Bad girl

I've been a very bad girl lately.  I haven't posted anything here in at least a month.  I will try to do better, but remember, if you don't have anything to say--it's best to just shut up.

We had beautiful fall colors this year, but they only lasted a few days.  The trees are either totally bare or the color is definitely past its prime.  I did catch the sassafras tree in the back yard while it was spectacular.

I wish we had lots more of these, but this is the only one anywhere near the house. 

I haven't taken many photos lately because my camera died.  It was giving me trouble for some time, but I kept babying it and trying to be calm and nice and not say ugly words.  That sort of worked until last week, when, on the advice of this very nice "geek" at Best Buy, I tried a new battery.  That helped for about 6 shots, then, the next time I tried, no dice.  I would push the impossibly tiny "on" button maybe 10 times and when it finally came on and I aimed it at what was to be the subject of my photo, it would shut off.  That happened 4 or 5 times, and I finally said, enough (well, I actually said some other stuff, too, but best not to get into that).  I'm going back to Best Buy tomorrow to purchase a new camera.  I've felt so lost without a camera these last few days--kind of like being without a car.

I made a major purchase a couple of weeks ago and I was going to post a photo, but since that didn't work out, I'll just tell you about it.  First, a little background--when I was at the GA Quilt Show back in September, I wandered by the Bernina booth and talked to a nice lady about the new 700 series machines.  I had no intention of buying a new sewing machine, I was just killing time.  Then, over the next few weeks the universe began turning in such a way that my purchase of a new machine became a given.  Money began to fall out of the sky.  First, there was the prize money from the GA Quilt Show, then more prize money from the GA Nat'l Fair, and, to top it off, I sold my "Lotus Pond" piece at the fair.  All in all, I thought these were omens.  So, not wanting to upset the natural order of things, I visited my nearest Bernina dealer and put that baby through its paces. 

Needless to say, it was love at first stitch.  This machine (the Bernina 710) is a dream.  It has  10" of  throat space, a dual feed system that's very easy to engage and works with several different feet.  It also uses a much larger bobbin and gives me up to 9mm of stitch width capability.  And--drum roll--it has a button that you push to cut the top and bottom thread!  Do you know how many times I've had to practically crawl under a quilt to cut that bottom thread with the scissors and hope I didn't cut a hole in the quilt at the same time? 

I had briefly looked at the 800 series Berninas when they first came out, but I can't see myself paying $10K for a sewing machine--not until I win the lottery, anyway.  I opted for the lowest price of the 700 models because I wasn't about to spend an extra $1000 for a BSR foot (stitch regulator) and a quarter-inch foot, which was the only difference between the 710 model and the 750 QE.  Then, there's a 780 that includes all the embroidery stuff, but I'm not into embroidery.  All in all, the 710 was just a little more than I paid for my 440 QE about 6-7 years ago.  And, now I will sell that machine, since I don't have room for it.

 By the way, if you're interested in a well-used and well-maintained Bernina 440 QE, I'm offering mine for $1500, which is about half what I paid for it.  Send me an e-mail if you want to know more.  I also counted and I have about 75 bobbins for the 440 that I can't use on the new machine, so I'd be willing to throw those into the deal.

I'm in the process of making a bed quilt for my youngest grandson.  Mitch will be 16 next week, and, while this won't be finished in time for his birthday, maybe it can be done by Christmas.  I've got all the piecing done and I'm working on borders.   It has 72 New York Beauty blocks that I paper pieced.  Mitch picked out some of my ice-dyed fabric (which just happened to be my favorite color combination) and that has determined my palette.  I love the way that fabric looks in the quilt and I'm using it for the borders, too.  If all goes well tomorrow, maybe I can post some photos.

GA National Fair and Expressions of Meriwether

The Georgia National Fair closes today and my 3 entries this year won a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.  That's awesome, but what puzzles me always is that I apparently have no concept of how to judge my own work.  The piece that won a blue ribbon was my 3rd choice and I really didn't expect to win anything with it. 

