The day finally arrived after months of anticipation. I went to Carrollton yesterday and hung my exhibit. It was a long and tiring day, but so worth it. I had great help from Beverly, Mary, and Jennifer--thank you all. We worked from 10 a.m. til after 4 p.m. Of course we took a lunch break and walked up to the square and had some great food at the Corner Cafe.
When we were finally done and all the pieces were hung, I just stood in the middle of this big (20' x 24') room, surrounded by my art. There hangs 7 years of my life--from my first art quilt (Grand Slam) to my latest (The Lotus Pond). It was somewhat surreal. It's as if I have my own private art gallery. I have never had the opportunity to view so much of my work at one time. Sure, I've had 2 or 3 pieces in the same show, but they're surrounded by lots of other work and it's usually crowded together so that you can't really concentrate on just one thing. I made sure there was plenty of "negative" space between each of my quilts so that each one can be seen individually. I really don't like it when there's so much "stuff" to look at that you can't see anything--at least that's how my brain works.
It was also wonderful to be able to stand so far away from a piece and get a totally new perspective on it--then walk right up to it and see all the details. To say I'm happy and excited would be an understatement.
I really hope there will be lots of people who will come and share this experience with me. The show opens on Saturday, June 1st. The museum will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and I will be there all day. Heck, I may take a cot and move in.
If you can't make it this Saturday, never fear. The exhibit will be there through August 31st (also a Saturday). The museum is located at 306 Bradley Street in Carrollton, GA. It's just a block off the town square. The hours are:
Thursdays and Fridays 12 noon to 6 p.m.
Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ya'll come on down!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Stubborn people do win sometimes
If you read my previous rant, you know I was particularly frustrated with Facebook and my inability to post a copy of my exhibit announcement there. Well, my wonderful friend and neighbor, Carolyn, told me how to cut/copy and paste--and now I know all about Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V--so there! I am trainable and my announcement is now on the group page at Facebook. And, while I was having my meltdown, my daughter posted the announcement I had e-mailed to her on her page, so now it shows up as a link on my page--at least I think it does. So there--being stubborn can be a good thing.
You can find the information on my solo exhibit, which opens Saturday, June 1st at the following link.
www.southeasternquiltmuseum.com
I will have one piece at the Columbus Artists' Guild Member Show at the Illges Gallery in Columbus, GA, June 8-22nd. I'm entering "Where The Pavement Ends", as I think it's my best piece, artistically speaking.
I have two pieces entered in the East Cobb Quilt Guild show, which will be June 14-16th at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta. I will enter "Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Black Hills September".
These three pieces will be missing from the museum exhibit until the first of July. Once they're home from their respective shows, I'll include them.
I thought it might be a good time to post a couple of photos of art pieces you haven't seen here before.
This one is called, "A Boy, A Rock, and A Puddle". It's based on a photo I took of my youngest grandson, Mitchell, when he was about 2 years old. He's now 15. This was the second art quilt I made and there are lots of things I'd do differently if I was starting it today, but it means a lot to me for several reasons.
Of course, the subject is very special. In addition, this piece was chosen to be included in an exhibit called "Expressions: The Art Quilt", back in 2005 or 2006 (can't remember the exact date). The exhibit drew entries from several countries and was curated by Ricky Tims. I was over the moon to have my work included in the exhibit. It toured the country for 2 years, ending with a 3 month stay at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. That was pretty heady stuff for a newbie art quilter. Lamar and I even made a trip to Paducah so I could see it hanging in the museum and they were kind enough to take my photo standing beside it. I'm still not sure where I got the nerve to submit it, but, I guess it's true that you can accomplish a lot as long as you don't know any better.
This one is called "Georgia On My Mind" and is based on a photo by Robin Camp. It was fairly small--maybe 20 " x 15"--and it's the first art quilt I ever sold, so it doesn't live with me anymore. It was something of a salute to Georgia O'Keefe, thus the title. That makes it very appropriate that it now resides in New Mexico with another artist.
Well, I promised more pictures, so there you are. Hope to see you at one of the events in June.
You can find the information on my solo exhibit, which opens Saturday, June 1st at the following link.
www.southeasternquiltmuseum.com
I will have one piece at the Columbus Artists' Guild Member Show at the Illges Gallery in Columbus, GA, June 8-22nd. I'm entering "Where The Pavement Ends", as I think it's my best piece, artistically speaking.
I have two pieces entered in the East Cobb Quilt Guild show, which will be June 14-16th at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta. I will enter "Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Black Hills September".
I thought it might be a good time to post a couple of photos of art pieces you haven't seen here before.
