SATURDAY SHOWCASE

Hey Everybody!

I'm very excited for today's featured artist.   Her name is Clare Hudson Reed and she resides the town of Pietermaritzburg in South Africa!

http://clarehudsonreed.blogspot.com/

She says that its about a 45 minutes drive inland from Durban.  She was born in the amazing city of Cape Town!

South Africa, for me it sounds so exotic...of course because I live in the U.S. and it is so far away.  I've always felt a strong affinity with Africa, the culture, the beautiful landscapes.   Mostly though because I love animals and well where else can you find wandering Elephants, Zebra's and Lions.  My favorite movie is Out Of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.  I also dreamed of being like  Diane Fossey studying Gorilla's in the mist.

Any way, I digress,  enough about me...back to Clare and her fabulous artwork.
Here's what Clare says about her work.:

I have been on an existential expedition most of my life, in fact there isn’t really a time that I can remember where I wasn’t asking of the heavens, what does life mean, what is my purpose, who or what guides it all? I also, cannot remember a time when I didn’t want to create. I can’t help but think if somehow the two are not intertwined, connected somehow. My art often depicts my questionings; I like to call my art ‘soul crafting’.

During the hot summer months, when I can’t remember what it is to feel cold - I move outside and work on our back porch.

I’m really lucky and have my own studio space in the house – it opens up onto the back porch, I have an inside – outside studio.

My first love is fibre art – I love working with fabric, dying fabric, making small stitches on the material, little marks that hold secret meanings, twisting and cutting – it takes time to make a quilt or art dress. I try not to hold too tightly to an outcome but attempt to allow the piece to be what it needs to be. It is here that I examine the layers that make up my experiences, I try to make sense of it all and I have fun.

 

I love painting my girls – it took a long time to recognize them. Finally, after a lot of work they came to stay, I’m enjoying the process of getting to know them. They are special to me because they help me to tell my stories, the give me courage to speak, to explore what it is to be on this journey – called life.

Love your soulcraft Clare!  What beautiful pieces you have and the quilting and dresses are amazing!

Thank you so very much for participating on my Saturday Showcase!
And please forgive me but just a couple more photos of African wildlife.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!