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.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Lessons in Art
I haven't had anything to say here for a while. I've been busy with an online class I'm taking with Lesley Riley, called Compose Yourself. She's covering the basics of composition, but with an emphasis on placing yourself into your work. I'm learning a lot and stretching myself to try and keep up.
Ever since I began making art quilts, I have felt that I needed to stand back in the corner and keep my mouth shut, so that the "real" artists in the room would not know that I didn't belong. After all, many of them had degrees in art or graphic design and they knew all the rules about what constitutes art. Many of them worked in other media. They were painters, sculptors, potters, etc. All I knew how to do was operate a sewing machine.
Over the years, I've taken numerous online classes from other fiber artists to try and learn as many techniques as I could. I wanted to know all the secrets. But, despite all that, I was still uncomfortable and unsure of my work.
It helped me gain confidence to enter and win recognition in a few art shows, but I still feel that the majority of the art world does not really accept textiles (a quilt?) as genuine art. My other disadvantage is that my work is, for the most part, realistic. Everyone expects or assumes that it will be abstract. I don't know why.
Earlier this year, I received an award at the Columbus Artists' Guild show. The judge was a gallery owner, so I worked up my courage and approached her about having some of my work in her gallery. While she said she loved my work (she did recognize it with an award), she did not think there was a market for it in her gallery. She gave me the name of another gallery that might have some interest, and, by the way, did I do anything abstract?
That's one of the reasons I decided to take Lesley's class. If I can learn the rules of good composition, maybe, just maybe, I can get a grip on how to go about making abstract art. Don't get me wrong, I will continue to do realistic work--it's what I understand and I think it's where my talent lies--but, I would like to know enough to be able to try abstract to see if it's something I enjoy.
There are some abstract pieces that I like and some that just leave me shaking my head, but I don't feel I have the knowledge to understand which piece is good artistically, and which is not. Of course, that won't change my mind as to whether I like it . I think people's reaction to art is almost totally subjective. You either like it or you don't--it holds your attention and speaks to you, or not. If you have to analyze it before you decide you like it, then obviously you don't.
I also find it fascinating that people seem to purchase art, not based so much on their own likes or dislikes, but on whether other people think an artist is good. My theory is that they are afraid to purchase and display something in their home unless they think it is acceptable to others. Conformity and social acceptance are strongly ingrained in most people, and that's unfortunate.
And so, no photos today--just my thoughts.
Ever since I began making art quilts, I have felt that I needed to stand back in the corner and keep my mouth shut, so that the "real" artists in the room would not know that I didn't belong. After all, many of them had degrees in art or graphic design and they knew all the rules about what constitutes art. Many of them worked in other media. They were painters, sculptors, potters, etc. All I knew how to do was operate a sewing machine.
Over the years, I've taken numerous online classes from other fiber artists to try and learn as many techniques as I could. I wanted to know all the secrets. But, despite all that, I was still uncomfortable and unsure of my work.
It helped me gain confidence to enter and win recognition in a few art shows, but I still feel that the majority of the art world does not really accept textiles (a quilt?) as genuine art. My other disadvantage is that my work is, for the most part, realistic. Everyone expects or assumes that it will be abstract. I don't know why.
Earlier this year, I received an award at the Columbus Artists' Guild show. The judge was a gallery owner, so I worked up my courage and approached her about having some of my work in her gallery. While she said she loved my work (she did recognize it with an award), she did not think there was a market for it in her gallery. She gave me the name of another gallery that might have some interest, and, by the way, did I do anything abstract?
That's one of the reasons I decided to take Lesley's class. If I can learn the rules of good composition, maybe, just maybe, I can get a grip on how to go about making abstract art. Don't get me wrong, I will continue to do realistic work--it's what I understand and I think it's where my talent lies--but, I would like to know enough to be able to try abstract to see if it's something I enjoy.
There are some abstract pieces that I like and some that just leave me shaking my head, but I don't feel I have the knowledge to understand which piece is good artistically, and which is not. Of course, that won't change my mind as to whether I like it . I think people's reaction to art is almost totally subjective. You either like it or you don't--it holds your attention and speaks to you, or not. If you have to analyze it before you decide you like it, then obviously you don't.
I also find it fascinating that people seem to purchase art, not based so much on their own likes or dislikes, but on whether other people think an artist is good. My theory is that they are afraid to purchase and display something in their home unless they think it is acceptable to others. Conformity and social acceptance are strongly ingrained in most people, and that's unfortunate.
And so, no photos today--just my thoughts.
Friday, October 26, 2012
One More Show
Last Friday, I attended the Georgia Quilt Show north of Atlanta. I had never been to this show and was impressed by the quality of entries and by the fact that they were from all over the country, as well as a few international entries. It's not a huge show, but it was well done and well attended.
