~ Mark Your Calendar ~ The 6th annual Francisco's Farm Arts Festival at Midway College is June 27 & 28 ~

Each week between now and the Festival, we'll introduce you to one of the 150 artists from 17 states who will be coming to Midway in June. If you enjoy the newsletter consider sharing with friends and help us grow!

What do you get when you cross a potter and a weaver?

What creative process employs a sewing machine, miles of repurposed thread, a great sense of humor, and a completely unfettered imagination? 

It's Torsion Sewing, a totally unique technique invented by Justine Dennis of New Haven, Kentucky.

Some years ago, Justine was handed a large bag of jumbled up cotton fiber. As a potter and a weaver, she felt an overwhelming urge to do something creative with it. So she started sewing - round and round, back and forth - determined that one day she could make some magic out of the cotton fiber.

The result was totally a unique style of fiber bowls and sculptures that are truly works of art.

Justine went through the original cotton fiber in short order and soon moved on to other yarns.

 

Eventually, the only mill that manufactured the type of yarn she was using went out of business and she was forced to reinvent her processes again.

She now finds that Chenille sweaters from thrift stores best suit her creations. She unwinds the sweaters and crochets the yarn into cords. She then sews the cords into spirals on her antique Singer.  The varying internal twisting forces or 'torque' of the fiber creates the shapes as she sews. 

She can control the degree of curvature but says, "Sometimes, until the work is complete, I feel that I am merely a tool of the piece I am working on and that only it really knows what it will look like."

"Two previous lifetimes - one as a production weaver, the other as a potter - apparently left me warped and somewhat potty and I started on this torsion sewing process making simple bowls. I have progressed to more complex sculptures, figures, roller skating purple cows and other figments of my imagination, as well as more functional items such as one-of-a-kind hats, hair slides and purses."

Her vibrantly-colored sculptures and vessels are highly collectible. They can be found  throughout the country in the private collections of those who like to look and wonder.

The hats and purses are for those with the wisdom to walk around displaying their taste in artwork.

Justine lives with her husband and their pets in a relocated 200-year-old log cabin, close to the middle of nowhere, in the heart of Kentucky.

At the end of June we are delighted she'll be in Booth #12 at Francisco's Farm Arts Festival at Midway College. Come meet her and discover what is possible in doing something that no one else does.

Thanks for your support! Talk to you next week!

 

  Marcie Christensen
  Event Coordinator / Imagineer
 
 
  PS - Join us for a wonderful musical evening in Midway!

 

 

Wednesday, May 27th ~ 6pm ~ Thoroughbred Theater

"Night of Midway Talent: A Fundraiser for Midway Renaissance, Inc."

Admission is Free, Donations are welcome

Featuring: Midway Baptist Praise Band, Bill and Leslie Penn, The Jones Boys, Billy and Lauren Hill.......And More...

PPS - Help This Art Festival Survive 

As I'm sure you can imagine, fundraising is a serious challenge this year. In challenging economic times, non-profits take advantage of the potential to raise pennies from every decent source and the pennies add up! You absolutely would not believe how much you can help us survive just by using a Kroger Gift Card.

Many non-profit organizations and schools earn money through this program, and we've joined them!

Order your Gift Card from us today. Mail a check for $5 and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Francisco's Farm at the address below, and I'll send your card (preloaded with $5) and complete instructions. Each time you recharge (add money to) the card, Kroger will donate cash to the Festival.

When you order a Gift Card we'll put your name in the FarmBucks Drawing. One lucky winner, drawn at the beginning of June, will receive $100 in FarmBucks to spend on art at the Festival. AND every time your recharges total $500, we'll put your name in the drawing again!

Magnify your efforts by encouraging friends and family to order Gift Cards, too! There is no limit to the number of cards we can distribute or the amount of money we can earn.

Questions about how the Gift Cards work?
Click here for the All The Answers!