Another Trunk Show

Wow, it has been a very busy beginning for 2013.  I am finishing up my online composition class with Lesley Riley.  I have learned so much and I know I need to review the material again and again until it's all safely filed in my brain.  That seems to be a longer process than it used to be.  Things seem to fall through the cracks a lot easier than they used to and there are a lot more cracks, too.

I spent a great evening with the Silver Comet Stitchers in Dallas, GA last night.  They were very gracious, treating me and my husband (who volunteered to ride shotgun for me since it was 80+ miles from home) to a great dinner before their meeting.  There wasn't an empty space in the parking lot by the time we got started.  I always enjoy sharing my work with people who have a real interest and they were all attentive and engaged.  I love it when people ask questions because I never seem to get everything said, though I have a tendency to give "too much information" sometimes.

I decided to take some of my ice-dyed fabric to see if they would be interested and they loved it.  I sold a good many pieces--and you know what that means--I need to make some more!  Woohoo!  There was one combination of colors  that I tried this last time that was fantastic.  It made me think of hot summertime, salsa, and Mexican music (reds, oranges, golden yellows, and some great greens).    It's all gone today, so I will definitely be making another batch of that.

I am still working on my big piece that I promised to share my process with you.  I'm making photos as I work and I will post them when it's all done.  I had thought I would submit it for consideration for a SAQA exhibit, but there's no way I'm going to make the deadline.  The application and photo has to be uploaded by Jan. 31st and it's just not going to happen.  I should have tried something smaller and less complex, but, at the end of the day, it's what I wanted to do and I think that's more important than a deadline.  One thing I've learned from Lesley's class is that you have to put yourself into your work.  Otherwise, it's not going to have an authentic voice.  You're just going through the motions, like an assembly line.

I have one last piece to make for Lesley's class.  I will send her a photo and she will do a critique for me.  I'm excited and nervous about that.  I certainly want her feedback, but I do feel anxious that I'll do something sub-par.  That's why I'm going to try and finish this piece I'm into now before I begin and I'll  take my time and remember all the principles and elements of composition she's been teaching.  There are some incredibly talented people in the class and they are not all fiber artists--some are painters in different mediums--lots of collage work, which has been new for me--and some mixed media people, who are doing all sorts of interesting things.

Next Monday evening I will do another Trunk Show for the Common Threads Quilt Guild in Newnan, GA.  That's a lot closer to home, which is nice.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Thanks for stopping by.



  

Wrapping up 2012 and looking forward to 2013

Something exciting happened for me last month.  I was contacted by a lady who had seen my "Smoky Mountain High" at the Columbus Artists' Guild Member Show last June.  She said she and her husband had really liked it and had been talking about it ever since, and she asked if it was still available.  Well, long story short, she bought the piece for her husband as a Christmas gift. 

There are always mixed feelings when I sell a piece.  Most of my art quilts take weeks and sometimes months to complete.  It truly feels like "birthing" a baby, and by the time I'm finished, there's a real emotional connection.  So, when one of them goes to a new home, there's always a little separation anxiety.  I have to remind myself that it's a good thing--that someone else saw something of value in what I created, and my "child" will have a good home and be appreciated.   I have my photos to remember them by.

With the end of 2012, I sat down and took stock of what I had accomplished this past year.  I began the year with my first Trunk Show for the Early Bird Quilters in Conyers, GA.  I was somewhat apprehensive going into it, but it was great.  I'm not a particularly outgoing person (actually, I consider myself to be an introvert), so a friend from the group, who happens to be their program chairman, had to really twist my arm.  But, in the end, I enjoyed it very much, and thanks to Barbara, I was launched on a new path.  Since that time, I've done several more talks and I have several more lined up for this year--two later this month.

I also learned to ice-dye fabric this year and that has been a real treat.  I've even been able to sell some of it through Sunday Best Quiltworks in Ellerslie, GA--thanks Linda and Teresa.  Now I have money to buy more fabric to dye. 

This past year was also very good to me in the form of awards from art and quilt shows.  I'm looking forward to entering more work this year.  I even had a photo of one of my pieces (the same "Smoky Mountain High") published in Machine Quilting Unlimited magazine in the Nov/Dec issue.

So, the sale in December was icing on the cake--a great way to end the year.

As I look forward to 2013, I have several Trunk Shows lined up.  I'll be in Dallas, GA with the Silver Comet Stitchers the 21st of this month and in Newnan, GA with The Common Threads Guild on the 28th. 

Most exciting will be a solo exhibit of my work at the new Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum in Carrollton in April and May--more details about that soon.  I hope to get at least 2 new pieces done in time for that.  I've already started the first one.  I'll try to get some photos along the way so I can show you my process.  Of course, my process is ever-changing, but that's okay.  If you're not growing, you're rusting in place.

I hope everyone has a great 2013.  I look forward to sharing mine with you.