Every year there iis an art fair in the park where I live.  So today I walked to the park and strolled around the fair.  I always hope to discover at least one new artist that captures my imagination.

This time, it was Mel Mendez and his wife Lucy.  

I love to see fiber artists demonstrating how they create their art and Mel was doing just that.  When I see the work that goes into weaving, it really blows my mind.  The way Mel manipulated the pedals and the shuttle was masterful.  But when you see this, you realize how much time it takes to create even one small weaving. 

I asked him if he had made all the rugs included in his booth and he told me his whole family was involved in this art form.   Mel learned his skill from his father who came from a long line of weavers in Mexico.  I am happy that this family business has been adopted by younger generations.

I love making grids with 2 inch squares but now, I'm experimenting with using the same colors and materials to create a larger piece of art.  For this spread, I realized that having more space to work in made a huge difference in the outcome.  The small squares had too much black in them but when I worked on a larger surface, I was able to change that and I think it's much more interesting.

I'm half way through my 8th grid sketchbook.  Haven't found another obsession yet.

These "Spirit Guides" creatures are now featured at the Denver Botanic Gardens.  This one is over 10 feet and I loved the patterns on every surface of this imaginary animal.  

Created by the workshop of Mexican artists Jacobo and María Ángeles, these brightly colored and richly patterned sculptures depict imaginary hybrid animals that act as both spirit guides and astrological embodiments of human character. Inspired by the Zapotec calendar, Spirit Guides is an unforgettable outdoor experience reminding us of the profound connections that bind us to the inhabitants of the natural (and cosmological) world.

Denver's Cherry Creek Art Festival is one of the premier festivals for artists in the country.  It's really hard to be juried in so the artists who exhibit are among the best in the country.

I always go hoping to discover new fiber artists and this weekend, I did!  I had a chance to chat with Camille McMurry about her creative process.  She is also a Denver fiber artist like myself but what impressed me was the large scale of her pieces.  Her compositions were interesting and her color palette was intriguing.  She is also skilled at weaving and incorporating different textures in her work.

I look forward to seeing more of her work.