Of course, the subject is very special. In addition, this piece was chosen to be included in an exhibit called "Expressions: The Art Quilt", back in 2005 or 2006 (can't remember the exact date). The exhibit drew entries from several countries and was curated by Ricky Tims. I was over the moon to have my work included in the exhibit. It toured the country for 2 years, ending with a 3 month stay at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. That was pretty heady stuff for a newbie art quilter. Lamar and I even made a trip to Paducah so I could see it hanging in the museum and they were kind enough to take my photo standing beside it. I'm still not sure where I got the nerve to submit it, but, I guess it's true that you can accomplish a lot as long as you don't know any better.
Well, I promised more pictures, so there you are. Hope to see you at one of the events in June.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Ahh, the frustrations of the technologically challenged...
Geez, I thought I was reasonably intelligent, but I guess that ceased to be true along about the year 2000. I have a fairly good grasp of how to do an online search and how to print photos and business cards that I've designed, and I've got the whole online shopping thing down cold, but somehow, I missed out on the social media phenomenon.
I have a cell phone--not a smart phone--but I don't do texting and if I want to take a photo, I have a regular (digital) camera for that. I can even download my photos from the camera to the computer and print them or e-mail them to other people.
I thought I was doing okay, although there are commercials on TV that I don't have a clue as to what is being advertised, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with computers. This whole "cloud" thing is a total mystery. And now we come to Facebook.
I had decided that I would not get involved in Facebook because it seemed to me to be a big vacuum cleaner that sucked up your time and kept you from doing anything productive. I should have known that I couldn't hold out and remain a member of the human race, unless I moved to Borneo and lived in a hut on the beach--actually, that doesn't sound like such a bad thing.
It turns out that in order to communicate with the GA/SC regional group of SAQA, which I'm a member of, I had to set up a Facebook page and become part of that group on Facebook. I managed to do that and I thought everything was okay until I tried to post the announcement of my exhibit at the SE Quilt Museum. Not only could none of my 15 friends (mostly family members) see the post, but I couldn't figure out how to get it to the SAQA group page.
I hate asking other people to help me do things that seem so simple to them and so incredibly baffling to me. It makes me feel like a total idiot. After asking for help on the Facebook page and getting several very helpful people telling me what to do--I could not figure it out. It sounded so easy--just cut/copy and paste the announcement--but I could find nothing that gave me the option to do any of that. I still don't know what to do. But, I will find out--I am stubborn/determined and I will find someone to sit down with me and show me--if it's the last thing I ever do.
Some of you tech-savvy people are laughing at me right now--you know who you are--and that's okay. I'm sure there's something I know how to do that you don't--like making homemade peach preserves that are to die for.
That's my rant for today. I will post all the info on my exhibit and the other shows I'm participating in during the month of June--with pictures--in the next few days. Thanks for listening.
I have a cell phone--not a smart phone--but I don't do texting and if I want to take a photo, I have a regular (digital) camera for that. I can even download my photos from the camera to the computer and print them or e-mail them to other people.
I thought I was doing okay, although there are commercials on TV that I don't have a clue as to what is being advertised, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with computers. This whole "cloud" thing is a total mystery. And now we come to Facebook.
I had decided that I would not get involved in Facebook because it seemed to me to be a big vacuum cleaner that sucked up your time and kept you from doing anything productive. I should have known that I couldn't hold out and remain a member of the human race, unless I moved to Borneo and lived in a hut on the beach--actually, that doesn't sound like such a bad thing.
It turns out that in order to communicate with the GA/SC regional group of SAQA, which I'm a member of, I had to set up a Facebook page and become part of that group on Facebook. I managed to do that and I thought everything was okay until I tried to post the announcement of my exhibit at the SE Quilt Museum. Not only could none of my 15 friends (mostly family members) see the post, but I couldn't figure out how to get it to the SAQA group page.
I hate asking other people to help me do things that seem so simple to them and so incredibly baffling to me. It makes me feel like a total idiot. After asking for help on the Facebook page and getting several very helpful people telling me what to do--I could not figure it out. It sounded so easy--just cut/copy and paste the announcement--but I could find nothing that gave me the option to do any of that. I still don't know what to do. But, I will find out--I am stubborn/determined and I will find someone to sit down with me and show me--if it's the last thing I ever do.
Some of you tech-savvy people are laughing at me right now--you know who you are--and that's okay. I'm sure there's something I know how to do that you don't--like making homemade peach preserves that are to die for.
That's my rant for today. I will post all the info on my exhibit and the other shows I'm participating in during the month of June--with pictures--in the next few days. Thanks for listening.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
A Busy Time
Have you ever had a time when so many things were happening at once that you seemed frozen in place? I like to think of myself as very organized, with everything under control, but lately things seem to be slipping out of my hands. I know it's an illusion because I have all my check lists in place and all the boxes have been marked off, but I think it's the fear that I'll forget something important that has me in a tizzy.
