"Don't stop imagining. The day that you do is the day that you die." Youth Lagoon - 17 (Lyrics)

I haven't posted for awhile on here. But today I was listening to this song and I just had to share it. Man, I love this song. I was in my studio listening to Youth Lagoon and I was struck by one of those moments that you realize you had been missing something. I have listened to this song many times before but didn't actually LISTEN to the lyrics. Well, today I did......over and over. 17 has been on repeat as my soundtrack. Here are the lyrics. Hope and pray this for myself, my daughters, my husband and for you that we "Don't stop imagining. The day that we do is the day that I die."

                                                                                         "17"

Roaming the campground up by the lake where we swam.
We were hunting for snakes,
but we couldn't find them.
Surrounded by nothing,
but the nothing's surrounded by us.
But it's just me in my room,
with my eyes shut.

When I was seventeen,
my mother said to me
"Don't stop imagining. The day that you do is the day that you die."
Now I pull a one ton carriage,
instead of the horses grazing the lawn.
And I was having fun.
We were all having fun.

My brain can think faster than I can,
I'm not fast enough.
Who is there to talk to
that won't lock me up?
At least God doesn't judge me by the thoughts that I find,
the snakes I couldn't find,
I don't want to find.

When I was seventeen,
my mother said to me
"Don't stop imagining. The day that you do is the day that you die."
Now I pull a one ton carriage,
instead of the horses grazing the lawn.
And I was having fun.
We were all having fun.

New Handwoven Textiles by Debbie Barrett-Jones at the Kauffman

New Handwoven Textiles by Debbie Barrett-Jones

January 5 - March 31, 2015

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Conference Center

4801 Rockhill Road Kansas City, MO 64110

New handwoven work created by textile artist Debbie Barrett-Jones of Kansas City is now up, filling the walls of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Conference Center. View Barrett-Jones work now through March 31, 2015. 

******And mark you calendar for a "Lunch and Learn" Feb. 17 11:30-12:30. An hour long artist talk over the lunch hour. (Please feel free to bring your own lunch.) Located in the Brookside Room. ********

About

Weaving is an art that emphasizes process. Each piece represents the tension between control and happenstance during the process. From the start of a project – drawing out the plans, drafting the pattern, dyeing yarn using a color-mixing and percentage-gradation process –Barrett-Jones’ woven panels reveal not only the communication that passes between one color thread intersecting another, but shows the range of control in both the complete and deconstructed. Barrett-Jones’ ultimate goal is to let the viewer see not just the complete, clean finished project but give the viewer a glimpse of the pre-weaving process, much of which can be painstakingly tedious. However, this attention to detail is equally essential to the actual work on the loom.

Bio

Debbie Barrett-Jones and her husband, Brandon, left their small town in Iowa so Debbie could pursue an education at the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI). Since graduating from KCAI with a B.F.A. in Textiles, Debbie Barrett-Jones has exhibited her work throughout the United States. Along with weaving large-scale pieces for homes, businesses, and sanctuaries (including three-panel commission at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Truman Medical Center and one six-panel commission for a church designed by Frank Lloyd Wright); she also creates small, intimate pieces such as scarves and shawls. With each weaving, careful consideration goes into color, composition and material. Because color is such an inspiration, Debbie uses carefully calculated hand-dyes on all her fabrics.

Most pieces employ the process of color mixing and percentage-gradation dyeing. Each woven panel reveals the beautiful communication that passes between one color thread intersecting another. Her panels comprised vibrating colors and elegant patterns, narratives in flux according to one’s proximity to each piece.

Currently Barrett-Jones continues to live in Kansas City with her husband and two young daughters. Working from her studio at home and daily trying to find the balance between motherhood and being an artist is both the hardest thing she has done, yet most fulfilling. She would have it no other way, cherishing her time in the studio.

Artist Contact Information

Website: www.DebbieBarrettJones.com

Online Shops: www.BillySueTexiles.Etsy.com andDebbieBarrettJones.Etsy.com

Blog: www.DebbieBarrettJones.Blogspot.com

Email: DebbieBarrettJones@gmail.com

One Thread at a Time; Woven Textiles by Debbie Barrett-Jones

Just posted all my photos from my show on to my flickr account. Please click on this link to view them. One Thread at a Time; Woven Textiles by Debbie Barrett-Jones

Traveling the World with My Ribbon Wand

These photos were posted on Facebook by my friend Jessica Reusch. To make this easy on myself I will just post her post. :) 

"So, one of the best photos from our wedding day was this photo of our dear friend,Debbie Barrett-Jones, showing her unbridled enthusiasm for us. Our other dear friend, Tom Tate, made Debbie into a meme...and it's one of my new favorite things."

New Scarves to Come

Finally finished tying all 530+ knots to finish both ends of these eight new scarves.... Now off to washing, ironing, trimming, photographing, editing and posting online....but that all must wait for now. The girls and I are going to the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and having a picnic on the lawn. Message me if you want to join. #loomweavingwednesday

Last Few Weeks of Summer with My Girls

We have had a very busy, fun and productive last few weeks of summer. Here are a few photos of my girls along with my sweet Cora making and selling more good to help raise money for her and her sister's school trip to France. She was also giving them away to people at Powell Gardens, First Friday Art Openings and just last week to a volunteer gardener at our favorite place in KCMO, Kauffman Memorial Gardens. I am going to miss my Cora Bear. She starts school on Tuesday. (Also, check out their shop and blog.)

 

Selling rainbow loom bracelets at Rockhurst High School.

And time weaving in next to me in our craft room. 

Playing around with new yarn for Cora's creations. 

I love to live, create & discover art everyday. 

We Are Going To France Designs

Bouncy house at Rockhurst High School where my husband works. 

I was about to throw away my big puffy wedding dress until......

This summer my family has been on a mission to free ourselves of lots of stuff we don't use everyday. We have donated tons of toys, clothes, kitchen stuff and some furniture. So far it has been such a wonderfully freeing experience. I was talking to my best friend last week about the experience and somehow it led to the focus of my wedding dress just hanging in my closet, taking up space, never being used. She suggested letting the my girls use it for dress-up.

So, today I did just that. Cora, 7, and Emma, 4, had fun dressing up in mom's big puffy princess wedding dress. I starting thinking how it would be sweet to see them dress up each year around our anniversary, June 29. How special would it to see them grow into it. I don't expect them at all to want to wear my dress on their special day. In fact, I have had thoughts of just donating it, but this was so special today, that I will continue to hold on to it.....a little longer. Especially after, when Cora tried it on, she said that she is going to wear this when she gets married.

I love my little ladies. Oh, and I put my woven white scarf on Emma and shawl on Cora because my dress is strapless.....just I little too "mature" for my ladies right now;)