Paradise City, Marlborough

Just one week until Paradise City, Marlborough. I still have so much to do and a stack of hats to finish. Last night I had the typical I-am-not-prepared dream. In it, everyone else was set and ready to go. The doors to the show were about to open. My booth was a wreck and I still had a pile of hats that I needed to finish. It's one of the recurrent dreams, like forgetting to go to class or not studying for a test, or even having to use a restroom in an open area.

I need to relax. No, I need to get my work done.

I'll be bringing a new and interesting hat with me to the show. It's called "Intestinal Fortitude." Come try it on.

ArtSpace Maynard Open Studios

Dreaming of Hats

Open Studios at ArtSpace Maynard is coming up soon and I've been trying to get into the studio as much as possible. I'm working on my fall lineup of hats—there are just so many things that I want to make.

At night I can't decide if it's best to think about hats as I fall asleep or not. Sometimes the thoughts make me feel peaceful. Other times I end up itching to get back in the studio.

I'll try to post some pictures soon. I've been trying to make a lot of caps and "volcano" hats. I made a really cool hat I call "Intestinal Fortitude" that is on display in our gallery's display case. Come out to see the show of all the artists' work if you get a chance.

A little bit of press

Looks like I got a little bit of press from the blog Artisans Examiner

Rain, Rain, Rain

It seems like we're never going to see the sun here in Massachusetts again. It ended up pouring on the Sunday of DeCordova's "Art in the Park," even still, people turned out—that's how good the event is. We had some times where the rain would let up a bit but it was a mostly soggy day. Still, I did well. It was so nice to be back helping people with hats. Next to making the hats it's my favorite part of the whole process. I like people. If the jury votes me in again, you'll find me at Art in the Park next year.

Here's a picture of one of my new clients. I have her mother's permission to post her photos. She ended up with the pigtail hat, but was kind enough to model a couple of others for me. Thank you little Miss T.

Denishé at Art in the Park, Lincoln, Massachusetts

This weekend you can find me at the DeCordova Museum's Art-in-the-Park event in Lincoln, Massachusetts. It looks like the weather might cooperate this year. Last year it was a sunny, breeze-less, one-hundred degree day. This is a great event with live music, loads of artists, and lots of crafts for the kiddies—all within the setting of a sculpture park.

I always give a 10% discount if you come to a show wearing one of my hats. This year I'm going to give a 10% discount to people who have read this blog posting. The secret password/phrase will be: "Denise, I'll look good in one of your hats!" This should be said with great enthusiasm, so practice before you get to me. Be warned that if you say it with honest-to-goodness, genuine enthusiasm, I might just hug you.

I've been working like mad whenever my daughter is napping, and I have to say that the pressure of time has actually been really good for me—I don't have time to fool around. I've been more focused, I'm getting much better at working on multiple hats, and I'm figuring out where I'm spending too much time dawdling unnecessarily.

I do hope you'll come out to see me this weekend. Oh, and I promise that I'll get my Web site updated before the summer is through—I probably have more than a hundred hats that haven't been posted yet. What a slacker!


I'm including a couple of photos from the collection of hats I'll be taking with me. They're hardly representative of the breadth of styles of hats that I make, but at least you get a taste.

Mother's Day Commission: Part II

Here is the finished product. This is not the kind of hat I usually make, so it was an interesting project. I can already see the influence it's having on my other work. I love that.

I hope she loves the hat and I hope she has a wonderful Mother's Day. I wish the same to all you mothers out there.