Quilt Festival!

The International Quilt Festival in Houston has come and gone.  There were four great things that transpired:

 

1) I had the pleasure of attending for two days, and I took classes from two fiber artists that I greatly admire: Hollis Chatelain (www.hollisart.com) and Frieda Anderson (www.friestyle.com) .  Overall, I was able to get some good ideas on how to approach my quilting in terms of design, and I got some more practice with free motion quilting motifs. 

 

2) I had the opportunity to do some shopping, and I actually only (mostly) bought the things on my list.  I was not wooed by all those tempting deals that always seem to be coming at you from every turn. This very well could have been because I had no spare time to wander.  Hmmmm, we'll never know!

 

3) I was so inspired by all of the spectacular artworks, both traditional and contemporary, and

 

4) I myself had my own fiber art exhibited there.  It was such an honor!  I cannot wait until next year when I plan to enter numerous works in several categories.  I am getting started now.  (But more about that later!)

 

 

 

Here I am in front of my "Jumping The Broom" quilt.

It was juried into the Traditions exhibit.  It was very interesting to see what traditions were interpreted in fiber.

 

This quilt is based on my favorite wedding photo of my husband and I jumping the broom.  Jumping the broom is an old tradition in African-American culture which dates back to slavery.  During this time, slaves were not permitted to legally marry.  It became a tradition to "jump the broom", to symbolize sweeping the past behind you and starting afresh together.  This display showed a couples love and commitment to one another. 

I also had another piece in the "What's for Dinner" exhibit.  My "dinner" was Pizza and Green Salad.  Back when my husband and I had the time and moolah to go out to eat regularly, we would eat pizza every week at our favorite pizza joint.  While we were waiting on the pizza to be served, we would always get a salad first so that we wouldn't feel like we were eating too badly. 

"Pepperoni, Please!"

The exhibit was set up really nicely!  Each entry had to be a placemat of the same size, 15"L X "24"W, and they had an extra long, decorated table set up with each of the entries placed along the perimeter. 

 

I especially loved the entries with the crawfish boil, the sushi, and the placemat with the spilled milk, mac and cheese and French fries with the title "I Do It!, I'm Two!" because my two year old daughter says that all the time!

Artsy Shoes.....Finished!

It took about two weeks to finally finish them, but I got them done!  Now I just have to spray and protect them.  Overall, I am pleased!  Check 'em out.....

From this........

To this...



The outside



The inside



The back



The front



Laced up



On my Feet

Artsy Shoes

I have always admired the graffiti that I see on moving trains, and this past summer my husband surprised me with an anniversary trip to an artsy destination I have always wanted to visit:  San Francisco.  I got to see lots of awesome graffiti all over the place:

I also have been wanting to do my own "graffiti" on a pair of shoes, and I finally took the step to do some.  They are still a work in progress, but I have finally drawn everything on it. 

 

They have some of my favorite things, plus a little doodling.  Now, I just have to add the color!  I have to have them done by Halloween, so I can wear them to the Quilt Festival!

Practicing on friends

I am really enjoying manipulating photos on Photoshop to create fiber art.  I am still just a beginner though, so I decided to make a couple of medium sized art quilts for friends to get some more practice with some of the program features.  These are my works in progress:

This has been a tremendous learning experience so far.  I have started the quilting on one so far. I did not know that I could print overlapping tiles when printing my projects.  That really helped me put them together more precisely.  Man, I sure wish I had figured that out on my "Jumping the Broom" quilt.  Oh, the time and frustration that would have saved...........

Quilting Arts

Quilting Arts Magazine recently had a reader challenge entitled "Friendship and Devotion".  I don't read the magazine as soon as I receive it most times, because I want to read it when I have time to sit and take it all in.  (Having two little ones certainly takes up a large portion of my attention, of course!)  So, there wasn't much time for me to get something done.  Luckily, I immediately thought of an artwork I began years ago, that was just sitting in my closet with no home.  It was about the size it needed to be as well.  What was the problem? You see, it was inspired by friends who are no longer friends with one another.  So I took a look at it, and changed it up just a bit to fit the current status. Then I appropriately called it, : "Frenemies"!  Here is a snippet of it.....

I don't want to show the entire thing because...da da da dummmm....It was accepted as a finalist in the challenge!  Hopefully you will be able to read about it and see it in the February/March issue of Quilting arts!
 

What have I been up to?

All this year I have been participating in exhibitions opportunities.  Since my last posts about the quilt festival, I have been very busy.  My Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) quilt sold for $150 again this year.  I was a little worried that it wouldn't sell because the design looked so simplistic.  Believe it or not, there was some thought and effort put into it.  I am very thankful that I was able to help raise money for SAQA.

In other SAQA news, the members from Texas had an opportunity to participate in a traveling trunk show exhibition entitled "A Texas Experience".  At first I thought about the Alamo, but wasn't really inspired by that.  It seemed too stereotypical.  The deadline seemed to creep up on me, and I decided that I wouldn't have enough time to get it done.  Then the deadline was extended, and I remembered that I wanted to do a small series about cowboy boots a while back.  The problem was that I didn't own any and hadn't taken any pictures of any.  Coincidentally, the next day, my fashionable co-worker strutted by in her brown cowboy boots accented with purple stitching. I convinced her to let me take her boots on a little trip outside to photograph them.  I then took one of the photos, manipulated it on Photoshop, and stitched over it like crazy!  Here is the result:

"A Cowgirl Necessity"

"I'm so excited!....and I just can't hide it!"

