THIS WEEK'S ARTIST PERSPECTIVE WITH ARLENE THAYER

Artist Perspective: Arlene Thayer

Arlene Thayer is a fiber artist, yarn spinner, and writer from Glenville, PA. In this week's SoapSkeptics interview, Arlene talks to us about how the world of fiber art is growing in today's culture, her views on the business side of being an artist, and how she came to become so involved in the blogosphere for her knowledge and practice in fiber art. Thank you Arlene for inviting us to your studio and being so hospitable and kind!

To see more of her works and writing and keep up with her whereabouts visit:

www.spinartiste.com

www.fiberygoodness.com

SoapSkeptics is an art group made up of Rosie McNeill and Andrea Garcia. We are traveling across the country in August 2014 to meet with more local artists [of all mediums] and discuss how culture and society shape the ways in which they make/view art. 

Keep up with what SoapSkeptics is doing:

Blog: soapskeptics.blogspot.com

Instagram: @soapskeptics

Facebook: facebook.com/soapskeptics.1

Youtube: youtube.com/soapskeptics

Vimeo: vime.com/soapskeptics

Email: soapskeptics@gmail.com

Help us make this project possible- visit our Kickstarter Campaign to help us reach our goal of $5,000

kickstarter.com/projects/1793708100/soapskeptics-traveling-across-usa-to-film-art-and

Peace.

Andrea Garcia of SoapSkeptics celebrated the end of her studies at the School of Visual Arts

May 1, 2014
Andrea Garcia of SoapSkeptics exhibited her works in the Visual and Critical Studies Program Open Studios at the School of Visual Arts. This evening of art appreciation was the final step until she graduates with her fellow amazingly talented peers.
Here are some pictures of the exhibition along with SoapSkeptics enjoying the installations.

To see more of Andrea Garcia's fine art work visit: www.andreagarciavasquez.com

Our Mourning Mother I & II
Wood, Acrylic, Yarn, Mask

Feelings of White and Tan
10 ft weaving made of wool yarn and cotton string

Placenta
7 ft interactive sculpture
chicken wire and 100% virgin wool

Self Portrait.
Twine and Wire

The Way Things Hang and The Way Paths Cross
Nylon Rope and Linen

Andrea and Rosie from SoapSkeptics with friend, Agatha :)

Untitles Landscape
Rebar, wood, linen, paint

Shearing of the Sheep At Jenny Jump Farm

Jacob Sheep Frantically Wondering Whats Going To Happen Next

What a beautiful day it was today on April 19, 2014. The SoapSkeptics gang woke up with the vibrant sun and headed up to North West New Jersey to visit Jenny Jump Farm to help out with shearing the sheep!

Tom's Set Up

Friends of the Jenny Jump Farm traveled from all around the tristate area to work together and get this thing going.

We had an expert sheep shearer, Tom, do a quick, swift, and delicate job at giving all 19 jacob sheep and 1 angora goat nice hair cuts for the hot summer to come. He really knew what he was doing to calm these sheep down and get the job done quickly.

Joanie and Liz led the sheep to and from the barn, to shearing area, to outside. 

Workin Workin Workin

Then there was a whole crew of ladies carrying out the fleeces and picking out the vegetation, dirt, poo, and whatever else these jacob sheep had going on in their fleece (which honestly wasn't much to clean because Joanie keeps them in such good shape), then we sorted each fleece by individual sheep where they will then be taken to be professionally washed and eventually turned into amazing wools of gray, brown, black, and white.

Bundles of Fleece Sorted by Individual Sheep

We also discovered that the left over/scrap fleece that will not be used to make wool CAN BE USED for fertilizer in your garden! So none of it goes to waste at all!

Jacob Sheep Soaking Up The Sun With Their Skin

We were so happy to contribute our helping hands to the farm and so grateful to have met new and wonderful folks who love helping out, talking, and fiber arts as much as we do!

Jacob Is In Our Trunk And We Are Excited

 SoapSkeptics also brought home a new friend thanks to Joanie and Bob~
A four harness table loom! 

Our Fiber Studio Lookin So Good Now That We Have Jacob

We named him Jacob, after the Jacob Sheep at Jenny Jump Farm :)





He will help us make wonderful things, we don't know what yet, but whatever it is, it will be wonderful.
So much thanks to Joanie and Bob for another amazing visit to your farm and home!

Don't forget to follow this blog 

& also our instagram: @soapskeptics 

to keep up with our adventures 

and creations (like what we'll make with this table loom)!

Peace,
SoapSkeptics~

Weavings as of March 2014

HELLO THERE!

We have been productive as the winter is coming to a close. Here are some of our newer weavings we thought would be worth posting up on our blog! This isn't everything, but we just wanted to show the time we spent these past few weeks experimenting with color, texture, technique, and most importantly...cabin fever.

At this very moment, Rosie and Andrea are experimenting with weaving into frames, wood, natural materials, and more fibers! 

Stay tuned and keep up with us on instagram to see our updates! :)

@soapskeptics 

#soapskeptics

Andrea and Rosie

Our Visit to Jenny Jump Farm

Story Time!

As we approached the end of winter, we also approached a wonderful farm in North West New Jersey called Jenny Jump Farm.

An awesome friend of ours, Zach, set up a visit with Joanie and Bob who oh-so warmly welcomed us into their home and taught us some interesting lessons on life, self sustainability, fibers, photography, art, animals, and food. 

The home is decorated wall to wall with art, books, and photographs. Bob told us stories about his friends who are artists and showed us some of their work while we drank hot chocolate by the fireplace. We were taught how to make vegetarian egg-drop soup. All of the drinks and soup were served in ceramic bowls and mugs made by Bob himself!


Joan gave us a tour of the farm, where we met the Jacob Sheep, the donkey and the horse! In the backyard there is a kiln and ceramic studio filled with beautiful and inspiring creations. Joanie was kind enough to show us her spinning wheels, wools, and looms. She gave us a little demo on how to do everything and also let us try spinning our own yarn with her wool. She showed us a collection of blankets, scarves, and weavings she has made in the past with her natural fibers along with hand spun yarn. 

It was such an awesome opportunity to meet such a wonderful, humble, and caring couple so willing to teach us a thing or two and spread good vibes the whole way.


Bob is a wonderful nature photographer, and he took some portraits of us while we were practicing the spinning wheel, to see more of his photography click here.


This experience was a spark that ignited a desire to continue to learn from others and also teach others. It's such a beautiful thing- to meet people with shared interest who are so willing and open to just talk and exist with others! Being human with other humans... 


If you are interested in sheering sheep, Joanie and Bob are having a demonstration in April. More details can be found here.

Thank you to Bob and Joanie!!
And thank you to Zach for inviting us along the ride!!



Peace and Love~

Rosie and Andrea
SoapSkeptics