"Sanctuary" is  made from a 1/2 yard piece of my ice-dyed fabric.  I hung it on my design wall, occasionally turning it, until it began to look like something to me.  Then, I did a little cropping, added thread painting for the tree trunks and limbs, the grass and water, and used a piece of fabric I had previously painted for the sky.  I liked it, but I would have never guessed it would beat out the other two entries.

"Lotus Pond" was awarded 2nd place.  It certainly involved a lot more work and different techniques and materials.  I thought it was the best thing I've done, so far.  The big news is that it is now sold, thanks to its exposure at the fair. 

"Best Friends Forever" got the 3rd place.  It, too, took a lot of time to complete.  I posted previously about how it was made, showing photos of it in progress.  It's definitely a favorite of mine, considering the subject matter.

Next Saturday, October 19th, I will participate in a county-wide event featuring lots of different interests and activities.  It's called "Expressions of Meriwether" and will include tours of historic buildings and demos by a potter, photographer, and interior designer in Greenville, pony rides and building birdhouses in Luthersville, beekeeping, homing pigeons and cooking classes in Lone Oak, as well as ballroom dance classes and wine tasting in Warm Springs.  Railroad Days and a car show will take place in Manchester and bluegrass music and lots of antiques will be on display in Woodbury. 

I will be exhibiting my work at the Community Building in Gay, GA from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, along with a local photographer.  The Community Building is 1/2 mile north of the traffic light on GA Hwy 85, beside and a bit behind the fire station.  Sounds like a great time for the whole family, with something for everyone.  Ya'll come.



 

 

GA Quilt Show

Yesterday, I attended the GA Quilt Show in Marietta.  I had entered one art quilt in the competition and I also have a piece in the GA/SC Regional SAQA Exhibit, which will be traveling with the Sewing and Quilt Expo around the country for the next year.  This was the opening of that exhibit and I was anxious to see what our group had produced.

It is an awesome showing  and I am honored to be a part of it.  There is a wonderfully diverse group of artists and styles represented.  The theme is "Under Georgia Lina Skies", which left a lot of room for interpretation and I think that helps make it such a great mix. 

My competition piece, "Where the Pavement Ends" took a third place in the Small Wallhanging category. 

Since the category doesn't separate art quilts and is based strictly on size, it means there's a big range of work.  I don't see how my piece got any recognition, after seeing the first and second place winners.  They were both densely quilted with incredible skill--the kind of quilts you're used to seeing in the big shows that make your mouth drop in awe.  How my little landscape squeezed out a ribbon, I don't know because there were other entries more like #1 and 2. 

I really wish the show would have a category that is just for art quilts, as it seems to be a comparison of apples and oranges.  Do we look at it for its artistic merit or for its technical wizardry.  Of course, the technically awesome ones are also artistic, but it's a different animal.

I will be doing a Trunk Show for the East Cobb Quilt Guild next Friday morning.  I'm a bit nervous about that since they have some very gifted art quilters in their group.  Hope they won't be bored with my work. 

Folk School

I spent last week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.  It was a great experience on many levels.  First, I must say that I am an introvert and my biggest concern prior to making the trip was that I would be "trapped" in an environment with multiple strangers and I would be required to "make nice" with these people 24/7.  I know that sounds awful, but, like I said, I am an introvert and it takes a lot for me to be comfortable in groups, especially for extended periods of time.

I had arranged for a single room with a private bathroom, so I would have some place to hibernate.  That was a good idea, as I was able to return to my room (no tv, no radio, sketchy cell phone service) after the evening program and be totally quiet and alone.  I had the option of returning to the classroom in the evening, but I decided I needed time to decompress after a full day.  I wrote a 2 page letter to my husband each evening.  I haven't written an actual letter in years and it was special for both of us.

 My room and the house I stayed in.