I had entered my "Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun" and was pleased that she received a third place award in the Small Wall Quilts category. They don't have a separate category for art quilts, so there were lots of different types of quilts in the group--some pieced (a gorgeous miniature that took 1st place), some applique from patterns, and a good number of what I would call art quilts (original designs, realistic, representational, and abstract).
This is my entry--from a photo of Sarah, my youngest granddaughter. The big brown UPS truck brought her home to me today--that's always a relief when they come home safely.
I was able to enjoy the show with my daughter, Marla, who had never been to a real quilt show before. I think she was rather impressed with the amazing work on display.
Another highlight was a regional meeting of SAQA, which allowed me to meet several fellow art quilters from around Georgia. That was a treat and I hope it won't be our last get-together.
I've just completed a Quilt of Valor, which I'll ship out in a few days (as soon as I get an assignment destination). This is the only one I've made this year--wish I'd done more. I still have to do the hardest part, which is to write something to the recipient. That's always tough because you have no idea who you're writing to--man or woman, young or not so young. But I think it's important to put some kind of message with the quilt to make it more personal.
I'm taking a class online with Lesley Riley on composition. I hope it will help me have a bit more confidence in what I'm doing, especially when I do a piece and I know there's something not quite right about it, but I'm not sure what that something is--very frustrating.
I received my copy of Machine Quilting Unlimited magazine this week with the photo of my "Smoky Mountain High" included in a piece about mountain-related art quilts. It was a thrill to see my work published.
I had entered my "Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun" and was pleased that she received a third place award in the Small Wall Quilts category. They don't have a separate category for art quilts, so there were lots of different types of quilts in the group--some pieced (a gorgeous miniature that took 1st place), some applique from patterns, and a good number of what I would call art quilts (original designs, realistic, representational, and abstract).
I was able to enjoy the show with my daughter, Marla, who had never been to a real quilt show before. I think she was rather impressed with the amazing work on display.
Another highlight was a regional meeting of SAQA, which allowed me to meet several fellow art quilters from around Georgia. That was a treat and I hope it won't be our last get-together.
I've just completed a Quilt of Valor, which I'll ship out in a few days (as soon as I get an assignment destination). This is the only one I've made this year--wish I'd done more. I still have to do the hardest part, which is to write something to the recipient. That's always tough because you have no idea who you're writing to--man or woman, young or not so young. But I think it's important to put some kind of message with the quilt to make it more personal.
I'm taking a class online with Lesley Riley on composition. I hope it will help me have a bit more confidence in what I'm doing, especially when I do a piece and I know there's something not quite right about it, but I'm not sure what that something is--very frustrating.
I received my copy of Machine Quilting Unlimited magazine this week with the photo of my "Smoky Mountain High" included in a piece about mountain-related art quilts. It was a thrill to see my work published.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Ga National Fair Results
After my wipeout at the Asheville Quilt Show, it was nice to go to Perry, GA last week and see the results of the Fine Art and Quilt Competitions.
My "Where the Pavement Ends" won 1st, "Black Hills September" won 2nd and "Top Gun" received an Award of Merit in the Fine Art show.
The quilt I recently finished for my bed, "Perseverance", aka, "The Quilt From Hell" won a 1st place and an Award of Excellence for Best Piecing. I was very pleased.
Next week is the Georgia Quilt Show. I have one piece entered. I'm really looking forward to it, as I've arranged to meet my daughter for lunch and the show. She's never been to a quilt show, so I think it'll be fun to see her reaction to all the wonderful quilts. My entry into the show is my portrait of her youngest daughter, Sarah (Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun). Then, there's a regional SAQA meeting where I'll have an opportunity to meet other art quilters from GA and SC.
I'm currently working on a Quilt of Valor. It's pieced and ready for quilting, so I will get busy on that next week.
Next week is the Georgia Quilt Show. I have one piece entered. I'm really looking forward to it, as I've arranged to meet my daughter for lunch and the show. She's never been to a quilt show, so I think it'll be fun to see her reaction to all the wonderful quilts. My entry into the show is my portrait of her youngest daughter, Sarah (Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun). Then, there's a regional SAQA meeting where I'll have an opportunity to meet other art quilters from GA and SC.
I'm currently working on a Quilt of Valor. It's pieced and ready for quilting, so I will get busy on that next week.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Show Time
We're back from the Asheville Quilt Show. I entered two pieces--no awards...sigh...It was a nice show--over 300 quilts and numerous vendors. We drove up on Saturday--it's about a 5 hour drive--and made a stop in Hendersonville for apples. They're the best.
We went to the show on Sunday morning, then drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Folk Art Center. It's a great collection of arts and crafts from the Southern Appalachian area. There were lots of quilts and art quilts, pottery, wood carving, weaving, etc. If you're ever in the area, be sure to visit. And, of course, the parkway is wonderful--except the traffic was pretty heavy--but then, it was Sunday afternoon and close to a large city, so I guess that's to be expected. The trees have just begun to show the fall colors, so the next couple of weeks should be peak time.
