Marian Crane art

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Backstory: there’s a virtual gallery opening today that I’d wanted to attend, at a specific time. I have artwork in this show, I’m proud of the work, and I love the gallery. I also am lucky enough in the midst of a pandemic to *have a FT job with benefits*. It’s nearing the end of…

Read More Artists explaining themselves
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If anyone is coming here as a result of the Art Quilts show, the Fire Mountain seed bead contest, or TusCon 2020 (or anyone but trolls and bots, really), please bear with me. An update caused a few problems, which I hope to fix in a few days. To paraphrase the late great Douglas Adams,…

Read More Wonky site, bear with me
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I’m looking back on old art pieces that stalled out, got trunked, went into limbo…whatever we call it, most artists have some. Why they stalled? All reasons are valid: ‘I made it for someone, we lost touch, I’m embarrassed by them now, they’re embarrassed by me, I’m not finishing this!’ ‘I bit off way more…

Read More Making, Unmaking, Remaking
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A heads-up, dear readers. The Blue Night Blog will be undergoing some much-needed updates in the next few weeks. So if things look a little strange, or the blog is offline, don’t worry. I’ll be back to annoy and dazzle you soon enough. What’s in store? Changes in art: I’ll be updating my RL gallery…

Read More New Things On The Horizon
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I guess 2019 will be The Year of the Hat for me. I love beading. I like hats. Don’t know why I didn’t stumble into hatbands before, but I’m here now. The Alexander Hatband was commissioned a little over a year ago by a good friend, a New Zealand-born sculptor moving away from Arizona after…

Read More Alexander Hatband: Finished!
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I’m vain enough to be really happy about this review of my book art. Especially when *someone else* gets why I make art in the first place. Especially when this comes from ASU, which has an incredible group of book artists. Here’s a bigger shot of ‘Twilight Arc’.

Read More Book Art Review!
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When I finally settle on another online store, this reworked piece is probably going up for sale. ‘Enamel Flame Pendant’ is a 17.75″ tiger-eye and green aventurine necklace with an elaborately cast .925 sterling silver hook clasp, .925 Balinese sterling silver accent beads, and an original .925 sterling silver jointed pendant by yours truly, circa…

Read More Enamel Flame Pendant (reboot)
by 2 comments on "‘The Truth Remains’: finished!"

All five of these little beasts are done: pages sewn together, accordion folds sewn into place, covers attached, and flannel-lined storage bags completed. I discuss these books more here. Each ended up when closed 7.25×5.25″, about the size of a paperback book. They open to 7.25×50″. There are over sixty patriotic fabric appliques sewn into…

Read More ‘The Truth Remains’: finished!
by 2 comments on "Leaving Wattpad"

At the end of June 2018, my fantasy novel Bloodshadow will be unpublished from Wattpad. The book has been visible on the display site Wattpad since late 2015, and had over 2200 distinct ‘reads’. It received some lovely comments and votes. So why am I removing it? Wattpad is a sweet, fun place, but it’s…

Read More Leaving Wattpad
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Five careers ago, back in 2003, I sketched out an idea for a gonzo beaded and embroidered piece of wall art: The Borealis Tapestry. ‘Borealis’ is slated to be approximately 36″ high and 25″ wide.  It’s a fantasy-themed fiber art wall piece consisting of applique fabric panels, heavily beaded and embroidered. The general theme is…

Read More The Borealis Tapestry
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I’ve rebuilt one of the Dia de las Muertos bone rings at last! This one now has a ‘feather’ theme. First, a digression about finding cheap craft supplies: Objects faced with bone, horn, and shell tiles have been part of the ‘neutral’ decorating trend for the past 15 years or so here in the USA.…

Read More Bone Feather Votive Ring
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I still have #1, and just dug it out of storage a few days ago. Both of these are done on 8×6″ MDF boards, with unbeaded lips for sliding under a wood frame. These were fun but bittersweet pieces to do. In the spring of 2008, I’d been playing with my micro-mosaic technique for two…

Read More Storm Study 1 & 2 Mosaics
by 2 comments on "Tempe Festival of the Arts Awards, Fall 2017"

The latest award ribbons are done and delivered! As I mentioned here, they are based on the collage/printmaking work of Erin Curry. Here’s the Festival poster image, a commissioned piece. And here are the award ribbons I made in fiber applique, machine stitching, and hand-sewn beaded embroidery. Materials include polyester felt, commercial printed cotton, digital…

Read More Tempe Festival of the Arts Awards, Fall 2017
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This book (two books, actually) holds a wistful joy for me. The two stories woven within are pure McKillip at her best: lyrical, mystical, with down-to-earth protagonists and a way of bringing the eldritch in for tea. I encountered the first book in 1992 at a World Fantasy Convention, and the second in the summer…

Read More Cygnet, by Patricia McKillip
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I’ve had this piece of fiber book art in mind since 2011-2012. I’m glad I held off until now: even Mitt Romney’s version of the GOP has been eclipsed by the current crop of corrupt, venal, sanctimonious, and utterly incompetent politicians gracing the Republican Party. (And I say that as a former GOP member!) ‘Politics…

Read More First Look: Politics As Usual