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.

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. 

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.
 

Ahh, Spring--at last!

My world is green--a hundred different and beautiful shades of green.  My late mother in law used to say that the springtime leaves were a "tender" green.  I love that--it's so appropriate.  Everything seems to be in bloom--aahchoo!--but even with all the pollen, it's great to see everything coming to life again.  I wish I were a more dedicated gardener, but I'm just not into it.  I like to work in the yard, planting flowers, but then I'm done.  Weeding, fertilizing, watering--it's all just too time consuming.  I'd rather be in my studio making fiber art (otherwise known as playing).

The art show in Perry was last week.  My "Bonsai" won an honorable mention.  The other two pieces didn't receive any awards.  I didn't get to attend the show--making a trip to deliver and one to pick up the work was about all I wanted to tackle in one week.  It's a long drive (85 miles, one way), but I would've liked to see the whole show.

I'm working on a new piece for the museum exhibit (June 1 - Aug 31).  It's from one of my photos of the lotus pond that's just a few miles from me.  It is incredibly beautiful every summer and I've stopped more than once on the side of the road to try and capture it from every angle.  It's right in front of the Warm Springs Winery and worth watching for if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

The piece has been a challenge and I've spent a lot of time thinking and planning how to portray the scene.  I'll post pictures here once the exhibit opens.  I wanted to save these last two pieces I've done to "debut" at the museum, so only a handful of people have seen them.  I thought there should be something new for the exhibit.

In the meantime, I've been hand-dyeing some silk scarves.  I decided to try the ice-dyeing method on silk to see how it would work.  They are beautiful, but I'm still playing with different techniques to see if I can get as much variation in the colors as I do with the cotton.  I also did some small scraps of linen that a friend gave me.  It really soaks up the color and the weave gives it great dimension.  It also frays around the edges beautifully.  I've got to figure out how to take advantage of that in a piece.

I was contacted by a lady with the Creative Writers Group in Carrollton.  They want to have their July meeting at the museum, with me talking to them about my work, its inspiration, and the story behind it.  Then, they will write about it for their next meeting.  I'm so excited to get the opportunity to introduce a new group of people to art quilting.  I'm sure there are many of them who have a whole different definition of what makes a quilt.  It should be a lot of fun.  Beverly Hammack, who is my contact with the museum, and a good friend, made this connection for me.  She's terrific and has really been promoting my exhibit with all kinds of people around Carrollton.  She has been working, along with a group of other very dedicated people for over 14 years to make the museum a reality.

I don't have any photos to share today, but I'll put something together for next time.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Where is my time?

I feel guilty for not posting more often, but there seems to be this giant vacuum cleaner hanging over my head that sucks up all my time and I'm not being very productive right now.  It's very frustrating to have the days and weeks fly by and I seem to be spinning my wheels.  Enough complaining.

Since I last posted, I did a trunk show for the Common Threads Quilt Guild in Newnan, GA at the end of January.  That was a fun night.  My good friend, Linda Camp, volunteered to go with me and play the role of Vanna White, acting as my assistant.  I couldn't have done it without her--thanks, Linda.  

You make some great connections when you share your work and one of the members from the Newnan guild came down and spent an afternoon with me in my studio, bringing some of her terrific work.  It's always a treat to see what other creative people are doing.

I attended another regional SAQA meeting earlier this Month at the Sewing and Quilt Expo in Gwinett County.  We had about 10-12 members at the meeting and everyone brought some of their work--wow!--what a talented and diverse group.  My "Cowgirls Just Wanna Have Fun" was on display and will be traveling to other Expo show locations around the country until June, when I plan on entering her in the East Cobb Quilt Show.

I will have three pieces in an art show in Perry, GA called Arts in the Armory April 12-14th.  They will include "Bonsai", "Summer's Gold", and "Where the Pavement Ends". 

June will be super-busy.  My solo exhibit at the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum in Carrollton, GA will open June 1 and run through the end of July.  I'm totally thrilled to have that opportunity.

  The Columbus Artists Guild Member Show will take place June 8-22nd.  I'll have one piece in that show and I'm entering two pieces in the East Cobb Quilt Guild Show, June 14-16th.  I have to make lists and have my calendar handy to keep up.  My mind is not as sharp as it once was.

I mentioned the class I was taking online with Lesley Riley in a previous post.  I'm all done with it now and just last week got the critique from Lesley of my final piece for the class.  I had made a real effort during the class to work in the style that most of the other class members used.  Our class examples and other students' work leaned heavily on collage, abstract, and other than realistic work.  I was pretty much out of my comfort zone, but that was one of my goals in taking the class--to explore another way of expressing myself.

When I submitted my final class piece to Lesley, I also sent a photo of another piece I had just finished, which was much more my usual work.  She gave me the critique on the class piece, but she also told me something that has made a big impression.  I had heard the same thing from another teacher (Marilyn Belford), who I'd taken another online class with years ago.  I guess I just needed to hear it again.

The lesson that I will try very hard to remember is that I need to work in my own style and trust my own instincts--not try to do what other people might expect or try to fit into the style of a class or teacher.

I have always been very insecure about my abilities as an artist.  I have only recently been able to attach the word artist to my name without feeling apologetic about it.  I thought that since I had no formal art education and my work was made of fabric and thread, it didn't really count as art.  I assumed the compliments on my work were just people being nice to a sweet little old lady--"bless her heart".  But, I have decided to hold my head up and stop apologizing that my art is realistic, not abstract, that I don't have an art degree, and that, yes, I use fabric and thread instead of oils or acrylics to express my art.  It's who I am and if you don't like it, that's fine.  There are those who do.    

   

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.