We had a miserable, rainy drive home. We do need the rain badly, but I hate driving in the dark when it's raining.
The GA Nat'l Fair opens on Thursday of this week (Oct 4th) and runs through the 14th in Perry, GA. I'll be going down at some point to see how my entries fared (no pun intended). I have 3 art pieces in the Fine Art competition and 1 quilt in the quilt competition.
I'm so glad to see Fall arrive with cool mornings and warm (but not too warm) afternoons. It's the perfect time of year, in my opinion, and then, there's the color.
Speaking of color, I took some of my hand-dyed fabric to my favorite local quilt shop (Sunday Best Quiltworks in Ellerslie) to see if Linda was interested in trying to sell some of them in the shop. We had no sooner worked out an arrangement for her to take them on consignment when a lady came in and immediately bought a piece. Then, a few minutes later, a second shopper came in and grabbed 2 pieces. That left 5, so we hung them on a quilt rack to display them to their best advantage. The next morning, Linda called to say that 2 more had sold--woohoo! That means I can make some more--and that was the whole point of selling them. I had to be able to justify doing more.
By the way, if you're interested, I'm making generous half yards (20" x width of fabric) and we're offering them at $15 each. They are unique, one of a kind pieces--really suitable for framing, as is, but they present all kinds of possibilities for making your own art. E-mail me if you'd like to know more.
We went to the show on Sunday morning, then drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Folk Art Center. It's a great collection of arts and crafts from the Southern Appalachian area. There were lots of quilts and art quilts, pottery, wood carving, weaving, etc. If you're ever in the area, be sure to visit. And, of course, the parkway is wonderful--except the traffic was pretty heavy--but then, it was Sunday afternoon and close to a large city, so I guess that's to be expected. The trees have just begun to show the fall colors, so the next couple of weeks should be peak time.
We had a miserable, rainy drive home. We do need the rain badly, but I hate driving in the dark when it's raining.
The GA Nat'l Fair opens on Thursday of this week (Oct 4th) and runs through the 14th in Perry, GA. I'll be going down at some point to see how my entries fared (no pun intended). I have 3 art pieces in the Fine Art competition and 1 quilt in the quilt competition.
I'm so glad to see Fall arrive with cool mornings and warm (but not too warm) afternoons. It's the perfect time of year, in my opinion, and then, there's the color.
Speaking of color, I took some of my hand-dyed fabric to my favorite local quilt shop (Sunday Best Quiltworks in Ellerslie) to see if Linda was interested in trying to sell some of them in the shop. We had no sooner worked out an arrangement for her to take them on consignment when a lady came in and immediately bought a piece. Then, a few minutes later, a second shopper came in and grabbed 2 pieces. That left 5, so we hung them on a quilt rack to display them to their best advantage. The next morning, Linda called to say that 2 more had sold--woohoo! That means I can make some more--and that was the whole point of selling them. I had to be able to justify doing more.
By the way, if you're interested, I'm making generous half yards (20" x width of fabric) and we're offering them at $15 each. They are unique, one of a kind pieces--really suitable for framing, as is, but they present all kinds of possibilities for making your own art. E-mail me if you'd like to know more.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
New art quilt and hand dyed fabric
I got the letter yesterday from the Schweinfurth Art Center. They declined both my entries for this year's "Quilts = Art = Quilts" exhibit. The letter said they had 331 entries from 191 artists--they chose 77 for the show. I guess that means I've got lots of company. It's always disappointing to get a rejection letter, but you just have to chalk it up to experience and move on. Speaking of...
On a more positive note, I finished the piece I've been working on that is made from my hand-dyed fabric. I call it "Sanctuary". It was primarily made from one piece of my ice-dyed fabric. I used a hand dyed piece that I had in my stash for the sky. All the details (grass,trees) are thread painting.
I also have to share some of the other pieces that I dyed. These are 3 examples. They were all done using the same 3 dyes (1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow). I told you it was cool!
Each of the pieces is just over a half yard. I started with about 20 inches x the width of the fabric. I wanted to be sure I had a full half-yard of fabric in each piece. I hate it when I buy a yard of fabric and, after it's washed and dried, it ends up being 33 or 34" long.
As promised a while back, I'm also posting a photo of the final "Black Hills September" after some tweaking. It's currently at the GA National Fair, waiting to be judged in the Fine Arts competition, along with "Top Gun" and "Where the Pavement Ends". The fair opens October 4th, so we'll see how it goes.
Each of the pieces is just over a half yard. I started with about 20 inches x the width of the fabric. I wanted to be sure I had a full half-yard of fabric in each piece. I hate it when I buy a yard of fabric and, after it's washed and dried, it ends up being 33 or 34" long.
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