Everyone was extremely nice and friendly and I met many interesting people.  Dining was family style, which meant you had to interact with your table-mates and that led to conversations beyond "pass the potatoes, please".  There were people there from all over the country and from such diverse backgrounds, I found myself enjoying the meals as much for the conversation as for the food--and the food was awesome.

There was entertainment each evening, demonstrations in some of the other classes, and the scenery was beautiful.

I took a beginning drawing class with 8 other students.  It was kind of like closing your eyes and jumping off the high dive when you're not sure there's any water in the pool, and you can't swim anyway.  (Remember the scene in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", when they have to jump off a cliff into a river below and one of the guys hesitates and says he can't swim and the other one says, "hell, the fall will kill you"?)

I do not remember ever drawing anything that wasn't traced.  I make the patterns for my art quilts by enlarging a photo and tracing the main elements.  That way, I know that things are the correct size in relation to each other.  So, on the first day, when the instructor, Annie Cicale, told us to pick some leaves or a plant and draw them, I swallowed hard and dove right in.  My thought process was that nobody in this class knew me, nor was I ever likely to meet any of them again, so what did I have to lose?  Besides, the folk school is not a cheap vacation, so I was determined to get my money's worth.

I survived Monday morning--I even showed my work to the other people in the class and Annie.  Believe me, that was not easy, but everyone was extremely supportive and positive--nobody laughed out loud, so I decided it was okay to come back after lunch.

I think I may have been the only true beginner in the class, as there were some pretty awesome drawings being done.  On Monday afternoon, we chose 4-5 small objects and composed a still life.  We got some instruction, which I'm not sure I fully grasped, and began to draw.  I was doing okay until I got to the last object and realized that it didn't fit where it was supposed to go and I only had 3 erasers, so I knew I was in trouble.  By that time, it was the end of the day and I went back to my room after dinner with a headache and a lot of doubt about my future as an artist.

Tuesday morning, I came back to the class, having determined that I would start over, so I selected another group of objects and began again.  This time, things went a lot better and everything fit pretty much where it was supposed to go.  Then we began to work on shading, which was easier for me since I discovered that concept when I made my second art quilt.

I won't bore you with lots more details--heck, you probably haven't gotten this far anyway.  Suffice it to say, things got easier as the week progressed, and I have no doubt that given enough time with Annie (who is a great instructor and artist), I could eventually be one of those people you see in public places with a sketchbook and a beautifully peaceful look on their faces, lost in their own world.  I have always envied those people and wanted to be one of them.

My favorite part of the week was the day we went out and found a spot by ourselves and drew what was in front of us.  That was totally serene and made my little introverted self very happy.  I want to do that again.

The bottom line here is, the folk school is an awesome place, where you can learn a lot, produce something you're proud to take home, and meet an incredibly diverse and interesting group of people.  And, the setting is spectacular--quiet and serene, surrounded by mountains.  They offer such a variety of classes, the biggest problem you have is deciding which one you want to take.  So, if you're looking for a different kind of vacation, check it out. www.folkschool.org

This week is the GA Quilt Show at the Galleria on the north side of Atlanta.  I have one piece in the competition and another piece in a SAQA exhibit, which includes art quilts from members in the GA/SC region of SAQA.  I'm looking forward to seeing that and attending a regional SAQA meeting Friday night.

The GA National Fair is Oct 3rd - 13th and I have 3 pieces entered in the Fine Arts Show.  I didn't have anything to enter in the quilt competition this year.  I plan to make a full/queen size quilt for my youngest grandson, Mitch, very soon.  His 16th birthday is coming up in November and I'd like to have something ready, if not by then, perhaps for Christmas.  He's picked out colors, but we haven't settled on a design yet.  I need to get busy. 

   

Exhibit Ends

Today is the last day of my solo exhibit at the Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum.  It has been a wonderful experience for me.  I've met some great people, made some new friends, and especially enjoyed working with Beverly Hammack, Norma West, April Carlson, and Jennifer.  I so appreciate the opportunity to hang all my work in one space and have people actually come to see it.

