artists – Cindy Cooksey, Stacy Hurt and Terry Waldron.
*1 bag of miscellaneous trim and 1 card of 3 trims and lime green sequin trim, oooh la la
*2 stackable towers of beads and buttons to take with you wherever you go
*6 bags of beads and sequins that an embellisher cannot live without
*3 bags of buttons and 1 bag of letter beads, because you have something to say
*3 pkgs of rick rack, the happy and perky embellishment
*a bundle of trim, more is more
*embroidery thread, needles, metallic thread, these always enhance a project
*silver metal discs that say “Imagination is everything..it’s the preview of life’s coming attractions”
*Not shown in picture, ribbon trim and a zipper, just to be different

3 . Getting Graphic! sponsored by Pokey Bolton
Winning Bid:  A generous, but anonymous, donor who made A Go For The Gold + donation of $600 to the American Cancer Society.

When Pokey isn’t scheming upcoming publications and projects at Quilting Arts, she can be found in her flannel PJs in her home studio, dyeing and screening brightly hued fabrics with bold designs. (And during the colder, bleaker months she makes her fabrics even brighter and bolder to stave off those winter blues!)

Tote: Pokey combined some of her hand-dyed and screened fabrics with commercial fabrics with whimsical designs.  Pattern is Kathy Mack’s Winslow Market tote as published in International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene.

Contents:
*A copy of our special issue: International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene
*A copy of our super-sized special Winter issue of Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS
*Quilting Arts (Feb/March issue)
*Cloth Paper Scissors (Jan/Feb issue)
*Quilting Arts TV Series 500 (13 Episodes)
*Texture Transformation: Stitch, Alter, Recycle with Natalya Aikens – Quilting Arts Workshop DVD
*Gelatin Monoprinting with Rayna Gillman – Quilting Arts Workshop DVD
*A fat bundle of Pokey’s hand-dyed/ screened fabrics

4. Knitted Comfort sponsored by Lynn Krawczyk
Winning Bid: The Go For The Gold Price of $180 to Tomme Fent, obsessed knitter and long-time FFAC supporter.

Knitting has, on more than one occasion, helped me to refocus and relax during stressful times.  It’s a fiber art that has been around for centuries, with the earliest knitted object dating back to the 14th century.  Knowing that so many others have gone before me with this art form adds to my growing affection toward it.  Two areas that I have especially grown to love are knitting socks and knitting toys.  There is nothing cozier than a pair of hand kintted socks in your favorite colors or a unique hand knitted toy full of personality.  I’m please to offer this tote (with two more to follow in upcoming weeks) in support of Fiberart For A Cause and the American Cancer Society and I hope that they bring you many moments of happiness too!

Tote: Hand-stitched felt yarn bucket (Mixed Bag Designs)
Contents:
*Knitted Comfort for the Sole book
*Hand-dyed sock yarn in mediumweight Socks that Rock, colorway Strange Brew, (Blue Moon Fiber Arts)
*Hand-knit mini sock by Lynn Krawczyk

5. Rust-Tex Collection sponsored by Lois Jarvis and Rust-Tex.com
Winning Bid:  An anonymous donor generously donated the Go For The Gold price of $288 to the American Cancer Society.

The Rust-Tex Collection has everything you need to get started in rust dyeing including the Rust-Tex Instructional CD. Rust Dyeing is unpredictable, but Lois Jarvis has figured out four techniques that will give you repeatable patterns. Also in the tote is the Rust-Tex Starter Kit that includes everything needed to create the Trees pattern, one of the four techniques on the CD, and 4 steel stars that are guaranteed to rust are just some of the items in the 100% cotton tote that could be rust dye after you pop the CD in your computer and learn how to rust dye.

Tote: 100% cotton tote for rust dyeing
Contents:
-Rust-Tex Instructional CD
-Kit to make Trees Fabric
-Tannin (enough to make a quart)
-1.5oz bottle synthrapol
-Tube of iron fillings
-4 steel stars (guaranteed to rust)
-Fat Quarter of Stormy Skies Fabric
-Fat Quarter of Trees Fabric
-Fat Quarter of Sunburst Fabric