now & ZEN

dorian hand-painted silk scarves and ponchos make the news!

Shopping Basket

By SUZANNE WILSON
Staff Writer

Friday, November 6, 2009

Dorian scarves [now and Zen]

PURPLE PROS … The O-woman says in the November issue of her magazine that purple is a big color this season and I am not about to argue. Besides, what’s not to like about purple – in any season, and in all its many shades?
We’ll start from the ground up. In Northampton, Synergy offers lots of ways to wear purple on your feet, as the photo here shows. Born, a shoe company known for comfort, makes a stylish cowboy-style boot in a grape color for $189. There are ever-popular Classic Tall Uggs in mulberry, for $180, and purple mocs, also by Ugg, for $100. Lined purple rain boots by Kamika, which are $69.99, would brighten up a drab, drizzly day. Continuing the footwear theme, we found Smartwool purple patterned socks for $17.95 at Mountain Goat, also in Northampton.
A little further down Main Street at Country Comfort, we came across purplecorduroy pants from Cut Loose for $78. Nearby, Cathy Cross had a dusky purple Soia & Kyo down parka for $220 (it’s pictured at top left), and a purple leather tote bag from Aoyama, roomy enough to hold just about everything you own, for $262.
For just a touch of purple, check out the work of Nancy Dorian, a local artist whose business is called Now & ZEN; a sampling is shown at left. Dorian says purple is her favorite color and she often uses it in her scarves. We saw one example – a lovely swirled design in subdued shades – at the Nashawannuck Gallery in Easthampton. It was $45. Nashawannuck Gallery also has amethyst jewelry by Suzette Alsop Jones, another Easthampton-based craftsperson; a necklace and earrings are $68 and $25, respectively.
When you’re all done shopping for everything purple, you could go home and curl up with a purple book. You don’t have one? Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” is $14 at Broadside Bookshop in Northampton.
- Suzanne Wilson

look what first time silk painters did in my new class

Just goes to show … we are all artists if we can just step out of the way.

My new class is running Tuesday nights at Holyoke Creative Arts Center this fall. We will be exploring all things fiber, including nuno felting, hand painted silk scarves and custom dyed yarns.  I’m also teaching at WEBS in Northampton, Holyoke Community College and New England Felting Supply. My classes have been filling quickly, so I’ve added other venues.  Get your spot now!

Hand-painted silk yardage anyone?

Love, love, love creating this luscious yardage! When the weather is nice, I’m outside dyeing and felting. So inspiring being out in nature with all the great colors and textures. Can’t help but take my inspiration from it. Many are like Monets on silk! I’ve been offering my silks by the yard at New England Felting Supply and to my students when I teach. This stuff is so wonderful to felt on. I use it for my base in some of my scarves. I’m going to sew up some silk ponchos or wraps with it, too!

progress on the new studio for felting and fibering

I decided last fall to move the studio to the house. That way I would save a ton of time and money by not going back and forth all the time. When I was here … I always needed something there and vise versa. Not to mention cheaper rent and besides it helps get the laundry done when the studio is next to the washing machine. Well … you know how moving can be. Some of us sail right through it and everything is set up in a day. Let’s just say I’m not one of those people. We moved the studio in late October and by December I decided I had to have that area of the basement sheet rocked to give it a more inviting feel. So, I enthusiastically jumped into that project (quite possibly to prolong the unpacking part of the process) and took progress picture as I went. Now that it’s April I am finally getting around to posting them. I’m telling myself it’s not because I’m stalling on unpacking the studio, but that might have something to do with it. If any of you artist type people out there are anything like me, you have so much stuff to make stuff with …. that it’s hard to get organized enough to make stuff. But, alas, the desire and need to “make”  is becoming overwhelming and soon that studio will be ready to roll! Who knows … maybe I’ll even do a few mini-workshops here!

Yay! I’m getting there!

my work was displayed in preview massachusetts magazine!!

One of the most exciting thing to happen to me this year was having my work featured in Preview Massachusetts, a local magazine put out by the Valley Advocate.  Every month they showcase local retail talent in the “window shopping” section and my work appeared in the October issue.  The hand painted shibori dyed poncho and nuno felted string scarf are but two of the many items that emerged from the now & ZEN studio at eastworks this past year.  It is in part due to the retail exposure there that has really helped my work take off.  AND don’t forget to visit Snow Farm during the next 3 weekends in November to see my fiber art in person!

My nuno scarves are in on NANTUCKET!!

Just back from a great weekend visiting our new friends Rob & Carol Benchley. They are full time islanders, he a photographer, she a teacher. We had a wonderful work/play break of visiting galleries and boutiques and glorious bluff walks with the sweetest puppy … Rose.

And …………… I’m in on the island of Nantucket!!!

Met many wonderfully creative people. Beth English of Current Vintage, a great new vintage boutique and wine shop at 4 Easy Street, sent me down the street to a new place called Benji’s Boutique and we hit it off. Benji has a really funky mix of chic and sassy clothing. My stuff fits right in. Finally somebody who’s not afraid of color! She has a great location right off the ferry docks at 27 Easy Street.

And … before I hopped on the ferry, I had to stop in to see Cheryl Fudge’s new place at 23 Federal Street. She has the coolest stuff. Fun and unique fashions all created by her from thrift store finds.

Cheryl sent me across the street to Eye of the Needle. Then I dashed up to 25 Centre Street and popped into Ceri. I wish I didn’t have to catch the ferry, cause I could have spent the entire afternoon in theses places. Absolutely gorgeous stuff.

The Year of the Scarf? I like it …

“It’s 2008…. and scarves are the MUST HAVE accessory!” That’s the word at Suite101.com, by way of DeeBozzz, and I like the way they are thinking.

I’m doing a lot of new painting this week, and working on some new styles and designs. The one in this photo didn’t turn out the way I hoped it might … but I like the ocean motif, and may return to it.