It's going to be a bit of a bummer to have to take it all down, roll it up, and bring it home.  But, let's face it, each piece is like one of my children, so I guess it's time they all came home.

September will be hectic.  I'll have one piece in the competition at the GA Quilt Show and another will be part of the SAQA Regional Exhibit there Sept 19-21.  Then, I have to deliver several pieces to the GA Nat'l Fair in Perry, which opens in October.  I'm doing a Trunk Show for the East Cobb Guild on the 27th.  And squeezed into September is also a 5-day class at the John C. Campbell Folk School in NC.

 I'm taking a drawing class and I hope to break down that wall that keeps telling me I can't draw.  There must be some secret or trick I can learn that will give me the courage to put pencil to paper and produce marks that resemble something.  Surely there's hope--it can't really be something that you're either born with or not, like blue eyes or being double-jointed.  I'm like a kid with all my supplies ready and waiting for the first day of school.  Wish me luck!

I finished a new piece recently and thought I'd share it here.  I call it "End of Day" and it's based on several photos I took of a beautiful sunset here in the country many years ago.  The sky changed color almost minute by minute as we hurried from place to place, trying to get the best shot.  It was all over in such a short time and I don't think I've ever seen another one nearly as spectacular. 

More Pasaquan

My previous blog wouldn't hold all the photos I wanted to share, so read it first, then look at the pics.

This was one of my favorite paintings.

 Notice the blue eyes--they're roofing nails.  This was a life size figure.

 This looks Native American to me--a shield?

The corner of a building.  This place is awesome!  Hope you can see it for yourself someday.

Pasaquan--WOW!

Today, my husband and I visited Pasaquan.  If you've never heard of it, you should check out the website www.pasaquan.com.  It's near Buena Vista, GA--a little over an hour from our house.  We've been talking about visiting for several years and finally, today was the day. 

I'm not a big folk art fanatic, but this place is unbelievable.  Eddie Owen Martin was born and grew up in this very rural area, but left in his teens for New York City.  He returned when he was in his mid forties, having had a vision that instructed him to return to Georgia.  I don't want to say any more about him--don't want to screw up the facts--but he was definitely a unique individual with a drive to create that led him to lay hands on every available surface and enhance it in some way.  I should also add that he was a self-taught artist.

His sense of color was phenomenal.  A lot of his work is outdoors and hasn't been treated kindly by the elements.  It's when you see the work on the walls inside that you can get a better sense of what those outside surfaces must have been at one time. 

He seems to have been influenced by many cultures--African, Native American, Mexican--and many religions.  I saw things that seemed Budhist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Native American.  There are numerous images that recur again and again.  Circles are everywhere and many things made me think of space and the planets.  There are many wonderful quilting motifs and paintings that look like quilts hanging on the walls.

To say that I was impressed would be a major understatement.  I took about 150 photographs and could have taken lots more.  We were struck by how the same section of wall or building looked totally different when you viewed it from another angle.  Sooo--I'm posting a few of my photos--enjoy.

 These circles with different designs lined the walkway to the front door of the main house.

 This huge painting covered an entire wall inside--it's a quilt, right?

 Notice the metal work and carved wood around the inside of the window frame and the view outside.

 Don't know what this building was used for, but it had a Japanese temple feel to me.

 Lots and lots of faces--this one carved into the concrete. 

 One wall in the kitchen area. 

 This area had a Budha-looking statue inside on a bench.  Notice the metal work at top.

 Circles, circles, circles--not sure what this building was about.

 Believe it or not, this structure hides a large propane tank.

 Another angle of the propane shed.

 A view from the side and back of the main house.

 Note the feather earring on the statue at left--American Indian influence?

 Loved the design on this upright section.

 Is this a Seminole patchwork quilt?  Check out the metal work on top of the wall.

 A metal clad door.