Accepted and Completed

Back in April of last year I applied to have the opportunity to create a quilt for the theme "Fly Me to the Moon" in honor of the 50 year anniversary of landing on the moon.  There were a lot of different categories to choose from--including specific missions and astronauts, but I chose to go in a familiar direction: Romantic Moon.  Anything that has to do with "amore", is alright with me!  My specific inspiration was the song, "That's Amore" by Frank Sinatra.  You know..."When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie....." 

I was accepted!  So I initially thought of a couple strolling together under the moonlight. I wanted to take it a step further, so I thought about a younger couple, and I had some of my middle school students pose for a picture in our courtyard.  I based my quilt on the notion of new love and the images of my teenage students.   Once I created the quilt, I had to send pics and wait to see if my piece would be accepted........

YES!  I was accepted and my quilt will be included in a book to come as well as a traveling exhibit!  I can't show any pictures of the piece itself, but it was based in part on this photo:

IQF Houston 2015 Recap

So the quilt show has come and gone, and it was an amazing experience!  I not only had two quilts in the show, but "Daddy's Little Girl"  also was featured in the International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene magazine, and I got to record two mini videos about both of the quilts for "Go Tell It At The Quilt Show"!

 

 

My "Daddy's Little Girl" quilt in the IQF-Quilt Scene 2015-2016 Magazine

"Daddy's Little Girl", part of the Quilts: A World of Beauty exhibit (Digital Art Category) at the IQF-Houston 2015

"I Believed! You Achieved!", part of the Celebrations Exhibit at the International Quilt Festival-Houston 2015

Yippee!!

One of my favorite sources of inspiration for my art is my photographs.  I chose these two photos to base two new works upon with the sole purpose of entering them in the International Quilt Festival. From the moment I took the picture of my husband and daughter, I knew it was going to be turned into a quilt.  It is from three years ago.  The other is of my cousin at his graduation.  The theme for the exhibit for that one is celebrations.  I just remember how proud my aunt was of him, and immediately thought of this moment when I saw the theme. 

 

This is the biggest quilt show in the world, and it is so inspiring just to walk through the George R. Brown Convention Center every fall to view all the latest art in the form of the quilt.  I am so excited right now because I just got word that one of the quilts, "Daddy's Little Girl", got accepted into the show!  I won't hear about the other one for a few weeks, but just to get in with one is like the best honor ever!  I can't show the quilts right now, (show rules), but believe me, I will be a "postin' fool" when that show gets here Halloween week!

The Sisters Quilt

I have been wanting to do something with my mother and her sisters for a long time.  I finally was able to take my own picture of them together, to make some art with them as the subject.  They just weren't cooperating with my requests for pictures.....

So anyhoo, I drew their likenesses in a cartoon style and painted and quilted it.  I also added my grandmother and one sister who weren't present.  They are no longer with us, but I still wanted to include them in "The Whitfield Girls"!

It's About Time!

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted! Wrangling two little ones under the age of five certainly occupies a considerable amount of my time.  We have also been preparing for a big move to a new city for the past few months.  But I have managed to work a little "thread meditation" into the rotation.  I started making t-shirt quilts last year, and that has helped me to support my addiction---to fiber art. (A few old, a few new)

 

These were fun to put together.  I have definitely started saving my kids t-shirts for their quilt---15 years from now. :-)

No Greater Inspiration....

There is no greater inspiration than L-O-V-E!  Recently I had the opportunity to witness and participate in the union of one of my best friends. 

 

 

See that's me on the right, then the left! (By the way, Martin Johnson is a gifted photographer, and he took that photo.  Looks like a postcard doesn't it?!)  Anyway, I was so inspired by the beautiful scenery and atmosphere, I needed only to pick the right moment to base a new artwork on.  I chose this moment:

Can't you feel the love?

With that said, here is the final product, as well as it displayed at the reception.

It is 20" x 20" big. I hope they love it!

SAQA Benefit Auction 2014

For the 4th year in a row, I am participating in the SAQA Benefit Auction.  My pieces have sold every year, so I am hoping I can keep the streak going!  If you get a chance, go to www.saqa.com to check out all of the wonderful pieces up for auction.  It begins Sept. 15th.  In the meantime, here is my work in progress:

And the finished product:

I created this 12"X12" piece by starting with a glue gel resist.  I then hand painted it, let it dry and hand stitched it in the resist areas.  Finally I accented the image with beads and sequins. What do you think?