Sabbatical-ish

Leif Aaron
October 28, 2009
6 lbs. 8 oz.
19.5 inches

For Your Viewing Pleasure: New Rug Sketch

I am getting ready to start a second rug. I'm eager to try some new things and to use more color. Like a lot of my recent paintings, this rug will be very linear. And I really hope it won't take me 9 months to finish.


(I wish I had a scanner...or just a place to put a scanner so I could buy one.)




Pierson: "mom, I really like your paintings, but this one is kinda weird."
Me: "like good weird, or bad weird?"
Pierson: "ummmm, bad weird I guess."

ISO: Lost Sketchbook

It's a sad sad day when you loose a sketch book. In the last couple of weeks I have been working out the design for a new rug. Last night when I sat down to play with the composition, I dug through my handbag and alas, no sketchbook. (Sadface).

Finished Rug...Well Almost

After a very long time working on this rug, I am glad to say that it is done. The edge needs to be finished, but I may save that for when I need to practice and learn the technique.
Since the rug design was simple I was able to learn some querks of different types of wool. I used two different "whites" in this rug, both bought off the bolt. The first wool (the dirtier looking of the two) frayed like crazy and was incredibly hard to work with, which is why this rug took so long to complete. When that fabric ran out I was glad to try something else with a little more substance and weight.

This is a close up to show the patterns created by the hooked rows. I think this is one of the things that first drew me to look at hooked rugs (click to enlarge).

And, the finished project. I already have something in mind for my next rug. This piece is my leaning piece and am ready to get it out of my face and make something a little more in line with my aesthetic and painting style. (Do I even have claim on that anymore?)


Non-rug news:
This summer we/I went to Pennsylvania, Las Vegas, Florida, Oklahoma and Boston (actually twice to Boston). Pierson started Nursery School this week and I'll probably be having a baby soon. Wowzers!

Checking in, or checking out...

I was hoping that this rug would be done by now, especially since I have a clearer sense of the hooking process and am ready to do something a little more innovative.
After using up the wool I had bought off the bolt, I went back to Mood and decided to find something with a different texture hoping that it would be easier to handle. The new fabric has speed up my process a million times and am glad I learned how to choose good wool so soon. And now, since Pierson is starting Nursery School in the fall, I will have a few free hours to scour Manhattan Thrift Stores for fabric to re-use.







I'm in Las Vegas for a week partying hard with my sisters and Pierson. I have to say that I miss the desert. Pierson saw a mountain and called it a giant pancake.

Coney Island Photo Booth

Unfortunately when we went to Coney Island on Friday we were a little underfunded. Between a glowing necklace and three tickets on the Wonder Wheel, we were left with just $3...enough for one photo booth session. (I could have sat through at least twenty frames.) The first picture is my favorite, that would be Pierson's very excited face.

Guide to Vegas, in the 90s

Lately, almost every time I fall asleep, my dreams bring me back to my life in the 90's. Mostly dreaming of the heat, music, places and friends that I grew up with in Las Vegas. Today I wanted to see if I could scrounge up any pictures of shows and some of my favorite places from the 90's.




The tunnels that stretch under the I15 and the west end of the strip were one of my favorite places to visit and explore.


After 10 years I still crave the vegetarian burrito and Agua de Melon at Los Tacos.



Benway Bop was the place I would go to buy almost all my music.



The first LP I bought at the Underground, shopping for Christmas 1995.

...and the record store i bought it at.


Here is a small collection (those I could find) of some of the shows we would go to. I have a huge collection of show flyers that are hopefully hidden away in a box somewhere.








...and the Huntridge, one of the venues where I would go see bands. (My mom would go to this theatre when she was young to see movies.) We would mostly go to shows at PABCO, the caves, the dry lakebeds, and the wash. All on the outskirts of the valley, unofficial and powered by generators. And, as a young girl, I could always get in without paying the $3 asked. Those were the days.


Last, for now, the empty casinos with lax security that we would occasionally sneak into and play around in. I'm sure this was totally unsafe (as were a lot of the things I did) but it was fun to see old Las Vegas frozen in time.



Just a simple guide, if you plan to visit Vegas in the 90's as a teenager.
Now back to rug hooking and baby growing.