The abundance of summer delights me.  The garden is full & alive with flowers, butterflies, bees, birds & music playing in my studio.  This summer I am experiencing a beautiful blooming of color in welcoming my newest book with Potter Craft/Random House publishers:

I have been a working artist my entire life.  My father is a painter, and I grew up under his drawing table, thrilling to the smell of turpentine and the sound of his brush on canvas.  I hold an undergraduate degree in Fine Art (sculpture), and a Masters in Arts & Consciousness.  I have been an art teacher & administrator, ceramicist, weaver, musician, performance artist, and lecturer on color theory and transformative art.  Throughout my career, first and foremost, I have knit.  I’ve long held the goal to write a book that would demystify color theory for knitters, and open the door wide for simple knitwear design that relaxes into the bounty of color and texture.  In The Alchemy of Color Knitting, my intent is to bring the depth and breath of my experience as an artist to each project, explaining color concepts clearly and in a language that makes sense to textile enthusiasts.  Along with basic color theory and contemporary knitwear design, the book also explores the symbolic realm of color.  Personal anecdotes are sprinkled here and there, in hope of bringing greater dimension to each piece.

Each project in The Alchemy of Color Knitting is designed to take the knitter on a color journey.  Some of the knit designs focus on the splendor of monochromatic color; hardly one color, the world of monochrome allows for sophistication and intensity in working with color, and leads to truly wearable garments.  A number of the projects focus on color relationships - harmonious analogous colors, and subtly contrasting mutual complimentary colors to name only two relationships.  Finally, a portion of the designs offer complex color palettes, made simple and intuitive for the knitter.  The garments are photographed in various gorgeous places around the San Francisco Bay Area, including an Arts & Crafts estate in the south Bay, a ranch in Napa, and the Alchemy Farm and Studio, in western Sonoma County.

I hope the new book will become a viable tool for those individuals who love and celebrate the world of colorful knitting.

Best wishes for a wonderful summer!

gina