I got accepted as one of 22 finalists in the IQA Traditions exhibit!  What an awesome blessing and opportunity.  I'm doing the happy dance!  Every year when I attend the show, I look at the works on display with awe, and now I will have something displayed there!  Woo Hoo! 

Happy Daddy Day!

I decided to create a piece of art for my husband for father's day.  I like the way it turned out for the most part.  I love the way the quilting on the face turned out!  I usually shy away from that.  Anyhoo, my hubby was pleased. 

Accepted!

One of the things I have always wanted to do, not unlike many fiber artists, is to be accepted into exhibits and shows.  I had not really tried to enter many in the past, mostly due to my insecurities, thinking my work may not be "good enough".  However, keeping with my inspirational quote for the year, "Perfection is the enemy of greatness", I decided to enter a few shows this year.  What do I have to lose?  My goal is simply to be accepted. 

So far, I have been accepted to two exhibits:  All Things Fiber with the Arts Council Brazos Valley this summer where two of my older pieces are being displayed now through July 31st,

 

 and the other is the "What's for Dinner" exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this November.  In this exhibit, participants were asked to make a placemat and their favorite meal--yes, as a piece of fiber art!  I did what no one who knows me would be the least bit surprised about: pizza!

 I also entered the "Traditions" exhibit at the IQA Festival based on one of my favorite wedding pictures.  I really tried a lot of new techniques in this one, and regardless of being accepted or not, I am really proud of it.  I have not heard back about this one yet, but I am keeping my finger crossed!  Because of the rules, I can't post any pictures of either of these works yet.  But here is the photo that I drew inspiration from.

Fused Quilt Blocks class

This class is for ages 8-13.  I have done this project several times with my students, and they have really enjoyed it.  It is more based on traditional quilt blocks versus art quilting, but there is no sewing involved.  These are a few examples:

Fiber Portrait Class

Here is the example for my Fiber Portrait Class.  I have done this several times before, but usually I simplify the face and do free motion quilting on it.  No quilting this time, but more details on the image.  This is the year of experimentation and learning experiences.  I really like this one, too.  I am already planning others. 

Mini Abstract Fiber Art Class

Here is the example for my Mini Abstract Fiber Art Class.  Students will create their own original fabric painting and embellish it.

 

It has been embellished with hand stitches and beads.  I liked the way it turned out.  So what do you think?

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

As many know, I spend my weekdays teaching art to middle schoolers.  I love it because I get to make art all day long and show others how to express themselves.  Well, the art teachers in my school district were extended to invitation to teach some weeklong classes at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts.  I have always wanted to teach some beginner fiber art classes to adults, but that goal had yet to come to fruition.....Until now.  I proposed three classes, and they were all accepted and put on the calendar!  Here they are:

• June 10-14 from 1:00-3:00
• Fiber Portraits

• July 15-19 from 1:00-3:00
  Fused Miniature Quilts

• August 5-9 from 1:00-3:00
  Mini Abstract Fiber Art

I am so excited about it, I am making new work to use as examples.  Now I just have to hope that enough people will sign up that I will actually be able to hold the class. 

 

SAQA Benefit Auction

I have completed and submitted my auction piece for this year's auction.  This is my third year participating.  Studio Art Quilt Associates is an organization that I am a part of which promotes and educates about the fiber art medium in the form of quilts.  This auction is the largest fundraiser for the organization.  Check out the other 12" X 12" pieces at www.saqa.com.

Deltas Complete!

I have finished my first Delta artwork.  I rather like the way it turned out overall.  It is just 12" X 12".

"Delta Divas"

Painting's all done!

I have finished the painting step.  I decided to change some of the colors of things for more interest and variety in the characters.  I am often asked why no faces?  I don't know...When I did the initial sketch they had faces, but I think I like for the characters in my artworks to be anyone who views it rather than a particular person.  Yes, I am capable of doing faces, but I guess this is my signature. 

Now I need to quilt it.

New work in progress

I am a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.  However, I have been wanting to do some artworks based on historically African-American sororities in general.  I have already completed a few based on my sorority, and plan to make more.  However, I came across a picture of an aquaintance who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, and asked if I could use it for an artwork.  I have had this picture for about a year.  I decided that it would be the subject for an artwork for an upcoming show in Atlanta:  The Square Foot Pin-Up Art Show.

Here is the first step:

 

 

Now for the paint!

New Year, New Goals

Well, 2013 is here and in full swing.  I have not done much in the fiber art arena, though I have done some sewing for my daughter and my newborn son who arrived just over a week ago.  I have however thought about the goals I have for this year.  I had many goals last year, which at the time seemed feasible.  But as my life sustained many changes, so did my priorities.  So, this year, I would like to be more realistic and not quite so specific with my goals.  With that said, my primary creative goals are to improve my technical skills, find my niche and use what I have in my stash to solve my creative challenges.

I heard the greatest quote recently, and I feel like it was  speaking directly to me:  "Perfection is the enemy of greatness".  I am my harshest critic, and it sometimes keeps me from finishing things once I view the work as "flawed".  So, with all my goals in mind, just working and finishing will allow me to grow creatively. That is my ultimate goal.