Artist at work, the Gibbes Museum of Art.

Pen&ink and watercolor on CP watercolor Laloran sketchbook 5 in x 5 in.

I’m excited about this post. 

I visited the Gibbes Museum of Art in historic downtown Charleston yesterday. It’s a beautiful museum with interesting permanent collections like the painted mini portraits made with watercolor in ivory, all of this before the invention of photography, the display of furniture, both proudly made in Charleston, and the whimsical sculpture made of red maple and sweet gum woven and twisted saplings. The building itself is not as old as the rest of Charleston, it was finished at the beginning on 1900’s. But that is not my focus.

On my way out, on the ground floor, there’s an education center, an area designated for artists who are invited to come and display their work under a project called A New Deal: Artist at work. As I walked the hallway I saw a sign showing the artist was on location. So I did come in. There, looking at the computer screen was Katy Mixon, next to her, there were books about quilting. At the beginning I thought she was a quilting artist but during our conversation I was pleasantly surprised that her quilts are a product of a recycling project. She cleans her painting brushes with hand/baby wipes. So I learn she was actually a painting artist. The fact that she had so many of wipes pushed her to creat something with it, there the quilts. Clever creation.  I told her she has put together two things I love to do, painting and sewing. I asked her if I could sketch her and she agreed and went to continue with her work of the floor trying to figure out a pattern for the unfinished quilt. I did a very quick sketch with ink which I finished later. How can you make any justice to that rainbow of color? 

I said I would share the sketch with her as soon as I finish, so I did. Nice to meet you Katy.