Of course the fact that I spent all last week battling an awful cold didn't help. I don't do well with drugs, but it wasn't possible to get through the week without a decongestant and it made me feel as though I was moving in slow motion and everything around me was just a fog. I think I slept more in the past seven days than I usually do in a month, and that's saying a lot, since sleeping is one of my favorite pastimes. I know there are people who survive quite nicely on 4-5 hours a night, but I don't function well on less than 8-9 hours.
On top of all that, June is fast approaching and it will be a crazy month. My exhibit at the museum opens June 1st. I have to deliver my piece to the Columbus Artists' Guild Member show on June 2nd, with the opening reception June 8th, and the two entries to the East Cobb Quilt Guild show are due June 9th.
The CAG show is June 8 - 22nd and I'll be required to work one of those days. The East Cobb show is June 14-16, so I'll have to be there on the 16th when the show closes to pick up my work. Then, it's back to Columbus on the 23rd to retrieve that piece. Whew!
After that whirlwind, I'll take the three pieces from those shows and hang them at the museum, along with my other work. July should be a piece of cake.
My biggest problem right now is that I'm not working on anything new. I have some time, but I can't seem to get started. Nothing is calling to me and I'm frustrated with myself. Yesterday, I just wanted to be doing something, so I made 2 trivets from wrapped clothesline. I've used that method in the past to do bowls/baskets and plates. I like the process--it's very tactile and addictive. And, I need the trivets to sit hot things on the table. But, really, this is not making art--it's killing time. At least I was in my studio, surrounded by all my "stuff".
One thing I have done lately is to make small pieces from the hand-dyed fabrics I've been creating. My friend, Maryanne, who's a fabulous framer, gave me the idea to make tiny art quilts from pieces of the fabric, since it looks like abstract art. She then cut mats for me and I've mounted the quilts on archival foam board. The smallest one is 3" x 6" and the largest is 8" x 10". I'm going to offer them for sale at the Columbus show. I've really enjoyed making them since they're so small, they can be completed quickly and I've always liked instant gratification. I used both the cotton and the linen dyed fabrics and I'm anxious to see how they look with the mats in place. Maryanne has them now, so I'll make pictures to post when I get them back.
I promised photos in my last post, so I'm going to show you the pictures I based my two new pieces on. The picture of Grandma and Sarah was taken by Robin, my daughter in law. The lotus is a picture I took last summer. I'll post the art quilts later.
Of course the fact that I spent all last week battling an awful cold didn't help. I don't do well with drugs, but it wasn't possible to get through the week without a decongestant and it made me feel as though I was moving in slow motion and everything around me was just a fog. I think I slept more in the past seven days than I usually do in a month, and that's saying a lot, since sleeping is one of my favorite pastimes. I know there are people who survive quite nicely on 4-5 hours a night, but I don't function well on less than 8-9 hours.
On top of all that, June is fast approaching and it will be a crazy month. My exhibit at the museum opens June 1st. I have to deliver my piece to the Columbus Artists' Guild Member show on June 2nd, with the opening reception June 8th, and the two entries to the East Cobb Quilt Guild show are due June 9th.
The CAG show is June 8 - 22nd and I'll be required to work one of those days. The East Cobb show is June 14-16, so I'll have to be there on the 16th when the show closes to pick up my work. Then, it's back to Columbus on the 23rd to retrieve that piece. Whew!
After that whirlwind, I'll take the three pieces from those shows and hang them at the museum, along with my other work. July should be a piece of cake.
My biggest problem right now is that I'm not working on anything new. I have some time, but I can't seem to get started. Nothing is calling to me and I'm frustrated with myself. Yesterday, I just wanted to be doing something, so I made 2 trivets from wrapped clothesline. I've used that method in the past to do bowls/baskets and plates. I like the process--it's very tactile and addictive. And, I need the trivets to sit hot things on the table. But, really, this is not making art--it's killing time. At least I was in my studio, surrounded by all my "stuff".
One thing I have done lately is to make small pieces from the hand-dyed fabrics I've been creating. My friend, Maryanne, who's a fabulous framer, gave me the idea to make tiny art quilts from pieces of the fabric, since it looks like abstract art. She then cut mats for me and I've mounted the quilts on archival foam board. The smallest one is 3" x 6" and the largest is 8" x 10". I'm going to offer them for sale at the Columbus show. I've really enjoyed making them since they're so small, they can be completed quickly and I've always liked instant gratification. I used both the cotton and the linen dyed fabrics and I'm anxious to see how they look with the mats in place. Maryanne has them now, so I'll make pictures to post when I get them back.
I promised photos in my last post, so I'm going to show you the pictures I based my two new pieces on. The picture of Grandma and Sarah was taken by Robin, my daughter in law. The lotus is a picture I took last summer. I'll post the art quilts later.
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