My two most recent pieces don’t look much like artwork by Joan Sowada. How often do I use solid fabrics? How often do I use really bright colors? Not usually. Not often. I watched a Textile Talk by the Modern Quilt Guild, and this motivated me to give solid fabrics a GO.

These two pieces are a comment on the political times. The colorful busy piece is about a new, diverse generation, which I hope emerges into the world of leadership and governing.

The long skinny piece on the right is about old white men falling.  I am not against old white men. I am very disappointed that old white men have held so much power, for so long.

I may create more artwork using solid fabrics, and I may not. This week I am painting fabrics with Seta-color paints. I am using metalic paints on top of plain cotton and linen, and also over plaid fabrics.  Shiny metalic and cowboy plaid seem like a contradiction in personalities. Maybe they will be unexpectedly interesting (in a good way).

 A hearty cold salad is wonderful this time of year. Tabouli variations are right in front of you, and taste great!  Instead of cooked cracked wheat I use a 50/50 blend of cooked quinoa and lentils. Instead of garbanzo beans I use either black beans or green beans. Instead of mint and parsley, I use cilantro, chives, and red bell pepper. Because I now have garden cucumbers and tomatoes, they are added as well. (If it were December, I might use chopped red cabbage and sun-dried tomatoes instead.) The dressing is always the same. I use olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt.

The quinoa and lentil mixture is handy to have on hand, so I make a lot at one time. I soak one cup lentils for 4 hours in salty water. Rinse lentils and put in a pot with one cup rinsed quinoa, four cups water, diced garlic, and one tsp. each salt and cumin seed. Simmer 35 minutes and let sit before storing in refrigerator.